Smooth F And Xf Japanese Pens?

[trulylefty]

Hi, everyone,

 

I've read everything I can find here, but I'm looking for more opinions. I love my fine and XF pens, and I have found my pilot VPs and my Sailor Sapporo to be exceptionally smooth (which is what I'm looking for). I have also recently acquired 2 Nakayas. One I purchased new from CFP, and one used from the classifieds here. The Nakayas aren't as smooth as I'd like. They are slightly toothy, as people say. I am wondering if I should send them to be retuned, or if that is just the Nakaya way.

 

What is everyone else's experience with F and XF Japanese nibs?

 

[lowfiwhiteguy]

My Nakaya XF, once properly aligned, gives a good bit of tooth, but no scratching. It did scratch when I got it, though, and had to be realigned. It's like a grinding sensation. The nib shouldn't feel that way, but some texture is simply the nature of these nibs it seems. I actually like it.

Edited August 14, 2014 by lowfiwhiteguy

[E8x8]

I don't have a Nakaya but I find that the feedback on the Platinum 3776 series of nibs (same ones used by Nakaya) is actually preferable over the smoothness of Pilot nibs on certain types of paper like Fabriano.

[arran]

In all my pens , I consider the platinum 3776 nibs more consistent and better alligned than the Nakaya nibs.

My last palmet Nakaya F flexible seemed to be extremely scratchy , thinking it was just normal and the kind of feedback that is typical with lighter pens.

But when scrutinizing this nib under my loupe at 30 x , the nibs seemed to be misaligned.

I had the pen to be send back to Japan , just in order not loosing my guarantee.

I hope it will not take 8 month as when ordering these pens.

My last platinum Nice F nib was much better than my Nakaya, which was 15 times more expensive. Shame on you Nakaya!!

[AlejoPlay]

Platinum Balance and 3776 Fs in my collection are great.

Pilot VP, Custom 91 and Metropolitans in F are also great.

[ziptrickhead]

Nothing says you can't have the nib polished up more to have less feedback. No need to settle on writing with a nib you aren't super happy with just because that's how they come from the factory.

 

I only own one fine Japanese nib and it's on my Sailor 1911m. Tine alignment and spacing was as perfect as I've ever seen on a pen and it's very smooth writing although you can feel the paper a bit because of how fine the tip is.

 

I was recently told by a nibmesiter that I write with too much pressure and that's why I felt an extra fine grind felt too scratchy. In my mind I took it quite personally because I've written with very fine properly polished nibs before with no issues. I then proceeded to go home and actually concentrate on the work and polished up the rough grind carefully myself and now it writes relatively well. Still have to work down the uneven tipping on the grind on one side that catches cheaper papers a bit but obviously the nib could have been improved more, not just because I'm too heavy handed.

[maverink]

platinum F/XF nibs have feedback and hence are not as smooth as sailor F/XF nibs and pilot F/XF nibs

[trulylefty]

Just to update those of you who looked at the thread. I did send them to John for tuning. He spent about 20 minutes on the phone with me. The pens are back and are wonderful. I still think (oddly) that the F has a little more feedback than the XF, but maybe that is because of the rhodium plating?

 

Thanks for everyone's comments.