ceac Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Hi All,I hope you can help me with this one ... I've got two FC Ambition FP's. I only recently noticed they have nibs with a different design (see pics) . Does anyone know when FC made this change ? Link to post Share on other sites
shahrincamille Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 The nib in the upper photo looks suspiciously generic, and probably one that was swapped or replaced. Is there any marking on that nib to certify that it is a Faber-Castell? The one in the lower photo - now that's the original! Shahrin Link to post Share on other sites
hari317 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 The upper one is unmistakably a generic nib offered by Schmidt. I have only one GVFC pen and it has a GVFC marked gold nib. In case you wish to write to me, pls use ONLY email by clicking here. I do not check PMs. Thank you. Link to post Share on other sites
Tas Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 My "Basic" has one like the bottom pic and my "Parase" has Faber Castel No3 on it. I've a feeling Shahrin is right. Link to post Share on other sites
owend Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I have a FC Ambition; the section and lower part of the barrel look like the upper one of your two; the lower one is nothing like a FC Ambition. But the nib of the lower is an FC, and the same as my Ambition! Are the nibs swappable between the two pens? If so, it looks as though the FC nib has been fitted back in to the wrong one when they were apart (for cleaning?) Link to post Share on other sites
ceac Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) Although I agree the upper nib looks generic, I'm afraid it isn't. The big F on the nib indicates it's a fine nib. Also see the thread below that also shows both types of nib..https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/85375-faber-castell-ambition/ Actually I was too lazy to take a pic of my own nibs, so I grabbed some a pics from the net. I took out the camera ... My own 'generic' nib is in the pic below (with a big M for medium) here's two other links that show the same nib....http://www.kenbroman.com/faber-castell-ambition/http://goodstudy.tw/faber-castell-design/319-faber-castell-ambition-coconut-fountain-pen.html Edited January 9, 2014 by ceac Link to post Share on other sites
ceac Posted January 10, 2014 Author Share Posted January 10, 2014 anyone ? Link to post Share on other sites
twdpens Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 We have stocked the Ambition since its launch (around 2005/6) and I have never seen one without a Faber Castell branded nib. Faber Castell uses a nib that appears to be the same as the Schmidt nib used in many other pens (for example the original TWSBI Diamond 530 to name a pen that will be familiar to many here). I am sure the one you have is equal in quality but it is missing the Faber Castell branding. HTH, Martin The Writing Desk Fountain Pen Specialists since 2000 Facebook Twitter Link to post Share on other sites
ceac Posted January 10, 2014 Author Share Posted January 10, 2014 Tnx Martin ! I'm still puzzled though as to 'my nib' also appears on the Ambitions in the links I gave.. That's three with the same 'deviant nib'.Mine came in the same box (pic below) as is shown on the Japanese site http://goodstudy.tw/...untain-pen.html Link to post Share on other sites
UK Mike Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 My F-C Ambition Black Resin (and all my Basics and eMotion pens) have the "Dimple" Faber Castell nib. Pens and paper everywhere, yet all our hearts did sink, Pens and paper everywhere, but not a drop of ink. "Cursive writing does not mean what I think it does" Link to post Share on other sites
Montblanc owner and lover Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 the top one is not a faber castell nib but an iridium point nib (an other german brand) who has been puted on your pen instead of the originial faber castell nib A people can be great withouth a great pen but a people who love great pens is surely a great people too... Pens owned actually: MB 146 EF;Pelikan M200 SE Clear Demonstrator 2012 B;Parker 17 EF;Parker 51 EF;Waterman Expert II M,Waterman Hemisphere M;Waterman Carene F and Stub;Pilot Justus 95 F. Nearly owned: MB 149 B(Circa 2002);Conway Stewart Belliver LE bracket Brown IB. Link to post Share on other sites
penmanila Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 ^I think the OP has been pointing out that he has been seeing this configuration all over the place, suggesting that F-C may indeed be using it on some pens. As a long-time user of many F-C pens I'm quite surprised and disturbed by this move (if indeed F-C has sanctioned it) because it takes away from the company's distinctive branding. Even if the generic nibs are just as good as the branded ones, it feels like F-C took a cost-saving shortcut somewhere, and it doesn't speak well of such a proud company. Check out my blog and my pens Link to post Share on other sites
ceac Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Right on manilla !! I bought the 'deviant one' some weeks ago in a liquidation sale of a Peugot car dealer (it has a small Peuegot logo on the cap). Don't know how long it has been laying around there, but my guess would be that the 'deviant one' is of an older design than the dimpled design .. I'll put my question in a mail to the FC customer service ... see what they come up with.. Link to post Share on other sites
Montblanc owner and lover Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 for me it's simply that iridium point nibs fits FC pens and people make the change but it's not a will of faber castell A people can be great withouth a great pen but a people who love great pens is surely a great people too... Pens owned actually: MB 146 EF;Pelikan M200 SE Clear Demonstrator 2012 B;Parker 17 EF;Parker 51 EF;Waterman Expert II M,Waterman Hemisphere M;Waterman Carene F and Stub;Pilot Justus 95 F. Nearly owned: MB 149 B(Circa 2002);Conway Stewart Belliver LE bracket Brown IB. Link to post Share on other sites
ceac Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 then how come the three instances of the 'deviant nib' I found are identical ?? Link to post Share on other sites
UK Mike Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) As far as I am aware all of the steel nibs on the Faber Castell pens come from Bock to an F-C design, and are not made in-house. References to Schmidt are slightly misleading as according to the latest information I, have Schmidt use Bock nibs and assemble them into standard or manufacturer-specified sections, rather than making the nibs themselves. Either of these suppliers could be the source of the substitution. It has also been suggested that the lower-end pens from F-C are assembled outside Germany - in fact outside Europe. Edited January 11, 2014 by UK Mike Pens and paper everywhere, yet all our hearts did sink, Pens and paper everywhere, but not a drop of ink. "Cursive writing does not mean what I think it does" Link to post Share on other sites
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