Broad Fp Generalizations That You Have Found Not To Be True?

[Garageboy]

Over the nine years I've been on this board, I've heard many statements repeated over and over again. Many have held true, but some things you have to see for yourself

 

I'll start with "Steel nibs can write just as well as gold nibs" - Sure, I've had plenty of nice writing steel nibs, and the Pelikan M200 nibs even spring/cushion a bit. Still doesn't hold a candle to the nice feeling of a nice, softish gold nib.

[hari317]

"a tipped nib should last you a lifetime" 5 years of use on normal paper and I wore out ball tipping to a nice flat on the nib of my P45 (bought it new in 1994). The pen is still usable but has been retired for a well deserved rest.

Edited September 3, 2014 by hari317

[ac12]

 

 

I'll start with "Steel nibs can write just as well as gold nibs" - Sure, I've had plenty of nice writing steel nibs, and the Pelikan M200 nibs even spring/cushion a bit. Still doesn't hold a candle to the nice feeling of a nice, softish gold nib.

 

I will say "it depends."

I write with a light touch, such that I can't tell any difference. Then again, I have not tried a "soft" gold nib, cuz it is above my budget.

So for my budget range, SS vs. gold, no practical difference.

[ac12]

Asian nibs are 1 size smaller than Western nibs.

Based on actual measuring of my nibs with a dial caliper (accurate to 0.001 inch), the difference is between 2 sizes and 0.

Because not all Asian nibs are the same grading, and not all Western nibs are the same grading.

Examples:

- Asian Baoer 388 M = 0.024 inch vs. Western Lamy Safari XF = 0.025 inch. This is 2 sizes different.

- Asian Pilot Metro M = 0.029 inch vs. Western US Parker M = 0.030 inch. This is the same.

 

- Asian Baoer 388 M = 0.024 inch, Asian Ohto Tasche F = 0.025 inch. This is 1 size different.

 

- Western US Parker M = 0.030 inch, Western Waterman F = 0.030 inch. This is 1 size different.

- Western US Parker F = 0.020 inch, Western Lamy Safari XF = 0.025 inch. This is about 1-1/2 size different.

[Bo Bo Olson]

A nib should last a lifetime...only now in everyone has many, many pens. Back in the old days....somewhere I read 7 years...till it was time to get a new pen or nib. It is not One Pen, One Man....but 10-20 or more One Man.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Garageboy]

 

 

I will say "it depends."

I write with a light touch, such that I can't tell any difference. Then again, I have not tried a "soft" gold nib, cuz it is above my budget.

So for my budget range, SS vs. gold, no practical difference.

Go to a pen show/pen meet - play with an $80-120 Pelikan 140, or a 1960s 2 digit Mont blanc ...

[Bo Bo Olson]

From Ron Z

Sheaffer nib sizes....

 

Sheaffer used a dial indicator nib gauge for measuring nib sizes. The nib was inserted into the gauge, and the size read off of the dial. A given size being nibs that fell within a given range. What is listed below were the ranges given on a gauge that I saw in the Sheaffer service center prior to being closed in March 2008.

Measurements are in thousandths of an inch.

XXF = 0.010 - 0.013... ...0.03
XF = 0.013 - 0.018.........0.05
F = 0.018 - 0.025...........0.07
M = 0.025 - 0.031 ........0.06
Broad* = 0.031 - 0.050...0.19....that is a lot of variance!!!!
Stub = 0.038 - 0.050

*there was some overlap on the gauge. May be 0.035 - 0.050

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

A Fat F can = a Skinny M....in all widths....and is normal....but one should figure most of the time it's not going to be exactly on the line.....can you really tell the difference if the F nib is 0.024 and the next M is 0.026?

I couldn't. The most I could say was "Fat" F...."Skinny" M.....(if I cared, which mostly I don't....horseshoe or ponyshoe close...is good enough).

That is just Sheaffer.

Each company has it's own standards....so all F's are not even close to being close....if you don't have pure brand loyalty you will know about that....very often.

Some F is going to be some other companies M...and it might not even be a Skinny M. Does the nib write well?

 

Odd hardly no one complains their F nib is too narrow. And many must be.....but many started out with Japanese nibs as their standard.

When I started out '50-60's, Japan was not in the market in the US (no more than MB or Pelikan). In the '70's Sheaffer had some pens made in then Cheap Japan....locked at 360 Yen to the dollar.

 

Pilot makes skinner nibs than Sailor....so if you want a skinny nib, buy Pilot.

A fine Japanese poster said Japanese nibs are made for printing, finding Western nibs better for cursive.

If you are a printer....go Japanese.

