Zebra G-Nib Titanium?

[Icywolfe]

Has anybody tried them? Are they more rustproof compared to the steel ones? Also does the nib feel like the normal steel G Nib?

 

I'm on my 2nd box of Gnibs on my Ackerman Pumppen. IG ink, is very corrosive and the water from the inks just rusts them away.

[Randal6393]

While I have not used the Zebra G Titanium nib yet, I have every confidence that it will perform as advertised. That is, it will last four times as long as the regular G nib and will give better, smoother performance overall. Mostly I feel this way because I am familiar with titanium and how well it works. A noble metal, resistant to chemical action and harder than most metals. I have razor blades coated with TiN -- they last longer and perform better than that same brand's regular blades. Which, I might add, last quite well. John Neal, Bookseller (www.johnnealbooks.com) carries the Zebra G TiN nib for $4.50 each, that makes it well worth buying and trying.

 

Best of luck to you, enjoy,

[Icywolfe]

While I have not used the Zebra G Titanium nib yet, I have every confidence that it will perform as advertised. That is, it will last four times as long as the regular G nib and will give better, smoother performance overall. Mostly I feel this way because I am familiar with titanium and how well it works. A noble metal, resistant to chemical action and harder than most metals. I have razor blades coated with TiN -- they last longer and perform better than that same brand's regular blades. Which, I might add, last quite well. John Neal, Bookseller (www.johnnealbooks.com) carries the Zebra G TiN nib for $4.50 each, that makes it well worth buying and trying.

 

Best of luck to you, enjoy,

Because for about 5 bucks I can get 5 Gnibs, but with IG ink each lasts about a month (right now my last g nib is in the trash after 2 weeks I saw some brown rusts.) The hard choice is finding out if the increased price is really worth it. As from some places I heard the Ti nib is smoother and it flows ink better.

 

I do believe the faster rusting time might be because of the crudeness of the Pump pen. It tends to cover the nib with ink.

[ac12]

Check the flourishes forum, I recall that some have used the Titanium G nib

[prighello]

What pens do these fit?

[Icywolfe]

What pens do these fit?

Dip pens and Ackermanpens

 

I think also the Desiderata pens company's pens.

[inkstainedruth]

I think also the Desiderata pens company's pens.

Yes, I have one of the prototype Desiderata pens, and mine has a Zebra G nib on it. I'd be very interested in seeing how much flex the titanium nibs have, compared to the regular ones, and also how smooth the nib is. The regular Zebra G has a tremendous amount of flex, but without any tipping I had problems with even good paper like Rhodia and Clairefontaine -- the nib was very scratchy, and in one instance actually ripped the paper.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Icywolfe]

I use TR paper and it's fine.

[ainterne]

I have the titanium on my Desiderata pen....Mmm...Not a tremendous amount of difference except the line is finer on the upstrokes.

When I first used it, I wrote as I would with the normal G. The upstroke line was so fine that it was hardly noticeable, e.g. too fine.

However as I used the nib it became better.

 

I think these nibs have 3 stages.

 

1: The initial wear in time... they are precise.

2: The mid and longest stage where the nib writes at its best. I find writing everyday it takes me about 2 weeks before.

3: The nib starts deteriorating, on looping y,g's etc...I can feel the nib just starting to catch and it starts loosing it's smoothness.

 

The Titanium G is the same other than stage 1 takes longer, and the middle stage is much longer......however the difference between stage 1 and 2 is less defined in terms of the writing feel.

 

I hope that helps a little......

[Icywolfe]

How about the rusting? I only use Iron Gall Diamine inks as they flow the best. But they tends to be the most corrosive.

[rwilsonedn]

How about the rusting? I only use Iron Gall Diamine inks as they flow the best. But they tends to be the most corrosive.

If you are using IG for its viscosity rather than permanence, have you tried ordinary fountain pen inks with a bit of gum arabic to increase the viscosity? You might like it a lot.

ron

[ainterne]

How about the rusting? I only use Iron Gall Diamine inks as they flow the best. But they tends to be the most corrosive.

 

How long does it take for your nib to rust?

 

Honestly I don't get any rusting on mine...Its strange that you do. With that said all my pens are in a very dry environment and I put the caps on them and never leave then open to the air. I but them in packs of 10 from Amazon, they come in a little plastic box and i keep that in an air tight bag. I also use Diamine or Iroshizuku..... I don't wash the nib, but I do dip in water before use. I did check some that I have from a few months ago and.... no rust....

 

The only thing I do with the nibs before starting is put a lighter flame under the tines for a few seconds. Then I take the finest wet and dry paper and put it between the tines and just rub for a second or two, reverse and to the other side.

