What Is The Obsession With Fine Nibs? ( I Don't Get It)

[heineda]

One of the main reasons I enjoy fountain pens so much is because they put down a very wet line with a quality of color that cannot be duplicated with a ballpoint or rollerball. That is why my preference is for a medium or bold nib. I do not begrudge anyone elses preferences, but that is what I like. My next pen I am planning to get a stub itallic nib in order to acheive the wet, dark line and add some line variation as well.

 

Dan

[kauloltran]

I'm not sure why the man 100 nib is so over-rated. It's not flexy like you said, stiff rather, nor is it smooth. Nothing more than a typical nib. I think you're intentionally dispersing false propaganda about this pen LOL. It does not have a characteristic flex of real flexible nibs and can be sprung if you press down too hard.

Perhaps I should make a poll and you wil see how many man 100 owners will tell you the same thing than me.There are have been several discussions and threads about the man 100 (just check the waterman forum)and many of its owners said the nib was a delight. If you buy a pens in second hand, the way it writes will depend of how the nib tipping is worn and who wrote with it, also think that when buying a second hand pen,you must have its tines verified and inkflow adjusted. BTW if I was spreading false rumors, it would have been known since a long a time ago. I am long enough on fpn to know what are rumors or facts and I think that I have enough feedback and experience about the man 100(i own several of them) to back up my statements.

 

Hi georges zaslavsky,

I believe everything you're telling me. The nib is somewhat flexible but there is no line variation from flexing. I would characterize the nib as being soft, but not flexible, since line variations cannot be achieved. Can you please explain how your experiences have been different from mine when using the pen. Do you really get the vintage-style line variations when you flex the nib? On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this one a 5.7. I have a cheap Waterman Kulture sitting right here and it writes just like the man 100, that is funny lol.

[M.C.]

Personally, I write rather small. (Small-ly?) Habit I picked up from years of using little more than a .5mm mech pencil. Medium nibs or larger just don't work for me.

 

As for this...

It's a Western preoccupation with thinness.

I'm the shallow type that not only likes 'em skinny, but topless too. (Hooded nibs? Bah; whoever heard of such a crazy thing!?)

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/PTDC0073.jpg

 

 

 

What pen wrote the top lines? I have been trying to find a nib that varies like this. Would I need flex or a cursive type nib?

 

Thanks

 

That is a flex nib, but I don't know what flex nib it is!

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Scans/PTDC0074.jpg

 

 

That looks very nice

[Granzon]

I like fine and extra fine nibs because its easier to write Kanji (A form of Chinese characters).

[alvarez57]

You can always sell the Waterman and put the cash towards a Pilot.

 

I want a Sailor 1911, that won't happen for awhile lol. I'm done buying pens for the next 2 years.

 

 

I tried a Sailor 1911 last week, for the first time. An EF nib, 21kt gold. Amazingly smooth and fine.

 

Start saving now!

 

 

 

Do not tempt me. :gaah:I am done for the next 2 years.

 

Let's see how long it lasts.

[MrsWeetag]

Sounds like it's more a problem with the altered nib than with the fact that it is fine. As for roller balls being "like" the fountain pen experience, I couldn't disagree more but to each his/her own. I like fine point nibs because I can write smaller and therefore use less paper and have a lighter letter, so pay less postage. :-) I am an avid letter writer and have penpals the world over. Oddly enough, when I use a ballpoint pen, I prefer a medium point mostly because I don't have to press as hard to get a dark enough line. For me, ballpoint "widths" are not comparable to FP nibs because I don't use the same pressure when writing with FP compared to ballpoints.

 

I must add though, that I have recently acquired a stub nibbed FP and am really enjoying it. However, it's not suitable for work as it's writes too large and bleeds through most of the paper that I would use at work. My fine Aurora gives me no difficulty in that regard.

 

At this point, not having a large number of FPs myself, I think my own preferences are Fine for most things and Stub for fun things. I have a few Mediums but they aren't satisfying to me because they write just a bit too wide but have no line variations.

