Cursive Italic - Do I Want To Add It To My Writing Styles?

[mrdavie]

"My writing styles" - HA - what a presumption on my part! Let me just get to my question. I am considering purchase of a fountain pen with a custom re-grind called "cursive italic," but I'm not sure I fully understand what is it? Is it cursive writing with a varying line width? I suspect it will require a little bit of practice in manipulating the pen while writing a word without lifting the nib from the paper. But, with practice I assume I will be able to write cursively almost as quickly as I do with a "normal" nib.

[JeffPDX2]

I am a left handed over-writer, and found that there was no special care or learning needed when using a CI nib.

 

For a good description and demonstration of a Cursive Italic nib, go to John Mottishaw's website:

 

http://nibs.com/Fountain-Pen-Nib-Customizations.htm

 

The width of the CI nib is going to affect the appearance. I have a Pelican Medium CI and a Pelikan Fine CI; for my small writing, the Fine works well for work, when journaling I use the Medium.

 

I also have a Namiki Medium CI that has a tendency to scratch due to a corner that catches while I write; be forewarned that they can be tricky. IMHO, you should avoid a Formal Italic if this is your first experience.

[At Midnight]

Try it, else you will spend the rest of your life wondering how your handwriting could have looked.

 

I cant imagine not using a CI or a flex nib. Round nibs make my writing so dull

[barleycorn]

"My writing styles" - HA - what a presumption on my part! Let me just get to my question. I am considering purchase of a fountain pen with a custom re-grind called "cursive italic," but I'm not sure I fully understand what is it? Is it cursive writing with a varying line width? I suspect it will require a little bit of practice in manipulating the pen while writing a word without lifting the nib from the paper. But, with practice I assume I will be able to write cursively almost as quickly as I do with a "normal" nib.

This pen is likely something that was modified into a CI nib. If the price is good then why not?

Do you own a Lamy Safari/Vista/Alstar/Studio/Joy pen? Try a 1.1 italic nib for this pen. It works reasonably well for cursive and would allow you to check out if this is for you - for about $15.

[johnjayalvaro]

If you have a fountain pen that you want to put such a tip on, try having Pendleton Brown regrind it as such. His nibs are easy to use and look great. I just had two done by him and love them.

[arni]

An Italic nib is edged, so line width varies: Downstrokes and upstrokes are wider than sidestrokes.

In this context Cursive means "running" i.e. fast: the corners have been rounded somewhat so writing fast is easier, it does not refer to joined-up writing.

Try it to see how you like it.

[mrdavie]

...If the price is good then why not?....

There is one firm that charges $30 to assess a pen for "repair" and then another $50 or so to regrind the nib. That's about $80 to regrind the nib on an existing pen, plus shipping. If I purchase a new pen from a place qualified to regrind the nib, the assessment fee will go away, but then I have to add the price of a new pen - say $200 for pen and regrind, plus shipping. What starts as a desire to expand my writing style becomes an economic consideration. The nib must have an iridium tip to regrind; it can't be a steel italic nib without an iridium tip.

[mrdavie]

An Italic nib is edged, so line width varies: Downstrokes and upstrokes are wider than sidestrokes.

In this context Cursive means "running" i.e. fast: the corners have been rounded somewhat so writing fast is easier, it does not refer to joined-up writing.

Try it to see how you like it.

If it is not joined-up writing, then what is cursive writing?

[barleycorn]

There is one firm that charges $30 to assess a pen for "repair" and then another $50 or so to regrind the nib. That's about $80 to regrind the nib on an existing pen, plus shipping. If I purchase a new pen from a place qualified to regrind the nib, the assessment fee will go away, but then I have to add the price of a new pen - say $200 for pen and regrind, plus shipping. What starts as a desire to expand my writing style becomes an economic consideration. The nib must have an iridium tip to regrind; it can't be a steel italic nib without an iridium tip.

You can get a Lamy Safari or Vista with a 1.1 Italic nib for about $30 or so on sale. I would suggest you try one with normal writting first to decide if you like it enough before getting something ground to you specification.

Cursive or normal writing joins the letters together in a continuous flow. Italic will break up the letters into more than one stroke but can join them to give the look of continuous writing.

[smk]

One of the cheapest ways to try out an italic nib is to grind one on a pencil. Just flatten both sides of the lead (on a sharpened pencil) to a wedge shape and smooth out with some paper. You have an edged writing instrument and you can now see if you like writing with it.

 

BTW - using a cursive italic nib won't turn your handwriting into cursive italic writing (just as using a Copperplate nib won't turn your writing into Copperplate). The nib is just a tool that performs a specific task. If you need to perform that task (i.e. write scripts designed for edged nibs) then by all means go ahead and get one.

