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Dip Pen Set Recommendations?


BookCat

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I'm toying with the idea of trying some calligraphy. I already have italic pens, so I was wondering about purchasing a dip pen and nibs set. Can anyone recommend a good set with a variety of nibs, especially the type for scripts such as roundhand, which also includes a reservoir so that I don't have to dip every couple of letters?

 

This is by no means a pressing issue, as I said, I'm merely toying with this idea.

Thanks.

:sm_cat:

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Have always had great luck with the Mitchell Round Hand pens. You can buy a set of ten sizes with reservoirs. Any good straight holder should work.

 

Would try Paper, Ink and Arts or John Neal Books.

 

Best of luck to you,

Yours,
Randal

From a person's actions, we may infer attitudes, beliefs, --- and values. We do not know these characteristics outright. The human dichotomies of trust and distrust, honor and duplicity, love and hate --- all depend on internal states we cannot directly experience. Isn't this what adds zest to our life?

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Thank you Randal. There's such a plethora of nib sets out there, I don't know where to start. Do you have any particular set recommendation? An Amazon or fleabay link would be welcome.

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I second Randal's recommendation.

 

Here's a link to a Mitchell set with 2 reservoirs. You might want to purchase a few more reservoirs so you can have more nibs ready for use.

 

I really like these Mahogany holders:www.dippennibs.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=ManuHoldMahogany. They have a number of other options too so go with what you like. Get at least 3 so you don't need to change nibs all the time.

 

I don't think you'll find these cheaper on Amazon or eBay but you might want to check to compare prices. scribblers.co.uk is another resource.

 

BTW Birmingham used to be the known for its nib manufacturers. You might want to check out the Pen Museum.

 

Salman

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Thank you for those links Salman. I've wanted to go to the Pen Museum for some time but none of my friends share my interest in old writing materials and can't be persuaded to go with me. I hate going out alone, so will have to keep twisting arms till I get a submission.

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I'm confused! Many of those nibs appear to be flat, like italics, whereas I was thinking of pointed types, for roundhand, copperplate, spencerian etc. I already have italic pens. The nibs have so many strange names that I'm confused by the choice. :unsure:

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John Neal sells a sampler package of copperplate nibs:

 

http://www.johnnealbooks.com/prod_detail_list/s/2

 

I'm not recommending that you buy this, but it does list all of the copperplate nibs they have available. You can probably find a source for any of these much closer to you, and save on the shipping cost. When I started learning, I bought one each of the Gillott 303/404, Brause Rose/EF66, Hunt 101, and the Nikko G just to try them all. The Nikko G is a bit stiffer, and so better suited for my current skill level (low). Give these (and any others that appeal to you) a try and see which works best for you.

 

DB

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I'm confused! Many of those nibs appear to be flat, like italics, whereas I was thinking of pointed types, for roundhand, copperplate, spencerian etc. I already have italic pens. The nibs have so many strange names that I'm confused by the choice. :unsure:

 

Yes - it can be confusing. The roundhand nibs are broad-edged but the 'English Roundhand' (also known as Copperplate) is written with a flexible pointed nib.

 

There are many different kinds of pointed nibs - all with their own peculiarities and benefits. Here are some I recommend to start with:

 

- Zebra G. This is a fairly stiff nib but is good for beginners as it writes smoothly and doesn't snag on the upstrokes.

 

- Leonardt 41 (also known as the Crown nib). Another easy to use nib but is more flexible than the G.

 

- Hunt 22. This is slightly more flexible than the Zebra and a little trickier to use but a very good nib. Vintage nibs are better than the modern versions.

 

- Leonardt Principal. A very fine and flexible nib. You will enjoy using this once you get the hang of it.

 

- Brause 66EF. This is a tiny nib and cannot be used with too heavy a hand but is a joy to use. This requires a specially adjusted flange as it is smaller than more 'standard' nibs.

 

You don't have to get all of these nibs. The Leonardt 41 and Zebra G is a good start. However, you should get at least 3 or 4 of each. Pointed pens wear out more quickly than edged ones and are considered disposable.

 

You will likely benefit from getting an oblique holder if you are right handed even though some people prefer straight (i.e. regular) holders. From what I understand, getting an oblique holder in UK is a little tricky but shipping form paperinkarts.com seems to be affordable and quick enough. Do not get the one with the plastic flange though.

 

The Peerless oblique (about $13) is a good choice from paperinkarts.com. The Century oblique holders (about $19) look and feel much better.

 

John Neal Bookseller offers to adjust the holders for specific nib types when you order but is a little more expensive.

 

I hope this helps a bit.

 

Salman

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Thank you lots! Those recommendations look very promising. Do pointed nibs usually have a reservoir? I've watched youtube vids of people trying to write without a reservoir and it looks very frustrating.

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Pointed nibs are used without reservoirs. People have experimented with them and some design do indeed load more ink and allow you to write longer between dips. I don't see any problems with dipping the nib every so often - one gets used to it.

 

You do need to get the protective oil off the nibs before they will hold ink properly. This applies to both edged and pointed nibs. I wash new nibs with some toothpaste which works reliably for me. Some people use windex, others run the nib through a flame to burn the oil off.

 

Salman

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No reservoirs! Pickles!

Does that mean dipping every other letter? (BookCat sulks back to her fountain pens.)

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I don't think it will be that bad. I get 15-20 letters per dip, doing Spencerian with an x-height of 1/8 inch. Give it a try, it's fun!