 

Oh and the only Fine FP that I have that is scratchy is a very old Waterman from the 1960s that I inherited from an Uncle and it is badly in need of some repair, I think. It is a much finer nib than anything I've had before and is well used. I don't write with it as it is simply too scratchy and it doesn't keep ink very well.

 

Good luck with your eBay acquired pen, hope you are able to find a replacement nib that is more satisfactory.

[JefferyS]

I love my fine and extra-fine nibs that were nib-meistered before I got them. My Aurora EF writes effortlessly. F and EF are great when writing very, very small. When editing something double-spaced in Courier 12 pt., you pretty much have to have a very narrow nib.

[pajaro]

At this point, not having a large number of FPs myself, I think my own preferences are Fine for most things and Stub for fun things. I have a few Mediums but they aren't satisfying to me because they write just a bit too wide but have no line variations.

 

After trying most sizes of available nibs I have also concluded that a fine nib and a stub are what I like to use. I like the character that the stub gives, and I find the medium and broad regular nibs to be too much width and ink.

[rudyhou]

Personally, I write rather small. (Small-ly?) Habit I picked up from years of using little more than a .5mm mech pencil. Medium nibs or larger just don't work for me.

 

As for this...

It's a Western preoccupation with thinness.

I'm the shallow type that not only likes 'em skinny, but topless too. (Hooded nibs? Bah; whoever heard of such a crazy thing!?)

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/PTDC0073.jpg

 

 

 

What pen wrote the top lines? I have been trying to find a nib that varies like this. Would I need flex or a cursive type nib?

 

Thanks

 

That is a flex nib, but I don't know what flex nib it is!

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Scans/PTDC0074.jpg

 

 

That looks very nice

 

 

if only i could write the way you do. how long did it take you to learn to write like that?

 

 

 

[agchristie]

I always had more of the impression that FPNers preferred Broader nibs! As mentioned above it doesnt sound like your nib writes like a typical man 100 but the problem really comes from an improper nib customization. Why are you blaming this on the pen?? As others have also mentioned fine and EF nibs can be very smooth especially for example from Pilot where even the cheap F nib on a Pilot 78G is like gliding on butter.

 

Personally I wish I could get along with larger nibs as most pens are simply only ormore easily available with larger nibs, however I have always had a tendency towards wanting to write as much as possible on a single piece of paper. As a child never wanted to waste paper which is why my writing turned out to be quite small. I do own and write with larger nibs but not as often as I cannot write as quickly or on such a variety of paper as with fine nibs. I also work in physics/maths and there one just cannot get along with larger nibs especially when I used to have to write along in lectures.

[georges zaslavsky]

 

Hi georges zaslavsky,

I believe everything you're telling me. The nib is somewhat flexible but there is no line variation from flexing. I would characterize the nib as being soft, but not flexible, since line variations cannot be achieved. Can you please explain how your experiences have been different from mine when using the pen. Do you really get the vintage-style line variations when you flex the nib? On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this one a 5.7. I have a cheap Waterman Kulture sitting right here and it writes just like the man 100, that is funny lol.

Hi

 

sorry for replying late, if the nib was not properly tuned/reground or badly adjusted at the tines then it may explain why you have such results. I had very good line variations on stock waterman man 100 ef/f/m nibs, I would rate the nib as semi flex minus nib with a mark of 7.5. I have seen some man 100s flexed into xxf flex by binder and they were an absolute joy to write with.

Everything has to do with nib alignement and smoothing and the more you write with these man 100 nibs, the better they write.

[theodoreslee]

I also had this impression that B was the preferred nib for fountain pens. Although now that I think about it, I am not sure why I had that impression.

 

Anyway, this thread has been quite helpful in gaining an insight into what others think about the various different nibs.

 

As a beginner, I am still undecided and still trying to figure out what my preference is.