Why are gold nibs so desirable?

[GladWriter]

This is from my experiences only:

 

I'm NOT a material snob at all, but I generally prefer a solid 14k nib. Why?

1) I can re grind a solid 14k nib into a stub myself if I want to.

2) I can pull the nib, soak it in ink, use solvent, or whatever I need to clean it up if I have to.

3) I can clean the gap and straighten the tines (ahem, with the help of DH and his experience making all sorts of tiny specialized lab things, he's taken lots of jewelry making, tool making, and metalwork courses--he's a physicist)

4) They can be polished and are very pretty.

 

I DO like steel nibs too. I absolutely LOVE the big smooth strokes of the Rotring big ball tip nib on the Primus and some of their other pens.

 

I also like the Rotring Art pen nibs . . . though I DO monkey with those. Steel is harder to tinker with and REALLY hard to straighten.

 

Esterbrook nibs . . . I do prefer the silvery plated ones and I don't monkey with them. I've converted one with a broken tip to a stub and it didn't work out that well . . . so I use them as they are.

 

I also have bought numerous old dip nibs and pens. The old gold nibs still work great. No matter how crudded up they SEEM when I get them, I'm usually able to clean them up without issue. Then, if the tip is in decent shape, or If I use a honing stone, I'm able to get that nib working for me. I'm talking nibs that are 100 years old! I'm a lover of old dip pens and I've taken on some doozeys to clean up because I liked the shape.

 

Realistically, most of the nibs I use are either old flexible ones or newer Japanese style nibs . . . or Esterbrooks. I do use some more modern dip nibs . . . usually falcon type stubs or Manga nibs.

 

 

 

 

[gampupen]

Hi all,

 

This thread is quite fascinating. But the reply, where the fpner has used complex scientific formulas (yield, calculus, etc.) blew my mind away. Being a layman when it comes to chemistry (sorry, if it had to be physics), all I can say from my experience is that Gold nibs are the best. I am a newbie to gold nibs and imho they are wetter, prettier and write smooth. I would not hesitate to pay that extra premium for gold nib. My future purchases of fp's is only going to be gold nibbed fp. Also, being a person from India (which is the largest market for 22kt gold ornaments) I find myself favouring gold nibs.

 

Thanks & Regards,

Gampu.

[Mrsal]

because they make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside

[Odinraider]

 

I have a white gold wedding ring, and the jeweler explained to me that white gold is actually not just gold but an alloy of gold with other metals that create a white appearance, namely nickel. Without the rhodium plating, which on a ring must be reapplied periodically as it does rub off, the metal will look slightly dingy, not the vibrant white we think of as white gold. My wife's engagement ring is about 100 years old (Victorian) and is white gold. When I got the ring from my grandmother, she said it was white gold but it did exhibit the yellowish hue the jeweler mentioned. A fresh coat of rhodium, and voila! A beautiful, shiny, sparkly ring.

[Artie]

I have a white gold wedding ring, and the jeweler explained to me that white gold is actually not just gold but an alloy of gold with other metals that create a white appearance, namely nickel. Without the rhodium plating, which on a ring must be reapplied periodically as it does rub off, the metal will look slightly dingy, not the vibrant white we think of as white gold. My wife's engagement ring is about 100 years old (Victorian) and is white gold. When I got the ring from my grandmother, she said it was white gold but it did exhibit the yellowish hue the jeweler mentioned. A fresh coat of rhodium, and voila! A beautiful, shiny, sparkly ring.

 

OT, and FYI, all gold jewelry is not just gold but an alloy. Pure gold is too soft. 18k is 75% gold and 14k is about 58% gold. The alloy materials and proportion of them to each other make it yellow, rose, green or white. Sometimes not nickel but silver is also alloyed with gold to make it white.

 

edit Copper and zinc are two other metals often alloyed with gold.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Artie

[Odinraider]

I have a white gold wedding ring, and the jeweler explained to me that white gold is actually not just gold but an alloy of gold with other metals that create a white appearance, namely nickel. Without the rhodium plating, which on a ring must be reapplied periodically as it does rub off, the metal will look slightly dingy, not the vibrant white we think of as white gold. My wife's engagement ring is about 100 years old (Victorian) and is white gold. When I got the ring from my grandmother, she said it was white gold but it did exhibit the yellowish hue the jeweler mentioned. A fresh coat of rhodium, and voila! A beautiful, shiny, sparkly ring.

 

OT, and FYI, all gold jewelry is not just gold but an alloy. Pure gold is too soft. 18k is 75% gold and 14k is about 58% gold. The alloy materials and proportion of them to each other make it yellow, rose, green or white. Sometimes not nickel but silver is also alloyed with gold to make it white.

 

edit Copper and zinc are two other metals often alloyed with gold.

