Noodler's Nib Creaper Flex Fountain Pen - King Philip Purple
This translucent purple demonstrator Noodler's Nib Creaper flex fountain pen features a small, slender body with a steel flexible #2 nib and a twist piston mechanism. A small ink window shows how much ink is left in your pen. These pens are made from a celluloid derivative. The vegetal resin body of this pen may show particles or striations within the material. This is most noticeable in demonstrators and bright colors.
The Nib Creaper (also known as the "Standard Flex Pen") was the first fountain pen produced by Noodler's, introduced in 2010. The Noodler's flex pens were designed for the hands-on tinkerer - they are made to be taken apart and adjusted. The nib and feed pull right out and can be adjusted and heat set for optimal performance. Don't be afraid to get a little ink on your fingers while you learn how to use this pen.
As a simple rule of thumb for writing with a flex pen, just apply slight pressure on your downstrokes, which will spread the tines and increase the line width, achieving that optimal line variation. Make sure to go slowly so that the ink can keep up with your writing. As with any flex pen, it just takes practice!
Due to the residual machining oils used when cutting the feeds for these pens, we highly encourage you to give the pen a good flush before use. We recommend any of the following options: distilled water, water with a touch of dish soap, a pre-packaged pen flush, or a solution of 10% clear ammonia to water. This should resolve most ink flow issues!
Click here to download the printable PDF instruction sheet for the Noodler's Nib Creaper Flex.
- Condition
- New
- Brand
- Noodler's
- Type
- Fountain Pens
- Color
- Purple
- Demonstrator
Whether or not the barrel of the pen is translucent, allowing you to see the ink and filling mechanism inside.
- Yes
- Body Material
- Resin
- Cap Rotations
For pens with a screw-cap closure, how many rotations it takes to uncap/recap the pen.
- 1
- Cap Type
How the cap is opened/closed from the barrel of the pen. Some common options include Snap-Cap, Screw-Cap, Magnetic Cap, or Capless (no cap).
- Screw-cap
- Compatible inks & refills
Which ink this pen will accept. Choices include bottled ink and various styles of pre-filled ink cartridges.
- Bottled ink
- Filling Mechanism
How the pen fills with ink. Click here to watch our video tutorial on common filling mechanisms.
- Piston
- Grip Material
- Resin
- Nib Size
- Flex
- Nib Color
- Silver
- Nib Material
- Steel
- Postable
Whether or not the cap fits securely onto the back of the barrel when open.
- Yes
- Retractable
Whether or not the nib/tip can retract into the body of the pen (usually for click or twist-open style pens).
- No
- Diameter - Body
- 10.7mm (0.4in)
- Diameter - Cap (without clip)
- 12.4mm (0.5in)
- Diameter - Cap (with clip)
- 15.9mm (0.6in)
- Diameter - Grip (mm)
Measured from the place most people choose to rest their fingers, which varies with each pen.
- 7.8mm
- Length - Body
The measurement from the back end of the barrel to the tip of the nib.
- 113mm (4.4in)
- Length - Cap
- 57mm (2.2in)
- Length - Nib
The measured length of the visible portion of the nib when it is installed in the pen, from grip to tip.
- 13.3mm (0.5in)
- Length - Overall (Closed)
- 128mm (5in)
- Length - Overall (Posted)
When the cap of the pen is posted onto the back of the pen body, this is the measurement of the entire pen including the nib.
- 148mm (5.8in)
- Weight - Body
If a converter is included with the pen, this weight is reflected in the total.
- 8g (0.3oz)
- Weight - Cap
- 2g (0.1oz)
- Weight - Overall (g)
- 10.0g
- Max Ink Capacity - Piston Vac
The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using the built-in piston or vacuum filling mechanism.
- 1.00ml
Customer Reviews
I have wanted to learn some calligraphy styles of writing for a long time, and really wasn't sure where to start. I watched the video about flex nibs/stub nibs and decided to try this. The first couple of times I used it, I was so close to sending it back, as I was pretty sure I didn't like it as a flex nib but decided if nothing else I could use it as a fine point (which is what you'll have if the feed and nib are close together and little pressure is used). Well after playing around more and adjusting the feed and nib more, I've decided I really am liking it. Part of my initial concern was that I hadn't pushed the feed back enough for me, and was a little scared to push on it as I thought I would bend the nib. It definitely takes practice to find the right pressure, and as with any deliberate writing like calligraphy, slowing down is the key. I still have a long way to go on improving my writing, but I do feel like I'm on my way. I would agree the nib is a little scratchy but I also think a lot of that has to do with the paper I've been using to practice (which is pretty cheap and has lots of feathering) and I found it a lot smoother on Rhodia and Clairefontaine. I've attached one of my practice photos in which I used Private Reserve Plum ink on paper that is ivory in tone to show the line variation I've gotten.
