What Is A Broad Nib?

[Zack Pomerleau]

Is it just the biggest one, or is it like a specialty nib like a Stubb?

[HenryLouis]

no it's not a specialty nib but it's the nib that's a size thicker than the Medium. There are double broads and thicker nibs but not every pen maker has them. There is no standard for nib sizes.

 

Broad nibs are round, not flat like stubs.

Edited October 3, 2009 by HenryLouis

[DrPJM1]

A broad nib has a nib point larger than a Medium, therefore it writes a thicker line. Regular pen nib sizes are Fine, Medium, and Broad. There's also XF, BB, Oblique Stub, Italic,....

See: http://richardspens.com/ go to Reference Pages, then to Glossary and look up "nib grade".

[Zaphod]

A broad nib is a "regular" nib just as you guessed. That's "regular" as in "vertical and horizontal lines are more or less the same width".

 

For many pen manufacturers, broad (usually abbreviated is the widest you can go. There are some exceptions, at least nibmeisters can grind you an "extra broad", "double broad" or similar. Some manufacturers also produce XB nibs.

[reprieve]

Broad nibs are the best nibs in the world.

[Mrsal]

yup, a b is a standard nib, most of mine are that. pelikan also puts a 3b nib on their pens

[scratchy]

Japanese broad nibs tend to be more like a European/American medium

[Silvermink]

Some broads do actually have a bit of line variation, and some broads really are cursive or stub italics (ref: Pilot 78G), but most are just very wide round nibs.

[gyasko]

A broad nib is a "regular" nib just as you guessed. That's "regular" as in "vertical and horizontal lines are more or less the same width".

 

For many pen manufacturers, broad (usually abbreviated is the widest you can go. There are some exceptions, at least nibmeisters can grind you an "extra broad", "double broad" or similar. Some manufacturers also produce XB nibs.

 

Yes, it is possible -- but probably not desirable -- to grind the nib down to where it gets wider. If there's no tipping to begin with, that's probably OK, but i wouldn't do it with a pen that does have tipping. Generally speaking, without resorting to the trouble and expense of retipping, you're stuck with the width of tipping the pen comes with. Going from broader to narrower is a relatively simple operation of removing material. Going the other way is more difficult.

 

Many (but not all) vintage broad nibs have flatter tipping, which means that they have characteristics similar to contemporary stubs. Today's broad nibs might have been called "coarse" nibs back in the day.

[Mrsal]

Some broads do actually have a bit of line variation, and some broads really are cursive or stub italics (ref: Pilot 78G), but most are just very wide round nibs.

 

a lamy 2000 b nib has the variation.

[Kabe]

Some broad nibs are specially versatile, because if you turn the pen around, you end up with a Fine nib!