What is your absolute favorite standard cut of nib from the Pelikan factory. For smoothness, line variation, flex ect....

MODERN

Tim

Has anyone had expierence on their obliques? Is there any line variation or a better feel to them??

Tim: Music PN Guy

Tim, I have two oblique nibs from Pelikan, at either ends of the price spectrum.

At the lower end, a gold-plated steel OBB, designed for the M200 but used frequently in my Pelikan Berlin. It's a fantastic nib in my view: smooth, wet, instant-starting and requiring very little attention to technique in use. I can't recommend it highly enough, and at about £12.50, it's a fantastic introduction for anyone who wants to explore speciality nibs. Oh, and it's actually not especially broad; about the same width as a narrow-ish B nib.

At the upper end, I have an OB 18kt nib on my Pelikan M800. This is a nice nib, and is probably cut a little bit more fiercely than the OBB mentioned above. It requires a little more concentration in use and is certainly more dry as a writer. It's an excellent starter. I get the impression that it will yield more interesting handwriting when fully mastered, but it's less accessible to use than the steel cheapie. That said, anyone with a bit of experience of FPs shouldn't have much trouble. Like the steel one, I'd say its one notch down from its label: more like an M nib in thickness.

Hope this helps
RichardS

My favorite is the OBB that I have in an 800. It doesn't have much "obliqueness" to it, but some is better then none. I find that it is very much like a stub.

My favorite standard nib size is a medium, which I then ask Richard Binder to make into an oblique cursive italic!

Stephen

I only have one Pelikan, an M200, fitted with a SS medium nib. It is a true medium that doesn't leave you wondering whether a fine would have been a better choice. I have no experience with the obliques.

A quick question for those with experience with the Pelikan oblique nibs. If one likes the regular medium, what is the most logical choice for an oblique, a medium or a broad oblique?

My vote is for the OM. Not a true OM in te sense of line variation (vintage Pelikan nibs are much better!) but very comfortable for me as a left handed writer.

Broad M250 factory nib is OK. Has slight italic quality, but reluctant unless held and pressed just right. Medium is likely practicaller for jotting.

I voted for M because that is my standard nib size, the one I feel most comfortable with for general use. I don't think the O-nibs by Pelikan provide much if any line variation at all. They really are designed to make writing easier for left-handed people. I ended up regrinding them myself, as a result.

My prefered go-to Pel nibs are my italics though, my Binder nib, and my own home-ground italics...

Warm regards, Wim

I think you're confusing obliquity (the dictionary word for "obliqueness") with line variation. The two are unrelated. An oblique nib is one that is shaped so that it accommodates rotation in the hand, regardless of whether it makes line variation. Here are the shapes of an idealized round nib and an idealized oblique nib -- the oblique is round, too: no line variation:



Line variation comes from italics, be they stub, cursive, sharpened, or crisp. Here is a crisp italic:



Combine obliquity with line variation, and you get an oblique italic. Here is a crisp oblique italic:



Modern Pelikan obliques aren't expressly designed to produce line variation. An OM gives none. An OB gives a little, just as a B gives a little. OBB and BB give more, and so on.

Voted for "F". I have an "EF" and a "F" that I love, but the "F" is thin but thick enough at the same time for everyday writing. The "EF" is great when I want to be neat, but it looks very pale if I scribble.

I have an EF, an OM and a F. So far my favorite is the F followed closely by the EF. Not too fond of the OM and am considering swapping it out.

EF x2 and F nibs here...all 14K. My writing is quite tiny, and it gets impossible to write with some M's, so I stick with F and smaller.

I've got nothing but fines, so that's my vote - I do, however, have on order a flex fine and a stub from Richard! I'm really looking forward to trying them!

I have a M and a F. I like them both, depending on what I am doing. If I had to choose 1, I would have to say F.

Bob

I am a left hander and I tend to use B italic or B. I have just ordered a BB from Pelikan to try in a new Pelikan Souverän 1000. I will compare this with a new Conway Stewart Jarvis LE which I am also awaitng delivery of. I will post my findings

Regards Kenneth UK

Voted for EF.

To date I have:
2 x EF
1 X F
1 X OM

Was disappointed that the OM did not give much of a line variance...

I voted for B.

I recently bought a Pelikan 800 with an M nib. I based the nib on my preference for 40 years of the Parker M. The Pelikan M writes more like F to me, so I changed the Pelikan nib for a B.

The B nib gives an almost oblique quality for me. The Parker M nib on my Duofold writes with a constant line thickness whatever the direction (I suppose the nib section is circular). The Pelikan B nib, on the other hand, is more flexible and must have a squarer section as there is some slight variation in the thickness of line depending on the direction of writing. As a long-term Parker user, the slight difference is very noticeable to me and suits my handwriting more than the Parker nibs ever did. I have, of course, changed my allegiance and the Duofold is now relegated well into second place.

I think I have at least one of the "regular" -- F through B -- modern Pelikan nibs, and use all of them depending my mood and the color of ink in the pen.