 

That's it..... I am truly amazed how the pen never gives me any problems. I have a ton of flexible nib pens next to me and I just keep reaching for the Desiderata pen. It's kind of spoilt me.... Before I hated trying to use dip nips and just could not get them working enough to even practice... Now I can focus on my handwriting and calligraphy and don't have to worry about if the pen will start or keep writing after a few words.... It just keeps going..... I love it....

 

The greatest part is that when I do pick up my antique flex pens I now write better with them, so thats a bonus...

 

The Zebra G Titanium nibs are available on Amazon in packs of 10. I figure a good replacement nib for a Waterman or similar is going to cost about $70 to $100 unless you are lucky to snag one in a broken pen..

 

The Zebra Nibs are about $1.00 each or just less. I use a nib and it lasts me 2 weeks.

So that's 26 of them a year on average or $26. So 3 years is $78.00.

 

So I get 3 years of nibs in pretty much new condition. If I break one or damage, it costs me $1.00.

 

Titanium is approximately 3 times the cost for 10, but I wont get 6 weeks out of one... I think just over 3 weeks, but lets say 4.... so now that's 12 per year at $3.00 per nib. So $36 for 2 years I have got to $72.

 

So cost wise.... It's better to be with the standard G..... I personally don't think the Titanium nib is worth the extra, but it does look nice on my green Desiderata, and it does not kill the bank at $3.00 a nib......so it's worth getting both and trying for your self...

 

I personally will not touch an Ackermanpen again... Mine, both of them are unreliable, messy, I just don't like the whole idea of them and where they come from. I can't and wouldn't even compare Ackerman and Desiderata....they are so far apart in what they do.

 

I also change out and use my nemosine nibs in the Desiderata. I buy the broad nibs and then grind them in different ways as they are only about $6.00 each... The fit perfectly and I can thin the nib to make them flexible.

I have two Desiderata's and they are terrific pens. No they are not Waterman, but I can fit Waterman or Warranted nibs in the Desiderata without much trouble.

 

The only thing I have not done is put a thicker ink into the Desiderata pen... I would like to hear others experiences with that or if it's worth doing?

 

So I have rattled on a bit, sorry :-(... I have been on the search for the perfect solution for me. I have found it...and I am very happy to say the least.

Edited February 19, 2015 by ainterne

[ainterne]

If you are using IG for its viscosity rather than permanence, have you tried ordinary fountain pen inks with a bit of gum arabic to increase the viscosity? You might like it a lot.

ron

Where do you get the gum arabic? Do you buy a certain brand or ??? I don't know anything about it....

[Icywolfe]

Where do you get the gum arabic? Do you buy a certain brand or ??? I don't know anything about it....

Yes, where do we buy it without buying a 5 year supply of it?

 

 

How long does it take for your nib to rust?

 

Honestly I don't get any rusting on mine...Its strange that you do. With that said all my pens are in a very dry environment and I put the caps on them and never leave then open to the air. I but them in packs of 10 from Amazon, they come in a little plastic box and i keep that in an air tight bag. I also use Diamine or Iroshizuku..... I don't wash the nib, but I do dip in water before use. I did check some that I have from a few months ago and.... no rust....

 

The only thing I do with the nibs before starting is put a lighter flame under the tines for a few seconds. Then I take the finest wet and dry paper and put it between the tines and just rub for a second or two, reverse and to the other side.

 

That's it..... I am truly amazed how the pen never gives me any problems. I have a ton of flexible nib pens next to me and I just keep reaching for the Desiderata pen. It's kind of spoilt me.... Before I hated trying to use dip nips and just could not get them working enough to even practice... Now I can focus on my handwriting and calligraphy and don't have to worry about if the pen will start or keep writing after a few words.... It just keeps going..... I love it....

 

The greatest part is that when I do pick up my antique flex pens I now write better with them, so thats a bonus...

 

The Zebra G Titanium nibs are available on Amazon in packs of 10. I figure a good replacement nib for a Waterman or similar is going to cost about $70 to $100 unless you are lucky to snag one in a broken pen..

 

The Zebra Nibs are about $1.00 each or just less. I use a nib and it lasts me 2 weeks.

So that's 26 of them a year on average or $26. So 3 years is $78.00.

 

So I get 3 years of nibs in pretty much new condition. If I break one or damage, it costs me $1.00.

 

Titanium is approximately 3 times the cost for 10, but I wont get 6 weeks out of one... I think just over 3 weeks, but lets say 4.... so now that's 12 per year at $3.00 per nib. So $36 for 2 years I have got to $72.

 

So cost wise.... It's better to be with the standard G..... I personally don't think the Titanium nib is worth the extra, but it does look nice on my green Desiderata, and it does not kill the bank at $3.00 a nib......so it's worth getting both and trying for your self...

