Hooded Vs Open Nibs

[KellyMcJ]

I finally got a good introduction to the wonderful world of hooded nibs, and I have to say, I'm impressed (It's a Wing Sung 618 demonstrator which has the added benefit of being able to be taken apart for cleaning). It seems to me the hooded nib design would accomplish one thing very well- it would reduce the tendency to dry out if left uncapped (which would be extremely useful when taking notes during a meeting for instance). It also seems to write a lot wetter than the non-hooded pens of the same line width that I've used.

 

I have three more of these pens on the way and I'm thinking of swapping one of them out with my current EDC pen (especially given the ease of cleaning of this particular model- hooded nibs used to scare me off because I thought for sure they'd be the devil to keep clean). Admittedly this is my first good quality hooded nib pen and I haven't had too much time with it yet.

 

What are the benefits and drawbacks of hooded nibs versus open nibs?

[AD43]

Hooded nibs are often nails, I personally don't like that as a newbie I liked the look of them but I can't put that above the way the pen is to you. I now like the look of long tined open nibs, yum!

[eharriett]

As a lefty, the hooded nibs can be difficult for me. The "starting spot" for the nib is very small and I have to have any pen turned from where it would normally be held to get it to write. That is not uncommon for us. A hooded nib can make it that much more difficult. I've never met a Parker 51 I've liked as a result (although I've got a 61 that is pretty good -- go figure). The Waterman Taperites are adequate, although there are some days I give up on them. I've not owned a Lamy 2000 but someone let me try theirs. In the little time I held one, I didn't experience problems so that one may be ok.

 

But in general, I stay away from hooded for that reason. My preference, should I actually get one, is for the Sheaffer conical Triumph nibs as they have the widest starting angle of any pen I've tried.

[mitto]

I like only one hooded nib. The nib on the P51.

 

And I like open nibs on vintage Watermans, MBs, Sheaffer and Pelikans.

 

I also like other style nibs especially on Sheaffers.

[Erik Dalton]

I love my P-51's. But for me, it can be difficult to find the sweet spot. I find that using the pen regularly solves this. After a bit, it just becomes natural.

Changing pens starts the process all over again.

[KellyMcJ]

I love my P-51's. But for me, it can be difficult to find the sweet spot. I find that using the pen regularly solves this. After a bit, it just becomes natural.

Changing pens starts the process all over again.

 

The Wing Sung 618 is the same way...tiny sweet spot. They're very smooth writers once you find the right angle.

[TheRealMikeDr]

I've tried - but I just can't warm up to a hooded nib. Now - give me a giant massive big ol nib with no hood and we're in business!

[Mech-for-i]

I think most had wrongly associate hooded nib with hooded tubular nib , well this is not the case. There were other hooded nib and plenty are just the open nibs housed in a hooded sections. Of course these days pretty much you can only get a new hooded nib in the form of many of the Chinese hooded nib variants, and they have developed well beyond Parker 51. I cannot also fathom how left hand usage would made a difference. I have friends who are leftie and they use my hooded nib pen just as fine. Come to think of it pens are symmetrical and cyclical / axle parallel symmetrical along the body and our hands are so too, so holding the pen with a left or right hand with the nib pointing at the right direction and angle made no difference other than that the pen being held vs the angle it need to move. If one always write twisted ( with the nib turned a certain angle axle vise ) its still the same, just whether one is placing the right tine or the left tine towards the paper.

 

BY the nature, hooded nib is suppose to be , well hooded, so that really mean they are mean not to flex in a flexy fashion. That just mean they have a usually conservative amount of line variation. and not mean for any artistic expression in calligraphy form. Otherwise, I see no difference in use of a hooded nib vs an open nib. There are wet nibs of both type, and equally so for dry nibs.

 

Practically most hooded nib being referred to today is either the vintage Parker or new one from China ( and plenty of old ones ) The matter is that they are a slim and petite tubular nib first before its a hooded nib ( and there are pens that use these nib in an open nib design ). As stated before they are simply not designed as a flex and not intended to to work that fashion, but then plenty of open nibs are just so too. The main difference I say is in the feed and a tubular nib usually had a feed that do just that, feed the ink with almost no reservoir and it rely on constant flow of ink to keep it working, and almost no buffer. Thus old Parker and many old Chinese hooded nib pen had ink collector taking up that function. The Wing Sung 618 can be seen with one in clear plastic in the section. Though, Hero had pretty much tailor all their new hooded nib design with their integral one piece ink collector/ feed which surprising can give fairly wet flow. The other difference I see with these tubular nib is a certain limitation in nib grind. The usual EF, F all the way to B or even stub sure can be had but the size and construction also limit how much you can do about it if you want to go exotic. That limitation though also contribute to some specialty grind that would be very costly, difficult or almost impossible to implement on an open nib ( Reverse Architect , Hawk bill etc ... )

[Sasha Royale]

Open nibs are prettier. Parker created the hood nib for its model 51. Reduced surface area exposure reduces nib/feed drying. Coupled with the Aerometric feed system, the Parker 51 writes like heaven. The wonderful Parker Aerometric system is more than a mere "squeeze" filler, but I won't argue the point. Today, every squeeze filler is called "aerometric". The Parker Pen Company is not here to argue the issue. Neither will I. It's not my cross to bear.

