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"soft" Gold Nibs: How Are They Made?


Forsooth

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I just wanted to know how nib manufacturers make "soft x" (x = F, FM, M, etc.) gold nibs vs "x" gold nibs. Is it a material difference? A temperature-based process? ,,,?

 

(I've looked for a thread on this, but could not locate one. Please redirect me if this subject has been addressed previously. Thanks.)

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There are two factors for "soft" or even flexible nibs: composition and temper/forging/work hardening (the last 3 are so related that I'm lumping them together, but I'll just use the word "temper").

 

For composition, all you can really know is that a 14k nib, for example, is 58.5% gold. The remaining composition is usually a combination of silver, copper, nickel and/or zinc. The ratios of those affect tensile strength, color, etc... You would have to pay a lab to determine the composition, or get the information from the nib (or materials) manufacturer - which is unlikely to happen. Generally, high silver and low zinc increases tensile strength.

 

The temper of the material is the second factor. When you anneal gold, it's "dead soft" and the tensile strength is very low. As you work it (rolling, hammering, bending, etc...) the hardness and tensile strength increases.

 

A manufacturer is going to use a combination of composition and temper (not to mention shape and thickness) to get a "soft" or "springy" or "flex" nib.

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There are two factors for "soft" or even flexible nibs: composition and temper/forging/work hardening (the last 3 are so related that I'm lumping them together, but I'll just use the word "temper").

 

For composition, all you can really know is that a 14k nib, for example, is 58.5% gold. The remaining composition is usually a combination of silver, copper, nickel and/or zinc. The ratios of those affect tensile strength, color, etc... You would have to pay a lab to determine the composition, or get the information from the nib (or materials) manufacturer - which is unlikely to happen. Generally, high silver and low zinc increases tensile strength.

 

The temper of the material is the second factor. When you anneal gold, it's "dead soft" and the tensile strength is very low. As you work it (rolling, hammering, bending, etc...) the hardness and tensile strength increases.

 

A manufacturer is going to use a combination of composition and temper (not to mention shape and thickness) to get a "soft" or "springy" or "flex" nib.

 

Thank you for the information, dneal. That is perfectly clear.

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"Soft" is a term used by mineralogists that means how easy it is to scratch, not about how flexible. Just about any gold alloy will be softer in that regard than steel.

Edited by ANM

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time. TS Eliot

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Nib form, length of shoulders , along with the alloy have to do with making a nib with a bit of flex.

I think you might mean degree of flex, not 'soft'.

The degree of tine bend....has to do with "soft" nibs like the 'Springy' nibs of a Falcon or a MB.

The width of tine spread is not as much @ 2 X a light down swing.

 

There are nails 1 X a light down stroke tine spread), semi-nails (2 X tine spread with good pressure) which more pens are today (can be mistakenly taken by the less informed for regular flex) than in the vintage era.

 

True regular flex, semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex spread their tines @ 3 X a light down stroke with varying degrees of pressure.

 

It is possible if one is only use to nails; rigid nibs to think a true regular flex is 'soft' in it has more built in spring than a nail.

Often folks talk about soft nibs as the 'Springy' nibs of the Falcon or MB nibs. They have more tine bend than regular flex. Semi-flex has that amount of tine bend with 3 X tine spread and with less pressure. Sort of 'Springy/soft' ++.

Unless you special order a Japanese Falcon nib with more flex...it will be soft/Springy.

If you special order the more flexible Falcon nib, where parts are ground out, it can be = to or nearly = to a vintage semi-flex.

Outside the easy to bend because it is 18 K, Pelikan 1000 there are few modern pens made with gold semi-flex nibs. I'm sure there are some. I don't have them in my head.

I have many vintage pens with semi-flex or 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex, 2/3's in 14 C/K nibs. I also have 14 /18 K nails.

It is not the amount of gold, but the alloy and the nib form that makes for a 'soft', Springy or semi-flex nib.

 

Nails and semi-nails are the preferred nibs for many companies in they are harder to bend/break by ham fisted crossover BP&RP new FP users.

 

IMO the sooner you develop an interest in Vintage pens the sooner you will get a good nib.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Pilot still manufactures and markets excellent soft nibs. They are not semi-flex as some seem to believe but rather soft. They can be had at reasonable prices new in pens like the Custom Heritage 91 and Custom 74. I have a CH 91 and it is a wonderful daily user. The same pens are available with regular, stiffer, nibs. I too am interested in the manufacturing process that allows the difference but have no clue as to how they acheive the effect.

Edited by Scribblesoften
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<IMO the sooner you develop an interest in Vintage pens the sooner you will get a good nib>

 

If you seriously want to start writing with real flex, Forsooth, mark well what Bo Bo writes, above: this is your best bet!

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"Soft" is a term used by mineralogists that means how easy it is to scratch, not about how flexible. Just about any gold alloy will be softer in that regard than steel.

 

Soft is also a term used for water, textiles, and many other industries. Not sure what that (or mineralogists) have to do with nibs though... I'm pretty sure the context was regarding nibs labeled "soft".

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Thanks for the lively discussion. I learned a few things.

"One can not waste time worrying about small minds . . . If we were normal, we'd still be using free ball point pens." —Bo Bo Olson

 

"I already own more ink than a rational person can use in a lifetime." —Waski_the_Squirrel

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to list all my pens down here.

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Semi-flex=almost flex. It is not a "Flex" nib, but a Springy ++ nib with a bit more tine spread, 3 X tine spread vs 2 X tine spread for Springy nibs.

Springy nibs are between true regular flex and semi-flex.

