Do You Use Several Nib Sizes?

[SkylarKnight]

Just wondering how everyone prefers their nibs.

I love my F, EF and XEF 's, but I own a medium and a.. broad? I believe.. I use my broad a bit because I just love the pen so much, but the medium is a bit... wrong for me? I dunno, I just find it not very comfortable for use. I suppose I might use it if I decide to write bigger letters, and when practicing (much more comfortable to trace lines with an M nib), but less for day to day writing.

 

What about you? Do you use more than one size? Do you go out of your comfort zone or stay in?

 

 

Forgive my very weird way of explaining myself, but I just happened to forget some words and be way too tired to pay much attention..

[KBeezie]

Japanese F,EF,XEF or Western F,EF,XEF?

 

For me I tend to prefer Japanese F to Medium, in *some* cases EF (Japanese F~M = Western EF~F).

 

But I do on occasion use my 1.5 stub (1.9 gets a bit too large for what I'd use a stub for).

 

Western Medium is roughly the larges I'd want to use for everyday usage. I tend to write small, as a result the strokes can get all overlapped together too much if it's too big a stroke.

Edited August 28, 2014 by KBeezie

[arran]

I prefer fine or extrafine Japanese nibs together with cursive italics ground to my writing

[Bo Bo Olson]

The lowest I go is F, unless I'm editing a chapter where I sometimes use a western EF, if I think of it.

I often use a F, will use a M for normal scribbling....like B or those in a tad flexible oblique.

 

I have and use OBB's also...but they are vintage like most of my nibs and 1/2 a width narrower than modern. An OB is a writing nib in vintage not a signature nib.

 

In that semi-flex or 'flexi' is a wetter nib, I often use a semi-vintage or vintage regular flex (modern are mostly semi-nail-not regular flex any more) in M&F, for shading inks.

Depending on the inks of course. There are times when certain inks do well with a wetter or wider B nib.

 

Print your self some wider lined paper. B adds flare to your script....is fun.

 

There are line printing templates, a medium line will make it easier to expand your writing for a M. A wide line easier to use a B.

It's when you cram your medium to broad nibs into a narrow collage line notebook, you will have trouble with letter size and smothered letters.

 

It is easy to expand your writing. Take two sheets of unlined paper. Fold in half. Write as large as you can on the first quarter, slightly smaller on the next, turn it over and write smaller and smaller until you have reached your normal line height on the last quarter of the last page. Be nice to use a B or a M to do that with.

Having proven you can write large, you will have no trouble adjusting your script size to the nib.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[shawndp]

I have a B on a Pelikan 205, a TWSBI and a Carene that are more or less part of my regular rotation but also have a Sailor Sapporo EF, Pilot VP EF and a Platinum desk pen in EF - so I run the spectrum. For situations with lots of numbers I use finer nibs but will admit that I am pushing my writing with a nib so fine. I used to prefer wider nibs but the forray into EF is an expreiment in pushing my comfort zone.

[Brian K]

I regularly carry a fine to extra fine, a broad, a CI/stub which is about 1.1mm and two mediums in my pocket at the same time - each with a different color ink. They are each used regularly thoughout the day and I have no problem writing legibly with any of them. The finest one is usually used for adding notations to things written with the CI/stub but is also perfect for writing clearly in smaller spaces and the broad is great for leaving notes for co-workers in a larger, clearer script than I normally use - especially my younger co-workers who seem to have a harder time with cursive than us old farts!

 

I would say my normal preference is for a medium nib as it seems the mosr suitable line width for most normal sized scripts - one side effect of so many people typing everything in some word processing program and printing it is that so many young people think they have to write that small when they use a pen...drives me nuts! Fine or extra fine nibs are great if you want to write in a 10 or 12 point font, but things written in a normal sized handwriting look strange to me in that thin a line, especially since most inks show their true colors better in medium to broad nibs. Why have a really great color if you can't really see it at its best?

 

My current color mix is Kon-peki, Asa-gao, Yama-guri, Diamine Bilberry and Diamine Burnt Sienna, which is subject to change as 4 of them are samples I am trying right now. The Bilberry is my favorite and the only one I have a bottle of, and it is getting perilously low!

