My Handwriting Changes With Diff Pens

[tooloose-letrek]

I don't know if this is odd or not, but I see significant changes in my writing, depending on the pen I am using. My nib of choice is more in the F XF category (depending on country of origin) and it surprises me to see how different my writing looks in my notebook. Of course, there is the possibility that I have a personality disorder attached to each of the pens I use. Hmmm...hadn't considered that possibility before.

 

My Pelikan M nibs are the worst, even though I've had these pens for decades and really like them. Best writers (for me) are the Lamy Studio F nib, Pilot Custom 74 F, and Sailor 1911 F.

[Moruk]

I find the same to be true but have nothing but observation to explain it. I have a number of what I consider to be "fine" pens: Parker Duofold, Omas Milord Arco, Visconti HS Florentine Hills, Waterman Opera, Conway Stewart Churchill, Visconti Medici, Visconti Opera Master. My handwriting seems to vary with each of these pens. The best pens for me seem to be a Delta Masterpiece and a Franklin-Christoph model 19. All of these have either F or XF nibs. I wonder, too, if part of this situation is the ink I use in each pen. But trying to figure out which pen and which ink is best--that way madness lies.

[Purplecate]

I find the same thing - when I use EF and F nibs in my Hobonichi planner, my writing is smaller and I tend to control it more. With bigger nibs I write bigger and as these are often much wetter nibs too, somehow my handwriting gets sloppier and I don't like it as much, hence a preference for Japanese pens.

 

I DO like the bigger nibs in stub or italic grinds as my usual hand is influenced by italics thanks to a junior school teacher and these nibs make it look better. I like trying out different handwriting styles - shamelessly copied from some of the fabulous writing I see on these forums - and find that different nibs sizes suit different styles, a broader nib working better on rounder styles.

 

So, not only is it ink, paper and nib but also what style of writing...so many variations to play with!

[PAKMAN]

Same issues here!

[putteringpenman]

Same for me too! My handwriting looks worse with toothier nibs, like Platinum's. My handwriting looks better with Pilot medium nibs.

[Restored]

In my case it largely depends on a combination of the paper, size of the lines on the paper and the pen. If I have little vertical space, some pens (usually F) do much better but my M nib Metropolitan does really well in tight spaces on 20 lb paper in my 3 ring binder Planner. In my journal at church, it was a mess. Apparently, we were in the Book of Hams. Meanwhile, my journals really do well with the Online Switch F nib which doesn't work anywhere else. But mostly, it a matter of taking my time and being more intentional.

[Freddy]

My Handwriting Changes With Diff Pens

Also my chicken scratch handwriting......

Fred

 

[inkstainedruth]

Wondering if the issue you're having is less with the nibs and more with the different pens (weight, girth, postablility, etc) -- or if it's a combination of factors.

I'll admit that when doing my morning journal entries my handwriting *often* varies -- especially with the slope of the letters -- depending on factors such how awake I am, or the angle at which I'm sitting/lying, whether I catch myself printing rather than using cursive, etc. And that's while using the same pen.

But I have noticed that when I'm using a stub nib I am more likely to print rather than using connected letters. Now you've got me wondering whether the difference is due to I unconsciously equate those types of nibs with calligraphic hands such as uncial.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Andreas Weber]

I think there are two main influences. First the drag of the writing tip makes a lot of difference for me. Personally I like my handwriting best with pencil, it's worst with ballpoints (maybe that indicates that a bit more friction helps me to better control the movements). The other was mentioned already, some pens may suit you better regarding the shape of the grip area, distance from grip to tip, length, total weight and weight distribution ...

[como]

Same for me too! My handwriting looks worse with toothier nibs

 

Me too, but I think it's more because toothy nibs put me in a bad mood right away. Definitely stubs make my handwritings look more decent. I can only blame myself for being too lazy to practice calligraphy, I guess.

[senzen]

Most of my pens are F or M, my handwriting changes noticeably with my two EF.

[Misfit]

Same here. I find my writing looks best with italic and stub nibs.

[pankaj]

Wondering if the issue you're having is less with the nibs and more with the different pens (weight, girth, postablility, etc) -- or if it's a combination of factors.

I'll admit that when doing my morning journal entries my handwriting *often* varies -- especially with the slope of the letters -- depending on factors such how awake I am, or the angle at which I'm sitting/lying, whether I catch myself printing rather than using cursive, etc. And that's while using the same pen.

But I have noticed that when I'm using a stub nib I am more likely to print rather than using connected letters. Now you've got me wondering whether the difference is due to I unconsciously equate those types of nibs with calligraphic hands such as uncial.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Same view here. My hand changes with ' weight , girth , postability ' ( usually I don't post except in Pel 200 kind ) . I think all of them matter.

that aside, nib point affects me too.

[tooloose-letrek]

I think there are two main influences. First the drag of the writing tip makes a lot of difference for me. Personally I like my handwriting best with pencil, it's worst with ballpoints (maybe that indicates that a bit more friction helps me to better control the movements). The other was mentioned already, some pens may suit you better regarding the shape of the grip area, distance from grip to tip, length, total weight and weight distribution ...

 

...Interesting!

[tooloose-letrek]

Another consideration would be caffeine consumption...

[Tas]

Totally this. My handwriting varies almost with each pen. I reach for a pen depending on what mood I'm in and what I want from my scribbles - neat and tidy or loose and flowery (read illegible).

 

Same goes for sketching. If I'm after precise sketches (ha) I tend to reach reach for Pilot 912 PO nib, my Platinum 3776 F. Scribbles in sketch books and general sketching Ahabs, Nib Creepers, Pilot parallels and my trusty Falcon SF.

There are a few pens of mine that can do both for me, Visconti Homo Sapiens EF, Namisu Nova (Ti and steel EF) Edison Hudson EF.

[tooloose-letrek]

Actually, what I thought was the cause for different output from different pens were magical powers imbued in each pen.

[amberleadavis]

Isn't this why you would get the Esterbrook nib that suited your penmanship?

I know different pens make my handwriting look VERY different.

[morethanjustacat]

Another consideration would be caffeine consumption...

 

oh definitely.. My hand seems to have a mind of its own after a shot (or two) of espresso.

 

I think there are two main influences. First the drag of the writing tip makes a lot of difference for me. Personally I like my handwriting best with pencil, it's worst with ballpoints (maybe that indicates that a bit more friction helps me to better control the movements). The other was mentioned already, some pens may suit you better regarding the shape of the grip area, distance from grip to tip, length, total weight and weight distribution ...

Same here! As much as I enjoy using fountain pens I think pencils still bring out the best in my handwriting.

 

I think weight, girth, and line thickness are the three main things that influence my handwriting. Heavier pens tend to make my handwriting look too "stubby", which I don't like (a shame considering I do like the feeling of a nice, heavy pen..). The same goes with pens that have larger diameters. As for line thickness, thinner lines tend to make my handwriting look skeletal & shaky, but too thick a line suffocates my letters.

Edited March 29, 2019 by morethanjustacat

[gyasko]

Well, of course. That's the whole point isn't it?

 

I write more legibly with a fountain pen, and among fountain pens, it is stubs, obliques and italics that make my handwriting look best.