Modern Duofold nib

[grasshopper]

Hello all,

 

I'm thinking of getting a modern Duofold but I'm not sure which nib width is the one for me (only the medium nibs are available locally for me to try, which are just too broad for me). So it's really down to the Fine or the Extra Fine.

 

I managed to try a Fine-nibbed Sonnet, and that looked good for me but I'm not sure if this nib width is the same for the Duofolds. Photos of Duofold Fine nibs somehow gives me the impression that they might be a bit too broad for my liking.

 

My preferred widths are between the Sailor Fine and Medium Fine which means, I suppose, that the Western equivalents are Extra Fine and Fine (or thereabouts). The Estie 2314F is a great nib width for me too (can you ignore that this is a stub nib?). I haven't tried the Pelikan EF but their Fs are a bit too broad for me. My Sheaffer Legacy I has a Fine nib which is great as well.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated (photos/scans showing line comparisons will be doubly appreciated!!). Many thanks in advance.

 

 

raf.

 

 

(P.S. I'm off to bed now, so I'll be back in about 6 hours or so, depending on how active my lil princess is during the night!!)

[Titivillus]

My preferred widths are between the Sailor Fine and Medium Fine which means, I suppose, that the Western equivalents are Extra Fine and Fine (or thereabouts). The Estie 2314F is a great nib width for me too (can you ignore that this is a stub nib?). I haven't tried the Pelikan EF but their Fs are a bit too broad for me. My Sheaffer Legacy I has a Fine nib which is great as well.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated (photos/scans showing line comparisons will be doubly appreciated!!). Many thanks in advance.

 

 

raf.

 

 

(P.S. I'm off to bed now, so I'll be back in about 6 hours or so, depending on how active my lil princess is during the night!!)

If I remember correctly the Duofold can come with a needlepoint nib!

 

Kurt H

[Larry T]

I have a late 1990' black Duofold with a fine nib. It produces a nice wet line that just about matches my Sailor 1911 with medium nib. I also like finer nibs, but my Duofold is such a sweet writer that I find myself using it more than any of my other (many) pens.

[Carrie]

I had my Duofold swapped to an Extra Fine nib and I'm perfectly happy with that, I did comment about the medium nib it came with in the Parker 75 nib topic. I'll have to scan in a sample of my handwriting for you if that's useful.

[antoniosz]

Actually there is an "immense" variety of nibs for modern Duofolds, but you will have to call and do the exchange.

 

I found on the web this file:http://www.penservicing.co.uk/Repairs/parker_nibs111003.xls

which is an EXCEL file with all the possible nibs.

Go to Sheet 1 for Duofolds also Sheet 3 for discont. models.

 

I copy just for completeness (if someone does not have EXCEL):

 

Needle Point

Extra Fine

Fine

Medium

Broad

Extra Broad

Extra Extra Broad

Fine Italic

Medium Italic

Broad Italic

Fine Oblique

Medium Oblique

Broad Oblique

 

Also for discontinued models the following ones are listed

 

Ex/Broad Oblique

Ex/Ex/Rev.Brd Oblique

Fine/Oblique Italic 15 deg

Med/Oblique Italic 15 deg

Brd/Oblique Italic 15 deg

Fine/Oblique Italic 30 deg

Med/Oblique Italic 30 deg

Brd/Oblique Italic 30 deg

 

 

Edited October 9, 2005 by antoniosz

[Carrie]

Very quick pic.

[Maja]

Actually there is an "immense" variety of nibs for modern Duofolds, but you will have to call and do the exchange.

 

I found on the web this file:http://www.penservicing.co.uk/Repairs/parker_nibs111003.xls

which is an EXCEL file with all the possible nibs.

Go to Sheet 1 for Duofolds also Sheet 3 for discont. models.

 

I copy just for completeness (if someone does not have EXCEL):

 

Needle Point

Extra Fine

Fine

Medium

Broad

Extra Broad

Extra Extra Broad

Fine Italic

Medium Italic

Broad Italic

Fine Oblique

Medium Oblique

Broad Oblique

 

Also for discontinued models the following ones are listed

 

Ex/Broad Oblique

Ex/Ex/Rev.Brd Oblique

Fine/Oblique Italic 15 deg

Med/Oblique Italic 15 deg

Brd/Oblique Italic 15 deg

Fine/Oblique Italic 30 deg

Med/Oblique Italic 30 deg

Brd/Oblique Italic 30 deg

 

 

What, no stub??

:lol:

 

 

 

 

 

Carrie,

That is a beautiful pen!

[FrankB]

Parker's Duofold models are among my favorite fountain pens. I have been using them for about 15-years, and I have been happy with their qualty and performance.

 

Personally, I am an italic nib addict, and I prefer the M and B italics for their line variations. I can comment from my experience that the Duofold line has two different size fountain pens - the International and the Centennial. The two size pens have different sized nibs - the International is small and writes with a finer line than the large Centennial nib. Both pen sizes come with EF nibs. I tend to think the International Centennial would provide a smoother, slightly wetter line.

 

You can always exchange nibs on either size pen until you get what you want. You can also buy an additional nib from Parker, or more economically from <www.swisherpens.com>. (I have no affiliation with Swisher, I am just a satisfied customer.) You might also send a pen to a "Nibmeister" like Richard Binder or John Mottishaw to have the nib reground to a "needle point."

 

I hope my comments are of some help. Good luck with your search.

[Carrie]

Carrie,

That is a beautiful pen!

