Shopping For A Titanium Nib

[tonybelding]

I've noticed titanium nibs, which used to be exotic and hard to come by, are starting to become more available. Now I'm wondering what's my best option. . .

 

Yes, I do know what I'm getting into. I know some people dislike Ti nibs, and not without reason. However, back in the days when Ti nibs were, in fact, exotic and hard to come by, I shelled out for an OMAS Emotica. There were several issues with that pen that I didn't like, and it's never seen much use. (I've long thought of selling it, but never seem to get around to it.) However, the nib wasn't one of those issues. I do like how it writes! The nib is semi-flexible and sensitive, yet it's not like a gold nib. It is its own thing.

 

The Karas Kustoms Ink pen is available with a Bock Titan nib, and it's a fairly affordable combo. I already have a Fountain-K, and I admired how it was made. The tiny feed proved inadequate, and it had flow problems, but the Ink has a full-sized feed. It should be OK. However. . . I've also read that the Ink has a cool looking but not-too-functional pocket clip. I do prefer pocket clips that work right. Aggravating the issue: A cool looking but not-too-functional pocket clip was one of my gripes about the Emotica too!

 

Apparently the Tactile Turn Gist is now available with the Bock Titan nib. It's a good looking pen, and it has a no-nonsense clip, but I've read reports of the cap breaking, which brings to mind my long, sorry history of broken TWSBI parts. I'm not really wanting to go there again. Also, one reviewer described their impression of the Gist as a cheaper and less sophisticated Lamy 2000. Well, I already have a Lamy 2000, so that wasn't an appealing image to me.

 

The Titan nib units -- intended to fit the Karas Ink -- are available from Goulet, which raises the possibility that I could buy one and swap it into some pen that I already have. One of my Bexleys or Edisons, perhaps?

 

So, what do y'all think?

[Drone]

Howdy,

I've been on the fence about these Bock titanium-alloy nibs for some time...

Brian Goulet just posted a video on the Karas Custom Bock triple-system #6 titanium-alloy nib units they recently put up for sale:

http://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/03/introducing-karas-kustoms-titanium-nibs.html

Goulet is asking $60 plus shipping for the Karas Custom titanium-alloy screw-in nib unit.

https://www.gouletpens.com/karas-kustoms-ink-titanium-nib-unit-extra-fine/p/KK-1501

The only other place I know of to buy the Bock #6 nibs is Beaufort Ink in the U.K., an authorized Bock Distributor:

http://www.beaufortink.co.uk/bocksize6.html

Beaufort Ink is currently asking GBP 52.45 = $63.82 USD plus shipping for a complete Bock #6 titanium-alloy nib unit, plus they're offering the nib units in different types. If you have a pen that takes a Bock nib unit, I'll bet that since Beaufort Ink is a Bock distributor, they can probably source the specific titanium nib-unit that screws into your pen.

What is not clear to me are the Beaufort Ink prices, do they include VAT or not? Then there's the shipping; it looks like Beaufort is charging around $10-$11 USD to the U.S. from the U.K. for small parcels. I doubt you would be dinged with U.S. Customs charges on a single nib shipped to the U.S.

As for the Bock titanium-alloy nib itself...

I do not own one of these nibs (yet), but from most of what I've seen so far - they are really wet writers. That may be due to the matte-peened finish of the nib. The nibs do flex somewhat, but it seems better to describe them as "soft" (watch the Goulet video). Also, the titanium-alloy nibs are reported to be toothy and/or provide feedback when writing. That's not surprising given my experience working with common Grade-5 titanium-alloy; it is a fairly hard substance.

Being a wet writer can be a good thing when it comes to a semi-flex nib, especially if the nib is paired with a plastic feed instead of ebonite. To get more line variation with a wet semi-flex nib, I would normally opt for the western extra-fine nib size. But I have heard these titanium nibs are quite toothy, so going with the extra-fine nib just to preserve line variation may be asking for trouble, especially on uncoated papers.