This pen is a lovely shade of deep violet -King Philip purple. I decided to wait until it arrived before I bought an ink that matched. Yes, I am one of those matchy girls. But I inked it with some J. Herbin that I already had. It was so easy to fill. I am new to fountain pens, but I know what I don't like. This pen has a creaper flex nib and this nib/pen does NOT write smoothly at all. The pen is too short, too skinny, too light-weight, and too scratchy. But DANG the color is gorgeous. If it only fit my hand better, I would experiment with other inks to see if it would write smoother. I will have to find someone with very small hands and gift it to them.
Wife loves this pen! Has used it everyday since she got it.
I had high hopes for this pen, given the good reviews for both it and the Noodler Ahab. I wanted to try out a flex pen and the Ahab seemed too large for my smaller hands. It does flex, but not substantially. Takes quite a bit of pressure to produce line variation. The nib feels scratchy to me, even on finer paper (e.g., Rhodia/Leuchturm). I figured both of these minor concerns would even out with time and use. But the thing that made it 'just okay' for me is the piston. Maybe it's just the one I got, but it is so stiff that I can barely turn it. Trying to balance the pen in the right spot to fill it while having to turn that piston so hard is just not a lot of fun. The stiffness also makes cleaning it a hassle because of the effort required to move the piston. Nice design, nice colors, an inexpensive flex nib � but nothing really to write home about.
This is my first flex nib. I chose it over the Ahab because it is a bit smaller. I am pleased with the size of the pen; fits my hand well and feels comfortable. I also like the beautiful red-violet color, which looks especially nice in a bright light. The build quality isn't that great, however, nor is the nib. The converter **** is very stiff; difficult to turn and thus to fill or clean the pen. The threads are squeaky. The nib does flex, however, a lot of pressure is required to do so, and even then the line variation is not substantial. Doubt I'll get much use out of it, but am hoping it will loosen up over time.
FAQs about Fountain Pens
How do I fill a fountain pen with ink?
It depends on the pen's filling mechanism, which you can find in the Technical Specs section above.
Here's a quick definition of the most common filling mechanisms:
- Cartridge - A small, disposable, sealed plastic reservoir that holds fountain pen ink. These come pre-filled with ink, and typically you just push to insert them into place and you'll be ready to write! Check out our quick guide here.
- Converter - A detachable and refillable ink reservoir that allows you to use bottled ink in a cartridge-accepting pen. Typically you will install the converter into the grip section, dip the nib/feed into the ink, and twist or pull the converter knob to draw ink into the converter. Here's a video for how to fill a cartridge/converter pen using a LAMY pen as an example.
- Eyedropper - A pen that utilizes the entire barrel as a reservoir for ink. Ink is directly filled into the barrel, allowing for a high ink capacity. Here's a video on how to do it!
- Piston - A type of filling system that uses a retracting plunger inside a sealed tube to draw ink into a pen. They are typically either twist or push-operated. These pens cannot accept cartridges or a converter, and only fill from bottled ink.
- Vacuum - A push-style piston that uses pressure to fill the large pen body with ink. They seal the ink chamber when closed, making it ideal for flying without risk of leaking. Check out our video on how to use a vac filler here.
Check out more info on these filling mechanisms including a video on how to fill each one on our blog.
How do I clean a fountain pen?
It depends on the filling mechanism, but it mostly comes down to flushing it out with water, and sometimes a little bit of Pen Flush if the ink is really stuck.
It's a bit easier to show than to tell, so we've put together a few quick videos showing you the process:
How often do I need to clean my fountain pen?
We recommend a good cleaning every 2 weeks, and any time you change ink colors.
Water will usually do the trick, but we recommend you use our Goulet Pen Flush if the ink has been left in the pen for a while and could have dried up, or when you’re switching ink colors.
My pen won’t write! What do I do?
First things first... make sure you have ink in the pen! Be sure that the ink cartridge or converter is seated properly in the pen, and that you aren't out of ink.
We always recommend you give your pen a good cleaning first, using our Goulet Pen Flush, or a drop of dish soap in some water. New pens often have some machining oil residue left in the feed, so a good cleaning often does the trick first.
If that still doesn't work, try priming the feed. This consists of either dipping your pen nib and feed in ink, or forcing ink from the converter down into the feed.
If it’s still not working after that, please reach out to us so we can help!
What's your return policy?
You can submit a return request within 30 days of your order date. You can read all our Return Policies here.
To initiate a return, please submit a request at the Return Portal. Our Customer Care team might reach out to you for more information.
Please note we are unable to accept a return of any Namiki or Sailor Bespoke fountain pen for any reason once it has been used with ink. Please thoroughly inspect and dry test the pen before use.