About The Match Between Nib And Feed

[bobje]

A frequent lament of pen users is a dry feed that doesn't keep up with a flex, broad, or wide italic nib. My understanding is that a feed needs to match the flow requirements of the nib. Is the opposite problem frequent -- a too-wet feed that floods a fine nib? I have read about this issue less often. My intuition suggests that, to maximize options, a pen user can order a pen with a wider nib that can be reground later to be narrower. Going in the opposite direction, from fine to broad, is impossible. Additionally, a feed designed for a fine nib may not be able to keep up with the increased flow requirements of a broad, flex, or italic.

 

But, when regrinding a broad nib down to a fine, is there an issue regarding the match of feed to nib? Would a feed that typically accompanies a broad nib create too much ink flow for a finer nib?

[Randal6393]

Hi, Bob,

 

Glad to see your post. Possibly, a feed set for a broad might be too wet for a fine. Certainly, the ebonite feeds in an Ahab are very wet, too wet for many inks, when you go to a finer, less fast nib. The pool of ink created behind the nib slit can be too big, the flow rate too high. So the pen will write too wet. Usually, it is possible to adjust the nib and nib spacing to decrease the flow. Some penmen have used wax or glue to fill the fin channels and lessen the flow.

 

Many pens, however, seem to work equally well with any size nib. From EF to BB. So the feed is only one factor. Thickness of the nib, how it is designed also makes a contribution to flow rate. Change out a Nemosine nib for a Goulet JoWo nib and watch the ink flow increase. And the reverse is true.

 

To decrease flow, tightening up the pen and using silicon grease on the treads, using a nib that is thinner or has a narrower nib slit, these also help.

 

Truthfully, though, it has always been best to me to buy the pen with the nib you want and not change it.

 

Enjoy,

[Bo Bo Olson]

Fast feeds were once ebonite and unbuffered and had superflex nibs. As pen companies went away from superflex, the less flexible nibs needed buffered feeds.

Then for cost, they went to plastic instead of labor intensive ebonite. Ebonite is better the ink holds to it better.

 

I think the ink has much to do with modern buffered plastic nibs than if it is F or M or B.

 

There is and has been much work done over the ages with buffered feeds. MB, because a good poster showed many different feeds, is a good example. That can be found in the pinned MB section.