A Pelikan 140 or a Geha 790 are your start into semi-flex.

 

Living in Germany, over the last 6-7 years, have 30 semi-flex and @15 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex nibs the next flex stage up ... and still in the 3 X tine spread.

IMO those are the 'real' "soft" gold nibs.Nibs that add a bit of character to your writing with out doing anything special to get it.

 

If you mash a true regular flex to 3 X a light down stroke. Semi-flex takes half that pressure, 'maxi-semi-flex' half of that or 1/4th the pressure needed with a true regular flex nib.

 

I always suggest working one's way up the flex ladder, and not jumping into the deep end of the pool with out water wings.

 

A true "Flex"/superflex nib requires a real light Hand.

It took me @ 3 months of using my first semi-flex to go from Ham Fisted....to slightly ham fisted for my next step in the flex ladder, a 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

It takes a while to develop a light Hand.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Semi-flex=almost flex. It is not a "Flex" nib, but a Springy ++ nib with a bit more tine spread, 3 X tine spread vs 2 X tine spread for Springy nibs.

Springy nibs are between true regular flex and semi-flex.

A Pelikan 140 or a Geha 790 are your start into semi-flex.

 

Living in Germany, over the last 6-7 years, have 30 semi-flex and @15 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex nibs the next flex stage up ... and still in the 3 X tine spread.

IMO those are the 'real' "soft" gold nibs.Nibs that add a bit of character to your writing with out doing anything special to get it.

 

If you mash a true regular flex to 3 X a light down stroke. Semi-flex takes half that pressure, 'maxi-semi-flex' half of that or 1/4th the pressure needed with a true regular flex nib.

 

I always suggest working one's way up the flex ladder, and not jumping into the deep end of the pool with out water wings.

 

A true "Flex"/superflex nib requires a real light Hand.

It took me @ 3 months of using my first semi-flex to go from Ham Fisted....to slightly ham fisted for my next step in the flex ladder, a 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

It takes a while to develop a light Hand.

 

So you define "soft" referring to nibs as flexi. Is this what the other people posting here mean by "soft?" I ask because the term "soft gold nib" gets bandied around here a lot, and I am trying to figure out what they really mean.

 

I have had extra fine and fine nibs in the Pelikan M1000, and these seem springy. If fact I bent one once.

 

I have some older pens from Wahl, Merlin and others that flex with a small effort and some others that flex easily, so I think I understand the levels of effort you are describing. I think, though, that "soft" as used often here to describe a gold nib refers to something else. I don't know what that is, and your descriptions are making me think that a lot of people are using the word "soft" to mean something else. There is the possibility that they are mistaken, of course, and are misleading others..

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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Some to many folks call 'soft' gold nibs....mushy.

 

Semi-flex is not ... mushy. There is some nice spring to the nib.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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In the Pilot case, they market their nibs as "soft." I agree that "springy" is a more correct description. They are certainly not mushy. Only when pushed beyond my comfort point, do they exhibit significant line variation.

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Thanks.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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"Soft" means that when you push down on the nib, the tines flex upwards.

 

"Flex" means that when you push down on the nib, the tines split open.

 

Some modern pens, like Pilot Falcon with "soft" nibs, when you press down, the tines bend up easily, yet only split open a little bit.

 

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I define a 'Springy' nib like a modern MB or a Falcon, as a pen with nice tine bend and only @ 2X tine spread...when mashed.

 

Mushy.....lacks the spring of true semi-vintage or vintage regular flex or semi-flex....or even the spring of a modern MB or Falcon.

 

That 21 K Sailor nib is often referred to as mushy as are some 18 K nibs of other companies. They are 'soft'/mushy in they lack nice spring.

 

The Pelikan 1000 is referred to by some as 'Springy" others as semi-flex. I only tried that oversized (giant) pen in a pen shop and found it semi-flex.

But it is 18 K and will bend and stay bent where a 14 K semi-flex will not. So it is a nib for the more experienced writer.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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I gather that "soft" in this context must be what I call "spring", from this discussion. I find that springy nibs do feel "soft" to write with. With reference to Bo Bo Olson's comment - the one time I tried a Pelikan 1000 I considered it "springy" not "semi-flex". The fact that it springs nicely does cause a change in width of the line, but not as much as a true "semi-flex", like say a Waterman #3.

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I see then that the Pelikan M1000 EF nib was soft in that it had springiness. It certainly was not a flexible writer spreading out for line variation, and the nib bent without much trouble and had to be straightened out, which was trouble.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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I would offer that there are 3 factors that affect how a nib feels: geometry, mechanical properties, and physical properties. The most important physical property isearch the surface tension between ink and nib. Springing so or flex in the mechanical property realm is determined by the elastic modulus, but the geometry is probably more important. This involves the thickness of the metal, the curvature of the nib, the length of the tines, the shape of the wings, etc. Whether or not you can bend, or permanentlyrics deform the nib is determined by the yield strength. This is a function of alloying, work hardening, and heat treatment. These will also affect tensile strength, but that is the stress to cause fracture, not flex or permanent bending.

 

Let me add that hardness is the resistance to penetration of the surface by a standard shape under load, and can be related to yield strength.

 

Let me also add that I think a gold plated nib will have the Sam surface properties as a gold alloy nib, as far as ink flow is concerned.

Edited by corgicoupe

Baptiste knew how to make a short job long

For love of it. And yet not waste time either.

Robert Frost

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  • 2 weeks later...

When I write I create a lot of pressure on the nib and if the tines split open or bend backwards and the ink flow stops this really drives me crazy . What nibs r best suited for my style of writing??

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