Buttery Smooth Nib For ~300 Usd?

[Chasingtheperfectnib]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am new to the fountain pen world but wow has it taken a hold of me! I am looking for my next pen and would really appreciate your feedback. My first pen was a vanishing point and it was a great starting fountain pen for me - practical and a good writer. Then I got the Sailor 1911L and really love its nib - it feels softer and smoother to write with then my VP.

 

What I like:

 

I enjoy fine nibs as I write small and am left handed - so I feel that the Japanese nibs really suit me (but I am open to any country/brand). What I am looking for is a fine nib fountain pen that is a joy to write with (ie buttery smooth) in the ~300 USD range. I would prefer a larger pen as I have large hands... I enjoy the writing aspect of fountain pens so I am not fussed about the prestige of a brand or the look of the pen. Thanks in advance for your time and experience! Glad to be a part of this community!!!

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2016 by Chasingtheperfectnib

[Sergio 46]

A Pilot Custom 823 in F or a Pilot Namiki Elabo metal in SEF ( I have it in SEF because, like you, I prefer fine nibs) should do the job. I got them from j-subculture.com in Japan!

[RubenDh]

I have a Pilot custom 823 in amber medium nib and after the now 3 weeks of daily use all I can do is strongly recommend it!

A 823 is by far my smoothest nib. I got a medium one as japanese nibs write one level lower as usual (a japanese medium is like a western fine).

 

I also recommend getting one from Japan as they are around 190 usd shipped. Whilst US retailers sell them for 288 usd.

Edited December 4, 2016 by RubenDh

[Boniface]

For a Japanese fine nib that is extraordinarily smooth, I have a Pilot Vanishing point with a fine nib from Indy-Pen-Dance, where they tune each pen they sell to make sure it's perfect. It's smoother than many of my un-modified medium nibs. It's by far the best fine nib I have. Also, the Vanishing Point is a larger pen, so should work well with your hands. And because it's a click pen, it's very convenient. Hope this helps.

[jar]

I have a Pilot custom 823 in amber medium nib and after the now 3 weeks of daily use all I can do is strongly recommend it!

A 823 is by far my smoothest nib. I got a medium one as japanese nibs write one level lower as usual (a japanese medium is like a western fine).

 

I also recommend getting one from Japan as they are around 190 usd shipped. Whilst US retailers sell them for 288 usd.

The reputable dealers in Japan are selling the 823 at about the same price as the US dealers.

[Bo Bo Olson]

A nice used Pelikan 400 or 600 are butter smooth semi-nail nibs....wet line...and if you use a wet ink....real juicy wet.

 

Used are as good as new.

Most 'noobies' all want a butter smooth pen.

 

There are a lot of them....In I don't care for butter smooth I don't keep track of them.

Don't care for nails or semi-nails either.

 

 

I do have a 600 and a Cross Townsend, and a MB Woolf in Butter Smooth.

Do not buy any slick paper...butter smooth slides off.

 

There are more than enough butter smooth nails that are cheap. Read up on a Chinese Duke pen being one of the more expensive Chinese pens it should butter smooth. Some of the cheap ones I've seen folks say were butter smooth. I don't buy nails so I don't care if they make cheap butter smooth nail nibs in China. I really don't care if others make expensive butter smooth nails.

I like 'true' regular flex, semi-flex and some superflex nibs. My Pelikan 200's are smooth enough for me....I don't think they are quite butter smooth....you might being new.

 

Cross is another in this case now Chinese made pen that is butter smooth. Of course a Cross is very expensive...like Levies....over priced for the cost.

 

A steel nail should be as smooth as a gold nail. Gold is often only bling. As I said, my Townsend's steel nib is butter smooth....one of the reason's its under my bed in it's box. Pretty too....a butter smooth nail....a characterless nib.

 

I like good and smooth, the level under butter smooth....there is a slight tad of feeling.

Toothy is for much later for you....that's a fountain pen that feels like you are writing with a pencil.

 

I prefer lively German nibs of the '50-65 era.

 

There are enough posters that went all in on Butter Smooth, that after a year or less backed off enough to ask how to grind butter smooth away.

 

It don't matter if the pen is expensive or, affordable or cheap....there are enough butter smooth nibs....and if you have a pen...that ain't exactly what you think it should be....send it off to be made butter smooth for a lot less than spending $300 on a butter smooth nail.

 

Everyone needs a butter smooth nib.....as much as you might not believe it...everyone needs a toothy nib...too. And a few in between.

Edited December 4, 2016 by Bo Bo Olson

[Roppleton]

I bought a custom 74 soft fine nib from japan and tuned it with Goulet mylar paper to make it buttery smooth with a nice amount of spring.

I also have a JOWO nib tuned by Susan Wirth (Stub) which is ridiculously smooth and can be used in most pens that take #6 Nibs, as well as a normal EF JOWO from Goulet also tuned buttery smooth.

 

Basically you can take most nibs and tune them to your liking with mylar paper and it will have the qualities you are looking for (springiness, flex etc) along with the smoothness that you prefer.