I am probably going to buy one of these titanium alloy nibs. I have a Monteverde Intima fountain pen in Lava Gray that would be a good recipient (right now the Intima has a black #6 Goulet/Bock 1.1mm stub in it). I think the Intima's gray/orange swirled acrylic plus the black furniture and section will go well with the matte gray finish of the titanium-alloy nib.

Note, these nibs are not "Titanium" per-se, they are made of an alloy of titanium and other materials. There are lots of different titanium alloy grades, so we can only guess. My guess is the nibs are made of Ti6Al4V Grade-5 alloy (6% Aluminum, 4% Vanadium). Titanium alloy as a material is not very expensive. For example on Ebay a 100mm X 100mm X 1mm (approx. 4" X 4" X 1/32") sheet of Grade-5 Ti6Al4V alloy costs about $3-$4 USD in unit quantity including shipping.

Finally, I know titanium alloy is a bit more expensive and harder to work-with compared with stainless steel, but unless Bock is using some rare and exotic alloy grade I think the $60 asking price for these titanium-alloy nib units is very hard to justify given their $20 otherwise identical stainless-steel counterparts.

If you take the plunge, let us know how it goes.

Best Regards, David

[AD43]

I think vintage flex is best Omas flex nibs are good too, don't think much of t flex.

[OmegaMountain]

I have a titanium Bock in a Conid. The feel of the nib is excellent and it's spring is definitely unique to titanium. It does write very wet though. Mine is a medium and I see myself picking up one of the Karas Kustoms titanium units in fine or ef to replace it. If you're looking for a quality pen with a titanium nib, I would take a look at the Conid line. They're not cheap though. My Minimalistica with a titanium nib and extra steel unit ran right around $440 shipped and it's their cheapest model.

[Frank66]

Thanks Drone for the excellent review of the Titanium nib above. Indeed, Titanium is one of the most abundant metals in Earth's crust, however it is mostly used as an alloy in airplane construction, medical devices and even sunscreen. It makes you wonder why so many medical surgical prostheses made of Titanium alloy are so expensive, since titanium is not so scarce at all.

 

Personally I have been using a Bock EF Titanium nib for around 3 months now, retrofitted in my Kaigelu 316, and I am very pleased with the writing experience. Truly It is a very wet nib, it takes little pressure to make line variation. More details about this pen modification with the Bock Titanium nib can be found here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/315921-titanium-bock-nib-kaigelu-316-beaufort-ink/

 

 

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah12/phzervas/93F82412-A163-48E1-88BB-E5B4EE7B8D44_zpsbuvqysnl.jpg

 

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah12/phzervas/0DFF4BB4-911C-481C-BAA2-AF4206DD2EC7_zpspmfyyc1l.jpg

 

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah12/phzervas/B133C325-7624-46DC-986E-E0D2AE9B8B67_zpsovsj3jql.jpg

 

Side note: In ancient Greek mythology, the mighty Titans were a powerful race that ruled the world before the Olympians, as they were considered immortal giants of incredible strength and knowledge. The Titans were the children of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (Sky). In retrospect, it seems haunting how Titanium, one of the most abounding metals on Earth (Gaia), has been so extensively used in Aircraft flying in the Sky (Ouranos in Greek).

[mauckcg]

I have a EF, F and M titanium in my Karas Kustom Inks. Fantastically wet and soft nibs. I also have a titanium fine and custom ground EF in my Conid Regular. It is a nice middle ground between steel and gold. Though I do prefer my nibs on the wet side, so take it for what its worth.

[tonybelding]

I do not own one of these nibs (yet), but from most of what I've seen so far - they are really wet writers. That may be due to the matte-peened finish of the nib. The nibs do flex somewhat, but it seems better to describe them as "soft" (watch the Goulet video). Also, the titanium-alloy nibs are reported to be toothy and/or provide feedback when writing. That's not surprising given my experience working with common Grade-5 titanium-alloy; it is a fairly hard substance.

