steel nib vs. gold nib

[jeff75]

Maybe it is a lack of experience but I am having a difficult time finding any real differences in the performance of the steel nib on my Levenger True Writer and the gold nib my brand new Parker Sonnet. Both pens have Levenger Cobalt Blue ink in them and both, as expected, write beautifully. What should I look for, as far performance or any other substantial differences, in the two nib types. Thanks for helping a rookie out.

[kissing]

Here is a page in Richard Binder's site that explains things REALLY well

It sure answered it for me

 

http://www.richardspens.com/ref_info/nib_steel.htm

[jbb]

Lately I've realized that the 14K nibs on vintage pens have flex that is more like dip pens. That means that you can get thick-thin shading by pressing down and then lifting up. This writing can look more like 19th writing. When you're new at fountain pens the pleasure of their smoothness may be all you're looking for. It's a matter of how you're writing with the pen.

Edited April 27, 2007 by jbb

[Titivillus]

Maybe it is a lack of experience but I am having a difficult time finding any real differences in the performance of the steel nib on my Levenger True Writer and the gold nib my brand new Parker Sonnet. Both pens have Levenger Cobalt Blue ink in them and both, as expected, write beautifully. What should I look for, as far performance or any other substantial differences, in the two nib types. Thanks for helping a rookie out.

 

You happened to choose a gold nib made by a company famous for nail like nibs As suggested look to other companies or vintage gold nib pens for the experience of line variation

 

 

enjoy the pens! I just got a true writer and like it as well.

 

 

Kurt

[Johnny Appleseed]

With 50 years of regular use your steel nib will start to show more signs of corrosion than the gold one.

 

John

[FrankB]

I am simply into good writing pens. I have found that some very expensive pens with gold nibs really do not write as nicely as less expensive pens with steel nibs intended for daily use. The metal composition of the nib does not always tell the whole story. I like to try a pen first to see what it is like. If a steel nib writes well, that steel nibbed pen is what I buy, and if it also happens to cost less, then I have even more benefit0.

 

I have some steel nibbed pens that I have had in use for over 45-years. I have cleaned them regularly and they have not stained or corroded any more than my gold nibs. Just my personal experience.

 

Good luck.

[randyholhut]

The epitome of the steel nib for me is the Esterbrook Renew Point, especially the iridium-tipped 9xxx series.

 

As the Estie loyalists will tell you, these humble nibs are among the best writing ones out there. They are perhaps the best reason to have at least one Estie in your pen rotation.

 

The steel nibs on the Sheaffer No-Nonsense and the flat-top metal capped School Pen are pretty good also. Not up to the same level as the Esties, but good at the price.

[Mudge]

You happened to choose a gold nib made by a company famous for nail like nibs As suggested look to other companies or vintage gold nib pens for the experience of line variation...

 

My wife has a very beautiful Laque Moonbeam Sonnet (which, as I mentioned in another thread is underappreciated, and I lust after it greedily ) which has a distinctly flexible nib. I guess the guys at Parker must have had a change of heart since those earlier models...

 

 

[Jeff E]

The steel nibs on my Waterman Expert II and Visconti Pericle are buttery smooth and quite reliable right out of the box.

[meanwhile]

Lately I've realized that the 14K nibs on vintage pens have flex that is more like dip pens. That means that you can get thick-thin shading by pressing down and then lifting up. This writing can look more like 19th writing. When you're new at fountain pens the pleasure of their smoothness may be all you're looking for. It's a matter of how you're writing with the pen.

 

I think this is a little misleading. A 14K nib isn't necessarily or usually flex, even on a vintage - it rarely will be on a Sheaffer, for example. 14K is agreed to be the best material for a flex nib, but that's not the same thing.

Edited April 27, 2007 by meanwhile

[meanwhile]

Anyway, to summarise the usual conclusion of these threads:

 

- You write on the "iridium" (it's actually something else these days) tip of your nib, not the gold or steel.

 

- Gold used to be almost essential, back when inks were nasty, now it's just a prestige thing, unless you want a flex nib.

[chemgeek]

Both gold and steel nibs write very, very well. Gold nibs are more corrosion-resistant, and CAN be more flexible than steel, but are not always so.

 

Cheers.

 

[Johnny Appleseed]

- Gold used to be almost essential, back when inks were nasty, now it's just a prestige thing, unless you want a flex nib.

 

Actually, I don't think the issue is the inks, which haven't changed that much (for fountain pens at least), but the steel. Before the advent of reliable and inexpensive stainless steel nibs, gold was almost essential for it's corrosion resistance. There were gold-plated steel and gold-plated brass nibs, but niether were well made or lasted particularly well.

 

John

[Jeff E]

Chemgeek sums it up very nicely.

[meanwhile]

- Gold used to be almost essential, back when inks were nasty, now it's just a prestige thing, unless you want a flex nib.

 

Actually, I don't think the issue is the inks, which haven't changed that much (for fountain pens at least), but the steel. Before the advent of reliable and inexpensive stainless steel nibs, gold was almost essential for it's corrosion resistance. There were gold-plated steel and gold-plated brass nibs, but niether were well made or lasted particularly well.

 

John

 

That's an extremely interesting idea! Well, to me it is...

[jeff75]

- Gold used to be almost essential, back when inks were nasty, now it's just a prestige thing, unless you want a flex nib.

 

Actually, I don't think the issue is the inks, which haven't changed that much (for fountain pens at least), but the steel. Before the advent of reliable and inexpensive stainless steel nibs, gold was almost essential for it's corrosion resistance. There were gold-plated steel and gold-plated brass nibs, but niether were well made or lasted particularly well.

 

John

 

That's an extremely interesting idea! Well, to me it is...

 

[jeff75]

Frank B mentioned cleaning his pens often. How often should I clean my pens and how exactly would I go about doing that? There is probably a thread out there somewhere on cleaning, but does anyone have any quick suggestions? Thanks again. I am learning alot.

[Jeff E]

I usually continue to flush the pen in cool tap water until it runs clear.

[Watermoon]

Is there a noticeable difference, in terms of smoothness, between a gold nib and an octanium nib in a Parker "51"? I've seen some of these pens advertised with a mention that the original nib has been replaced with a gold one... Since I have to replace the nib on my "51" Special, I wonder if it's worth ordering a 14k nib.

[Ghost Plane]

Some steel nibs [i'm thinking of my Visconti Pericles] write very smoothly. I have one that seems to float. Others, like my Monteverde, seem to be scratchy. It just depends on the nib.