Beginning of a nib addiction

[Betty]

Yesterday, I received my very first italic nib (Lamy 1.1mm calligraphy nib). It was very affordable, so I decided to try it. Before this nib, I thought I was happy with normal factory nibs, but wow! The italic nib makes my handwriting look so pretty and fancy!!!! I couldn't stop looking at a letter I had just written. Now I think I'm going to have an italic nib addiction. I'm in trouble as other nibs are not cheap at all.

 

I'm really wanting to try a Binderized italic nib now. Which one do you recommend? .7mm, or .9mm? What is an oblique nib? My handwriting is on the small side. If I get a .7mm, will I see much of a calligrahy italic effect at all?

[chainwhip]

Betty-

 

Richard's got some writing samples on this page:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=exemplaria.htm

 

Hope that helps!

 

-Johnny

[Moondrop]

..

Edited November 11, 2006 by Moondrop

[LeoUK]

Yesterday, I received my very first italic nib (Lamy 1.1mm calligraphy nib). It was very affordable, so I decided to try it. Before this nib, I thought I was happy with normal factory nibs, but wow! The italic nib makes my handwriting look so pretty and fancy!!!! I couldn't stop looking at a letter I had just written. Now I think I'm going to have an italic nib addiction. I'm in trouble as other nibs are not cheap at all.

 

I'm really wanting to try a Binderized italic nib now. Which one do you recommend? .7mm, or .9mm? What is an oblique nib? My handwriting is on the small side. If I get a .7mm, will I see much of a calligrahy italic effect at all?

i really want to have a look at the picture of your pen and your handwriting... I want to buy one too. I do not know what it will looks like.

[KCat]

I'm really wanting to try a Binderized italic nib now. Which one do you recommend? .7mm, or .9mm? What is an oblique nib? My handwriting is on the small side. If I get a .7mm, will I see much of a calligrahy italic effect at all?

you bet. you can go down as far as .5 mm (maybe even .4 if it's made well) and still get nice variation and wonderful feedback from a nib.)

 

An Oblique in Richard's language is a pen with an angle on then of 15 or 30 degrees. 15 being easier to use than 30. He can tell you, based on your writing style, how such a nib would work for you or if it wouldn't. Depending on your hand, his stubs also have some angle to them typically and I've adopted his description for clarity - "demi-oblique" - these nibs have about an 8-degree angle which is very easy to use, doesn't alter the stub effect much, and makes them especially comfortable for certain writers.

 

i'd go with a .7 if your handwriting is small like mine. a .9 will work certainly, but it will force you to enlarge your lettering somewhat probably.

[acfrery]

Hi Betty,

 

Welcome to the addiction. I am very happy with Pendemonium's replacement stubs for my Pelikan M200 (before this nib it rarely entered the rotation) and Namiki/Pilot Vanishing Point. I also bought from Sam my very first stub: a Pelikan Future that is a dream to write with.

 

My newest stubs are factory nibs for my Sheaffer Intrigue (bought from PenHero), Mikado-size Matte Ebonite (from Kevin) and, the latest arrival, a Bexley Tuck-Away (from Dennis@Parkvillepens). All excellent, but if you look for real variation, the Sheaffer is the one to pick.

 

Good luck!

 

Alejandro

[TheNobleSavage]

I used to avoid stub, Italic, cursive or what ever nibs. They could of had the most pretty pen but if it had a stub or other than a Medium + nib, forget it!!! It all happened almost a year ago when I was converted and I saw the light!!!

 

I have been wanting a Stipula Saturno and there was one on the Green Board for 130.00 used but excellent shape. I was given the oppertunity to either go with a medium nib or a 1.3 broad stub nib. I told the seller that I wanted the pen but was unsure about the 1.3 stub. He asked me if I like using a broad nib, I told him "yes, I do"!! I already knew how the Mediums weree, nice and smooth but I longed for a broader nib.

 

He told me that the Pen has a 1.3 stub that is like writing with a broad+ with a little flair. He said that this was the smoothest stub that he has ever used and that he would swap out the stub if I was not happy with it. Thats a deal I couldnt refuse, so I decided to take him up on the offer. Well, this was the smoothest stub I have ever encountered. From that point on, I have fallen in love with broad stubs. From that point on, I used my 1.3 as a litmus test for how smooth I want my nibs to be. So even after I buy a stub I still have to add a personal touch so it can accomidate my style of writing!!

 

Betty, welcome to the club!!! I happen to find that stubs in the 1.0 to 1.3 are the most comfortable for me to use. I find them more comfortable and more forgiving than the .6-.9 stubs.

 

TNS

[TruBLu]

The trick is to get the right sized nib for the type of writing you will be doing. You are probably experienced enough to eyeball the writing you do with your new pen and decide if the letters look spindly or a little chunky? Spindly means you need a wider nib, chunky needs a narrower nib. There is another way to check.

 

Many fonts are balanced when the body of a lower case letter (such as "e" or "n") is five nib widths high. So measure of five widths of your current pen and compare that with your normal writing. Remember that your stated nib width (such as 1.1) may not be the width of the actual line. Start your measures with a real pen drawing real lines on the type of paper you will likely be writing on.

 

I just got a 0.9 myself yesterday and it looks a little chunky and since I would prefer more elegant letters, I will probably have it ground to 0.7.

 

Another way to go is to have the round nib width you like the best reground to an Italic. So if you like medium nibs, have one ground to an italic. If you are having one ground for you there are other things you can specify. Italic, cursive italic, and stubs are all chisel shaped nibs. You can not only specify how wide but how sharp and how rounded the corners. Sharp on those two measures would be good for writing names on certificates but not so good for everyday.