 

As I am relatively new to this forum, as evinced by the rating by my screen name, I accidentally posted above my intended target. Any thorough reading of the posts will divulge the correct and intended placement of my reply. I will argue that my post is not "OT." And for those who don't use abbreviated "web language," OT means "off topic" (I had to look it up). White gold jewelry pertains to the direct subject I address, the question of why white gold nibs are plated with rhodium. The metal is the same, and my example gives a more rounded view of the subject by inviting comparison with other items closely relating to the one at hand. Creating correlation is part of helping others understand.

 

Your "FYI," is in error. You give no mention to 24k, which is essentially pure gold (minus a few parts per million allowable for secondary particulate matter). While most jewelry is alloyed, not "all" is. Do a quick search. And don't contradict others purely for the chance to shine. You might diminish yourself instead. If you feel I am off topic, you should contact the moderators or administrators to deal with it. It is not your place to offer corrections. (I admit this veers from the topic, but I should not be begrudged a moment to defend myself).

 

Now, to make sure I am not again accused of being off topic: 24k gold, or 24/24, means that of 24 parts, 24 are gold. The same equation works for jewelry or pen nibs. If you have a Sailor 21k nib, you have a nib that is 21/24 gold, or about 88% gold. This quick formula can be used on down the line for whatever karat nib you might have. Take the karat of your nib (or jewelry) and divide it by 24. That will give you the gold percentage.

 

Yes, other metals can be and are used in the creation of gold alloys, but I do not recall creating an instance of exclusivity when mentioning nickel.

 

My speculation is, to answer the main topic, and in agreement with others who have posted replies herein, that the gold content is what makes the nibs desirable. Hence the basic market strategy of charging more for pens with higher gold content.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Odinraider

[Donald594]

Quality control is usually a bit better on them. (Especially with pelikans IMHO)

[Artie]

I have a white gold wedding ring, and the jeweler explained to me that white gold is actually not just gold but an alloy of gold with other metals that create a white appearance, namely nickel. Without the rhodium plating, which on a ring must be reapplied periodically as it does rub off, the metal will look slightly dingy, not the vibrant white we think of as white gold. My wife's engagement ring is about 100 years old (Victorian) and is white gold. When I got the ring from my grandmother, she said it was white gold but it did exhibit the yellowish hue the jeweler mentioned. A fresh coat of rhodium, and voila! A beautiful, shiny, sparkly ring.

 

OT, and FYI, all gold jewelry is not just gold but an alloy. Pure gold is too soft. 18k is 75% gold and 14k is about 58% gold. The alloy materials and proportion of them to each other make it yellow, rose, green or white. Sometimes not nickel but silver is also alloyed with gold to make it white.

 

edit Copper and zinc are two other metals often alloyed with gold.

 

As I am relatively new to this forum, as evinced by the rating by my screen name, I accidentally posted above my intended target. Any thorough reading of the posts will divulge the correct and intended placement of my reply. I will argue that my post is not "OT." And for those who don't use abbreviated "web language," OT means "off topic" (I had to look it up). White gold jewelry pertains to the direct subject I address, the question of why white gold nibs are plated with rhodium. The metal is the same, and my example gives a more rounded view of the subject by inviting comparison with other items closely relating to the one at hand. Creating correlation is part of helping others understand.

 

Your "FYI," is in error. You give no mention to 24k, which is essentially pure gold (minus a few parts per million allowable for secondary particulate matter). While most jewelry is alloyed, not "all" is. Do a quick search. And don't contradict others purely for the chance to shine. You might diminish yourself instead. If you feel I am off topic, you should contact the moderators or administrators to deal with it. It is not your place to offer corrections. (I admit this veers from the topic, but I should not be begrudged a moment to defend myself).

 

Now, to make sure I am not again accused of being off topic: 24k gold, or 24/24, means that of 24 parts, 24 are gold. The same equation works for jewelry or pen nibs. If you have a Sailor 21k nib, you have a nib that is 21/24 gold, or about 88% gold. This quick formula can be used on down the line for whatever karat nib you might have. Take the karat of your nib (or jewelry) and divide it by 24. That will give you the gold percentage.

 

Yes, other metals can be and are used in the creation of gold alloys, but I do not recall creating an instance of exclusivity when mentioning nickel.

 

My speculation is, to answer the main topic, and in agreement with others who have posted replies herein, that the gold content is what makes the nibs desirable. Hence the basic market strategy of charging more for pens with higher gold content.

 

Don't get your shorts all twisted out of place. I was referring to my post as being off topic, not yours and I was just hoping to clarify that gold jewelry is an alloy, not all gold as you implied. I did not mention 24k gold because it is too soft to be used by itself. A ring could actually be crushed between your two fingers. I was not trying to put you down to show off, I was simply explaining how gold, when alloyed with other metals can be other colors as well as white and yellow. That was the FYI part of my post.