[WireFox]

Excellent point about hooded nibs being tubular and inherently stiff. As for hooding a tubular nib I dislike the practice because I cannot see enough of the nib which is part of the attraction of fountain pens for me. I love the Sheaffer tubular nibs simply because with fine and extra fine nibs I am not looking for flex and would not expect it from the mechanical stiffness of a tube.

 

I may be a philistine but I cannot see the attraction of the Parker 51 or it's Chinese lookalikes. It is down to personal preference of course and I can see why the P51 is an attractive design to many.

[KellyMcJ]

One thing I'm really appreciating about the WS 618 is that the collector housing simply unscrews to reveal the collector for cleaning. No need to pull the nib/feed, just remove its cover. It's brilliant really. It is indeed a tubular nib, as I have had mine apart.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Kelly, et al,

 

I don't mind semi-hooded nibs, but if you have to play "Where IS the nib?"; I usually get off the train.

 

Be well and enjoy life... even if it kills you.

 

 

- Anthony

[Mech-for-i]

Guess why Parker put a metal flash / arrow inlaid on the Parker 61 !!

[pajaro]

Personally, I prefer the Parker 51. It hides the unsightly nibs in a beautiful streamlined hood, like the streamlined style of its time. The open nib has more exposed nib surface and feed surface to get ink on my hands. I don't care much to see the nib. The ornate nibs are overdone, and their baroque style reminds me of Kafka novels.

[JakobS]

I haven't enjoyed using the Parker 51 much either, even with multiple weeks of use, I just didn't get a smooth writing experience even with a NOS nib installed. I am a left hander, but I usually can find the sweet spot even on small tined nibs. The Parker 21 was a bit better, also a medium nib ( compared to a fine on the 51) so a bit smoother, yet still with a bit of tooth. I am not opposed to the hooded pen look, just haven't had an exceptionally interesting writing experience with them.

 

I have enjoyed writing with the conical triumph nib on my Sheaffer Imperial II Deluxe, and have been attracted to this type of nib for awhile, so am glad they write as well as they look!

 

Regular open nibs are fine, I don't have too many new pens, so I will say that I like the appearance, and often times writing experience of vintage open nibs better than modern ones!

[KellyMcJ]

My WS 618 has a small sweet spot too, but I really don't mind much. Wish it didn't, but it doesn't stop me from enjoying the pen.

[eharriett]

I haven't enjoyed using the Parker 51 much either, even with multiple weeks of use, I just didn't get a smooth writing experience even with a NOS nib installed. I am a left hander, but I usually can find the sweet spot even on small tined nibs. The Parker 21 was a bit better, also a medium nib ( compared to a fine on the 51) so a bit smoother, yet still with a bit of tooth. I am not opposed to the hooded pen look, just haven't had an exceptionally interesting writing experience with them.

 

I have enjoyed writing with the conical triumph nib on my Sheaffer Imperial II Deluxe, and have been attracted to this type of nib for awhile, so am glad they write as well as they look!

 

Regular open nibs are fine, I don't have too many new pens, so I will say that I like the appearance, and often times writing experience of vintage open nibs better than modern ones!

+1

This is pretty much my experience verbatim.

[pajaro]

Opinions vary about everything, and like everything else, everyone has one.

 

The Parker 51 was my first good pen, and I still have more than twenty of them. Some hooded nib pens write superbly, some write like some kind of kludge. Semi-hooded have some good representatives, Lamy 2000 and Waterman Commando. There are others that don't come up to their level. I suppose this depends upon your eyesight. If it's no good, then you probably need a large visible nib and bright light.

 

I have cataracts and macular degeneration, being treated. I have no trouble writing with a 51. I guess if you criticize the 51 often enough, they will all vanish? Like rendering the preponderance of the evidence a la Penguin Island.

Edited August 21, 2017 by pajaro

[mitto]

I guess if you criticize the 51 often enough, they will all vanish? Like rendering the preponderance of the evidence a la Penguin Island.[/color]

I agree.