$10, Custom #6 Architect Nibs On Ebay (They're Great)

[Honeybadgers]

One of our friends in China, Bobby, has started producing custom made architect nibs (I know I use that term about what a few of you consider a "bent" nib, but this is a true architect grind) and is selling them for $10. I picked up one of his "beta" attempts, and it's a damn good nib. I put it into a penBBS 323 loaded with the green ink that came in the nightmarish stipula passaporto (Goulet says this ink is bespoke to this pen's sample, and is not a known color by stipula or an other yafa company, though I think it looks a whoooooooooooole lot like monteverde emerald green. I do quite like this ink.) and set to writing.

 

It's a damned good architect nib. Slightly rounded profile lets it write at a few more angles than a hard chisel ground architect, but its downstrokes are really needlepoint if held correctly.

 

For $10, this thing is worth a recommendation to anyone. It'll fit any standard #6 pen, PenBBS stuff, jinhao. But it is a slightly large #6 nib, so its shoulders do slightly touch in the cap of the 323, not enough to cause any problems or even be noticeable, but if there's a drop of ink on the shoulder of the pen, it will wipe it all around!

 

I'm going to pick up a few more, myself. Available here

 

Writing sample.

 

[sciumbasci]

He's also making some flex nibs.

Bobby is great, and I wish him the best of luck!

[Intensity]

I cringed at "there nibs"... Nice nib though!

[Office_Supplies_Pen]

thank you, my friend.

[Vintage Razor]

Thanks! I always wanted to try an architect nib.

[mamajones]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I have recently bought a number of things from this ebay seller and been really happy, especially with the speed that I get my items. No affiliation, just a satisfied customer!

 

(One of this things I've bought is a couple of sets of italic nibs (1.5, 1.9, 2.5, 2.9) to put in my Shark pens: very fun!!)

[Barkingpig]

thank you, my friend.

 

And Thank YOU; for being a Seller we trust & enjoy purchasing from!

 

It is always a pleasure to see an item listed with you as a Seller because I know it will be as described & shipped expediently.

[Honeybadgers]

I cringed at "there nibs"... Nice nib though!

 

 

"theSe" nibs. Sorry, my R and S can look a little mushy when I'm writing around a camera, but I spelled it correctly.

 

I have a vertical camera holder on the way, so expect better writing samples from me soon.

 

And I can reaffirm that feeling of relief when seeing something I want being sold by Bobby, since his shipping times are always so amazing. I just got a roll-stop I ordered six months ago. But I've never gotten a package from Bobby, in China, in anything over 14 days.

Edited June 22, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[Office_Supplies_Pen]

And Thank YOU; for being a Seller we trust & enjoy purchasing from!

 

It is always a pleasure to see an item listed with you as a Seller because I know it will be as described & shipped expediently.

Welcome, thank you for supporting!

[Office_Supplies_Pen]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I have recently bought a number of things from this ebay seller and been really happy, especially with the speed that I get my items. No affiliation, just a satisfied customer!

 

(One of this things I've bought is a couple of sets of italic nibs (1.5, 1.9, 2.5, 2.9) to put in my Shark pens: very fun!!)

thanks

[NinthSphere]

I have to ask what the approx. cross stroke is on these. They're ground from medium-ish nibs, right?

 

OSP, any plans to list stacked nibs in the future or is that just personal experimentation?

[comixfan]

Am I missing something? Price shows as $1,000 US.

[Jamerelbe]

Am I missing something? Price shows as $1,000 US.

 

Nope, he's only got one left in stock - he's increased the price to a ridiculous amount to discourage anyone from buying it, so he can avoid having to relist. When he gets more stock in, he'll drop the price again and resume selling - at least, that's what some eBay vendors do. I can tell you for sure, though, the price was a *lot* lower when I first checked it out!

[vojtahlad]

I pulled the trigger. Here is my experience.

 

The good news:

• The nib looks great - see the attached pictures. Its prow-like shape is simply stunning.
• It fits my PenBBS 323 pen perfectly.
• The ink flow is rich, writing is expressive.
• The shipping was extraordinary fast. It took less than one week to deliver my purchase from China to my desk.

The bad news:

• The contrast between vertical and horizontal strokes is lower than I expected.
• The nib has got a baby's bottom and it hard starts quite frequently. The cursive writing on my first image is a bit misleading - I started two words twice after skipping their complete first letters. The skipping can be eliminated by slowing down but it decreases my writing comfort when the tool dictates my pace.

Several pictures (click to enlarge): writing sample, nib details and comparison with the standard PenBBS nib. The first line in my writing sample was written by the standard nib (same pen, same ink, namely the KWZ Walk over Vistula), the last one was written by the reverted architect nib. Reverse writing works very well with this nib.

 

[Honeybadgers]

Maybe it's running too wet? Mine is relatively dry and gives me a scalpel like downstroke.

[Honeybadgers]

 

Nope, he's only got one left in stock - he's increased the price to a ridiculous amount to discourage anyone from buying it, so he can avoid having to relist. When he gets more stock in, he'll drop the price again and resume selling - at least, that's what some eBay vendors do. I can tell you for sure, though, the price was a *lot* lower when I first checked it out!

 

He also lists them as 1000 with an offer as a method of selling one to a specific person while still affording them the protection of the ebay purchase. They "make an offer" of the agreed on price and he accepts it from that specific person.

[woleizihan]

I don't think it's wetness. The nib has to be further narrowed on the sides to give more line variation.

[bobje]

Office Supplies Pen, Bobby,

Great to have a pen vendor here who is interested in engaging with the community! Thank you.

[dezorz]

i got this nib too. beta version. it is very good one, indeed. mine doesnt have baby bottom, writes instantly, no skipping. i put it into jinhao x450, (i dont have any other #6 six pen) but i am waiting for penbbs 308 to come. it is rather naginata togi like design, not architect. i like it and i bought another one. 10€ for a nib, 15€ for a 308. 10th of sailor pro grear with NMF price. I dont have sailor NMF, i suppose quality wise it will be better, but surelly not 10 times better.

 

same goes for original bobbys medium/broad nibs which was a nib for this architect grind. very good nibv, i dont know where bobby sources it. for me it is better than jowo broad. thy it if you can. 6€ for a bundle of four #6 nibs. (there arent many chinese broad nibs out there, you know)

Edited July 2, 2018 by dezorz

[almoore]

Good news, the nibs are back in stock, just ordered 2.

 

Al