 

YMMV,

 

Brian

[shawndp]

Brian - I think you make an excellent point about the fact that a standard handwriting is made for something larger than 10pt font. Same with colours - Platinum purple comes out very differently from my Preppy .5 compared to my Desk EF - same company pen, same company ink, same delivery (cartridge).

[PabloAU]

I can't seem to decide whether fine or medium is better for my handwriting... and then I pick up a stub and I get undecideder...

 

“Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find, for a mind maker-upper to make up his mind”

-Dr Seuss

Edited August 28, 2014 by PabloAU

[tonybelding]

My benchmark for a "normal" line width is the common 0.7mm rollerball pen, such as the ubiquitous Pilot G2. I feel comfortable with a fountain pen that performs similarly, and most of the time that means a F nib. Sometimes I stray into EF or M territory, and they are okay.

 

Tip size depends a little on how big you write and a lot on what you are used to. If you are used to writing with a M pen, then a EF will look awfully spidery. If you are used to writing with EF, then a M will look flabby and blobby. It's just mental.

 

As for writing size... With unruled paper and no guidance, my words tend to expand, sprawling all over the page and wasting paper. I have to make a conscious effort to keep my letters and words compact. A smaller tip helps.

[SkylarKnight]

Japanese F,EF,XEF or Western F,EF,XEF?

 

For me I tend to prefer Japanese F to Medium, in *some* cases EF (Japanese F~M = Western EF~F).

 

But I do on occasion use my 1.5 stub (1.9 gets a bit too large for what I'd use a stub for).

 

Western Medium is roughly the larges I'd want to use for everyday usage. I tend to write small, as a result the strokes can get all overlapped together too much if it's too big a stroke.

I refer to chinese \ japanese xef\ef\f.

 

The lowest I go is F, unless I'm editing a chapter where I sometimes use a western EF, if I think of it.

I often use a F, will use a M for normal scribbling....like B or those in a tad flexible oblique.

 

I have and use OBB's also...but they are vintage like most of my nibs and 1/2 a width narrower than modern. An OB is a writing nib in vintage not a signature nib.

 

In that semi-flex or 'flexi' is a wetter nib, I often use a semi-vintage or vintage regular flex (modern are mostly semi-nail-not regular flex any more) in M&F, for shading inks.

Depending on the inks of course. There are times when certain inks do well with a wetter or wider B nib.

 

Print your self some wider lined paper. B adds flare to your script....is fun.

 

There are line printing templates, a medium line will make it easier to expand your writing for a M. A wide line easier to use a B.

It's when you cram your medium to broad nibs into a narrow collage line notebook, you will have trouble with letter size and smothered letters.

 

It is easy to expand your writing. Take two sheets of unlined paper. Fold in half. Write as large as you can on the first quarter, slightly smaller on the next, turn it over and write smaller and smaller until you have reached your normal line height on the last quarter of the last page. Be nice to use a B or a M to do that with.

Having proven you can write large, you will have no trouble adjusting your script size to the nib.

I have the normal rulled paper from school, and I don't even fill the whole line when I write ^^" When writing on white printer paper, I just write smaller automatically... I used to write at 8pts, now I write arund 10-12 mostly, and I go higher for when I use my wider pens (medium, medium stub, broad stub) but can't seem to get along with broader lines, my loops are always filled in, and my lines look messy XD

 

I'm glad to see people responding

[SkylarKnight]

My benchmark for a "normal" line width is the common 0.7mm rollerball pen, such as the ubiquitous Pilot G2. I feel comfortable with a fountain pen that performs similarly, and most of the time that means a F nib. Sometimes I stray into EF or M territory, and they are okay.

 

Tip size depends a little on how big you write and a lot on what you are used to. If you are used to writing with a M pen, then a EF will look awfully spidery. If you are used to writing with EF, then a M will look flabby and blobby. It's just mental.

 

As for writing size... With unruled paper and no guidance, my words tend to expand, sprawling all over the page and wasting paper. I have to make a conscious effort to keep my letters and words compact. A smaller tip helps.

normal is 0.7??? I used to write with at most 0.5 pilot gel pen! Mostly I'd write with 0.3 or 0.38, and use the thicker points to either write something bold or lend to people.

[Sasha Royale]

Sometimes, I just feel like laying down a heavy line of ink, especially if the ink is particularly striking.

