Franklin Christoph Single-Handedly Ended My Steel Nib Bias

[Betweenthelines]

I have long been one of those in the camp of 'never pay over $100 for a steel nib pen'. I admit it is perhaps an unfair bias, but there it is nonetheless. Whether it was Pelikan m200's or Edison pens, I turned my nose up and instead put my money towards gold nibs.

 

But then came along the FC Model 02.. I had long been attracted to the 'ice' look of the ASA Galactic, but never pulled the trigger. Then I watched Matt Armstrong's review of the model 02, drooled over its looks when eyedroppered, saw how it was made to be posted (I love posting pens), and then the Masuyama offerings sealed the deal.

 

Wow. What a pen. Unbelievable quality down to the smallest detail, and the medium CI nib, yes even though it's steel, is an absolute joy. Worth every penny.

 

So, now I too am one of those 'spent (well) over $100 on a steel nib pen' people, with no regrets. Thank you, FC, for expanding my pen horizons!

[zaddick]

Yes, the FC 02 is a great platform to explore the FC nibs. I just put a shadow music nib on mine. The Masuyama nibs are a steal too in terms of bang for the buck.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I was very lucky...and if only I had not been a 'gold' snob, I could have gotten more Osmia pens with steel nibs. I do have a mix of about 50-50 great steel and great gold nibs. The nibs are worth the chance you will have to re-cork.

 

Ignorance of what makes a good nib...I had a great steel Osmia nib from the start....and didn't even know it was maxi-semi-flex...a term I invented some three years ago. I just thought it wet like everyone seemed to want in a nib.

Supra nibs are maxi, the Osmia Diamond with a number in it is semi-flex.

Grumble...Grumble...wanting a certain make...perhaps because it was BCHR I ended up with a steel nib Osmia.....and by then had an idea what semi-flex was. As good as a Pelikan 140 semi-flex.

After that I no longer worried if the Osmia nib was gold or steel...nor the Geha ones, which proved to be as good gold as steel. After the 80's same for Pelikan until '98.

 

I trans-mailed steel Pelikan 200 nibs to a pal in England, in there are a lot of German Idiots who won't mail outside of Germany.

I found they matched the Gold M400's nibs of the '90-97 era....my Celebry in gold and steel were equal. I eventually got a 215 in I didn't 'need' a 200. Now have a Amethyst and a W.Germany 200 to go with it.

 

I was disappointed in the CN Pelikan War nib I got. That one was only regular flex...not semi-flex to raved at supereflex. I have other old war nibs that are some some sort of stainless steel that work nice semi-flex and a superflex Degussa in a no name.

 

It did require a slow change of mind from being a semi-flex snob...to liking the 'true' regular flex of the steel 200 or steel or gold Celebry or 82-97's gold M400 are very nice with a bit of spring to the ride. That flex, is often better for shading inks than the wetter semi-flex.

 

I am not enthused with a gold or steel nail....gold is stupid IMO for a nail. Look at how much ink and paper one throws away on bling. Same for semi-nail. But there I'm ignorant in steel semi-nail. But am never in the hunt for another semi-nail...immaterial what it is made of. Have two...P-75 and Pelikan modern 600, both gold.

 

Once I was almost ignorant enough to throw out Degussa and Bock steel nibs in they were not made by big name German companies like MB, Pelikan or Geha. (When one looks at the major companies today using a Bock nib...one can be so ignorant with unfounded assumptions. Some of which picked up from others.)

 

I remember almost putting a Bock nib in the gold to melt box...in who'd ever heard of Bock. I have both gold and steel Bock...and Degussa in steel is well worth getting.

 

What do you want the nib to do? Or are you just buying a pretty pen?

 

I buy old pens because the nibs do more...be that gold or steel.

Great Steel can be 10-15% cheaper than regular gold...not even great.

Edited December 1, 2016 by Bo Bo Olson

[dms525]

Congratulations on your enlightenment!

 

I use italic nibs almost exclusively, and I have to say I have been quite pleased with the steel JoWo italic nibs, at least those sold by F-C and Edison. The Stipula steel italic nibs are also quite nice. I'm just mentioning the nibs that come on pens costing more than $100. The Masuyama-customized CI nibs from F-C are excellent too, and even the "broad" is narrower than the stock JoWo 1.1 mm italic.

 

The F-C Model 02 I think is an inspired design. I used to have 3 of them, but I just impulsively gave one of mine, fitted with a shadow music nib, to a daughter-in-law. It was heavily contaminated by her drool, anyway. And I was very impressed with the progress she had made in her italic handwriting. I might have to replace it.

 

Welcome to the Model 02 fan club!

 

David

[benbot517]

I don't think I'd even consider getting a gold nib on a Franklin Christoph. One of their Masuyana ground steel nibs would be perfect for me.

[rudyhou]

i have a couple of pens of different brands with nibs ground to a stub by mike masuyama. these two are my fave nibs now.