Lamy Italic Nibs.... Good Or Bad?

[bungyboy]

I'm sure I'm going to make some folks here cringe or have nervous twitches, but I use the Pilot Plumix pens that have a medium sized italic nib. They have sharp edges and strokes in some directions cause them to dig in. I use my wife's little nail pad and "write" a flurry of letters on it, stroking in all directions. When it doesn't catch I move it to paper. I don't know if I'm damaging the nib doing this but it works for me. Seek professional advice before considering my approach.

[ac12]

Are you writing cursive or print?

 

Try just printing with the italic nibs for a while.

What you want to avoid is the bottom-to-top stroke, as that would dig the tip/nib into the paper. Look at the letters and try to use a top-to-bottom stroke instead. Some of the letters will need you to change your writing, like the lower case "f" . That is taking me a while to get comfortable, as I normally do that one bottom-to-top, with the italic nib I have to do it in reverse.

 

Once you are comfortable with how the letters are coming out, then try cursive.

[stoof2010]

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.

Okay so i was doing something wrong. Now that i let the nib do the work and go slower this is what i get.

Everything i love about apache sunset and now that i smoothed it it feels like glass on rhodia!!!!

Beautiful now.

You guys are great!!!

Still gonna take some work for training but i live tgis nib!!!

And this beautiful pen again!!!

Thanks guys!!!

I can only imagine how great it feels on my clairefontaine triomphe for my letters!!!!

Nice and wet now!!!!

[stoof2010]

Ok so i cant post pictures for some reason.... so ill keep trying but thank you all. I love this 1.5 nib/ pen now!!!

[stoof2010]

Got it!!!

[stoof2010]

If the 1.9 is even a bit scratchy im going to smooth to it.

Rhodia is the cheapest/ lowest weight paper i use and its like glass even on this paper!!!

Man you guys are the reason im extatic im a member here!!!

Without you, i would have given up!!!

Edited September 27, 2013 by stoof2010

[stoof2010]

2Nd picture is the first.... sorry.

[alc3261]

I'm sure I'm going to make some folks here cringe or have nervous twitches, but I use the Pilot Plumix pens that have a medium sized italic nib. They have sharp edges and strokes in some directions cause them to dig in. I use my wife's little nail pad and "write" a flurry of letters on it, stroking in all directions. When it doesn't catch I move it to paper. I don't know if I'm damaging the nib doing this but it works for me. Seek professional advice before considering my approach.

If you are using the least abrasive side that is OK. A lot of us use those nail buffers for our pens, just don't use the roughest side - nails grow back, nib tipping doesn't!!

[cbaytan]

My 1.1 and 1.5 were smoothest italics from the scratch.

[akustyk]

I have read the whole thread and I think you got a lot of very good responses. It's clear that for some people these are smooth nibs, but for others they're scratchy. I would agree with those who say it's a matter of how one holds the pen in terms of angle and rotation. Those italic nibs, in my experience, work best with the "traditional" italic writing technique - holding the pen such that it rests on the knuckle or just below it, and rotating the nib at the 45-degree angle. If you use a Safari, the triangular grip section helps obtain this rotation. I have tried about 10 Lamy italic nibs and had to send only one of them back for scratchiness. The others work well, but only with the technique I described. Once you start rotating the nib (writing with your fingers, as opposed to writing with your hand), then you're going to get scratchiness coming from the sharp angles of the nib.

 

I am not saying that your grip is incorrect. What I am saying is that it might not be suitable for this particular type of nib. Some stubs are made specifically for people who rotate the nib during writing, and those will have smoother angles. I believe the new Jowo stubs are like that, but I like them much less than lamy.

 

Finally, for italic calligraphy and handwriting, the Lamy nibs, for the price, are excellent value. They are a good compromise of ease of use and line variation. For a slightly better performance, especially in calligraphic writing, the Rotring Artpen is a good option. However, in my experience, the difference is not big. Hope this helps.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I'm sure I'm going to make some folks here cringe or have nervous twitches, but I use the Pilot Plumix pens that have a medium sized italic nib. They have sharp edges and strokes in some directions cause them to dig in. I use my wife's little nail pad and "write" a flurry of letters on it, stroking in all directions. When it doesn't catch I move it to paper. I don't know if I'm damaging the nib doing this but it works for me. Seek professional advice before considering my approach.

I have seen professionals do just what you did. I do it myself!

[plumeau]

Good if your are lucky and bad if you aren't , like with every modern fountainpen nibs. For me good with 1.1(in Lamy joy and Pelikan script).

[Randal6393]

Looked at your lovely handwriting. It is no wonder that you are having trouble with your nib. American cursive really is not meant to be written with a broad-edged pen. Would recommend reading the notes on italic handwriting at the top of the Penmanship forum. Changing your pen angle to 45 degrees would help, as would studying a classic hand. With a bit of study and practice, you may find you love the broad-edged pens.

 

Enjoy,

[stoof2010]

Awesome, thanks everyone!!

I just need to get used to the lamy grip. Tried again last night and it worked great!!! Like glass but that might be because of the smoothing i did to it prematurely.

Everyone on fpn are so helpful. The hobby would suck if it werent for fpn!! :-)

[pajaro]

My 1.5 mm is a CI, and it is not scratchy nor does it dig the paper. When you say "scratchy" I suspect you mean it digs the paper. If you want to see what a sharper italic is like, one that can dig the paper, try the Sheaffer No Nonsense.