 

Being a wet writer can be a good thing when it comes to a semi-flex nib, especially if the nib is paired with a plastic feed instead of ebonite. To get more line variation with a wet semi-flex nib, I would normally opt for the western extra-fine nib size. But I have heard these titanium nibs are quite toothy, so going with the extra-fine nib just to preserve line variation may be asking for trouble, especially on uncoated papers.

 

Based purely on my experience with my OMAS... I wouldn't call mine super wet. It's a F nib, and it writes like a nicely adjusted F nib. It is highly pressure-sensitive, though. A slightly heavier hand on it will make the ink flow, and it does produce line variation from my normal handwriting. I can see how somebody with a naturally heavy hand, or somebody only used to writing with firm nibs, might easily make it gush and think that's just the way it is. To me it doesn't feel "soft" or "mushy" like some 18K gold nibs that I've used before. It's more like a 14K semi-flex crossed with a bit of pencil-like feedback. I think it's just as flexible as my 1970s vintage 14K Sheaffer Targa. It's way past the flexibility of most pens on the market today.

 

I am really not sure about the feedback. I've always been taught that's dependent entirely on how the tip is polished, not the nib material. However, it's also possible that the titanium may be subject to some kind of micro-vibration that produces this feeling. It doesn't feel bad to me at all.

[tonybelding]

Time for an update. . . I got the Karas Kustom Ink in the tumbled raw aluminum finish (including the grip section), and I got it with the Ti F nib. I expect I'll do a full review on the pen eventually, but here are a few brief observations about the nib.

 

It wasn't love at first write, but I've given it a while for breaking in and limbering up, and now I'm coming to really like it. I think it's better than the old OMAS. The line variation and shading I'm getting are exceptional by today's FP standards, and not too shabby even compared with some of my vintage flex pens. And it's smooth -- not super slick like a ball bearing, but more velvety-smooth feeling. Personally, I would take this in preference over many recent 18K gold nibs.

 

I think having the nib inset deeply into the grip is a negative for flex. By moving the fingertips closer to the page, it encourages holding the pen at a higher angle to the page, which I think is not good for flexing action. However, I made a discovery. . .

 

The nib unit is interchangeable with Bexley fountain pens! Or at least, I had no difficulty swapping the entire nib module (nib/feed/housing) between the KK Ink and my Bexley 56. Although I'm no stranger to the process of swapping bare nibs between pens, there's always a chance that something will end up too loose or too tight, mis-aligned, mal-adjusted, etc. Being able to swap the entire nib-and-feed assembly as a unit without breaking it open was a nice surprise. It seems to write even better in the Bexley, since it's not recessed into the section, and it's a lighter weight pen.

[amberleadavis]

Tony, I tried it at the pen show, I thought I'd like it. I'm looking forward to your review.

[Drone]

Hi Tony,

It is interesting that the new Bock Ti nib unit from your Karas Kustom pen screws into your Bexely 56. I'm wondering if the same Ti nib will screw into my Bexely Intrepid, which uses a Bock large size nib with a #6 feed (similar to the Bock Type 250).

A possible problem for me is that the plastic housing on the original Bock nib unit from my Bexely Intrepid does not look like the standard Bock 250 Triple-System nib units shown on their Web site. But that's not to say the standard Bock 250 nib unit won't screw into my Intrepid. The plastic parts look to be the same length and diameter with threads in almost the same position. (There's no Engineering drawing of the Type 250 nib unit available on the Bock Web site.)

A few questions, if you don't mind...

* Does the plastic nib housing on the original nib unit that came with your Bexely pen look identical to the new Bock Ti nib housing?

