Two Beautiful Nibs By Mottishaw

[Blade Runner]

I wanted to do something to spice up a couple of 149s: a standard medium and broad. My former nibmeister, Richard Binder, no longer takes work outside of shows, so I sent them to someone, who reportedly does good work, to convert the medium to an extra fine and the broad to a broad stub. The work was done within 2 weeks, and the cost was inexpensive, but I was quite disappointed with the results. The XF was scratchy, and the stub has such sharp corners, they scraped on the paper creating an awful sensation. I could have sent them back for another try at no cost, but these weren't elaborate modifications, and I lost confidence.

 

I then sent them to John Mottishaw. The cost was higher and turnaround time was much longer, but now the XF is smooth even on challenging 32 lb 100% cotton stationery and is finer than the stock MB extra fines that I've tried! The broad is now an effortless, smooth stub with much more line variation than the original nib (which had some stubbish features). What a difference! I now feel these nibs provide features beyond what is typically offered from stock, and I will treasure these pens.

 

This is my first experience with John Mottishaw, and it won't be the last. He's the real deal.

 

[mfluder]

That great! How long was the turnaround - his site says 6 months? Did you have to pay the re-grind fee again, or just for the nib smoothing?

[Blade Runner]

That great! How long was the turnaround - his site says 6 months? Did you have to pay the re-grind fee again, or just for the nib smoothing?

I think it was 4.5 months, faster than expected. I did have to pay the re-grinding fee, and there's also the assessment fee. But sometimes you get what you pay for and good things come to those who wait.

[Ed44]

John has done some excellent work on my MBs as well. I'm a left-handed "overwriter" so it's very difficult to re-grind a nib for me and get good results, but in every nib John has ground for me, it's turned out perfect.

[sexauerw]

You know the unwritten forum rule! Pictures or it didn't happen. Especially when you tease us with the word beautiful in the thread title.

[Blade Runner]

My camera's no good for close ups, but I'll try to get something up, hopefully this weekend.

[BMG]

John has worked on many of my nibs and the results have always been worth writing home about (pun intended ). The price may be higher and the wait longer, but IME it is worth it.

[lsmith42]

You know the unwritten forum rule! Pictures or it didn't happen. Especially when you tease us with the word beautiful in the thread title.

Well, now you've gone and written it...

 

John does such excellent work, and is an excellent person as well!

[Blade Runner]

The inks have different degrees of flow, so it's not a controlled comparison, but here's a quick shot. The first entry is a MB fine for comparison. All smooth on the 100% cotton sheet. :-)

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/jelb/IMG_1941_zps95e71973.jpg

[orfew]

The inks have different degrees of flow, so it's not a controlled comparison, but here's a quick shot. The first entry is a MB fine for comparison. All smooth on the 100% cotton sheet. :-)

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/jelb/IMG_1941_zps95e71973.jpg

I love the look of that broad stub.

[Blade Runner]

Thanks Orfew. I love stock MB nibs, but after amassing a number of them, I started hankering for more interesting nibs. I find stock medium nibs (the most popular nib) to be the least interesting of all.

[Blade Runner]

Another comparison

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/jelb/IMG_1972_zps6253bf0a.jpg

 

This time the Mottishaw EF 149 has MB blue black, (my work combo), and the line is even finer with the iron gall ink.

 

This also compares stock MB F, M, and B.

 

And it illustrates how stubbish some stock MB broads can be. It's very similar to the Mottishaw B stub!

 

 

[CS388]

Loving the broad stub. Got a 149 BB which lays down a similar line. Very enjoyable to use.

 

Good choice. And nice work.

 

Congratulations.

 

 

 

Edited for clarity

Edited April 20, 2014 by CS388

[GUNGA GALUNGA]

John has done some excellent work on my MBs as well. I'm a left-handed "overwriter" so it's very difficult to re-grind a nib for me and get good results, but in every nib John has ground for me, it's turned out perfect.

who is this john you speak of? i have two new MBs that are sctatchy and i refuse to send them to MB.

thanx, Allan

[Pen Nut]

As I was told years ago, oh how I wish I had listened, Chase The Nib Not The Pen. Seems you have done and 'arrived'

[Blade Runner]

Loving the broad stub. Got a 149 BB which lays down a similar line. Very enjoyable to use.

 

Good choice. And nice work.

 

Congratulations.

 

 

 

Edited for clarity

 

 

who is this john you speak of? i have two new MBs that are sctatchy and i refuse to send them to MB.

thanx, Allan

 

 

As I was told years ago, oh how I wish I had listened, Chase The Nib Not The Pen. Seems you have done and 'arrived'

Thank you CS388 and Pen Nut!

Allan, that is John Mottishaw - nibs.com. He's the only one in the market of nib techs in the US that I would trust with my pens.

[KAC]

I have two Mottishaw nibs on vintage Parkers (a Mandarin "Lucky Curve" and a Duofold). One is an oblique medium and the other is a broad. Both perform beautifully.

[PhilH]

Another comparison

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/jelb/IMG_1972_zps6253bf0a.jpg

 

This time the Mottishaw EF 149 has MB blue black, (my work combo), and the line is even finer with the iron gall ink.

 

This also compares stock MB F, M, and B.

 

And it illustrates how stubbish some stock MB broads can be. It's very similar to the Mottishaw B stub!

 

I was just about to say the same thing...that is that the Mottishaw stub is really not distinguishable from the stock B

[Blade Runner]

PhilH, there is variability in the degree of stubbishness of stock B and BB nibs. If you have a choice, say at a boutique, choose one with the most stubbish profile if you want that kind of nib. The line variation of these stubbish nibs allows one to keep letters open, and it is actually easier to keep letters open with a stubbish broad than a stock medium. For someone who only used EF, F and M nibs, this discovery came as a pleasant surprise when I accidentally tried a MB broad nib.

[PhilH]

PhilH, there is variability in the degree of stubbishness of stock B and BB nibs. If you have a choice, say at a boutique, choose one with the most stubbish profile if you want that kind of nib. The line variation of these stubbish nibs allows one to keep letters open, and it is actually easier to keep letters open with a stubbish broad than a stock medium. For someone who only used EF, F and M nibs, this discovery came as a pleasant surprise when I accidentally tried a MB broad nib.

Thanks Blade. You are exactly right. For years I had nibs modified and then bought a new B 149 whose qualities are virtually italic! It's my favorite pen! A B 146 quickly followed which is wetter although again v stubbish. Going with the flow a BB came next and again very stub like although a different beast altogether. I have noticed your frequent references to these features and always smile as it seems we, and many others, have mirrored expieriences. I would not want my B collection modified further as such endeavours have often been disappointing. Strangely enough, my M 149 also has significant line variation and this attests to the differences found in hand ground nibs. The $64000 question is however, how do we try a variety in the MB Boutique to get what we want?

Cheers Phil