[klemenv]

One stub nib and I have never turned back to round nibs .

 

We have to convince Richard or John to move to Europe .

[KCkc]

Once smitten by Mottishaw and Binder, you will really have to think hard not to have your favourite keeper stubbed/cursive italic.

Some samples :

Mottishaw BROAD Stub

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/ebaywatch888/Guts/IMG_1681.jpg

 

Some other favourites like FLEX :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/ebaywatch888/ee19ba34.jpg

 

Some Binder and Krinke CURSIVE ITALIC:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/ebaywatch888/PT%20Sales/IMG_6.jpg

[Betty]

Thanks Kckc! What ink do you have in your Mottishaw BROAD Stub ? That color looks so NICE!

 

So do I send it a writing sample to Richard? Or how else does he know how I hold a pen? I'm not even sure myself at what angle I hold it.

[Velma]

Thanks Kckc! What ink do you have in your Mottishaw BROAD Stub ? That color looks so NICE!

 

So do I send it a writing sample to Richard? Or how else does he know how I hold a pen? I'm not even sure myself at what angle I hold it.

If you go to the page on his website about customizing nibs, you'll see a questionnaire that helps him determine how he should work on your pen. I suspect that it's not as precise as sitting at his table at a pen show, chatting, and having him watch the way you sit/hold your pen/write, but it's fairly comprehensive.

[KCkc]

Thanks Kckc! What ink do you have in your Mottishaw BROAD Stub ? That color looks so NICE!

 

So do I send it a writing sample to Richard? Or how else does he know how I hold a pen? I'm not even sure myself at what angle I hold it.

It was Florida Blue.

 

Sending a sample to Richard or communicating with him via email will help him determine what to do with the customization.

 

I remember we had 3 or 4 emails back and forth as he suggested 0.7mm cursive italic for me. It was a nice customization and communication as he is very professional and patient.

 

Oh, here are some of the things I remembered telling him:

I tend to roll my hand/wrist across the page versus moving the hand along the page -- a lazy habit which caused my nib to roll along.

 

I like the horizontal line thinner than the Stipula 0.9mm stub.

I woould like to be able to write fairly fast e.g. taking quick notes in a conference with the cursive italic.

 

I know you test all pens before shipping with Waterman Blue Black, please test mine with Florida Blue since it will be the only ink I intend to ink first.

 

I like glassy smmoth nibs and feel that Aurora Optima nibs are toothy and not my style.

 

Not very scientific info, but I was hoping to give him a feel of how I write.

Hope this helps.

[Betty]

Thanks Kckc! Very helpful things to think about when communicating with him once I do decide to get a custom nib from him

[chupie]

Once smitten by Mottishaw and Binder, you will really have to think hard not to have your favourite keeper stubbed/cursive italic.

Some samples :

Mottishaw BROAD Stub

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/ebaywatch888/Guts/IMG_1681.jpg

 

Some other favourites like FLEX :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/ebaywatch888/ee19ba34.jpg

 

Some Binder and Krinke CURSIVE ITALIC:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/ebaywatch888/PT%20Sales/IMG_6.jpg

Edited March 30, 2006 by chupie

[Kelly]

I feel your pain! Richard's 0.6mm stub is my choice or a 0.7mm cursive italic - just gorgeous for those of us with smallist handwriting but want some line variation. The only pens I have that are not italicized are my vintage unless they came that way...I even have the stub Esterbrook nibs. I find it very hard to write with anything else! Prepare your pocketbook, darling

[memphislawyer]

Deb Kinney just finished my Visconti Midi Van Gogh and put a 0.8 nib on it, as I tend to write on the larger side of small usually. I am pumped!!! This will be my first modified nib. Is there a link to a questionnaire that tells you what kind of nib you should order, or what do I do? I have a Bexley fine nib and want to know to what and whether it should be modified.

 

Sam

[heavyiron]

I sent 2 of my Cross pens off to be ground straight italic...since I print. They came back ground, but not much line variation...so I took them out into my garage and ground them down myself further...now I love how they write. Do it myself from now on....

[heidi]

Welcome to the club! I LOVE 0.7mm cursive italic and stubs... I have medium sized handwriting, and it shows nicely. the 0.9mm is a bit much, and I find music nibs too juicy and too wide for me, but the 0.7mm... Well, I don't own any plain "round" nibs anymore, unless they're just waiting to be reground. *laugh*

[FrankB]

I am a little late to this thread, but I wanted to welcome you to the custom nib addiction. There is a very true observation that I always misquote to the effect that for the joy of writing, use a stub nib; for a great product on paper, use an italic nib.

 

You have received some very good advice from the others. I will relate only my own experience. I relearned cursive handwriting in my mid-20's because I was so disappointed with my version of Peterson Penmanship. I learned to write with italic script while stationed in Germany. I was okay writing that script with regular M ball nibs, but when I tried my first italic nib a great celestial light bulb went off in my head: I had matched my handwriting to the appropriate nib. And writing became a lot of fun - and a bit of an obsession.

 

Hence, I will suggest that you might try a couple of different handwriting styles to see if you find a script+nib mate that you find natural and fun. I always emphasize the fun factor.

 

For myself, I use different nib sizes according to what I am writing. For general writing, I use a 0.9 mm or a 1.1 mm (stub or italic) nib. For envelope addresses, some note cards or business presentations, I use a 1.3mm nib - or larger. I vary the size of my handwriting, and I switch from cursive to printing, depending on the project.

 

Good luck. And have fun.