Lamy Italic Nibs.... Good Or Bad?

[stoof2010]

Ok. So i got the assortment of nibs from lamy.

Namely the 1.5 and 1.9 mm italic nibs.

My question is, are they supposed to be so scratchy?!?

I have a 1.1 mm goulet stub in my konrad, and its great!!!

Ive tried smoothing the 1.5 a bit, but not much. Didnt wanna damage it because ive never smoothed an italic nib.

I know my goulet 1.1 is a stub italic so it has very rounded edges.

Are the lamys cursive italics and dont have as much roundness on the outside points?

Im kind of disappointed.

If i press a bit while writing for more shading im getting a thin saturated line in the middle of my line on the downstroke...

What am i doing wrong?!?

I know there are three italic nibs... the stub italic, the cursive italic and a tgird the pretty much has sharp points on the outside edges...

Lamys are listed as calligraphy italic... dont know what that means.

 

Tell me there is nothing wrong with the nib and its just me... lol

 

Thanks!!!!

Edited September 26, 2013 by stoof2010

[flexnib]

If the nib from Lamy is listed as calligraphy italic then that is most likely what it should be used for. Not so much for everyday writing but specifically for italic calligraphy. The line it puts down is the line, they are not made to flex since flex is not needed in italic calligraphy. Flex Ina nib works well with copperplate or Spencerian hands.

The italic letter is written in parts, mostly down and across there is very little upward strokes. I hope this helps.

Arthur

[Occipital Lobe]

I have a Lamy 1.1 mm italic, and it isn´t particularly scratchy.

Fair warning though - I own a Sheaffer F-nib. Two TWSBI M-nibs and a Lamy italic, so my experience with fountainpens (especially stubs/italics) is extremely limited, as I´ve only been using fp´s for a year..

[ac12]

Italic nibs are not meant to be used for cursive writing, unless they are labeled CI for Cursive Italic (which has rounded corners)

So if the nib feels scratchy, that is how it should be.

 

I do not recall that the Lamy nib is a CI nib or not. But my Lamy 1.1 nib does not have sharp corners on the tip, the corners are rounded off like a CI nib. And I can and do write cursive with my Lamy 1.1 italic nib.

 

BUT, scratchy can also be due to a variety of factors

• Which direction is the scratchy feel; L->R, L<-R,B->T ? These would be the directions I would expect you to feel some degree of scratchiness, especially Bottom to Top where you would be pushing the nib into the paper.
  You should feel very little/no scratchiness going T->B.
• How hard are you pressing down on the nib? You should be pressing down VERY little, just enough to control the pen. The harder you press especially going sidewards or B->T then you are digging the nib into the paper.
• What paper are you using? The less smooth the paper, the more scratchy the feel.
• What ink are you using?

As Arthur said, you do not apply pressure to an italic nib. The width of the nib does the work of line variation for you.

 

Any shading you get with an italic nib is simply due to how you write, where you let off, and the ink. Unlike a flex nib, you have little control over that. You are getting a darker line in the middle because that is where the slit in the nib is, in the middle of the nib, so more ink there.

Edited September 26, 2013 by ac12

[BatMirk]

I use a Lamy Joy w/ a 1.1 nib for everyday writing, and I can't say it strikes me as very scratchy, unless the angle is off or I'm being too aggressive. I was also under the impression that the other two (1.5 and 1.9) were supposed to be even smoother? That's what came up during my research prior to getting one, anyway.

I don't know, though. I'm a complete fountain pen noob.

[smk]

That Lamy Italic nibs are hardly sharp and should glide smoothly on the paper. They are closer to stubs on the sharpness scale and should not be scratchy at all. If anything I want to make mine sharper.

 

With the 1.5 and 1.9, you need to make sure the nib is planted throughout your stroke. This can take some getting used to and a light touch will help achieve this quicker. Just try a few straight and diagonal strokes in both directions to confirm that the whole of the nib is touching the paper all through the stroke - If not, work a bit with the nib to get used to it.

[bernardo]

I have all three nibs, 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9, and they are pretty smooth.

[Centopar]

I only have a 1.1, but it's a nice, smooth writer.

[KrazyIvan]

I think I have three or four 1.1's and only one was a bit scratchy. It came on my Lamy Logo. After verifying the tines were aligned, one or two swipes on the micro mesh in the direction of the scratch cleared it up fast.

Edited September 26, 2013 by KrazyIvan

[Sailor Kenshin]

I have all three nibs, 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9, and they are pretty smooth.

I have a couple of the 1.1 in Safaris and they're fine for everyday writing. Then I got a Nexx with a 1.5 and was kind of skeert it would be too broad for everyday writing, but it's not. It shows off light-colored and shading inks really well!

[stoof2010]

Italic nibs are not meant to be used for cursive writing, unless they are labeled CI for Cursive Italic (which has rounded corners)

So if the nib feels scratchy, that is how it should be.

