A Nib That Feels Like A Soft Pencil

[vorpal]

I love the feeling of my 4B pencil strolling across a page. Is there any fountain pen nib that can imitate this velvety sensation?

[I.M.]

When I use my Faber-Castell E-Motion I often think it's like a soft pencil It even whispers like a pencil. If you can try before you buy you won't be disappointed.

Edited October 26, 2015 by I.M.

[pajaro]

Try a Pelikan M8XX or M1XXX. A Montblanc. A well used Parker 51. Waterman Carene.

[vorpal]

Do the less expensive Faber-Castell's use the same nibs as the E-Motion?

[vorpal]

As for Pelikan M8XX or M1XXX...they are a bit pricy to test!

[Andreas Weber]

Do the less expensive Faber-Castell's use the same nibs as the E-Motion?

 

Yes. Basic, Loom, Ambition, Ondoro ...

Edited October 26, 2015 by Andreas Weber

[max dog]

Montblanc EF nibs. Just lovely!

[jjlax10]

Try a double broad nib from pilot.

[ink-syringe]

4B pencil? nope.

 

Closest to a pencil like feel I have had from a pen are: Aurora and Platinum nibs. That well tuned but slightly under polished nib with a nice ink (say Aurora Black) will give you that slightly "gritty butter" feel you get with a pencil. But not enough to make it feel like a 4B. That is bonkers. A 4B is a black, soft, & creamy pencil.

Edited October 27, 2015 by ink-syringe

[vorpal]

Yes...soft, creamy...lovely. Well, it was worth asking! When the next pen show comes around, I will try these out.

[mirosc]

you will not get the same feeling, not really - after all you drag metal across a paper.

There are many nibs out there that provide a soft feeling (Visconti's Dreamtouch nibs come to mind, everything that's broad and juicy,...), but it's different, no doubt about it.

[vorpal]

Yup. A pen show looks like the best bet. I know the feeling cannot be exactly duplicated...but I do love that slight feedback from a soft pencil.

[Drone]

Charcoal Black Lamy Safari with 1.1mm stub nib filled with Diamine Graphite. That's what I use - feels a lot like a fat 2B pencil

[Glenn Atkins]

Pilot E95s, or the Japanese equivalent in medium. Vanishing Point a close second.

 

Glenn

[bitterwonder]

4B pencil? nope.

 

Closest to a pencil like feel I have had from a pen are: Aurora and Platinum nibs. That well tuned but slightly under polished nib with a nice ink (say Aurora Black) will give you that slightly "gritty butter" feel you get with a pencil. But not enough to make it feel like a 4B. That is bonkers. A 4B is a black, soft, & creamy pencil.

 

Platinum music nib, sometimes Noodlers music nib, Pilot 74 b nib, Vanishing point with b nib ( but mine is a dozen years old).

[Grafeus]

When I use my Faber-Castell E-Motion I often think it's like a soft pencil It even whispers like a pencil. If you can try before you buy you won't be disappointed.

 

Gotta say Faber-Castell came immediately to my mind too. My experience is with a Faber-Castell Basic Anthracite and it has a phenomenal nib. Soft and smooth and yet with just the right amount of bite. Very reminiscent of a soft pencil. Which is as it should be since Faber Castell's knowledge/experience in pencil-making is second to none.

 

Do the less expensive Faber-Castell's use the same nibs as the E-Motion?

 

As far as I know Basic, Loom and E-motion share the same nibs.

[rwilsonedn]

I don't think a nib could ever feel like a pencil. With a pencil, you are pressing down enough to rub material off onto the paper. With a fountain pen, you aren't pressing down--the nib is just touching the paper and capillary action is transferring the ink. With no pressure, it's bound to feel different from a pencil.

ron

[missuslovett]

I know just what you mean. There's a kind of round softness to the feel of it on the paper. My MB 264 OM does this and so does my snakeskin Swan and both of them are flexible.

[vorpal]

I don't think a nib could ever feel like a pencil. With a pencil, you are pressing down enough to rub material off onto the paper. With a fountain pen, you aren't pressing down--the nib is just touching the paper and capillary action is transferring the ink. With no pressure, it's bound to feel different from a pencil.

ron

The reason I use soft pencils is that I don't have to press down. I have a 9B pencil that just skates over paper...but of course, needs to be sharpened about once a second.

 

I have, um, penciled in the Atlanta Pen Show into my calender and I will take my pencils with me to compare. It's a pleasant, if possibly futile, quest.

Edited October 31, 2015 by vorpal

[Venemo]

The closest to that is my Esterbrook 2668 nib. But 4B sets a pretty high bar, doesn't it?