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Is A Gold Nib Worth The Price?


Lynxienne

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I have a few fountain pens now, the priciest of which would be the TWSBI 580 at 50ish dollars. In other words all of them are steel nibs. And I happily write with most of them. I have never had the chance to try a gold nib fountain pen, no obvious place I could try one out either. So my question is - is the investment of a gold nib pen worth, what would in my case be, a 2-3 times increase from my hiertho 'best' pen?

 

Is the experience between gold and steel noticable enough to make it a point to at least have one gold nib pen?

 

Does the writing experience (the nib, not the aesthetic) change from the 50$ price range and and higher end steel nibs? Seeing as I find plenty of steel nib pens in the price range where you could get a gold nib.

 

I look forward to your advice.

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No one can possibly answer that question but you. Perhaps with a decade or so more experience you will have a basis to make that decision.

 

A well made gold nib will not "write" better than steel a well made steel nib and as long as that is the limit of your desired experience there is no reason to look for a gold nib.

 

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Personally, for today's pens, I think it is how it looks, that makes a gold nib attractive.

I write with a "light" hand, so gold or stainless steel makes no difference. I am not writing to try to flex the nib. In fact for my daily writing, I do NOT want a flex nib, as it will just get in the way of my writing and slow me down.

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If you have a Lamy Safari pen then it is possible to get a Lamy Gold nib to substitute your regular steel nib. Still expensive but I found it an amazing combination. It makes me smile every time.

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I agree with Jar. No one can answer that question for you. If you have a pen shop you can visit, that would give you an indication, but I think a person needs to spend time with the nibs, in order to form an opinion.

 

You could buy a couple Jinhao x750 pens for around $10.00 to $20.00. For around $175.00 you should be able to get two Jowo nibs, a gold and steel #6. Swap nibs and for less than two hundred dollars you've got two pens to try side by side.

 

Another option would be to buy a model 27 Franklin Christoph pen with a gold nib, plus a steel nib for a little less than $170.00. The nib units screw in an out easily.

Kent

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It never occurred to me to buy the nibs separately from the pen, I suppose it would make for better comparison? But if the price approaches 170$, I'd be sorely tempted to go for a Platinum Kanazawa and get my maki-e look and gold nib in one pen. I have seen few reviews or mentions of it though, which makes me a bit gun shy.

 

I guess I am happy that there doesn't seem to be as clear a preference for gold as I imagined.

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Not really. Especially not for a TWSBI, they tend to break pretty quick.

 

If your nib isn't working well, just get a jowo or goulet and you'll be set.

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I've had 14K gold, 18K gold, palladium, steel, etc. One material versus another doesn't inherently make for a better writing experience in my opinion.

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You can buy a gold 18k nibbed pen as low at 9 bucks! (It's 8.60 USD) You can buy a brand new 14K gold nibbed pen for 45 bucks!

 

The money difference is not much when to compare steel and gold. The Pd and Ti is a different story.

 

But gold is not more flexible it just less etched by the inks. And it looks great on a black pen. But if you going to shove a 18k nib on that pen don't. Not worth it.

#Nope

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My Skilcraft Executive's writing characteristics (paid less than $5 for the pen) are as pleasing to me as those of my gold-nibbed Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor pens. Those are marvelous pens, but the mere fact that the nibs are gold isn't what makes them so great - it's the care in manufacture and setup. The Skilcraft is very nicely assembled and the nib is just delightful.

 

So my response to your question - no, gold in and of itself will not make the difference. But pens with gold nibs are costlier and there fore often more carefully made and tuned, which I think probably makes it more likely they'll be great to write with out of the box. There are those pens out there, though, that are inexpensive but still just wonderful...

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My Skilcraft Executive's writing characteristics (paid less than $5 for the pen) are as pleasing to me as those of my gold-nibbed Pilot, Platinum, and Sailor pens. Those are marvelous pens, but the mere fact that the nibs are gold isn't what makes them so great - it's the care in manufacture and setup. The Skilcraft is very nicely assembled and the nib is just delightful.

 

So my response to your question - no, gold in and of itself will not make the difference. But pens with gold nibs are costlier and there fore often more carefully made and tuned, which I think probably makes it more likely they'll be great to write with out of the box. There are those pens out there, though, that are inexpensive but still just wonderful...

Not all gold nibbed pen are costly.

 

They are only costly if you compare within the same brand. But cross brand some are very cheap that it's cheaper than Steel nibbed pens. Ex: PLT5000(45USD) vs TWSBI 580 (50USD)

#Nope

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Personally, I think springy 14k nibs are worth the price. For me, 95% of steel nibs (and thick expensive 18k nail nibs for that matter) are no better or interesting than most rollerballs or gel ink pens. I do find the writing experience with 14k nibs and few 18k nibs (like the Sonnet) a lot more interesting. But this is only my opinion and taste again.

 

I have been using fountain pens for some time now and I do agree with most of what is written here: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/ttp/materials.htm

 

However, if you want to try a gold nib at an "affordable" price and don't want to venture in vintage pens, Pilot offers good pens with 14k nibs under $100 (Celemo or FK-700R-B for example).

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I prefer 18k nibs which have a soft feel about them that I can't do without.

 

14k and steel just don't do it for me. I'll be honest as well that m800 18k nibs are also rather less soft.

 

Try them out and see if you like...

"Well, at least being into pens isn't a gross habit. Like smoking or whatever."

 

"Ahh, thanks?"

 

-My coworker Christine.

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The material used to make a nib is less important than how it was made and finished. Gold nibs are easier to repair if bent. Steel nibs usually cost less than it would cost to repair one. 14K gold tends to allow a "springier" nib than either 18K or stainless steel.

 

I have some of each, but I use the pens with gold nibs more often. Not because the nibs are better, but because the more expensive pens have other features I like.

"One can not waste time worrying about small minds . . . If we were normal, we'd still be using free ball point pens." —Bo Bo Olson

 

"I already own more ink than a rational person can use in a lifetime." —Waski_the_Squirrel

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to list all my pens down here.

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To me, the nib makes the pen, and personally, I just prefer a gold nib on every pen.

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It never occurred to me to buy the nibs separately from the pen, I suppose it would make for better comparison? But if the price approaches 170$, I'd be sorely tempted to go for a Platinum Kanazawa and get my maki-e look and gold nib in one pen. I have seen few reviews or mentions of it though, which makes me a bit gun shy.

I've got some gold nibs that I like better than some steel, and some steel than some of my gold. Depends on the nib and pen.

 

As for the Kanazawa, I've got one (The Moon and the Rabbit) and it's verrrrry nice indeed. F nib, slightly springy, and just the right wetness for my taste, usually filled with Iroshizuku Fuyu Syogun, sometimes Noodler's Black. A light body.

 

It's good enough that I'm seriously thinking of getting another, Autumn Leaves this time, the which has been out every time I was ready to pull the trigger.

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Not really. Especially not for a TWSBI, they tend to break pretty quick.

The pen or the nib? Haven't had any issues here, with four pens and six nibs for 'em, over the past three years.

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