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Help Me Decide On My Next Stub Nibbed Pen


Sinuhe

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Since I'm not sure Mr Santa has planned anything special for me - so I'm looking at ways to scratch my itch for another stub nib. The 78G B nib is nice, but the pen doesn't feel right for me, I want something a little more exclusive.

 

I'm torn between getting a Platinum 3776 with a music nib, or a Mini TWSBI with a 1.1 stub. I've never owned a Platinum except the Preppy, but that pen isn't bad, especially the cap mechanism. The TWSBI 580 with EF nib I use for work filling in all the small lined forms is just perfect in my hand and the nib is excellent. I wouldn't hesitate getting another, but since nibs are interchangeable I'd get the mini, since some shirts are a bit short of front pocket, and that way I'd keep using the EF nib for work.

 

I guess it comes down to your impression of the nibs. I've read nothing but praise of the 3776 Music nib, and what I'm wondering is if the TWSBI is as good, or if I'm sacrificing quality to save a few kronor if I go for the nice looking TWSBI.

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I have no actual experience with this, as I'm a newbie, but have you considered the Italix pens from Mr. Pen? They get excellent reviews and are high on my want list.

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I have a TWSBI 580 with a 1.1 stub, and that thing puts down a WIDE line... I've heard others make the same comment. It's the same width as a Lamy 1.5 italic, and way wider than my Lamy 1.1.

 

In terms of the pens, they are in two separate price categories, as the 3776 (gold nib) is double or triple the price of the TWSBI (steel nib).

 

I have a 3776 in medium, and I love the way it writes. Starts up every time, with no hesitation. And the nib is almost an exact copy of the Nakaya nib. If it wasn't for different bodies, I wouldn't be able to tell which medium nib I was writing with.

 

If you normally write with an extra fine, I'm not sure if you're going to like the TWSBI stub. I ended up swapping the stub out for a fine nib, which writes well.

 

I don't have the 3776 music nib, but there is a brand new video review on fpgeeks.com on the century 3776 music nib. It says 1.1 width, and 0.5 cross stroke, which might be more in your wheelhouse.

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If you're looking in the price range of a Platinum 3776, you should also consider a Franklin-Christoph with a Masuyama stub or cursive italic.

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I have the 3776 with music nib and boy, this pen is one smooth writer! However, compared to my other stubs, it somehow does not provide the same line variation. I have no idea why, but sometimes it just looks like I am using a very broad pen, rather than an italic. I do not have the same problem with LAMY ot TWSBI stubs, but it could be my handwriting. The TWSBI 580 that I have is also very smooth, but as others said, feels more like 1.5 than 1.1. The Mini, however, appears to be truer to size, and also smooth, although a bit of a dry writer, but that can be adjusted. Given that the 3776 is more that 2 times more expensive, the TWSBI is a good deal...

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May I suggest a vintage pen in semi-flex Oblique, like a Pelikan 140 or a as good a Geha 790....in OB.

Modern obliques are worthless for line variation.

A wise poster stated stub or CI is max line variation always. The vintage obliques in either semi-flex or 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex are line variation on demand.

Being vintage oblique you have because of the flatness of the bottom of the tine tipping in German vintage pens like a Pelikan, Geha, Osmia or MB, something very stubbish.

Vintage OB is a perfect width for 'oblique' noobies, in it's foot print is wider. The vintage nibs are 1/2 a size narrower than modern, so would be like a fat M. The nib is held canted @ 15 degrees. so the oblique pattern can work.

 

I have a nail 'fat M' CI, a nail Canadian factory '36 BB stub on a '38 Vac, an Australian Sheaffer Snorkel 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex BB stub, the Lamy 1.5 and some 14 vintage German obliques. I think those obliques are worth to have too.

 

Try that Geha 790 in Oblique....I'd suggest OB. It is for it's worth inexpensive at with luck €19 but mostly €30-35 in the wild of German Ebay.

From about '50-70's Geha was Pelikan's main competition a very sturdy, well made pen.

Three cap ring 790 only. For semi-flex. Don't get the school pen on the whole the nib is not semi-flex only springy like a 120 or modern 200. The school pen has no 'ring' just the clip ring, and serial numbers so the kid's pen wouldn't get stolen.

I only have three of 790's, with a forth, a stripped gray one the way.

A pen well worth having, if you have an interest in either semi-flex :thumbup: or semi-flex oblique. :drool:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B6FmHUwBWkKGrHqEOKiMEyVVGG6IBMwIK6RCg_12-1.jpg

 

 

 

A rare '59-60 true three ring. It polished up better than this Ebay picture.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/img8414j.jpg

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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If you're looking in the price range of a Platinum 3776, you should also consider a Franklin-Christoph with a Masuyama stub or cursive italic.

 

This would be my suggestion as well.

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I think that Platinum is a great pen, as is the pilot stubs found on the 742, 912, and certainly the recommendation of Franklin-Christoph is a good one. TWSBI is a very broad line and so it all depends on what you are going to use it for. I use stubs all the time, but do not find TWSBI 1.1 or 1.5 stubs very useful for everyday use, as I do others.

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I have a great compromise for you:

Buy your TWSBI through Pendleton Brown (no affiliation, just a happy repeat customer):

 

http://www.pendletonspens.com

 

Have him grind you one of his signature Butter Line Stub Italics out of a Fine nib - it will be perfectly adjusted and is guaranteed to blow ANY stock stub way, way out of the water.

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Bought a Pelican M200 stub from Anderson Pens and have been blown away by the performance in all aspects. It is on the smallish side, around 5 inches capped, but otherwise a steal for under $100.

 

Will

-----------------

 

Will von Dauster

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Used a stub nib on a TWSBI for some time, eventually lost the pen because the case cracked. My normal hand is italic, my favorite nibs are the "1.1 mm" nibs. In quotes, because 1.1 mm is merely a guess at the width of the resulting stroke. Some are very broad, some come out quite fine. The TWSBI nib was pretty much in the middle, IMHO. Wrote well, the pen was comfortable and dependable. Would consider getting another.

 

Know that it is pretty much the rage -- write with a regular fountain pen, try stub italics, try flex nibs. Most users don't consider what they want out of the experience. If you are going to use a stub nib, be sure to first look over a few notes on italic, uncials, gothic, etc. See if you want to put in the effort to learn to use a stub nib. This caveat goes double for using a flex nib. Boy, can one put some time into learning to use a flex fountain pen.

 

Best of luck to you,

Yours,
Randal

From a person's actions, we may infer attitudes, beliefs, --- and values. We do not know these characteristics outright. The human dichotomies of trust and distrust, honor and duplicity, love and hate --- all depend on internal states we cannot directly experience. Isn't this what adds zest to our life?

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Thank you for all the answers and input. I hadn't considered the Franklin Cristoph, some of those models like the 19 do look interesting, the price for the model with custom steel nibs aren't bad compared to the 3776 from Cult Pens. I'll have to look into shipping and the fact that I may get charged for customs.

 

Normally I don't write microscopically - I have no problems with either the Lamy stub 1.1 or or 78G - I tend to rotate the pen to around 30 degrees which makes the letters legible.

Randal - I'm actually doing my journaling with a Soennecken 161F nib using a dip pen nowadays. It's very rewarding and makes you reconsider technique.

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