Jowo #6 Nibs

[Bklyn]

Please forgive me as I am a bit new to fountain pens but I had a thought.

 

Just wondering if anyone know of any companies that make pens without nibs that will simply take a Jowo #6 nib that will screws in?

I ask because I tend to only take fast notes and do not need the flexibility of gold. I love the Jowo #6 nibs, especially in bold and if I purchase just the pen body, I can buy a set of nibs and in essence, make my own pens and not have to spend a fortune unless I want a brand name like a Mont Blanc or a Pelikan. Can anyone help me? is there anything that seems unreasonable about this theory of mine?

 

​Any help appreciated.

 

My thanks to you all.

 

Bklyn

[Randal6393]

Of course you can buy nibs and matching feeds, then make bodies to fit. Might want to read up on Brian Goulet's experiences first. He started out making his own pens, went into selling inks, and now runs Goulet Pens. Selling JoWo # 6 nibs, I will note.

 

There are many good pen bodies that will take # 6 nibs. Monteverde, Conklin, some Fountain Pen Revolution bodies, and others. Feel you would do better to go this route.

 

Best of luck,

[Carl Fisher - F3 Pens]

Yes to answer your question. Look to some of the custom pen makers as most of us use JoWo or have the capability to do so.

[Bklyn]

Thanks all.

 

Best,

 

Bklyn

[Water Ouzel]

Several models of Edison pens, such as the Collier, use Jowo #6 nibs, as does the Twsbi Vac 700.

[richardandtracy]

You can also avoid making the pen.

I use a cheap Chinese Kaigelu 316 in Charcoal. With a JoWo #6 nib fitted and a plastic barrel finial instead of the brass one fitted, it is transformed into a pen that is the equal of my Duofold Centennial in every respect except 2:

1. I'm not greatly bothered about damaging it
2. The gold plating isn't so good.

It means I can have the feel of a Duofold for about £25 rather than £350+. Lovely pen.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[SteveE]

Richard - Did you have to do any special fitting or forming of the nib to install the #6 into the Kaigelu 316? I have a 316, but the nib looks more like a half-size smaller than the spare #6 nibs I have in stock.

[richardandtracy]

No need for anything. It fits on the feed OK and there is enough room in the cap, no problems. There's a photo in this post: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/206822-kaigelu-316-charcoal/?p=2671965

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Bklyn]

You can also avoid making the pen.

I use a cheap Chinese Kaigelu 316 in Charcoal. With a JoWo #6 nib fitted and a plastic barrel finial instead of the brass one fitted, it is transformed into a pen that is the equal of my Duofold Centennial in every respect except 2:

1. I'm not greatly bothered about damaging it
2. The gold plating isn't so good.

It means I can have the feel of a Duofold for about £25 rather than £350+. Lovely pen.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

Hi Richard: That is amazing. I would love to have a pen like that. Do you make them and sell them? Love to hear more if you are so inclined. If not, I certainly understand.

[richardandtracy]

The best place I know of for the pen is from here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaigelu-kangaroo-316-Charcoal-Fountain-Pen-Medium-Nib-Without-Box-/331332213640

 

though the amber/grey is just as lovely: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaigelu-kangaroo-316-Amber-Fountain-Pen-Medium-Nib-Without-Box-/331535818449

 

I do make replacement finials, but have only a few left of the 60 I finished over winter (an unheated workshop is NOT a good place to cast and machine plastics - things go a bit brittle and to get 60, I had about 150 more that were failures). I have another 40 curing, ready for starting to machine them in a week's time. The weather is warmer, so the attrition rate should be close to zero.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[SteveE]

No need for anything. It fits on the feed OK and there is enough room in the cap, no problems. There's a photo in this post: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/206822-kaigelu-316-charcoal/?p=2671965

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

That's really neat. I think the pen looks even better with the larger nib, too.

 

Thanks.

[smithno]

Most current Conklin pens take #6 nibs. I have a #6 Knox nib in my Duragraph and had a #6 Bulow nib in my Endura for a while.

[Bklyn]

The best place I know of for the pen is from here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaigelu-kangaroo-316-Charcoal-Fountain-Pen-Medium-Nib-Without-Box-/331332213640

 

though the amber/grey is just as lovely: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaigelu-kangaroo-316-Amber-Fountain-Pen-Medium-Nib-Without-Box-/331535818449

 

I do make replacement finials, but have only a few left of the 60 I finished over winter (an unheated workshop is NOT a good place to cast and machine plastics - things go a bit brittle and to get 60, I had about 150 more that were failures). I have another 40 curing, ready for starting to machine them in a week's time. The weather is warmer, so the attrition rate should be close to zero.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

I understand Richard. I have spent some time in unheated workshop and I know how the cold can do a number on things. Please allow me to ask a question. If I purchase the nib in the housing that screws not the pen, do I simply need those 2 things to create the pen?

 

Best,

 

Bklyn

[Danny Kaffee]

The Jinhao fountain pens (available through Goulet Pen Co. and/or ebay) are dirt cheap and take #6 nibs. They come with a nib but are easily replaced if you so choose. By dirt cheap I mean $5 to $10 cheap.

[richardandtracy]

I understand Richard. I have spent some time in unheated workshop and I know how the cold can do a number on things. Please allow me to ask a question. If I purchase the nib in the housing that screws not the pen, do I simply need those 2 things to create the pen?

 

Best,

 

Bklyn

As an absolute limit, you can buy a nib, housing and feed ( http://meisternibs.com/steel-nibs/ ) and possibly a cartridge convertor, and then make the rest of the pen. That is what most of the custom pen makers in the 'Pen Turning and Making' forum ( https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/forum/85-pen-turning-and-making/ ) do.

Needs a lathe to make a good pen, and preferably some turning experience, but with sufficient commitment/aptitude it's possible to go from scratch to nice pens in about 3 months, which is how long it took Shawn (watch_art of 'Newton Pens') to do it.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[DJNW]

Richard - Did you have to do any special fitting or forming of the nib to install the #6 into the Kaigelu 316? I have a 316, but the nib looks more like a half-size smaller than the spare #6 nibs I have in stock.

 

I've just bought and fitted a #6 to one of these myself, this week.

No special procedures required. While the new nib was a touch longer than the one it was replacing, all I did was line the shoulders up, firmly pop the nib and feed back in and that was it. There's quite a bit of spare space in there, so no adjustment required. (At least in my case).

[SteveE]

I'm tempted to try this, but to be brutally honest, there is nothing wrong with the way in which my 316 writes. Once adjusted, it is working well. This would be just to satisfy my emotional need to see the larger nib on the DuoFold clone.

[DJNW]

The misaligned masking on the nib was slowly driving me batty, so it Had To Go.

The old one can get me started experimenting with grinding.

Edited May 5, 2015 by DJNW

[Bill Wood]

You may want to check the Indian pen section as well - there are many of these great ebonite Indian pens that will take the Jowo Nib Unit that screws in #6.

[SteveE]

Most current Conklin pens take #6 nibs.

 

I, too, have used various other nibs in modern Conklin pens. I've used Bock, JoWo, Knox and Jinhao nibs.

 

Also, most of the Taccia pens and some of the Laban pens use "generic" #6 nibs. Most of the Bexley pens, as well as the Gate City pens also use #6 nibs. There are probably many others, as I think the #6 nib has become the default nib for most standard to large sized modern pens, other than those premium brands that have their own designs (like some Stipula pens, some Delta pens, MB's, Pelikan, Aurora, etc.).