Flex Review: Pilot 742 SM Nib Transforming into a Modern Wet Noodle Flex Nib
弹尖评测：百乐742SM尖改造而成的现代Wet Noodle
Nib: modified Pilot 742 SM nib
Pen: Pilot 743 with custom raden urushi coating
Finally getting the time to update my new flex nib! This review is about Pilot 742 SM nib with full flex modification and needle point grind by CY. For people who followed me on Instagram may have seen how flexy it is already, but this post will dig deeper and review how it does with other parameters. I’ll also include an updated comparison chart of all my other flex nibs for reference in the end.
终于找到时间更新这个弹尖啦。这个弹尖是由百乐742 SM尖经CY改造而成。改造过程涉及了加弹和磨细笔尖。关注了我IG的朋友可能已经看见过我发这个弹尖劈叉的书写效果，能看到这个弹尖的笔幅变化是多么明显。但是这个博文里我会更详细的评测这个弹尖在其他方面的表现。在文末我会贴上更新后的我个人的现代弹尖数据对比表供大家参考。
Long story short, let’s start with my general impressions on each of the important parameters regarding how this flex nib performs.
长话短说，我们就进入正题了。我先来说说这个弹尖在各项弹尖参数上的表现。
Softness柔软度:
It’s way softer than the Pilot #10 FA nib. For a degree, it may even be twice as soft as the 912 FA. So it doesn’t take any effort to flex. It is very pleasing every time I use the nib to make a thick downstroke as it is so easy to flex. It feels like a brush.
这个弹尖比百乐10号FA尖要软得多，柔软度甚至可能是百乐912FA尖的两倍。那么软，劈叉基本不费力气。整体劈叉书写感觉更像拿着个软毛笔来写字，书写体验可以说是非常带感。
Flex弹/劈叉:
The amount of flex is also excellent as a full flex nib. It can range from 1.65~2.00mm depending on the paper and ink combination.
劈叉程度对于一个全弹尖来说并不逊色。根据纸墨搭配的不同，最大劈叉的程度在1.65mm到2.0mm之间。
Snapback 回弹:
I don’t feel any lag in the tines returning to its unflexed state in my flex writing. It is just as responsive as my pilot 743 FA.
在收力后笔尖回复到未劈叉状态的速度和百乐743FA尖差不多。整体回弹速度我没感觉有延后。
Ink flow 供墨:
The 3-slit ebonite feed from Flexible Nib Factory is also a bonus to its performance as it can maximize the ink flow during flex writing. No railroading was observed unless I maximized the downstrokes in fast writing.
由于使用了FNF家三槽硬橡胶笔舌，供墨方面完全没问题。除非是快速的大劈叉，基本没看到有空心字的情况。
Minimum line width 最细线:
I originally asked CY to grind the nib size to Pilot EF. It was overdone a bit, so it was closer to a needle point grind. CY did ask me if I want to grind it back to EF size but I decided to keep it as a needle point. I am so glad that I kept it that way. The needle point grind is pretty smooth considering how fine the nib is. I would say it is close to the smoothness of a Pilot Kakuno EF. But it is still slightly finer than a Kakuno EF nib, therefore, it can achieve very fine hairlines to enhance the line variation.
我最一开始想让CY磨到百乐EF尖左右的大小，但是后来因为磨过头了，比百乐EF还要更细一点。我没让CY 改掉，保持了needle point的大小。收到后我觉得保持needle point决定是非常正确的。虽然尖非常细，实际书写因为非常软所以不怎么需要用力压笔，因此这个笔尖相对还是非常顺滑的，基本比较接近百乐笑脸的EF。而细线如此纤细，对于增强线条变化非常有用，非常凸出了弹尖书写过程中的粗细变化。
In short, it is soft, flexy, snappy, has a great ink flow, great line variation, and a full nib size. With all those being said, I think this nib is deserved to be called a modern wet noodle. It can perform so well in all aspects. Even in the vintage flex realm, it is not easy to find such a good flex nib. I am glad that such flex nibs can still be made nowadays.
总结一下就是，这个弹尖又软，又能劈叉，回弹又快，供墨能力强，笔幅线条变化大，整体也是相对大的尺寸（和古董尖和现代5号尖相比）。平均每个方面都非常优秀。个人觉得这个尖可以称之为现代wet noodle了。难得的是这个尖每个方面的表现都很优秀，基本没有拉胯的地方，和古董弹尖相比都是难得一见的珍品。很高兴如此优秀的弹尖现在还能改造得出来。
The other thing I really like about this nib is that it is modified from a Pilot #10 nib, which makes swapping pen barrels very easy. The nib can be put in either Pilot 742 or 912. And all pen barrels between 742, 912, and 743 are interchangeable. I can easily screw the grip section of Pilot 742 to any of my Pilot pens. I put mine into a Pilot 743 with custom Raden Urushi coating on. Now it is both aesthetically and functionally pleasing.
除了单纯的弹尖表现之外，我很喜欢这个笔尖的原因是这个弹尖是百乐10号笔尖改的。百乐10号笔尖可以换在百乐912, 742的笔握上，而百乐912, 742, 743的笔杆都可以互换，可玩性非常强。我将这个742的弹尖笔握接在了百乐743定制改造的螺钿漆杆上。又美丽，弹尖又强，可以说是非常完美了。
As promised, here is the updated modern flex nibs comparison chart. For detailed info about how this table was made and how to use it, please check my previous post.
关于这个现代弹尖对比表的详细内容，请查看我之前写过的这个博文。
Modern Flex Nibs Comparison Chart (Click to zoom in)
现代弹尖数据对比表 （点击查看大图）
