How Do Pilot's Soft Nibs Compare With Their Non-Softs?

[lurcho]

I've just got hold of a Custom 74, and while I'm happy with it (following several stints of flow-adjustment), I find it nowhere near as springy as the evil genius Brian Goulet led me to believe. (I didn't buy it from him.)

 

Since I have a feeling I'm going to get very fond of this pen (I've never owned one single FP in 30 years that didn't need fiddling with), and they can currently be got for fifty quid (which is about $78, I think), from Amazon, from Japan, including the air fare, then I'm almost definitely going to get a soft-medium next.

 

I wondered if anyone had used both and could comment on the differences?

[FountainPages]

Pilot Soft nibs are just that, soft. They were not nor are they intended to be flexy or semi-flexy. All they offer is a softer feel to the writing experience. You can however derive some modicum of line variation but nothing like a flex nib. I find them to be a superb alternative to nails.

[lurcho]

Hello, Mr Roth. (I just looked your profile up.)

 

By coincidence (though not much of one, to be honest), I have just spent the best part of the last three days reading about an English television screenwriter called Brian Clemens, a directdescendent of Mark Twain, whom you mention as a favourite on your profile page. I'd like more opinion

 

Could you say more about these soft nibs, or post photos? I'm pretty sure I'm going to get one at Christmas, but, I'd love more experienced advice.

 

- Martin

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

I very much agree with Member FountainPages as to the characteristics of the Pilot soft nibs. Yet as I am accustomed to a firm but sumptuous nib on my daily writer, I'd be reluctant to use an SFM nib for extensive writing, or use it inverted (feed uppermost) to generate narrow lines.

 

In my reviews of Brown inks a Soft Fine-Medium nib is often used. It provides a nice bit of line variation from my brisk light hand and does not become scratchy on the side-strokes due to tine-spread/drag, but I would not slow my pace nor use a heavier hand to generate flex - I have other nibs for that.

 

As ever I am interested to see what wonders other Members have achieved with the Pilot soft nibs.

 

Atrocious Examples (MB Toffee):

 

Sailor Somiko + TIGP F nib on laser copy/print:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/OOTE%20Ink%20Review%20-%20MB%20Toffee%20Brown/cee069f2.jpg

 

Pilot C74 + 14K SFM on Rhodia:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2012/OOTE%20Ink%20Review%20-%20MB%20Toffee%20Brown/b62565f1.jpg

 

A Waterman's 502 + 14CT 2A nib, which I consider to have 'flex on demand' from my brisk light hand. (Barock Terra di Siena):

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN_2013/Ink%20Review%20-%20Barock%20Terra%20di%20Siena/INK156_zps56cfe1c5.jpg

 

 

In contrast, a Waterman's 52 1/2 V vintage flex nib from my brisk but heavy hand (ESSRI):

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/9dbbb973.jpg

 

Bye,

S1

Edited July 30, 2015 by Sandy1

[J_MM]

I have a sfm and a fm in 2 Pilot pens and I really do not notice much difference. I've never done a careful comparison though. My first Custom pen was the 74 sm. Great pen at that price but the sm nib is really close to a western m and is not a size lower as many Japanese nibs are.

[lurcho]

Thank you. As you may or may not know, I posted a thread last night about our dog's destruction of my 74 with a hard-medium nib, and I've just ordered a soft-medium replacement,

 

So I'll be able to compare. Soon.

 

Cheers.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Could be interesting to you to go to semi-flex rather than soft. A vintage '50's-65 Pelikan 140 would be a good pen. Medium-small, but posts to standard size.

Soft is what some call mushy. Semi-flex is a springy ++ nib.

Please read my signature.

 

I do push semi-flex having @ 30 of them. @ 15 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

 

I don't know Japanese pens. So I can't say they are true regular flex or not.

I say true regular flex in many pen companies make now a semi-nail, rather than the true regular flex of 15 or more years ago.

 

Semi-nail is harder than regular flex and gives a 2 X tine spread like a P-75 or a modern Pelikan 400/600. The semi-vintage 400 pre'98 are a nice regular flex.

 

In the following spread their tines only 3X a light down stroke....they are not superflex or "Flex" nibs.

If you mash a true regular flex you get a 3X tine spread.

With half that pressure is semi-flex.

1/4th the pressure of a well mashed regular flex or half that of a semi-flex is 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex. Those have to hunted from those who know the difference.

I always suggest going semi-flex first. Then three months later as your hand has become lighter to look for a maxi-semi-flex.

 

You could also get a 'Springy' nib, like a Falcon, or modern MB. I prefer semi-flex to that in semi-flex is like Springy ++. A Springy nib has nice tine bend but more like a 2 X tine spread.

 

I think a nib with some spring is better than a mushy one.

Edited July 31, 2015 by Bo Bo Olson

[Wolverine1]

Please post your question in the correct sub-forum, in this case, since you are asking about Pilot nibs, please post your question on the sub-forum meant for Japanese pens.

[Moynihan]

I've just got hold of a Custom 74, and while I'm happy with it (following several stints of flow-adjustment), I find it nowhere near as springy as the evil genius Brian Goulet led me to believe. (I didn't buy it from him.)

 

Since I have a feeling I'm going to get very fond of this pen (I've never owned one single FP in 30 years that didn't need fiddling with), and they can currently be got for fifty quid (which is about $78, I think), from Amazon, from Japan, including the air fare, then I'm almost definitely going to get a soft-medium next.

 

I wondered if anyone had used both and could comment on the differences?

 

I assume that the 74 referred to above is a non-soft nib.

 

The only non-soft nib i have in a Pilot/Namiki, non-budget pen, is a 74 Custom EF.

 

I have compared it to my:

Pilot 74/91/742 SF's

Pilot Falcon/Elabo SEF

 

Compared to the SF, I find the regular EF noticeably "harder" on the paper, with just that minimum tiny bit of "spring" that it seems all standard Pilot nibs have to some small extent.

 

The SF on my Custom series pens has a definite "soft" "cushy" feel on the paper, and can give a tad of line width with safe pressure.increase on the down stroke, but not much.

 

My Falcon/Elabo SEF & SF feel even softer, and can provide a wider range of width on the down stroke, within a safe pressure.

 

None of my Pilot/Namiki soft nibs are "Flex", even the uber soft, definitely not for beginners, acquired taste FA nib...

 

I think the soft nibs on the Custom series make good daily users. But that is coming from a person that considers Falcon/Elabo's a daily user also

I do not use the FA nib as a "daily user".