 

Gold vs Steel....play with Osmia Supra 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex nibs in steel or gold, or the semi-flex with the number in a Diamond...in either gold or steel.

I can not tell any difference. ...After getting steel Osmia nibs the first time I kicked my self for chasing only the gold ones. I could have gotten the same pen, €10 cheaper with the same good nib...in steel.

I have 7-8 Osmia that are about half and half steel and gold...in both flexes.

 

The Osmia semi-flex steel nibs compare very well indeed with a Pelikan 140 gold semi-flex.

Both are superb semi-flex nibs. Semi-flex can not be 'compared' to regular flex...even good springy regular flex like the '83-97's Pelikan gold nibs.

 

It could well be that Osmia was the only German company offering steel or gold nibs on top flight pens, so had to have best steel. Osmia was always going broke...so needed to offer a pen a bit cheaper.

 

Perhaps....it's only Osmia that made great steel nibs....out side the War. I don't know. I just know it's possible....can't really suggest it's probable....or there would be others bragging up some others steel nib, like I do for the Osmia.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

"Using a fountain pen will improve one's hand writing."

 

Bye,

S1

[Garageboy]

Oh "it's scratchy because it's an XF/ you're writing too hard" - no, it's scratching because the nib work is (bleep)...

[casualmerlinconstant]

Oh "it's scratchy because it's an XF/ you're writing too hard" - no, it's scratching because the nib work is (bleep)...

+5

[Paddler]

Piston fillers hold more ink than cartridges or sacs. Ain't so.

[hari317]

"piston fillers hold a ton of ink"

 

"C/C pens are infra dig"

 

 

paddler beat me to it.

Edited September 3, 2014 by hari317

[Beckwith]

"Gold nibs are always softer or springier than steel nibs"

 

Kind of like the first comment - just like you can make a "good" steel nib, you can make a gold nib like a nail if you want to

[tonybelding]

I'll start with "Steel nibs can write just as well as gold nibs" - Sure, I've had plenty of nice writing steel nibs, and the Pelikan M200 nibs even spring/cushion a bit. Still doesn't hold a candle to the nice feeling of a nice, softish gold nib.

 

Please keep in mind that many consider soft, or even "softish", to be a bad thing.

[Ted A]

"Eye-droppers hold a huge amount of ink."

 

Technically true, but because it all comes pouring out when it reaches halfway, ruining your page, only half of the huge amount actually does you any good.

[de_pen_dent]

- You should dip your feet in with a cheap pen first.

 

- Gold nibs are better than steel nibs

[WateryFlow]

For a second I thought this thread was gonna be about broad nibs and generalisations about them. Good job because there ain't much to say there

 

Well anyway, here's mine:

"don't let anyone else use your FP because it will ruin it as the nib shapes to each individual". No it won't

Edited September 3, 2014 by WateryFlow

[Bo Bo Olson]

No, but if you tell some ball point user that, he won't bend your nib as he tries to jab it to get some ink out of the point.

[chas0039]

Over the nine years I've been on this board, I've heard many statements repeated over and over again. Many have held true, but some things you have to see for yourself

 

I'll start with "Steel nibs can write just as well as gold nibs" - Sure, I've had plenty of nice writing steel nibs, and the Pelikan M200 nibs even spring/cushion a bit. Still doesn't hold a candle to the nice feeling of a nice, softish gold nib.

More than just a few pen experts and a few manufacturers will disagree with you. I think that usually I see this as "Gold nibs are better than steel nibs".

 

"...just as well..." is a bit ambiguous.

[chas0039]

Asian nibs are 1 size smaller than Western nibs.

Based on actual measuring of my nibs with a dial caliper (accurate to 0.001 inch), the difference is between 2 sizes and 0.

Because not all Asian nibs are the same grading, and not all Western nibs are the same grading.

Examples:

- Asian Baoer 388 M = 0.024 inch vs. Western Lamy Safari XF = 0.025 inch. This is 2 sizes different.

- Asian Pilot Metro M = 0.029 inch vs. Western US Parker M = 0.030 inch. This is the same.

 

- Asian Baoer 388 M = 0.024 inch, Asian Ohto Tasche F = 0.025 inch. This is 1 size different.

 

- Western US Parker M = 0.030 inch, Western Waterman F = 0.030 inch. This is 1 size different.

- Western US Parker F = 0.020 inch, Western Lamy Safari XF = 0.025 inch. This is about 1-1/2 size different.

Not sure where you got your measurements on Parker and Waterman:

 

http://www.nibs.com/TippingSizespage.htm

 

but the thing I find to be true more than anything is that the size of the nib,as measured often does not indicate how fine or broad it will actually be. I have a number of pens with the same measurement and different lines when inked, same paper, same ink.