Left Handed Analysis 3- Speciality Nibs

[Cloud]

Final poll for left handed analysis.

What type of nib do you prefer. I have only tried round and Italic. I don't like Italic very much. I am wondering if some of us use oblique or stubs. I am not sure if many speciality nib are usable by us.

[lefty928]

I use many "normal" nibs for note-taking and such, and have been using inexpensive calligraphy fountain pens with left oblique nibs for correspondence. To my dismay, my new Binder stub skips on me (and much more badly with Waterman Florida Blue than with Legal Lapis, go figure). I keep practicing with it, though, even though it's a little disturbing that it skips even when I experiment with using my right hand. I'll find the right position eventually, I hope. Pendemonium's left oblique cursive italics work great for me -- I was looking for correspondence pens that made my handwriting look prettier, but not quite as Obviously Calligraphic as the sharp italic nibs. I also have a Pilot Parallel pen, which works fine (too broad for everyday writing, however). Usability of specialty nibs seems to depend on each individual's writing style. It's nice there are so many left-handers onboard to compare notes with!

[Kalessin]

Yep, there's a huge number of lefties around here...

 

Since there are a number of different left-hand writing style categories in play (overwriters, underwriters, sidewriters), the nib choices are probably going to be all over the map.

 

joel

[Cloud]

I think i'll disagree,

 

I am pretty sure there are some nibs that left handed person almost never use. I've tried an Itallic nib and I am not sure there are many left handed people who use them. There might be pockets but if people post the writing style we may be able to compile list of prefered nib for style of handwriting. I suspect more cluster around 2-3 styles of nib because in all cases, we have to push the nib from left to right instead of dragging it.

 

I suspect maybe one of the oblique, maybe a stub and most user writing with a rounded nib. But how many is the question.

 

I curious to know if there is a nib I am missing on!

[umenohana]

Ann Finley is a left-handed overwriter, I think, and she uses italic nibs very well.

 

-Hana

[lefty928]

nn Finley is a left-handed overwriter, I think, and she uses italic nibs very well.

 

I agree!

[Bill]

I use all the nibs in questions except for the right oblique and zoom.

 

I'm a lefty underwriter and I like the way stubs and cursive italics dress up my lackluster writing. In terms of IID ("ink inches per day"), I use round points the most, but I seem happiest with the results from stubs.

 

Bill

[pd999]

Hi,

any chance of showing examples of writing made with your stub nibs ?

[Dawn]

Im a left handed underwriter and mostly write with a "normal" nib. I do have a left handed italic pen but I dont find it that easy to write with.

 

I am thinking of trying an oblique italic nib on my Pelikan.

 

Dawn

[Bill]

pd999,

 

Here is a quick 'n dirty comparo with examples that are currently inked. The Esterbrooks are left-handed (left-footed) mediums.

 

Regular obliques don't help me. And as I get more comfortable and, hopefully better, with stubs/italics I am gravitating toward the broader ones with more line variation. Richard B is doing a 0.8mm stub on a new Bexley for me now and I have at least one other pen that I'm taking to the Ohio show for stubbing.

 

[edit] Oops! The cursive italic is a 0.7mm Binder, not 0.8 as I wrote in the sample. Also, I should have done a cursive sample with a Bexley stub. My apologies.

 

Bill

Edited October 21, 2006 by Bill

[southpaw]

Depends upon the type of writing, so I chose "other," but also because if it's just for the pure fun factor and the way it makes my chickenscratch look, I'd definitely have to go with FLEX. I do use everything from regular round nibs to stubs and italics, plus the flex, and I've used some obliques also.

[Cloud]

Thanks for the writing sample. In terms of speciality nibs, it seems either stub or left oblique are the favorite compared to the normal nib.

 

I'll have to try one of these!

[cliff355]

A .6mm Binder stub was my favorite nib until a .9mm cursive italic arrived in the mail yesterday. The cursive italic nib is not quite as smooth as the stub, but it is certainly smooth enough and the result is much more distinctive.

 

The combination of thick and thin lines from the cursive nib produce script that is pronounced, but it still allows a high number of words per page which would not be the case with a round point that wide.

[Ann Finley]

Ann Finley is a left-handed overwriter, I think, and she uses italic nibs very well.

 

-Hana

Thanks, Hana--and lefty928!

 

Cloud, there really are a lot of lefties that use italic nibs. Overwriters such as myself have a lot of trouble with trying to do Copperplate or Spencerian styles using a flexible, pointed, nib because the nib needs to be pulled down with a light pressure to get the shading--not pushed. However, these styles are perfect for lefty underwriters. Both overwriters and underwriters use italic nibs but how they have them cut often differs and depends on how they hold their pen.

 

I use both left foot oblique and straight cut crisp or "sharpened" italic nibs when I write in italic. One of my problems is that if I buy a pen with either a factory italic nib or have one reground to italic, the nib is often too wet for me as an overwriter and I smear the ink. Fortunately, Richard's custom Pelikan italic nibs work fine for me. Reground Esterbrook nibs and some Sheaffer nibs work well for me, too, and occasionally I luck out with another brand. Below is an example using a modified left foot oblique Esterbrook.

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3176/2556modifieddl5.jpg

Perhaps, Cloud, if you tried a differently cut italic nib, you would like it!

 

Best, Ann

[johnr55]

I am more delighted to see which of our distinguished members are lefties--besides Southpaw, of course!

 

I've never had good luck with any stub, and I've bought them in several brands. I have a very light touch and round just does it best for me.

[jonro]

All round nibs are not created equal, are they? Are there any manufacturers' nibs that are particularly "lefty-friendly"?

[georges zaslavsky]

Being ambidextrous, here are sample written with some of my pens with my left hand, which for the most have the round point nib, except the 146.

Edited February 19, 2007 by georges zaslavsky

[Richard F]

I guess all of my nibs, but one, are normal round ones. Mostly F or M. I recently bought a #87 fine oblique nib unit for my Parker Duofold Centennial. I have to admit I've been having trouble writing with it. It lays down a very broad line. Perhaps, as a southpaw overwriter, I'm not holding it correctly. Practice is needed.

[holgalee]

I like round points though a stub with just a pinch of line variation is nice too!

[jmccarty3]

As a left-handed underwriter, I mostly use round nibs, although I do have a Waterman Rhapsody that has a medium left oblique that writes quite well and gives me no problems.