Nib Size&writing

[Kuscer]

Hi everyone

 

I have seen quite a variety of nib sizes out there and I was wondering what effect the nib size has on the writing experience of some fellow FP users.

 

Please share your thoughts!

Dingan

Edited August 22, 2014 by FP189

[KenD]

I write quite small... and find any nib wider than a western Fine way too broad, with letters becoming illegibly filled in. I prefer a Japanese Fine or a western XF. I have quite a light hand, so it works fine (pun not intended) for me. If you put a lot of pressure on the page a fine can get scratchy.

[PabloAU]

I started my FP journey with fine nibs, which I've found vary in size significantly from make to make. I have average sized handwriting, and while fine nibs are the most "intuitively" sized for me, medium and stub nibs seem to cover the extraneous trails of my less-than-perfect scrawl and make my handwriting look neater.

[Kuscer]

Thanks very much for your replies!

But when I wrote ''nib size'' I wasn't refering to width. I meant how (for example) Parker nibs are relatively small.

Regards,

Dingan

[PabloAU]

I haven't had any problems with #5 or #6 sized nibs, or equivalent. If I had to pick a favourite, I'd go with #6 as it slightly improves the angle of the pen to paper most of the time. This is a very slight observation, however, and is unlikely to influence my pen buying decisions.

I haven't tried oversized nibs (e.g. MB 149 or Sailor KoP), but I don't have large hands so would want to try a pen with such a nib before spending money on one.

[Kuscer]

I haven't had any problems with #5 or #6 sized nibs, or equivalent. If I had to pick a favourite, I'd go with #6 as it slightly improves the angle of the pen to paper most of the time. This is a very slight observation, however, and is unlikely to influence my pen buying decisions.

I haven't tried oversized nibs (e.g. MB 149 or Sailor KoP), but I don't have large hands so would want to try a pen with such a nib before spending money on one.

 

I see that Waterman has some quite large nibs

[tonybelding]

I find that I prefer the smaller nibs that allow my fingers to rest closer to the paper. So... The #5 nibs (TWSBI 530, etc.) and the Sheaffer inlaid nibs (Imperial, Targa) and Lamy 2000 and the small nibs on many vintage pens feel better to me than the big #6 nibs that have become so widespread these days.

Edited August 22, 2014 by tonybelding

[Floreat]

I have naturally small writing and am most comfortable with a Japanese F. I have nibs of all sizes from Japanese EF to German B ad 1.1 though, and tailor my writing so it is legible. Not everyone can read my tiny natural writing easily, I used to get told off for writing illegibly small when I was at school! Today I'll be writing to a five-year-old with a Lamy B.

 

I was amazed to find that my Pelikan F is bigger than my Lamy B, by the way.

[Baric]

I tend to prefer medium to fine nibs, best if they have a left oblique grind on them. I don't go smaller than a Western fine, they get too scratchy for me and I prefer a smoother writing experience. But I do own a few broads when I'm in the mood for a big juicy nib, and stubs and cursive italics for certain uses, like trying to learn Spencerian and cursive italic scripts.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Baric

[Rocket1]

I have small to medium handwriting and don't use anything bigger than a 1.1mm lamy nib.

 

I have some flex nibs but need to write quite big in order to show the flex.