Aurora Nib Sizing, What's The Actual Sizing?

[KBeezie]

Now it's been said by a few people I asked that Aurora run smaller than some other nibs. But I would think that would probably mean something like an "M" being the equivalent of maybe F or FM from most western brands.

 

Even showed scans and pics over to Aurora's HQ, which they said the same as others :

 

Dear Karl Blessing,

 

First of all thank your for the interest demonstrated towards Aurora Pens.

 

We would like to inform you that Auroras nibs are generally smaller than those of other companies.

 

If you think a broad nib could be more suitable, we can manage to change it.

 

Please let us know from which country are your writing us, so we can give you the best service.

 

Thank you for the cooperation.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Andreea Tamas

Though to me, even when it's wetter the M on my Afrika seems like it is an EF with the feed marked "M". In the write sample (Though not the same inks, but Rhodia doesn't feather much if any) I have a couple other EFs (Two modern westerns, and one vintage, which seems more like Japanese EF), a Modern Medium on a Pelikan M640, and two broader ones Preppy 05/M (measures 0.9mm wide with my digital micrometer), and a broad cursive italic on my Pelikan 140, which is also about 0.9.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/SrJpYU1.jpg

 

Though nibs.com (I guess going off only the physical tipping size) puts Aurora's Medium at 0.55mm (Same as Jowo, Montegrappa, and Pilot, though in my experience Pilot M is same as a Jowo Fine).

 

So question is, what's the norm, what's expected, especially if I take the opportunity to go 'broad' and end up with an actual "Broad" (as in what I get from say my Pelikan 140 or P20), due to thinking that a "B" would just be a size up from the "M" I'm using.

 

Cuz if the above is medium, I'd wonder what their extra-fine looks like.

 

Physically doesn't seem like it'd be much diff from the Pelikan 18K Medium I have, just hair smaller.

 

http://i.imgur.com/WjNt5CV.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/xmsEKqC.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/5RubPyM.jpg

 

Though all that being said, even though it does an stroke that seems like EF to me, I have to say it's probably the best nib of the Italian brands I've tried, got a bit of feedback sort of like a hard pencil, but not scratchy, and immediately puts down a stroke at just a touch, no skips, no slow starts, no need to re-stroke, just perfectly consistent. Would have prefered some springiness to it, but it's excellent the way it is and not dry but not too wet.

 

Just wondering if the nib I had has a mismatched feed, or if just maybe, the nib itself was customized/ground.

[StrawberryJam]

I don't have much experience but my aurora ipslion deluxe stub nib writes at about 0.7-0.8mm, which is pretty narrow for a stock stub I think.

[fabri00]

I don't have much experience but my aurora ipslion deluxe stub nib writes at about 0.7-0.8mm, which is pretty narrow for a stock stub I think.

I also have the impression that aurora nib are a bit wider than others.

I have few optima, one 88 slim (cartridge) and one 88 piston filled, plus few others, and all writes broader than other pens.

[atomic_doug]

The Auroras I've written with all seem to be roughly equivalent to Sailor's standard of width...and of wetness...and of feedback. It was honestly surprising how narrow they were.

 

Good thing I like Sailor nibs, right?

 

Auroras (Aurorae?) have a much wider range of workable writing angles. A Sailor always seems to have only the one angle where it works perfectly, while you can hold an Aurora any way you like and it works great.

[gylyf]

I've found my Auroras to have nib widths on par with my Japanese pens. Comparing a Pelikan M and an Aurora M is actually more like a comparing a typical Western B and F, in my experience.

[Regulateur]

For what it worths, my Aurora Optima with an italic nib writes slghtly larger than a TWSBI 1.1mm and narrower than my Visconti Homo Sapiens 1.3mm stub

[Koyote]

Aurora nibs are actually well-made, so they don't have to be gushingly wet to write well. That slightly dryer flow makes the nibs seems narrower.

[KBeezie]

Aurora nibs are actually well-made, so they don't have to be gushingly wet to write well. That slightly dryer flow makes the nibs seems narrower.

Not exactly sure what you mean, but most of my dry western M or F write like a western M or F (since it's not like I'm using poor paper that will broaden a wet nib). So I wouldn't expect an M to show as an EF even though it's a little on the dry side. Thus far there's been nothing concrete to show what Aurora's sizing is other than nibs.com tipping chart which puts it right at the same as Jowo which is not matching my experience.

[Koyote]

KBeezie, I just mean that Aurora nibs, in my (admittedly limited) experience, are not set as wet as some other brands, so they might seem slightly narrower than some other western brands. Dryer nibs tend to write a little narrower than wetter nibs.

 

I think Aurora nibs tend to be set a little dryer because they are made better than some others, and so don't need copious ink flow to feel decently smooth.

[KBeezie]

KBeezie, I just mean that Aurora nibs, in my (admittedly limited) experience, are not set as wet as some other brands, so they might seem slightly narrower than some other western brands. Dryer nibs tend to write a little narrower than wetter nibs.

 

I think Aurora nibs tend to be set a little dryer because they are made better than some others, and so don't need copious ink flow to feel decently smooth.

My Medium, doesn't look nearly as close to his Medium.

 

[Keyless Works]

I have an Aurora Afrika with an M nib as well as an Ipsilon with an M nib. To me their nib sizes are true. Modern OMAS and Pelikan pens are very wet. I still have one OMAS with a bock nib that I keep for sentimental reasons with an M nib and it is very wet so it ends up looking like a broad or double broad.

[KBeezie]

I have an Aurora Afrika with an M nib as well as an Ipsilon with an M nib. To me their nib sizes are true. Modern OMAS and Pelikan pens are very wet. I still have one OMAS with a bock nib that I keep for sentimental reasons with an M nib and it is very wet so it ends up looking like a broad or double broad.

I already factored in wetness especially on papers that don't bleed outward when written upon. So I'm guessing mine is the fluke from the sound of it.

[DrDebG]

Interesting discussion.

 

I have an Aurora Ipsilon with a fine, steel nib. I also thought it might be narrower than my other fine points. But it seems about the same width as my Lamy Safari with fine nib, Faber Castell Loom with fine nib and my Pilot Vanishing Point with fine, gold nib. But my Lamy Studio with fine gold nib is definately thicker. (All were tested on Clairfontaine paper).

[KBeezie]

Did an updated write sample. (Rhodia No.12 pad which is 3.37 x 4.75 inch)

 

http://i.imgur.com/404TcxLh.jpg

 

(it'd be easier if I had more modern pens that covered most of the gamut)

Edited August 7, 2015 by KBeezie

[gylyf]

For what it's worth, here's a comparison. I had to tweak the flow a little when I first got my 88. Now, it produces a line somewhere between a Pelikan F and M. I consider it to be on the fine side of M, but still a M.

 

[Kactus]

_{Hi Karl, Firstly nice photos.}

 

_{There are always a number of factors in play.}

_{This may include your writing style. For example I have a mate who always produces a much finer line when writing naturally with my pen.}

_{Of course there may be variations in your specific pen set up and ink selection and paper selection. For example Rhodia will produce a "tighter" line than most.}

_{That being said my experience is that OMAS writes a bit wider due to its juiciness while Aurora writes a bit finer. I have noticed that the Aurora 18K write even finer again.}

_{I think the message is two fold. 1. "Individual results may vary". 2. You need to be familiar with what the brand produces. Just like buying a shirt you know some brands' Medium is a "large medium".}