Maja, I'll agree with you, it is a beautiful pen. I felt I had to have one modern pen and went to my local pen shop to try out a Sonnet, didn't like the weight of that, but decided I really liked the Duofold Mosaic. Much cheaper to buy on EBay, so I got that pen in July and it soon became a firm favourite once it had its replacement nib. The Duofold I tried out in the shop had a medium nib and that was what I expected, just that bit too thick for my liking, the medium that came on the actual pen I bought put down a much wetter line than the one I'd tried out.

[grasshopper]

Good morning, everyone!

 

Great stuff! Many many thanks!

[grasshopper]

If I remember correctly the Duofold can come with a needlepoint nib!

 

Kurt H

Yes it does but I think that the needlepoint is too fine for me. Thanks Kurt.

[grasshopper]

I have a late 1990' black Duofold with a fine nib. It produces a nice wet line that just about matches my Sailor 1911 with medium nib. I also like finer nibs, but my Duofold is such a sweet writer that I find myself using it more than any of my other (many) pens.

I suspected this might be the case, Larry. The Sailor Medium is a bit too broad for me, so looks like it might be the Duofold Extra-Fine then.

 

By the way, according to FrankB above, the nibs widths also differ slightly according to the pen size, the International Fine being slightly finer than a Centennial Fine. Did I understand that correctly and is this the case?

[grasshopper]

Antonios,

 

I've kept a copy of that file for myself, many thanks. The nib exchanges though, have to fit the model, no? Meaning that nibs for the International and the Centennial are specific for that model and not interchangeable between the 2 because of the size of the actual nib themselves. Is that correct?

 

Thanks, Prof!

[grasshopper]

Carrie, many thanks for the pic.

 

Looks like I can't go for the International fine, it seems - just a bit too broad for me perhaps. Shame, I like the platinum finish.

 

I know I can buy and return the pen after trying, but asking you guys for help should help save some shipping costs.

 

Thanks.

[grasshopper]

Parker's Duofold models are among my favorite fountain pens. I have been using them for about 15-years, and I have been happy with their qualty and performance.

 

Personally, I am an italic nib addict, and I prefer the M and B italics for their line variations. I can comment from my experience that the Duofold line has two different size fountain pens - the International and the Centennial. The two size pens have different sized nibs - the International is small and writes with a finer line than the large Centennial nib. Both pen sizes come with EF nibs. I tend to think the International Centennial would provide a smoother, slightly wetter line.

 

You can always exchange nibs on either size pen until you get what you want. You can also buy an additional nib from Parker, or more economically from <www.swisherpens.com>. (I have no affiliation with Swisher, I am just a satisfied customer.) You might also send a pen to a "Nibmeister" like Richard Binder or John Mottishaw to have the nib reground to a "needle point."

 

I hope my comments are of some help. Good luck with your search.

Thanks Frank and good to hear your high regard for the Duofold.

 

I didn't know that both pens come with EF since most websites that I've been to, which includes Swisherpens and Parker, don't list the International as coming in EF nibs, only the Centennial. Anyway, will keep searching. Otherwise, I'll just get the International Fine first and see how that goes, I guess.

 

Thanks again.

[FrankB]

To be extra sure of what Parker offers in the Duofold line, I wouldn't hesitate to contact Parker or to talk to the vendor of my choice. The folks at Swisher, for example, are really good about responding to inquiries. An EF nib will no doubt be a special order, but even those can take just a few days.

 

And if you are considering having a Nibmeister regrind a nib to a needle point or accountant point, why not ask what size nib he would prefer to start with? In order to have enough irridium to work with, the Nibmeister might want a nib larger than EF to start.

 

Good luck! Let us know how you proceed.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I can grind needlepoints if requested.

 

Dillon

[Stylo]

I'm thinking of getting a modern Duofold but I'm not sure which nib width is the one for me (only the medium nibs are available locally for me to try, which are just too broad for me).

To throw in an extra twist in this, you might see variation even in the same width of a specific pen. Some mediums feel almost like broads, others are restrained, and then some fines write almost like the medium of the same pen while other samples may almost feel like extra fines. Yes, I am talking about variation from sample to sample for the same pen model

[grasshopper]

To throw in an extra twist in this, you might see variation even in the same width of a specific pen.  Some mediums feel almost like broads, others are restrained, and then some fines write almost like the medium of the same pen while other samples may almost feel like extra fines.  Yes, I am talking about variation from sample to sample for the same pen model 

Yup. Agreed. Thanks for the reminder, Stylo. Guess it makes my online search more "fun".

[grasshopper]

In my excitement to read everyone's responses, I realised I may have missed your introductory post, so hope you don't mind if I welcome you to FPN in this thread, Frank. Hello and Welcome!! Hope you'll enjoy your stay here and thanks for all your great advice.

 

To be extra sure of what Parker offers in the Duofold line, I wouldn't hesitate to contact Parker or to talk to the vendor of my choice.  The folks at Swisher, for example, are really good about responding to inquiries.  An EF nib will no doubt be a special order, but even those can take just a few days.

 

And if you are considering having a Nibmeister regrind a nib to a needle point or accountant point, why not ask what size nib he would prefer to start with?  In order to have enough irridium to work with, the Nibmeister might want a nib larger than EF to start.

 

Good luck!  Let us know how you proceed.

Actually, I had already contacted the good folks at Swisherpens regarding the Duofold nibs prior to posting here. It is only because the prompt replies and information I received was not convincing enough for me that I thought to seek the advice of my fellow nutters here on the boards.

 

And while I love my beautifully Mottishawed pens (excellent work and service everytime, based on personal experience, no affiliation etc), I would prefer to try the modern Duofolds au naturelle first. Obviously, if all else fails and I'm desperate to have the pen write acceptably for me, then off to John it will go.

 

It looks more and more likely that I'll just bite the bullet and get the International Fine and see how I like it. Will let you know how it goes. Cheers.