The Singing Nib - Creation Or Evolution?

[Nibbage]

The Singing Nib - For some, the pinnacle of an excellent fountain pen. For others, an irritant to the writing experience. Where do Singing Nibs come from? Are they manufactured or do they develop over time?

 

How does one acquire or avoid purchasing a Singing Nib? All cities do not have dedicated brick-and-mortar shops for the fountain pen enthusiast to browse and select his/her purchase. This leaves the internet as a trial and error source for selection and purchase. Is it possible to request or refuse a purchase of a Singing Nib? Is there a nib manufacture that specializes in the production of Singing Nibs?

 

Within my small fountain pen collection, I currently have four fountain pens with Singing Nibs. I have enjoyed writing with every one of them. All four fountain pens have medium nibs. Each fountain pen is a smooth writer. All four fountain pens are pictured and listed below:

 

From top to bottom - capped or retracted:

 

1. Cross Townsend Sterling Silver - Medium Nib

2. Pilot Vanishing Point Black Matte - Medium Nib (capless / retractable)

3. Lamy Dialogue 3 Black - Medium Nib (capless / retractable)

4. Faber-Castell e-motion Pure Black - Medium Nib

 

Do you enjoy the writing experience of a Singing Nib?

 

[Bill Wood]

Interesting. But could you define a singing nib.

[Nibbage]

A nib that has the ability to resonate when writing, like a tiny tuning fork.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Nibbage

[Lyander0012]

My Lamy 2000 is the same way, I believe. It whispers more than it sings, but that could be because he's grown a bit weary from all the constant note-taking

Haha, I'm of the opinion (no empirical data to back it up) that singing nibs, as opposed to scratchy ones, resonate on account of extreme smoothness; while scratchy nibs have scritchy feedback on account of there being a sharp edge digging into the page, "singing" or "talking" nibs have feedback thanks to the writing surface rubbing against the page. This probably explains why I notice my Lamy being more talkative on smooth paper (Rhodia) than on cheap office copy paper

 

 

Cheers!

Kevin

[RMN]

I have some that sing, whisper, screach.... never give it much thought. I could not say which are the worst (best??)

If it is very loud it is annoying in my work as I make notes of a conversation with clients. At home I don't mind.

 

 

D.ick

[casualmerlinconstant]

My singing nibs all eventually silenced themselves mostly. I don't mind singing. Scritch scritch scritch gratesob my nerves though.

[discopig]

I really enjoy singing nibs or nibs with a bit of tooth (not enough to be scratchy, but enough to be noisy). I only have one singing nib (Pilot VP) and one noisy nib (Pilot Metal Falcon), though.

[KBeezie]

I hear that about Faber-Castell's Nibs (I think they use the same nib from their BASIC up to their Ondoros), like my BASIC with a Fine Nib is one of the smoothest western fines I own. I know someone else who has one who says it's 'noisy' like its very audible, and it seems to be somewhat apparent in a review by sbrebrown (though it's more of a noise than a 'singing' since it hasn't quite hit the right harmonic vibration with the nib/paper combo). A little clarification, I have severe to profound hearing loss, particularly on the higher frequency, so I'm not likely to hear it.

 

I can't remember who I here I've heard it from, but the singing nib is kind of a negative thing, as the nib vibrates so much that it "atomizes" the ink, causing spraying and such that may make the strokes seem fuzzier or ending off with a slight spray.

 

Sometimes re-seating the nib/feed can either introduce the singing effect, or take it away.

Edited July 18, 2014 by KBeezie

[Moonraker]

Those nibs may need a little smoothing with mylar to remove the vibration caused from the friction with the paper. Try a different paper first, maybe the friction changes enough to cancel the resonation.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Enjoy your singing nib while it lasts, like the French singing straight razor...a special order item, or an American singing sword (yes there is someone that with luck can make one), the singing will pass. The sword fastest, then the razor.....then the nib.

[lzykramer]

Love those nibs

[MusterMark]

My Lamy 2000 and Parker 51 both "sing." I personally enjoy it, but find it a bit distracting in those quiet moments during meetings at work. Relatively young office. I think everyone is a bit confused once the chorus starts.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I've only had a couple of singers, and one was an old Monogram point that shed a tine not long after I got it; the other is a Parker Duofold of the "striped" period, and I now worry about it.

 

I have, in the course of reworking the tipping on pens, induced something more like a groan than a sing. This happens when I'm in the fine shaping phase, using the 4000 grit, and testing the points frequently to catch them at the right shape. The answer, of course, is a very moderate roughness on the tipping to get the tines bouncing (and there's probably some very specific size of roughness to co-incide with the harmonic frequency of the nib). As pointed out above, it should eventually abate with use as that roughness wears down.

 

I suppose, technically, this would be stridulation rather than singing. I know somewhere on Richard Binder's site he speaks of the phenomenon, and has a picture of an unusually loud pen throwing its ink about. Since it's technically a defect, I doubt you'll find any manufacturer who aims to produce the effect, and those who don't like it can probably cite it as a reason to invoke warranty.

[Nibbage]

Hello Lyander0012. Thanks for the reply. I agree, my Singing Nibs are all very smooth writers. It sounds like the Singing diminishes with use. That is one of my concerns.

[Nibbage]

Thank you RMN. When writing in a quiet setting, the Cross nib can get pretty loud and could easily become a distraction to others nearby.

[Nibbage]

Hello Superglueshoe. That was an answer to one of my questions, regarding the longevity of a Singing Nib. They "...all eventually silenced themselves...." Thank you for the reply.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Nibbage

[Nibbage]

Hello discopig. I enjoy Singing Nibs also. As you can see in the photos, one of my Singing Nibs is also on a Pilot VP. A Pilot Falcon Metal or a Namiki Falcon Resin is on my wish list. I would like to understand what is meant by "noisy nib." Do you enjoy writing with your Pilot Metal Falcon? Thanks.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Nibbage

[Nibbage]

Hello Kbezzie. The Faber-Castell e-motion Pure Black has a Singing Nib. It did not Sing at first. After using it a few weeks, the nib began to Sing. It may have had something to do with the black coating. I previously purchased a Faber-Castell Ondoro, which resembles a pencil. When writing, the nib sounded like a pencil. it was enjoyable to use and a smooth writer. It used the same stainless steel nib, without the black coating. Being made of a thin resin, the finger rest kept splitting. That is how I ended up with an e-motion. Faber-Castell has an excellent Customer Service department. As for "atomizes," I have yet to notice the spraying of ink particles on paper from any of the four Singing Nibs. This is not to say it is not happening. Thank you for your input on this topic.

[Nibbage]

Hello Moonraker. That sounds like a good suggestion, for those who find Singing Nibs to be irritating. Thanks.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Nibbage

[79spitfire]

Perhaps they are just happy?