Best writing nib?

[Demonstrative Pen Collector]

Please do tell which pen/brand has the best writing nib?

 

Knowing my luck I am sure this topic will be closed as this question may reveal "bad performing" nibs as some may consider its not proper for the truth to be known for its might implicate a certain well known brand made on "Planet Earth"(I cannot divulge the name of the brand as it would be heresy, I had to mention that it was made on Earth - I did not mention which country / Continent). But I will still try to know. I believe I have remained neutral with my question.

Edited September 11, 2006 by Demonic Pen Collector

[kissing]

Pelikan has the best writing nibs !!

 

[jaytaylor]

Of all the many different pens I own most are vintage and many have very nice nibs but one pen always stands out with its very well balanced construction and flex' broad nib.

 

Onoto De La Rue 1910 BHR with the over & under feed.

 

Just when I start thinking my MB149 is a smooth writer a quick session with my Onoto puts it back in its place.

[Demonstrative Pen Collector]

Of all the many different pens I own most are vintage and many have very nice nibs but one pen always stands out with its very well balanced construction and flex' broad nib.

 

Onoto De La Rue 1910 BHR with the over & under feed.

 

Just when I start thinking my MB149 is a smooth writer a quick session with my Onoto puts it back in its place.

Willing to sell me one? I am looking for a real nice pen.

[Judybug]

DPC,

 

Waterman Phileas. Keep in mind that my collection is small [about 12 pens], consisting of pens priced at about $75 and under. As far as I'm concerned Waterman wins the prize for a smooth, well-performing nib.

 

Judybug

[jaytaylor]

Of all the many different pens I own most are vintage and many have very nice nibs but one pen always stands out with its very well balanced construction and flex' broad nib.

 

Onoto De La Rue 1910 BHR with the over & under feed.

 

Just when I start thinking my MB149 is a smooth writer a quick session with my Onoto puts it back in its place.

Willing to sell me one? I am looking for a real nice pen.

Sorry, I have only one but ebay or dealer site's will have them, they are fairly rare but not expensive in the BHR band-less form.

 

 

The best advice is to research and find a pen that appeals to you, modern or vintage. Go for a nib size which suits your writing style and if it doesn’t already write smoothly get one the nib meisters to get the pen "just right" for you. (Richard Binder)

 

 

I started with a Parker 51, many other pens have been my daily user's since then - most with nice nib's and now I've gone full circle back to a Parker 51 DJ........

[ConnallMac]

I think the medium nib on my Pelikan M200 is probably the best writer I have. The nib on my Pilot Vanishing Point is a close second. I have another Pelikan M200 that has a so-so medium nib, but I am least the third person to own it, and I believe it was treated a bit roughly by at least one of it's former owners. I had to do some adjustments to it when I received it and it is much better than it was. I have even thought about sending it to Chartpak, as I hear they have great service.

 

--J. Haney

[Titivillus]

Please do tell which pen/brand has the best writing nib?

 

Knowing my luck I am sure this topic will be closed as this question may reveal "bad performing" nibs as some may consider its not proper for the truth to be known for its might implicate a certain well known brand made on "Planet Earth"(I cannot divulge the name of the brand as it would be heresy, I had to mention that it was made on Earth - I did not mention which country / Continent). But I will still try to know. I believe I have remained neutral with my question.

 

 

I have to say that it seems to be more a function of the size of the iridium tip that I find smoother large nibs than small i.e. B smoother than M than F than ...

 

That being said Pelikan so far has had smooth nibs for me over that entire gamut.

 

K

Edited September 11, 2006 by Tytyvyllus

[Ray]

The Pelikans seem to be consistently good, although I know this will disappoint DPC. I have one BB which is probably my favourite. I also have a vintage MB 146 which has the smoothest semiflex nib I've ever used. But the triumph-nibbed Sheaffer snorkels are generally extremely smooth if a little hard.

 

Ray

[Nimrud]

Have tried a few Pelikans. They were OK in the smoothness department, but never impressed me enough to want to buy one. Brands with enjoyably smooth nibs in my personal experience include:

 

Sailor

Delta

Omas

 

I have also written with no-brand pens with large iridium tips. Those are smooth to the point of feeling like skidding on black ice. No feeling at all.

[RichardS]

For smoothness, I'd have to say the Tombow Zoom fountain pen, followed closely by the Waterman Phileas. But IMO, a smooth nib doesn't equate to a best-writing nib. Like some (but not all) people here, I find that some "tooth" helps to locate and control the nib on the paper and stop it from sliding all over the place. I think one should also consider the amount of "spring" in the nib; like tuned suspension in a car, it makes the ride more enjoyable - and on a pen, it also imparts a little flourish to your writing.