 

I do not recall that the Lamy nib is a CI nib or not. But my Lamy 1.1 nib does not have sharp corners on the tip, the corners are rounded off like a CI nib. And I can and do write cursive with my Lamy 1.1 italic nib.

 

BUT, scratchy can also be due to a variety of factors

 

• Which direction is the scratchy feel; L->R, L<-R,B->T ? These would be the directions I would expect you to feel some degree of scratchiness, especially Bottom to Top where you would be pushing the nib into the paper.

  You should feel very little/no scratchiness going T->B.

• How hard are you pressing down on the nib? You should be pressing down VERY little, just enough to control the pen. The harder you press especially going sidewards or B->T then you are digging the nib into the paper.
• What paper are you using? The less smooth the paper, the more scratchy the feel.
• What ink are you using?

As Arthur said, you do not apply pressure to an italic nib. The width of the nib does the work of line variation for you.

 

Any shading you get with an italic nib is simply due to how you write, where you let off, and the ink. Unlike a flex nib, you have little control over that. You are getting a darker line in the middle because that is where the slit in the nib is, in the middle of the nib, so more ink there.

Smooth top to bottom, not bad l to r or r to l but sharp. Bottom to top is the worst.

Im using rhodia graph paper for now bit might be better once i ise the clairefontaine.

Used apache sunset.

Only wrote with it once.

Some things i should note....

Not very familiar with the lamy grip section. So i might have to get used to that. Used to using my konrad with a 1.1 nib and has round grip section.

I only tried with it once bit for a couoke pages.

[stoof2010]

I have all three nibs, 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9, and they are pretty smooth.

Im thinking that im just not used to writing with ones bigger than 1.1 and holding that specific pen.

[stoof2010]

That Lamy Italic nibs are hardly sharp and should glide smoothly on the paper. They are closer to stubs on the sharpness scale and should not be scratchy at all. If anything I want to make mine sharper.

 

With the 1.5 and 1.9, you need to make sure the nib is planted throughout your stroke. This can take some getting used to and a light touch will help achieve this quicker. Just try a few straight and diagonal strokes in both directions to confirm that the whole of the nib is touching the paper all through the stroke - If not, work a bit with the nib to get used to it.

I will definitly will try that. Seems lime that grip section might be throwing off how im resting the nib on the page too.

[stoof2010]

Thanks all!!!

I was using mylar paper so as to not do as much damage if i was damaging it.

I think ill try writing more with them and get more used to the lamy grip.

Its probably operator error lol.

[stoof2010]

You are getting a darker line in the middle because that is where the slit in the nib is, in the middle of the nib, so more ink there.

So is that normal or from pressure splitting the tines?

Only seems to happen when i hold it a certain way.

 

And also i only use these types of nibs for nice letters. Not for every day.

[Ted A]

I would not hold myself out as an expert at all, but the Konrad seems to me to be a very wet pen and the Lamys tend toward the dry end of the scale. So the Konrad is going to feel smoother because it's floating on a sea of ink

[smk]

Smooth top to bottom, not bad l to r or r to l but sharp. Bottom to top is the worst.

 

 

You might be holding the pen at too high an angle. Try lowering the angle if you can comfortably do it, to see if it makes a difference. It should be smooth for pen-to-paper angle of 45-50 degrees. Also, are both 1.5 and 1.9 nibs scratchy?

 

You are right about the grip throwing you off - this is entirely possible if you hold the pen differently than what the grip is designed for.

[stoof2010]

You might be holding the pen at too high an angle. Try lowering the angle if you can comfortably do it, to see if it makes a difference. It should be smooth for pen-to-paper angle of 45-50 degrees. Also, are both 1.5 and 1.9 nibs scratchy? You are right about the grip throwing you off - this is entirely possible if you hold the pen differently than what the grip is designed for.

Well i barely tried the 1.9 yet because i spent 4 hours on the 1.5 and was frusterated.

As time went on i was able to write better and better.

Ill let you know but i think that its the pen and first time on lamy italic nibs. Plua the 1.1 on my konrad is first italic ive ever written with.

I think for now ill just use it and get used to it before trying to smooth and change it anymore.

I may have jumped the gun on that.

[stoof2010]

I would not hold myself out as an expert at all, but the Konrad seems to me to be a very wet pen and the Lamys tend toward the dry end of the scale. So the Konrad is going to feel smoother because it's floating on a sea of ink

Very true. As you said wet. It has a flex feed with an italic and maybe iM just basing it all on that specific pen.

Pen show this weekend in troy michigan!!! So excited!!!

[Runnin_Ute]

I only have a 1.1, but it's a nice, smooth writer.

agree with this. Only time it exhibits anything but is if I am being to aggressive in the way I hold or press on the nib.