"Nobody uses 'fine' nibs!"

[Shangas]

BUT, is that necessarily TRUE?

 

I was speaking to my dad just a few minutes ago about buying a Parker Duofold (what else?) and he said that I was quote:

 

"very strange" in that I only wrote with fine-nibbed pens and that "nobody uses fine-nibbed pens, they only use thick-nibbed pens!"

 

So I am here today to ask:

 

Do you think this is true? What nib-type gets used most? Fine, medium or broad? Because I refuse to believe that fine nibs are never used. In fact I believe the opposite, that they're the most-used type of nib.

 

What's the Network's opinion?

[captnemo]

If it hasn't already been done, do a poll.

 

My impression on FPN is that the majority use F or finer. As an M user, I think I'm in the minority. But I could be wrong.

[Immoteus]

All my pens are either F or XF.

[Greg D]

BUT, is that necessarily TRUE?

 

I was speaking to my dad just a few minutes ago about buying a Parker Duofold (what else?) and he said that I was quote:

 

"very strange" in that I only wrote with fine-nibbed pens and that "nobody uses fine-nibbed pens, they only use thick-nibbed pens!"

 

So I am here today to ask:

 

Do you think this is true? What nib-type gets used most? Fine, medium or broad? Because I refuse to believe that fine nibs are never used. In fact I believe the opposite, that they're the most-used type of nib.

 

What's the Network's opinion?

 

 

All of my pens are either a Fine (7), or a Medium Stub (5).

 

Greg

[Shangas]

I invariably use fine nibs. Occasionally I'll use medium or extra-fine, but nothing above 'medium'. Dad is convinced that people stop at medium and only go upwards from there...

 

EDIT: Capt. Nemo, how do I enter in a poll? I don't see any options for it...

Edited November 27, 2007 by Shangas

[rhk]

As I write small, I use European/American fine nibs, and Japanese fine or medium nibs. Ruud

[Col]

I think your Dad's probably right about people not using fine nibs, although not about you being strange for doing so. In this respect, I don't think FPN members' preferences would fairly reflect common usage among the population at large. In UK b & m stores for example, all pens are supplied with a medium nib by default; I think people just go with that, perhaps not even aware that other tip sizes are available. And in a sense they aren't readily available - it requires a special order or an exchange to get one.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Col

[Dave Johannsen]

What's the Network's opinion?

 

I'm a mathematician, so I have only F or EF on pens that I actually use.

 

 

Dave

 

[Djehuty]

I have a few pens with M nibs, but only because that was the only option for that particular pen. Every other pen I own has either a fine or an extra-fine nib.

 

[dreg]

F to XXF for me on the pens that I make use of, with one exception for the time being... My Duofold True Blue which is only offered in M. And it will find its way to Richard eventually for an XF or XXF once I can bear to be away from it for any period of time.

 

The same can be said for the couple antique pens I have at this time - a couple of them have M nibs on them and will need to be reground before they go into rotation. For now, those non-F or smaller pens are relegated to occasional use... I've always been a fan of having very fine lines.

[london]

As well as time wise (vintage nibs usually finer) there tends to be historical cultural trends:

 

English nibs tend to be bolder.

American nibs were finer.

Japanese nib were finer still.

 

- Mark

 

[FrankB]

I have a personal preference for M and B nibs, both regular and italic, so I thought I was an odd ball. Nevertheless, there are certain types of writing where only an EF or F will do, so I have several pens with nibs those sizes.

 

I think if one looks at FP's historically from the late 19th Century until today, one will find the majority of nib points are F or on the F side of M. I have read some articles that seem to indicate nib sizes were finer when people had no recourse to other writing modes (excpet a pencil) and actually used FP's as everyday tools. Most of the people I know use BP's, but even then they seem to prefer pretty sharp points.

 

So, I have no idea what your dad was thinking when he made the statement.

[Shangas]

Neither did I, Frank. Especially since my research tells me the same thing that you did - That older fountain pens are generally more likely to be of a 'Fine' nib. Which is what I'm after in my potential Duofold.

[Denny]

I have a taste for fine or medium, dry nibs. No broad nibs in my collection, it's probably because of (poor) quality of the paper on the market.

[Ghost Plane]

I use nothing but Bs and find I'm constantly competing for them with people who intend to have them ground down to other shapes.

[George]

I use XXXF-F nibs every day, and BB-BBBB stubs for fun. Nothing in between.

 

 

[ConnallMac]

When I started using fountain pens, I was in love with broad nibs. Now I have trouble finding nibs fine enough for me. I almost think that the quest for broad nibs was at least in part because I associated broad with smoother writing, having found that to be the case with ball points and roller balls. Now that I have found many fine and extra fine nibs that write smoothly, I don't think that I can go back!

[swarden43]

Count me as Medium prefered. Although, that being said, I do prefer the Lamy fine. I did have a Lamy medium that was a bit too broad for my taste. I like right between fine and medium, kind of an F+, if there was such a thing.

 

It is a bit aggravating that all nibs are not created equal - one company's "medium" is another company's "fine". As much as I would like to always take the advice given here at the FPN, "Try it before you buy it", not living close to a B & M store forces most of my purchases to be on-oine. That doesn't always work, either. I called one on-line store to ask about the Pelikan Pura. I was told they "run a bit broad", so I purchased the fine. Should-a bought the medium. Oh, well. I'll keep it for that occasional change of pace.

[Ernst Bitterman]

Fine, where available. I may be a hulking brute, but I write all teeny-like. Ghost Plane, I promise never to have a point modified on a vintage pen-- if it's a readily-available modern, I'm more likely to ask for the size I want anyway.

[Ghost Plane]

Thanks, Ernst.