 

The best-writing nib in my collection is on a Waterman 52. This also has some flexibility, and really does make the best of the bad job that is my handwriting. Hard-rubber Swans also have delightful nibs. And no less an expert than James Pickering, whose beautiful calligraphy can be seen in many posts, has said that the no. 2 Swan nib is the finest he's ever used. The good news is that these lovely semiflex nibs can be found in various Swan pens on Ebay for as little as £12-£18 (about $20-$30). I also agree withg jaytaylor about old Onotos; thse too have wonderful writing nibs.

 

It's good to know that price is no guide to great-writing nibs!

[Bill]

"Best" could mean smoothness, reliability, flexibility, line variation, degree of wetness, line shading, best signature nib, best journaling nib, best premium paper letter-writting nib, etc.

 

Although my perception of best may vary from time to time depending on the use, I would say at this moment mine are:

 

--Broad stub: Bexley (on a 10th Anniversary), followed closely by a Sailor 1911.

--Medium stub: Esterbrook 9314M (currently on a copper J).

--Medium-fine stub: Binder-modified 0.6mm Pelikan currently on an M400 white tortoise and about to be transferred to a Grand Place! (Undisputed champion).

--Medium: Toss up between Visconti Van Gogh and one of three OOTB smooth Waterman Phileas.

--Medium-fine: Pelikan M800 fine.

--Fine: Bexley (between a Celebration and an Owners Club), but one 1950's Pelikan 400 is glass-like, too.

--Fine-extra fine: Pelikan M625.

--Extra fine (if such a nib can be called smooth): Esterbrook "bookkeeping" nib.

--Consistent OOTB as a brand for smoothness: Waterman, Pelikan, Parker.

--Consistent as a brand for nib reliability: Pelikan, Lamy.

--"Very smooth OOTB nib in a flimsy pen" award: Cross Adventura.

--"Stuck on a tropical island only one pen" award: Parker 51

 

If I had to pick only one nib, I would say it would be the Bexley stub...or the Binder-stubbed Pel...or...

 

Of course, your mileage may vary.

 

Bill "I'd no more use just one kind of nib than drink only one kind of wine."

[randyholhut]

I'd put in a plug for the Esterbrook 9xxx series nibs, but only if you like firm nibs.

 

As someone who doesn't do flexy and needs a firm nib for legibility, I like the Estie nibs, particularly the 9668 (medium), 9556 (fine) and 9550 (extra fine). Even in extra fine, these nibs aren't scratchy and lay the ink down nicely. Not bad for a steel nib.

 

The 14K nibs on the Parker "51" and 61 are good too — again, if you like them firm. The three "51s" and one 61 I have all have medium-fine nibs and have no toothiness to speak of.

[OldGriz]

In my opinion it is a toss up between a Sheaffer with a Triumph nib and the Parker 51. I have both and love the way they write.

[sonia_simone]

My desert island pen would be my Pelikan white tortoise with modified flex fine nib. Of course I would also need a 55-gallon drum of Noodler's Golden Brown and a cubic boatload of Clairefontaine A4 Triomphe.

[wiglaf]

I first used fps in the 1940's- abandoned them in the 50's- then returned appropriately chastened in the 80's-

Pen of choice was a snorkel, pen of use a Parker- then I discovered the Sailor- redefined what I thought of as a "point" (ca 1952)-

I have no qualms about raising the Sailor 21K nib as the best I have used

[KendallJ]

Vintage: Sheaffer Triumph nibs - hands down. No flex but almost always smooth like butta'. I've had mixed luck with vintage Parker nibs.

 

Modern: Namiki/Pilot with Pelikan a close 2nd. Namiki have best quality control pen to pen. Pelikan nibs do also, but I find them a bit "toothier". some like that. I like butta'

[Stylo]

There are two problems with the original question. First, best in this case is a highly subjective qualifier, and obviously, one's best can be another one's worst.

 

Second, no two pens of the same model are really identical. In fact, statistical variation from one specimen of a pen to the other is very noticeable, and sometimes drammatic.

 

Having said that, some of the best pens I have include a Yard-O-Led Viceroy and a modern Parker Duofold.

[Flere-Imsaho]

Please do tell which pen/brand has the best writing nib?

That would be this one

Enjoy,

/:) Hans.

Edited September 11, 2006 by Hans Geelen

[sonia_simone]

Hans, you tease!