Ink characteristics

I use the word "characteristics" because everything I have searched used the terms "properties" or "performance" and doesn't give me the information I seek.

I am doing the Ahab mod from the British guy on You Tube, stephen…something. Uber-flex. He said a "thicker" ink would work best, and suggested Noodler's X-Feather. XF only comes in black and I would like some color. Which inks could be considered "thicker"? Or hold characteristics like X-Feather? Acrylic? Calligraphy? Dip pen ink? (Which inks are dip inks?)

I am SO disappointed with the Ahab. You have to press so hard to get any flex, it's ridiculous. Why even make something like that? I ended up bending the end of the nib. Goulet Pens said sorry it "was not to your liking" and offered exchange or return if I paid to ship it. The Ahab might be a good every-day writing pen, but to represent it as flex is simply wrong.

There are SO many inks out there. I have SO much to learn. Does anyone have a recommendation for a site to teach me what I need to know?

Also, what's with the super expen$ive inks? Do they have diamonds ground up in them?

First of all the Ahab, is a problematic pen and takes quite bit of fiddling to make it work properly. For learning, the Nib right here on B&B is a great place. Also FP Geeks is a great online community.

Are you looking for a flex pen? You can buy a calligraphy kit. For thicker inks Noodlers is a choice, personally I enjoy Diamine inks.

Is this your first pen?

if you want cheap flex try a dip pen.

not sure which mod you are talking about, if its the dip pen mod or cutting the sides of the nib to allow more flex to the stock nib. the higher priced inks do have great performance but most of them are also presented in more expensive bottles for presentation. Dip inks will be called dip inks... acrylic is basically paint so only dip with them as well... calligraphy is also not for fountain pens. thicker usually means high saturation (lots of pigment) they typically dont shade but have very vibrant colours. private reserve is good for that, but with high saturation inks you also have higher maintanence needs to flush out the feed

Sorry I wasn't too clear. I have a few non-expensive fountain pens, and the Ahab was my first "flex" purchase. I blame Leigh Reyes and her video. She started this!

The mod is from a You Tube video called "Creating Uber Flex".

What I really, really would like is Leigh Reyes' pen from the video.

Syn recommended dip pens to learn with, so while getting the Brause Rose nib, I got a handle and a couple different nibs to practice with.

So.. if the video recommends X-Feather, how would I find an ink that performs similarly? Would adding gum arabic a drop at a time to a regular fountain pen ink until reaching the consistency I need work? The idea seems stuck between two worlds, fountain pen and dip pen and the inks required for each. A compromise ink.

I just HAD to go check out "The Nib", didn't I?

How was the pen show?

If you mean DC that's not till august. and im excited as heck for it

So which would be more viscous inks?

Creating über-Flex

This is fantastic. I especially like, at one moment around 10:00 in the video, just after demonstrating the full flex, he says, "This is serious." Classic. I think I may also have to try this. My Ahab is just....disappointing.