 

Some people enjoy the line variation added by edged nibs to their handwriting - and that is fine. However, the handwriting remains the same - it just looks different.

 

Salman

[arni]

If it is not joined-up writing, then what is cursive writing?

 

Words can be slithery.

Cursive derives from Latin currere to run.

It was used in the name of a hand developed in the early 15th century, Cancelleresca corsiva or Chancery Cursive. It is the basis of modern Italic hands. In this hand some letters may be joined but it is not mandatory.

Later, hands with few or no pen lifts developed and the word "cursive" was applied to those, particulary in America. I have seen it suggested that the word sounds similar to "curve" and there the association arose.

 

When the word cursive is used to describe a nib, it does not refer to a hand, but simply means that the corners of an edged nib have been rounded (and possibly other changes to the geometry), converting a crisp Italic nib to a cursive Italic nib.

Edited July 30, 2013 by arni

[mrdavie]

[cellmatrix]

There is a book out called "write now" by Getty and Dubay, which is excellent for helping you to develop your current writing into a style that would optimially complement a cursive italic nib. I just went thru it recently and its really did help me appreciate cursive italic nibs all the more.

[mrdavie]

There is a book out called "write now" by Getty and Dubay, which is excellent for helping you to develop your current writing into a style that would optimially complement a cursive italic nib. I just went thru it recently and its really did help me appreciate cursive italic nibs all the more.

Great. Thanks!

[mrdavie]

Received Write Now, Getty & Dubay. Will start my exercises today.

[caliken]

Manuscript fountain pens, although made in Britain, are easily avaliable in the USA from John Neal and Paper Ink Arts. I have no connection with either organization and just like the pens. There are really inexpensive and are ideal for those who do not want to commit too much money before deciding if this type of nib is for them.

 

Actually, although they are cheap, the quality is high and I sometimes use them for commercial work, by preference.

 

Ken

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Manuscriptappraisal600-1.jpg

Edited August 5, 2013 by caliken

[Dennis W]

Hi Ken,

 

How would you compare the Manuscript fountain pens with similar pen/nib combinations made by Osmiroid? I have at least 8 different Osmiroid nibs including a copperplate variety and several italic.

 

Just curious

 

Regards,

 

Dennis

Manuscript fountain pens, although made in Britain, are easily avaliable in the USA from John Neal and Paper Ink Arts. I have no connection with either organization and just like the pens. There are really inexpensive and are ideal for those who do not want to commit too much money before deciding if this type of nib is for them.

 

Actually, although they are cheap, the quality is high and I sometimes use them for commercial work, by preference.

 

Ken

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Manuscriptappraisal600-1.jpg

[caliken]

How would you compare the Manuscript fountain pens with similar pen/nib combinations made by Osmiroid?

 

I loved my Osmiroids and used them extensively for many years.

I now have sets of Lamy and Rotring Artpens, but if I had to choose, I'd go for my Manuscript pens. I have many barrels and nibs and use them all the time. I find them to be every bit as good as the Osmiroids and, if anything, of stronger construction. My Osmiroid caps had a tendency to split.

 

I also have the luxury of a couple of Pelikans ground to Italic by Richard Binder and I do enjoy using them, but for someone just starting out, I do feel that the inexpensive six-nib set by Manuscript is the way to go. The outlay is modest and the range of nibs is such that the users will soon know if they are right for them.

 

Ken

Edited August 5, 2013 by caliken

[josiah]

Transcribed for plain text reading:

 

My cursive italic is pretty comfortable and as rapid (for me!) as a more conventional American cursive. Even when it's quick and I feel like it's sloppy, it tends to attract a lot of compliments. The pen is a Noodler's Konrad; the nib came from another Konrad and had been damaged at the very tip. The flexibility is niceit's sufficiently soft to be comfortableand I ground the tip to be a fine italic that suits my handwriting: rounded the corners for smoothness, fine enough that I can still write in small spaces. I suppose that if I need something wider, I can just USE THE FLEX!

A couple more little points that I forgot to write out:

 

First, when I write with a non-italic nib (especially if there's flex), I start writing with a more conventional American cursive, though because of my habits with italic cursive and calligraphy my basic shapes tend to be italic-like: mild slant, somewhat pointy (and generally triangular) curves, and aiming at a golden-mean or 1:2 ratio for basic size relationships.

 

Second, I learned most of what I know about calligraphy in general and italic handwriting in specific from Jacqueline Svaren's Written Letters: 33 Alphabets for Calligraphers. There are numerous other books. I liked this one

 

http://troglophonic.org/calligraphy/cursive-italic-post.jpg