Bock Nibs, How Good Are They?

[Tinjapan]

Over the last year I have run across two local, in Japan, hand crafted fountain makers that use Bock nibs. Now these pens are stunning to look at and none too cheap in price. However, I can get really good Sailor, Pilot and Platinum pens for the same or less. So, how do Bock nibs measure up to the domestic, Japanese, nibs?

 

I have no bias, just have no knowledge of Bock nibs.

 

Thanks in advance for any and all comment.

[Randal6393]

Western sizes run one size larger than the Japanese equivalents. So, a Bock F would be a Japanese M size. Bock nibs are good nibs, some of the best made in Germany. Most German nibs tend to the juicy, wet side of the spectrum. If you are looking for a wet pen, daily writer with excellent nib, well, a Bock nib would be a good starting point.

 

Best of luck,

[Ambien]

Nice nibs from my personal exp.

[jar]

Nibs depend far more on how they are specified by the marque buying the nibs and from in0house finishing at the marque than on the original maker.

[Tinjapan]

Western sizes run one size larger than the Japanese equivalents. So, a Bock F would be a Japanese M size. Bock nibs are good nibs, some of the best made in Germany. Most German nibs tend to the juicy, wet side of the spectrum. If you are looking for a wet pen, daily writer with excellent nib, well, a Bock nib would be a good starting point.

 

Best of luck,

Thanks for your comments. You did answer as I asked, yet not what I was looking for. Problem lies with the question. Let's try this

 

You want a new pen. You could choose a mass produced Pilot, Sailor or Platinum from their respective catologs. Although a catolog pen, each offers stylish models that suit your tastes and you know from experience that each will write beautifully right out of the box.

 

But over here are hand made pens of dear antler, wood or ebonite. Lovely, unique. Some really are to your liking. But they are a bit more expensive say 40% more and have Bock nibs mounted. Would the Bock nibs turn you away from the hand made pens?

 

Why or why not?

[dneal]

Thanks for your comments. You did answer as I asked, yet not what I was looking for. Problem lies with the question. Let's try this

 

You want a new pen. You could choose a mass produced Pilot, Sailor or Platinum from their respective catologs. Although a catolog pen, each offers stylish models that suit your tastes and you know from experience that each will write beautifully right out of the box.

 

But over here are hand made pens of dear antler, wood or ebonite. Lovely, unique. Some really are to your liking. But they are a bit more expensive say 40% more and have Bock nibs mounted. Would the Bock nibs turn you away from the hand made pens?

 

Why or why not?

 

If I were going to buy a hand-made Japanese pen, I would prefer a Japanese nib for no other reason than cultural consistency. I wouldn't choose not to buy the pen simply because it had a Bock nib though.

 

As far as writing goes, and aside from the differences in width grading, they're all good quality nibs. Given the attention to writing performance the Japanese shops seem to provide, either should prove satisfactory.

[Ambien]

But over here are hand made pens of dear antler, wood or ebonite. Lovely, unique. Some really are to your liking. But they are a bit more expensive say 40% more and have Bock nibs mounted. Would the Bock nibs turn you away from the hand made pens?

 

Why or why not?

 

Depends if they will try to fit a JPN nib too. Although they might struggle to find one FP company willing to sell a separate nib unit vs entire pen.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Csrae

[tinta]

A high-end Danitrio pen may be crafted or finished in Japan, but will sport a German nib (made to their specifications).

I suspect that the Japanese Big Three may be reluctant to sell nibs alone to a domestic maker.

On the other hand, I have seen Sailor or Pilot nibs on current Hakasa pens.

[pavoni]

I have both Nakaya and Platinum pens among my Montblanc, Pelikans, Visconti, UHU, Onoto, Conway Stewart, Waterman, Mabie Todd, Parker and other such pens. I have also had 3 different Bock nibs on my Conid Bulkfiller.

 

Where a pen brand make their own nibs, I would always prefer the in-house nib. They don't all write beautifully straight out of the box however.

 

Given my relatively positive experience, I personally would not be put off from buying, or look to pay less for, a handmade or bespoke pen simply because it carried a Bock nib.

 

Bock are a reputable company who understand about nibs.

 

Pavoni.

Edited March 18, 2015 by pavoni

[rwilsonedn]

I think this is a really interesting question that leads to many other questions.

First, do you really care? Do you enjoy the little details of an elegant writing experience, or do you just want the pen to write well and reliably? If the latter, you can probably count on any Bock nib to give you a big, smooth sweet spot and, when it's tuned properly, reliable flow.

Second, if you do care, does the pen maker? Is he buying Bock off-the-shelf nibs because that way he doesn't have to think about the nibs? Or is there some deeper reason?

Third, if there is a deeper reason, what is it? Is he buying a stock nib and customizing it in some way? Does he tailor it to your hand and style, as some Japanese pen masters do? Does he modify or replace the stock feed? Or is he buying a special-order nib that meets some extra requirements, like softness, or flex, or availability in stub and oblique grinds?

If the question is the intangible one of "given the Bock nib, is this really a custom pen, or is it a fancy kit pen?", I think the answer is entirely in the mind of the beholder.

ron

[Bo Bo Olson]

Sigh, I do like the vintage Bock nibs....have 5-6, from nail, regular flex, semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex. Have them in both gold and steel....both very good.

 

Many top pen companies do have Bock nibs, like Visconti.

There's a big list....somewhere.

 

The companies order what they want in a nib, and or what they want to pay. There fore Bock nibs can vary.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Bo Bo Olson

[tanalasta]

Hard to decide ... a 'Bock' nib - Bock make so many different nibs for different manufacturers that it is difficult to generalise how re: a bock nib. One may be quite different to the other. Just as some Visconti nibs are decidedly better (and/or worse) than others.

 

Then again, high end manufacturers to do use Bock in their gold and non-gold nib manufacture. I find their quality 'average' in that I do find their nibs somewhat lacking in character, stiff and perhaps overly smooth. Nib preferences can be personal.

 

There is nothing however fundamentally wrong with a bock nib. Ignore the brand. Write with the pen. Then decide.