* If the plastic nib housings look different, which one compares to the nib units shown on this page of Bock standard nib units? (Look at the "Type 250 Triple" first, that's the best candidate IMO).

http://www.peter-bock.com/products/nib-systems

A couple of other questions not related to the size of the nib unit:

* Do you find the Ti nib-unit to be a wet writer? Most reviews I've read of the Bock Ti nib mention that the thing is a gusher, even with a plastic feed.

* Have you removed the nib from the nib-unit yet? I would like to know if the matte-peened finish of the Ti nib appears on the underside of the nib where it makes contact with the feed. If it does, that may be an explanation for why the nib is so wet.

FYI, here's a list of all the Bock standard "Triple-System" nib units that come with Titanium nibs.

Nib, type 180, Triple, (small nib & #5/5mm dia. feed)
Nib, type 076, Triple, (medium nib & #5/5mm dia. feed)
Nib, type 250, Triple, (large nib & #6/6mm dia. feed)
Nib, type 380, Triple, (extra-large nib & #8/8mm dia. feed)

Best Regards, David

[Drone]

Follow-up to my post #10 above,

 

This is what the Bock nib unit from my Bexely Intrepid looks like (except the two tone gold plating pattern is different, the plastic part is the same):

 

http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/bock-fountain-pen-nib-units-14k-two-tone-screw-in-w-housing-and-feed-new.html

 

Note the user comment on the page for the above nib:

 

"I bought recently two of these, in both widths. I intended to use the "M" in a Karas Kustoms "Ink" pen which is sold with a Bock steel nib of similar size. However, the threads did not match, so I had to replace the gold nib in the Karas' housing and feed. This proved to work perfectly, revealing a superb nib, with wonderful flow and some flex. I love the result."

 

Interesting!

 

Regards, David

Edited March 30, 2017 by Drone

[Frank66]

If I may step in to offer my impression too, the Titanium nib is pretty wet indeed.

 

To my mind, it seems the plastic feed top surface contacting the nib surface is somewhat relieved, so everytime you take the nib out of the housing, the intaglio nib surface is full with ink.

The Titanium nib surface seems to be roughly polished in all its surfaces, it is not shiny polished like a regular nib would be.

Part of the reason why ink capillary action is not lost during flexing is the fact that the feed extends quite close to the nib tip, compared to other non-flexible fountain pens.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Frank66

[tonybelding]

* Does the plastic nib housing on the original nib unit that came with your Bexely pen look identical to the new Bock Ti nib housing?

 

No, they look quite different.

 

 

* If the plastic nib housings look different, which one compares to the nib units shown on this page of Bock standard nib units? (Look at the "Type 250 Triple" first, that's the best candidate IMO).

 

Yes, that's what it looks like to me. You can also compare by looking at the Goulet website where they sell spare nib units, and they have close-up photos.

 

 

A couple of other questions not related to the size of the nib unit:

 

* Do you find the Ti nib-unit to be a wet writer? Most reviews I've read of the Bock Ti nib mention that the thing is a gusher, even with a plastic feed.

 

* Have you removed the nib from the nib-unit yet? I would like to know if the matte-peened finish of the Ti nib appears on the underside of the nib where it makes contact with the feed. If it does, that may be an explanation for why the nib is so wet.

 

Mine is no gusher. To me the flow is perfect. Of course that's a sample size of one, and maybe I accidentally got the only one in the world that isn't super-wet??

 

I haven't pulled the nib out of the housing, and I'd prefer not to without good reason.

[Drone]

 

No, they look quite different.

 

 

 

Yes, that's what it looks like to me. You can also compare by looking at the Goulet website where they sell spare nib units, and they have close-up photos.

 

 

 

Mine is no gusher. To me the flow is perfect. Of course that's a sample size of one, and maybe I accidentally got the only one in the world that isn't super-wet??

 

I haven't pulled the nib out of the housing, and I'd prefer not to without good reason.