[Bluey]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am new to the fountain pen world but wow has it taken a hold of me! I am looking for my next pen and would really appreciate your feedback. My first pen was a vanishing point and it was a great starting fountain pen for me - practical and a good writer. Then I got the Sailor 1911L and really love its nib - it feels softer and smoother to write with then my VP.

 

What I like:

 

I enjoy fine nibs as I write small and am left handed - so I feel that the Japanese nibs really suit me (but I am open to any country/brand). What I am looking for is a fine nib fountain pen that is a joy to write with (ie buttery smooth) in the ~300 USD range. I would prefer a larger pen as I have large hands... I enjoy the writing aspect of fountain pens so I am not fussed about the prestige of a brand or the look of the pen. Thanks in advance for your time and experience! Glad to be a part of this community!!!

 

 

 

You're spending several hundred dollars more than you need to. As you're not interested in brand or prestige, the best pens for your needs(ie the smoothest nib) will be under $50. Above that and you're just paying for brand, expensive barrel materials, and limited editions or rarities.

 

Get a Lamy Studio in extra fine and then if it's not perfect then either smooth it yourself with micro mesh or send it away to a nibmeister. Alternatively send away one of your current pens to a nibmeister and save yourself a few bob.

Edited December 4, 2016 by Bluey

[sandy101]

A second hand MB146 could be had for $300, and being a larger pen - it will suit your hand quite well.

 

Alternatively, a Parsons Essential from Mr Pen is buttery smooth (but way below our budget), or the Diplomat Excellence - also a larger pen.

 

Faber Castell & Caran d'Ache also come with wonderfully smooth nibs. So, take a look at their range. I have a Fc-Loom and its nib is wonderful, and it cost less than $40, so I think that the Graf Von Faber Castel pens will probably be much better. In addition I briefly held a Caran d'ache Madison and the nib was a joy.

 

I realise this has not helped you narrow our choices much. How heavy do you want the pen to be? Most Japanese pens are made of resin, which makes them very light in the hand. The Diplomat and Mr Pen's of this world tend to be made of metal which makes them heavier in the hand. What would you prefer? A pen that weight les than 20g, a pen that weight more than 50g or somewhere inbetween?

[Mrpink]

Faber castell Loom is a cheap goodie. One of the first pens I bought then everything was being compared to that. But as mentioned above as time goes on smooth is just smooth. I have a carene which is smooth but I dont find it fun as the ones which give feeling.

[thygreyt]

Why not buy mylar and micromesh and make your favourite pen buttery smooth?

[Runnin_Ute]

Find a pen that you like in your budget- if you have a brick and mortar store near you pay them a visit and try a bunch of pens out. Buy something you like in your budget. Lots of pens available in your budget from bottom to top that meet your wants and needs. Who knows, you may realize that you prefer a little feedback to butter smooth.

[ac12]

Smoothness of writing is affected by FOUR variables, any of which can turn it from smooth to bad.

• The PEN. The shape and smoothness of the tipping. Also how wet the pen is. A dry pen has little ink to lube the tip.

• The Ink. Ink is the lubricant between the tip of the nib and the paper. Not enough of the right lube, and you have friction.

• The Paper. The finer the nib, the more sensitive it is to the texture of the surface of the paper. I have some papers that I will not write on with anything finer than a Medium nib. A Fine nib needs a hard smooth paper.

• You the Writer. The harder you press down on the pen, the more friction you have between the nib and the paper.

[Ada]

+1 for the Pilot Custom 823. For a less expensive option, you might want to look at the Waterman Expert; I've found mine (an XF nib) to be very smooth.

[flipper_gv]

Any nib is buttery smooth when you learn how to tune it.

 

Micromesh and other accessories - 30$ (max)
12 Jinhao's to practice - 20$

 

Here you go.

[flow]

How about a Lamy 2000? If you have the option of taking one for a test drive at a local store I recommend doing that.

 

I own a Sailor 1911S and know what you mean by the smoothness of the nib. I enjoy my Lamy 2000 as much as my Sailor, which is the basis of my recommendation to you.

 

The 2000 is a good sized pen, with heft and a comfortable girth. It holds a lot of ink. The writing experience is excellent and the nibs are consistently good (good quality control at the factory I guess). At about $160 USD retail you'll have enough left over from your budget to acquire another quality pen.

[Recoil Rob]

Buy a pen you like for up to $250, send it to Pendelton Brown for his EBLS, "Elegant Butter~line Stub" treatment. You can pick your ink flow and other characteristics. A real pleasure to work with, none of the attitude of some other meisters.

[carlos.q]

Considering that the OP has not been active on this forum since last December 5, I guess we'll never know what he finally bought.

[ParkerDuofold]

Considering that the OP has not been active on this forum since last December 5, I guess we'll never know what he finally bought.

Hi Carlos,

 

After reading all the conflicting advice; he probably decided to get a Uni-Ball Jetstream and call it a day.

 

- Anthony