I recently picked up an M620 Stockholm which I really wanted, without realizing it was fitted with a BB nib. This one requires much more time and care in my printing, which is not at all a bad thing, but I've come to really enjoy the very broad line it produces. It's not really flexible, but can produce a thin cross line, and gives an elegance to my printing none of the other nibs produces. (I say "printing" because I'm incapable of producing cursive writing which can be read, even by me.)

I do have an OM on an older 400NN, and hope to try an oblique nib on a modern Pelikan at some point. I'm still learning about nibs, and this seems like a logical next step.

...you mean almost italic, don't you?
(See discussion above for details.)

i have a B and an M on my two M800s, and i'd have to go with the B. the M is an old reliable nib that works great for most writing situations, but the B just yields more character (whatever that is ). it's almost like i have to make more sense when i'm writing with it, because whatever i write will be more likely to be remembered.

I have just one Pelikan, a 250 I caught on sale recently. I accidently selected the OM nib. I decided to give it a go before sending it back for a "normal". Then I decided to keep it and gift it to my brother who, along with his wife is left handed. Then I got used to it and it is now my favorite, recently nudging out my Omas as my "go to" pen. Go figure.

Yes, the pel's broad is like a thick stub, and gives some line variation. It is a very interesting nib out of the box!.

I have same opinion of modern OM in a Amber 250. Writes like a regular Medium to me. Have tried vintage OB's and they have more variance.

I just thought I would add since my last posting months ago that although my favorite standard size is still a fine, I absolutely love the stub and flex nibs I received from Richard - they make my Pelikans completely different experiences than any standard Pel nib I've ever tried.

Voted for Fine

I've been reading this thread with great interest. I've used dip pens for my calligraphy in the past, but for some reason, never considered the possibility of an oblique nib in a daily writer. Now I'm interested. Since I just bought a pair of Pelikan's in the last week, now all I have to do is get used to spending more than a buck to find a nib I like.

Do all nib changes require a visit to the pen doctor, or is there a addanibtome kit for various product lines? Here in Austin, there's only one dealer that I'm aware of (Paradise Pens), and their staff seems to have limited knowledge.

If you want an additional nib you can buy a Pelikan nib and replace it yourself. They screw in/out like Esterbrook nibs If you want to exchange the nib you have for a different one, Chartpak is pretty good about exchanging nibs as a free service.

I like the idea of simple do-it-yourself nib changes. I'll ask my local dealer about pricing.

I am contemplating of bying a M401(White tortoiseshell)in OB nib. Can any one show an example of writing with this type of nib?
Mr.Binder's answer I saw but difficult to comprehend without writing sample IMHO.
BTW I voted for M, as most of my pens are in M nibs
Thanks!

voted medium

3b

I own several Pelikans -- from M400's to M1000's. From the 400 to the 800 my preference is a Fine, with an extra fine for one of the 800's. Both the m1000 and m1050 have extra fine nibs. The flow and flexibility of the extra fine on the 1000's is outstanding, and rank among the best and smoothest writers in my whole collection, irrespective of brand

Mag

Most of mine are medium, although I think that on pre 1960s models medium was almost the equivalent of fine today, at least to me the writing line seems thinner.

EF or Fine, on other brands I like medium but with pelikan I find myself prefering the thinner writers.

I really go for the Medium in a Pelikan, which seems more Fine to me. As a matter of fact, I had the shop switch out a fine on an M215 I just purchased for a medium. I like to be able to lay down enough ink so that I can take full advantage of the color variations.

Caveat: I don't have a lot of experience with many other size nibs.

I voted for the Fine nib. I love it. 3 of my 4 Pels have Fine points. My 4th is a BB 800 which is fun for signatures but puts down too much ink for a daily writer. I am ordering a calligraphy nib from Richard Binder 1.1 mm crisp italic to try in my 400 soverign, and an ItaliFine with .9mm cursive italic on one side and an F on the other side to try in my Pel Grand Place. If I love those as much as I think I will I may send him my original 600 nib and get him to make it an EF flex!

I always find that Europeans prefer M nibs and Americans F nibs, on the whole. This seems to be born out in this poll as well - strange. I think maybe Americans have a fastidious tendency to be precise when writing, while Europeans like to to write with more of a flourish.

Just got my new Pelikan 200 with F nib. Quite discontented with F nib which is much to thin for me.
(@marklavar: probably because I am European )

I am thinking to replace it with B, BB or even OB or OBB. (there must be at least one very broad nib in my pen collection)
I prefer wet, broad line, smooth felling ... and I am lefthanded.
I thought O nibs are not suitable for lefthanded persons, but I found here some other opinions.
Any other lefthanded experiences with O nibs ?

I find that Pelikans write better with M nibs. The Pelikan M nib is narrower than a Montblanc M, though less narrow than a Montblanc F. Parker and Waterman nibs seem to vary according to the model.

My own preference in nibs is MF (medium-fine), which roughly equates to a Japanese medium, so thinner than a conventional M, but not as thin as a standard F nib.