 

OK Tony, thanks for the reply. David

[Phil_Dart]

Follow-up to my post #10 above,

 

This is what the Bock nib unit from my Bexely Intrepid looks like (except the two tone gold plating pattern is different, the plastic part is the same):

 

http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/bock-fountain-pen-nib-units-14k-two-tone-screw-in-w-housing-and-feed-new.html

 

Note the user comment on the page for the above nib:

 

"I bought recently two of these, in both widths. I intended to use the "M" in a Karas Kustoms "Ink" pen which is sold with a Bock steel nib of similar size. However, the threads did not match, so I had to replace the gold nib in the Karas' housing and feed. This proved to work perfectly, revealing a superb nib, with wonderful flow and some flex. I love the result."

 

Interesting!

 

Regards, David

 

Hi - I'm from Beaufort Ink. Perhaps I can help here.

 

David, the housing shown in your link above, despite the assertions of the vendor, is not a Bock housing. The geometry and threads are totally different. See the image below. (Excuse the poor photography - I just snapped it on my phone for the purposes of this post)

 

The housing at the top is I believe the one shown in your link - its thread is 8 x 0.75

The housing at the bottom is a Bock #6 - its thread is 7.9 x 0.6

The external diameters and their overall lengths are different too, but both will take a Bock nib, including a titanium one. If you need your nib in the top housing, we can supply it that way on request, and in one or two other housings as well.

 

On the subject of sales tax, which has been mentioned here, we are currently in the throws of registration with the UK VAT office, which once completed will enable us to deduct sales tax at the point of sale. So within the next few days, if you are buying from outside the UK or EU, 20% sales tax will automatically be deducted at the checkout.

 

Just to correct one or two other misconceptions, shipping to anywhere outside of the UK, is only £2 or £3. (£3.40 or thereabouts to the US in fact), and as far as import duty is concerned, obviously that will depend on your country, but again using the USA as an example, there is no import duty if the total value of your goods is less than $800, which needless to say represents quite a few titanium nibs.

 

I hope that helps.

 

 

 

 

[thygreyt]

i swapped in a medium titanium nib (bock bought @ Goulet) into a Vac700.

 

I LOVE the pen and how WET it writes. Premium paper only.

 

If you want to SEE a writing sample let me know and i'll post it up on my Facebook or instagram.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Reed_thoughts

[oldrifleman]

I just put a Bock Titanium in my Bexely Prometheus. As was mentioned, the original unit has a longer thread area than the new titanium unit, but the new one fit perfectly!

[Drone]

Hi Everyone,

 

I found a post where someone confirmed the Bock 250 Triple-System No. 6 nib-unit with Large size nib is screw-in compatible with the commonly used Jowo No.6 nib-unit used in the Bexley cartridge/converter fill pens. In-fact the Bock nib referenced in the example is the Titanium Alloy 'Titan" nib unit. Note, to me the Bock 250 nib-unit looks a little bit shorter length-wise than the Jowo nib-unit. But from the picture of the Bock nib-unit in the Bexley pen, the difference looks too small to matter. The post contains a good photograph comparing the two nib-units side-by-side.

 

Please see the post here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/313703-bexley-new-style-prometheus-in-raspberry-black-ebonite/page-3?do=findComment&comment=3769710

 

I have a lead-in referencing the above post in a thread about Bock-Jowo interchangeability with some additional information that may be of interest. See here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/321332-are-jowo-and-bock-nibs-or-nib-units-interchangeable/?do=findComment&comment=3827835

 

Regards, David

Edited April 11, 2017 by Drone

[Jamerelbe]

@Drone, I can't speak for the Bexley screw-in units, but I can tell you that the standard JoWo units that are available from. Edison Pens, Fpnibs.com etc and that fit Ranga Pens (for example) are *not* interchangeable with the Bock 250 units.

[johntdavis]

Does anyone have a photo of how the Bock 250 Titan nib and feed are supposed to be aligned in the collar? I pulled the nib and feed out to try to fix a misalignment and want to make sure I get everything back together correctly.

 

Thanks!