I like the theme song from "The Big Country".

 

 

I stoke a broad nib TWSBI or Pelikan with emerald green ink, Then, watch the results in the letter I write.

(Also, great music for stir-frying vegetables.)

 

Is it the medium nib that you dislike, or the pen ?

 

What music do you enjoy while writing ?

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

How wonderful that you practice hand writing! Brava!!

 

Well, I obviously do not practice hand writing, I merely scribble away.

 

I most often use Western F & M nibs when I'm churning out grist for the mill. For personal writing, I trend towards wider nibs when I want to show-off a shading ink; and when I use a saturated ink, the somewhat narrow nibs come out to play.

 

Only when mandated will I use other than blank sheets, so I write with my 'natural' hand, which is rather large.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited August 28, 2014 by Sandy1

[Ragwort Fairy]

I mostly use medium and fine, my writing looks best with the medium but I have to write more slowly, so that might be why.

[KBeezie]

I refer to chinese \ japanese xef\ef\f.

 

Chinese and Japanese are not the same thing, in fact Chinese is a mix of a variety of different standards depending on the pen (ie: something like a Jinhao X450, X750, 159 with their "Medium" is closer to a Western standard, where as smaller pens especially with hooded nibs are closer to a typical Japanese standard).

 

Just thought I'd point that out, Chinese nibs are like a box of chocolate if you know what I mean.

[WateryFlow]

Fine or extra fine nibs are great if you want to write in a 10 or 12 point font, but things written in a normal sized handwriting look strange to me in that thin a line, especially since most inks show their true colors better in medium to broad nibs. Why have a really great color if you can't really see it at its best?

 

 

Recently I was trying to find narrow lined paper on ebay so I could fit more writing in, but all I could find was standard. Writing on standard ruled paper using a EF or an F looks really ugly and spidery, plus the scratchiness of many F and EF nibs (eg Lamy) is uncomfy

 

Generally I go with an M or a B becuase they're much nicer and smoother to write with, are much more fountain-pen-like (F and EF are like biros), and suit my handwriting more

[carlos.q]

The answer is yes. I use different nib sizes for different situations.

For example, I usually carry a P51 with F nib and Noodlers black that can write on the cheapest of papers. The writing experience, however, is not very enjoyable. Might as well be writing with a Pilot V5.

My EDC (at this moment) is a red Pelikan 205 with a F nib. Springy and wide enough to show off the ink.

For signatures I'll use a B or BB nib.

Different tools for different uses...

[ink-syringe]

yes.

 

On porpoise & otherwise.

 

By which I mean a couple of my EU made Fs write like felt tip markers. PHAT (Faber, Caran d'Ache) and my Sailor F is pretty much a rapidograph/Hi-Tec C .3 needle pen territory.

 

I like a thin line for many things but I deeply regret getting the Sailor in F. I thought it would be similar to my Pilot F. It isn't. Even by Japanese standards it seems very F. It is really an XF.

 

It is actually a hair thinner than a Hi-Tec C .3

 

Had no idea what I was getting into. I also did not know that you can't easily swap nibs on a Sailor. It was my first pen that is not really meant to be user swappable. I have been swapping nibs on everything like crazy.

 

Great pen. If I could get a do over I would get a medium. It is useful to have a very fine pen for once in a while but for everyday writing I wish I had gone with the M. The Pilot M I have is about right and I read that generally Sailor runs larger than Pilot. I am not sure that is so anymore.

 

Quick & dirty (Pilot F not handy)

 

http://cl.ly/image/07262t1s3M0l/phat.jpg

 

 

 

 

[jar]

I prefer whatever nib width and style happens to be on the pen I am using at that moment.

[Floreat]

I have a variety of nib sizes, from EF to 1.1 italic. My natural handwriting is quite small so a Lamy F is probably the most comfy size for me, but it's good to write with a larger nib if I'm corresponding with someone (usually a Waterman M) - it makes things more legible. I'm also beginning to appreciate things like shading which can only really be brought out with a larger nib, and I have a few calligraphy nibs so I can try I learn to write beautifully

 

I've got EF nibs on a couple of Lamys and on my TWSBI but they are really a bit too fine, especially the latter. I adore that pen though so I will probably buy a new nib for it if I find I'm not using it as much as I'd like to.