What Is The Largest (Not Line Size, But Physically Largest) Nib/pen?

[Arctic_Wolf]

I'm curious, since pens with larger nibs will have difficulty filling out of certain bottles, what's the largest nib you've come across, and how big was it?

[NinthSphere]

Longest I own would be the long Sheaffer inlaids. Otherwise, #6 Jowos. Neither has any filling trouble.

 

I know #8 nibs are out there, but I've never seen one in person.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Size 8 is the biggest.

I had a 'no name' size 7...that was huge.

Most of my nibs are the standard size 3, 4 1/2 or 5. In I prefer Standard and Medium-Large pens.

 

I think my modern MB Large 146 is a # 6. My MB Woolfe is a slight tad bigger...perhaps a 6 1/4th? Not a 7.

My 50's medium-large 146 could be a 5 1/2 or 5 3/4ths.

 

I have two # 2's, no # 1.

 

Of course there is some variance between companies....like in widths of line.

[proton007]

The biggest I've seen? That would be the Namiki Emperor, it's a full 1cm wide. My wallet unfortunately is not large enough to afford it.

Followed by the MB 149 and the Pelikan M1000.

And then the Jowo #6 nibs.

 

Regarding the difficulty with filling, in my experience it's the nib section that presents the difficulty, not the nib's own size. Most nibs are not large enough to be larger than the smaller ink bottles' openings.

 

On the contrary, some bottles are too small! Especially the Diamine 30ml bottles, they're a pain to deal with.

Edited December 23, 2015 by proton007

[FarmBoy]

For a production fountain pen nib likely it is a Waterman 10 or a Parker 12 size nib.

For a dip nib, I've seen a nib 2.75" long and just about .7" wide at the shoulder.

[DanceOfLight]

The biggest I've seen? That would be the Namiki Emperor, it's a full 1cm wide. My wallet unfortunately is not large enough to afford it.

Followed by the MB 149 and the Pelikan M1000.

And then the Jowo #6 nibs.

 

Regarding the difficulty with filling, in my experience it's the nib section that presents the difficulty, not the nib's own size. Most nibs are not large enough to be larger than the smaller ink bottles' openings.

 

On the contrary, some bottles are too small! Especially the Diamine 30ml bottles, they're a pain to deal with.

Add the #8 nib of the Delta Dolcevita Oversize to that (and several pentime spin-offs based on the same), this is one BIG pen, no it doesn't rival the Namiki though. There is of course the Romillo with their #9 Nibs [http://www.romillopens.com/] .

[georgeb]

The Guider Jumbo is a large pen.

[gerigo]

The largest regular production nib I know of today is the size 50 Namiki Emperor nib as proton007 is said. It's an eye dropper so one never submerges the nib in an ink bottle to fill it with ink.

[Christopher Godfrey]

I suspect that FarmBoy is probably correct about the Waterman's #10... (It's enormous! I think you could easily dig potatoes with it -- if you were so inclined!)

[cakibler]

I had a Bernard Bernolet that I had purchased from Regina Martini years ago. It was and still is a large nib comparable in size to a Waterman 10 or a Parker #12. I also have a Moore Monarch nib that is pretty good sized and I once owned a Dunn Giant pen that had a very large nib. http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q127/cakibler/Giantpens2-1.jpg

Edited January 1, 2016 by cakibler

[zaddick]

I had a Bernard Bernolet that I had purchased from Regina Martini years ago. It was and still is a large nib comparable in size to a Waterman 10 or a Parker #12. I also have a Moore Monarch nib that is pretty good sized and I once owned a Dunn Giant pen that had a very large nib. http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q127/cakibler/Giantpens2-1.jpg

I have one of the BB pens and it is the same size nib as the Namiki 50, and I think they are the same as the Danitrio Yokozuna nib and the old Bexley Giant nib. I have a Montegrappa nib from around the 1950s that makes those all look small.

Edited January 5, 2016 by zaddick

[mirosc]

if inlaid nibs count I'll throw in the Pilot Super Ultra 500

[TinyTim]

I have one of the BB pens and it is the same size nib as the Namiki 50, and I think they are the same as the Danitrio Yokozuna nib and the old Bexley Giant nib. I have a Montegrappa nib from around the 1950s that makes those all look small.

Hi Zaddick

 

I know i am raking up a really old post but do you still have the BB pen? would you be kind enough to show it? and if i can push my luck then how about a size comparison of the nibs with pens of your choice?

Edited July 14, 2020 by shanbo

[hari317]

Old topic. Largest nibs have to be the integrated nibs like the Parker T1 Parker 50 falcon, pilot myu murex and hero 849/850.

[Thymen]

Well... this one?

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/291102-pens-everyone-seems-to-love-that-you-hate/?p=3512180

[zaddick]

Hi Zaddick

 

I know i am raking up a really old post but do you still have the BB pen? would you be kind enough to show it? and if i can push my luck then how about a size comparison of the nibs with pens of your choice?

 

No problem. Here are comparison shots to a Namiki #50

 

 

 

[zaddick]

Here are shots compared to an MB 149 and a Pelikan M800

 

 

 

[zaddick]

Here is a large custom ebonite and mother of pearl pen I had made for a spare BB nib.

 

 

[Christopher Godfrey]

I have a Waterman 58 in BHR which is equipped with a #8 nib; but John Mottishaw has a Waterman 20 (also in BHR) for sale which has a #10 nib!

 

My #8 shows 1 1/8" visible, protruding beyond the section. It is pretty big! ( it is flexible!)

[TinyTim]

Beautiful Zaddick.

 

Thank you for taking the time and effort to show this. The Nib does look massive.

 

Is the BB pen (prototype) an eye dropper? What sort of filling mechanism is there in it?

Also for the custom body which filling mechanism did you end up getting?