 

I personally will not touch an Ackermanpen again... Mine, both of them are unreliable, messy, I just don't like the whole idea of them and where they come from. I can't and wouldn't even compare Ackerman and Desiderata....they are so far apart in what they do.

 

I also change out and use my nemosine nibs in the Desiderata. I buy the broad nibs and then grind them in different ways as they are only about $6.00 each... The fit perfectly and I can thin the nib to make them flexible.

I have two Desiderata's and they are terrific pens. No they are not Waterman, but I can fit Waterman or Warranted nibs in the Desiderata without much trouble.

 

The only thing I have not done is put a thicker ink into the Desiderata pen... I would like to hear others experiences with that or if it's worth doing?

 

So I have rattled on a bit, sorry :-(... I have been on the search for the perfect solution for me. I have found it...and I am very happy to say the least.

When I used Deleter Black (Dipping pen inks) About 2months max. But within 1 month I have junk on the nib preventing tine spread.

When I use (now) Diamine Registrar's about 2 weeks for the first signs of rust. 1 month then I see rust near the O hole and that ruins the flex. But sometimes I see rust within a week on the tines.(I'm not sure why.)

 

Ackerman Pump pen has a giant hole on the top that allows air to get in and not cause a vacuum effect when you pull off the cap. For a few months I actually hot glued it but I noticed it makes a mess when I uncapped the pen so I dug out the hot glue.

 

The Ackerman Pumppen is a love hate relationship, as in I will say: It's so durable that it's impossible to break..... but it has nothing in the first place to break. I love it when it works, but when it doesn't I ask myself why I spent 20 USD on this. I do have a Pilot Custom 743 Falcon for flexy but I kinda baby that pen as that pen is up there in the price category. When I reach for a flex(Flex-like, because people here say the Falcon nib isn't flexible) I reach for the C743 then stop then go for the Ackerman. If I was going to practice I rather break a 1 dollar nib than a 300 USD pen.

 

How thin is thin? For the Ti nib unflexed?

 

I'm not even sure if the Desiderata pen would be good for me as I tend to use IG inks on my flex pens. And I know acidic inks can eat the sac of the pen. Also I don't like spending a ton of money on a single purpose pen. The Falcon nib is stiff enough that regular writing is fine with it.

 

Currently I'm actually looking on the bay for gold dip pen nibs that doesn't cost more than a brand new pen.

 

 

If you are using IG for its viscosity rather than permanence, have you tried ordinary fountain pen inks with a bit of gum arabic to increase the viscosity? You might like it a lot.

ron

I use it for the dark color, the perfect liquidness (some inks just flows out like a river while others are just stuck in the pen) I thought Diamine Registrar's ink is a regular FP ink.

[markh]

 

Then I take the finest wet and dry paper and put it between the tines and just rub for a second or two, reverse and to the other side.

 

can you tell me what grit paper you use for this??

 

thnx,

 

 

.

[ainterne]

 

can you tell me what grit paper you use for this??

 

thnx,

 

.I use 3M WetorDry 2000...... I put the nib down on the paper, a little pressure to put the paper in, then make sure the paper is up to the hole.

Then I pull the paper back and forth about 2 or 3 times, turn the paper over and do it again. It works well for me...I think finer would be ok, just enough to clear away any coating. I draw the paper quite slowly and wiggle it a little.

[markh]

 

 

can you tell me what grit paper you use for this??

 

thnx,

 

.I use 3M WetorDry 2000...... I put the nib down on the paper, a little pressure to put the paper in, then make sure the paper is up to the hole.

Then I pull the paper back and forth about 2 or 3 times, turn the paper over and do it again. It works well for me...I think finer would be ok, just enough to clear away any coating. I draw the paper quite slowly and wiggle it a little.

 

thnx...

[Limner]

Gum arabic is used as a watercolor painting medium; a number of watercolor manufacturers sell small bottles of the liquid form (you can also get it as a powder; there's a food-grade variety that's used in cake decorating). I use Winsor Newton brand, myself.

 

http://www.dickblick.com/watercolor/mediums/

[ainterne]

Thank you :-). I looked it up last night and had bought some from Amazon... As you know, my favorite shopping stop....lol..

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WWK844/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I noticed is said the following. It does not play havoc with pens, nibs, does it?

 

• It will gradually increase tack as it dries

[Goudy]

If you are using IG for its viscosity rather than permanence, have you tried ordinary fountain pen inks with a bit of gum arabic to increase the viscosity? You might like it a lot.

ron

 

I use Blot's iron gall and it actually seems to be quite runny compared to typical fountain pen inks. But very good at both hairlines and swells.