Edited August 8, 2009 by Artie

[JayLo]

I'll throw my opinion in this thread as well (as well as the 15 other threads that have popped up on this!). I choose gold, because I like the feeling better. For my hand, gold feels softer to write with and a bit more forgiving. Note I said softer, not smoother. Smoothness is to me not a factor that is attributed to whether or not a nib is gold or steel, I can easily make a steel nib write as smooth as glass. Even more so, try a Rotring steel nib, uber smooth, stiff as nails, but uber smooth.

 

That being said, that happens to be on the pens I choose. Most of the steel nibbed pens I buy are lower cost ones and the nib quality is I'm sure not on par with the pens I buy with gold nibs. So I'm not really comparing apples to apples.

 

I think the bigger thing for me about gold nibs is a feeling that hey, if I'm spending $200-$400 on a modern pen, I want top quality long lasting products.

 

Andy H said above,

 

"I've been using fountain pens as my regular writers for more than a quarter century, have many of each material, and find virtually no difference at all in the writing qualities of the two materials, when designed toward identical purposes."

 

To me that is the best way to explain it. Unless you can take a steel nib and gold nib made exactly the same way, same pen, same on all the variables, you can't really compare them to each other. Knowing that it is very hard to compare any gold and steel nib, there are just too many variables to say one is better than the other and exclusively prove that.

 

Until the next gold vs. steel thread!

 

Regards,

 

Tom

 

 

I just glanced at my current collection, I have one 14k goldplated steel nib and that's it.

 

Well said Tom!

[Odinraider]

I have a white gold wedding ring, and the jeweler explained to me that white gold is actually not just gold but an alloy of gold with other metals that create a white appearance, namely nickel. Without the rhodium plating, which on a ring must be reapplied periodically as it does rub off, the metal will look slightly dingy, not the vibrant white we think of as white gold. My wife's engagement ring is about 100 years old (Victorian) and is white gold. When I got the ring from my grandmother, she said it was white gold but it did exhibit the yellowish hue the jeweler mentioned. A fresh coat of rhodium, and voila! A beautiful, shiny, sparkly ring.

 

OT, and FYI, all gold jewelry is not just gold but an alloy. Pure gold is too soft. 18k is 75% gold and 14k is about 58% gold. The alloy materials and proportion of them to each other make it yellow, rose, green or white. Sometimes not nickel but silver is also alloyed with gold to make it white.

 

edit Copper and zinc are two other metals often alloyed with gold.

 

As I am relatively new to this forum, as evinced by the rating by my screen name, I accidentally posted above my intended target. Any thorough reading of the posts will divulge the correct and intended placement of my reply. I will argue that my post is not "OT." And for those who don't use abbreviated "web language," OT means "off topic" (I had to look it up). White gold jewelry pertains to the direct subject I address, the question of why white gold nibs are plated with rhodium. The metal is the same, and my example gives a more rounded view of the subject by inviting comparison with other items closely relating to the one at hand. Creating correlation is part of helping others understand.

 

Your "FYI," is in error. You give no mention to 24k, which is essentially pure gold (minus a few parts per million allowable for secondary particulate matter). While most jewelry is alloyed, not "all" is. Do a quick search. And don't contradict others purely for the chance to shine. You might diminish yourself instead. If you feel I am off topic, you should contact the moderators or administrators to deal with it. It is not your place to offer corrections. (I admit this veers from the topic, but I should not be begrudged a moment to defend myself).

 

Now, to make sure I am not again accused of being off topic: 24k gold, or 24/24, means that of 24 parts, 24 are gold. The same equation works for jewelry or pen nibs. If you have a Sailor 21k nib, you have a nib that is 21/24 gold, or about 88% gold. This quick formula can be used on down the line for whatever karat nib you might have. Take the karat of your nib (or jewelry) and divide it by 24. That will give you the gold percentage.

 

Yes, other metals can be and are used in the creation of gold alloys, but I do not recall creating an instance of exclusivity when mentioning nickel.

 

My speculation is, to answer the main topic, and in agreement with others who have posted replies herein, that the gold content is what makes the nibs desirable. Hence the basic market strategy of charging more for pens with higher gold content.

 

Don't get your shorts all twisted out of place. I was referring to my post as being off topic, not yours and I was just hoping to clarify that gold jewelry is an alloy, not all gold as you implied. I did not mention 24k gold because it is too soft to be used by itself. A ring could actually be crushed between your two fingers. I was not trying to put you down to show off, I was simply explaining how gold, when alloyed with other metals can be other colors as well as white and yellow. That was the FYI part of my post.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I appreciate it.

[Robert Hughes]

I have three fp's in front of me at the moment, each one is at least 40 years old; two 14k nibs and a steel nib. They all write well, I appreciate each pen for its own unique character. My all-time favorite writer is a steel nibbed Esterbrook dipless pen - it lays the perfect line for me.