 

DB

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I'm toying with the idea of trying some calligraphy. I already have italic pens, so I was wondering about purchasing a dip pen and nibs set. Can anyone recommend a good set with a variety of nibs, especially the type for scripts such as roundhand, which also includes a reservoir so that I don't have to dip every couple of letters?

 

This is by no means a pressing issue, as I said, I'm merely toying with this idea.

Thanks.

:sm_cat:

 

I note your a Birmingham, UK resident.

 

What I've done recently is buy the Winsor & Newton Wooden Box

http://www.winsornewton.com/uk/shop/inks-and-drawing/inks-and-drawing-sets/calligraphy-inks-calligraphy-wooden-box-set-1190193

Eight inks, five nibs, holder and reservoir in a nice wooden box. I got it for £25 from Cass Art on a recent trip to London. Spectrum Art Shop in Brum (next to the law courts) may well sell it, they do sell the inks seperately.

 

Next, I went to the Pen Museum in the Jewellery Quarter

http://www.penroom.co.uk/

and stocked up on some more nibs. Big selection of vintage Birmingham made nibs for 25p each in the shop

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Thanks. I had no idea they sold nibs at the Pen Museum. Yet another good reason to go; I must bribe a none pen loving friend to go with me, maybe buy them lunch or something.

 

At the moment, I'm not really thinking about getting masses of ink, just some black acrylic, if that's better than Indian ink, I haven't looked into that yet but I do know that fountain pen ink isn't thick enough.

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Some FP inks work well with pointed pens. I have found Noodler's Black, Quink Blue Black, Pelikan Brilliant Black and Brilliant Brown to work well for me.

 

Brause 66-EF takes more FP inks well while others might be a bit temperamental with some inks e.g. my vintage 404 nibs don't like Nooder's Black for some reason.

 

Salman

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BC

I "thought" that FP ink would not work with dip pens. Well I was totally mistaken. Today I use FP ink more than dip pen ink on my dip pens. I just make sure to wipe the nib with alcohol before using it. I don't know what the alcohol does, but the ink sticks to the nib much better after the alcohol wipe. So far I have used the following FP inks with my dip pens and all worked fine: Waterman blue, Sheaffer turquoise, Private Reserve (DC Super Show blue, Orange Crush), Noodlers (dragons napalm, apache sunset).

 

All of my dip pen writing is regular cursive/script, no calligraphy. So I don't know how the FP inks will work for calligraphy.

 

My favorite dip pen ink is Higgins Eternal. Not as BLACK as India ink, but washable in water, which for me is a major plus.

 

PS. I like the Leonardt Hiro 41, but the factory seems to be having production problems with that nib. There were at least 2 instances (production runs) of nibs with "something" on the nib that made the nibs not want to hold ink. I had to use a very aggressive (nasty) chemical cleaning to make my nib usable. And I am reading of the same complaint again.

Edited by ac12

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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Thanks. I must make a shopping list for when I visit the Pen Museum. Lots of nibs to purchase. I don't want to spend too much in the beginning, just in case I don't like pointed pen calligraphy, but realise that it's best to start with good products so that cheap items don't put me off forever.

 

ac12: Where do you purchase pure alcohol? Would vodka do? Is this to clean the protective coating off the nibs?

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Thanks. I must make a shopping list for when I visit the Pen Museum. Lots of nibs to purchase. I don't want to spend too much in the beginning, just in case I don't like pointed pen calligraphy, but realise that it's best to start with good products so that cheap items don't put me off forever.

 

ac12: Where do you purchase pure alcohol? Would vodka do? Is this to clean the protective coating off the nibs?

 

Vodka might work, but denatured alcohol should be available at any drug store chemist.

Until you ink a pen, it is merely a pretty stick. --UK Mike

 

My arsenal, in order of acquisition: Sailor 21 Pocket Pen M, Cross Solo M, Online Calligraphy, Monteverde Invincia F, Hero 359 M, Jinhao X450 M, Levenger True Writer M, Jinhao 159 M, Platinum Balance F, TWSBI Classic 1.1 stub, Platinum Preppy 0.3 F, 7 Pilot Varsity M disposables refillables, Speedball penholder, TWSBI 580 USA EF, Pilot MR, Noodler's Ahab 1.1 stub, another Preppy 0.3, Preppy EF 0.2, ASA Sniper F, Click Majestic F, Kaweco Sport M, Pilot Prera F, Baoer 79 M (fake Starwalker), Hero 616 M (fake Parker), Jinhao X750 Shimmering Sands M . . .

31 and counting :D

 

DaveBj

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Botherations! I was hoping to drink the rest. :wacko:

 

In that case, by all means go with the vodka :P

Until you ink a pen, it is merely a pretty stick. --UK Mike

 

My arsenal, in order of acquisition: Sailor 21 Pocket Pen M, Cross Solo M, Online Calligraphy, Monteverde Invincia F, Hero 359 M, Jinhao X450 M, Levenger True Writer M, Jinhao 159 M, Platinum Balance F, TWSBI Classic 1.1 stub, Platinum Preppy 0.3 F, 7 Pilot Varsity M disposables refillables, Speedball penholder, TWSBI 580 USA EF, Pilot MR, Noodler's Ahab 1.1 stub, another Preppy 0.3, Preppy EF 0.2, ASA Sniper F, Click Majestic F, Kaweco Sport M, Pilot Prera F, Baoer 79 M (fake Starwalker), Hero 616 M (fake Parker), Jinhao X750 Shimmering Sands M . . .

31 and counting :D

 

DaveBj

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