Gold nibs

[deitic_nib]

Are 14k, 18k gold nibs etc.. considered flex nibs since gold is a malleable material?

[PaulLeMay]

You would think so, that would make sense, but nope. Some steel dip type pens are quite flexible. Some 14K gold nibs are stiff as nails (old Parker Duofold, Sheaffer). Of course there are some flexible gold nibs, but just being gold isn't enough.

And of course there are many more learned scholars on this forum.

[kissing]

Often 14K, 18K gold nibs are the stiffest nibs out there, with nothing that reminds you of flex This is because Gold needs to be alloyed with harder metals (otherwise they'll just bend like dough when you write).

Flexibility does not depend on the material it is made of, but how the nib is designed, shaped, etc.. Heck, there are flexible nibs out there which are made of steel, that work just as well as the gold ones

 

So the answer to your question is ultimately, no. It's a very good question though - I used to think that gold nibs would feel softer (until I tried out a 18K modern Duofold, which writes stiffer than all my steel pens anyway )

Edited April 27, 2007 by kissing

[deitic_nib]

Thanks for all the great replies.