Jump to content

The Strange Case Of Mr. Pen's Nibs


Wrecky

Recommended Posts

I'm ready to try my luck at line variation. So I'm looking at mr. Pen's Italix range. Seems they have a lot of options to choose from.

It was all a bit confusing to me, so I've made a list. Hopefully it's useful for someone.

 

 

 

post-133485-0-24735200-1483391482_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 49
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Wrecky

    17

  • truthpil

    16

  • ParkerDuofold

    5

  • NinthSphere

    3

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Thank you for this; I've been considering a PE with a medium cursive stub nib... now I know it is one mm wide... I was wondering what his definition of medium was. :)

 

Now I may want to consider a fine instead. :unsure:

 

- Anthony

Edited by ParkerDuofold
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've contacted mr. Pen about it, and he confirms stubs are slightly reduced.

Okay, thank you much for the info, that helps me a lot picking a nib.

 

- Anthony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently purchased a churchman''s prescriptor. The nib is terrific but the pen is too big and too heavy for my hand. What other pens will accept this nib? Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently purchased a churchman''s prescriptor. The nib is terrific but the pen is too big and too heavy for my hand. What other pens will accept this nib? Thanks

Do you know if it is a #6? If it is, there's quite a few. :)

 

Jinhao x450/750

Kaigelu 316

Noodlers Konrad/Ahab

Some Conklin and Monteverde pens like the Duragraph

TWSBI 580

And more, but these are off the top of my head.

 

- Anthony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently purchased a churchman''s prescriptor. The nib is terrific but the pen is too big and too heavy for my hand. What other pens will accept this nib? Thanks

Just to follow-up; unfortunately, their website doesn't say, but it looks like a #6 to me... hopefully someone who knows for sure will chime in. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, let us know what you decided and provide a writing example! ;)

Hi Wrecky,

 

I think I'll probably go for the fine; I want the "calligraphy look" to be present, but subtle. :)

 

- Anthony

Edited by ParkerDuofold
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently purchased a churchman''s prescriptor. The nib is terrific but the pen is too big and too heavy for my hand. What other pens will accept this nib? Thanks

 

Why don't you contact mr.Pen?

 

 

Hi Wrecky,

 

I think I'll probably go for the fine; I want the "calligraphy look" to be present, but subtle. :)

 

- Anthony

 

Might be too subtle for me though.

Edited by Wrecky
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a 'true' regular flex Oblique, and tested another. :( Little to no line variation.

I had a nail oblique :angry: that is now a CI and gives line variation that it didn't do before.

 

I have some 16-17 German vintage '50-66' era obliques in semi-flax and a @ 1/3 are maxi-semi-flex.....there I have great line variation. :notworthy1: :thumbup: :puddle:

The majority are @ 15 degree grind, @ 1/3 are 30 degree grind. There is no rhyme nor reason to that. Could be they fixed the Original owner up at the corner pen shop....

 

I think any oblique that is not a Swan, or English made also from the '30-50's of German from the '30-65 era in semi-flex is a waste of money....in you do not get the line variation.

 

If you are left eye dominate and always cant your nib.....or are one of the left handers that hook write......modern Oblique is a waste of time and money. The line variation is nothing or next to nothing compared to semi&maxi-semi-flex.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Just to follow-up; unfortunately, their website doesn't say, but it looks like a #6 to me... hopefully someone who knows for sure will chime in. :)

 

I can confirm this. The Churchman's Prescriptor uses a #6 nib, as does the Captain's Commission. The Churchman's Prescriptor uses a removable nib assembly (made up of a nib, feed and threaded housing) that appears identical to the one in my Edison Collier. In fact, I have swapped these nib assemblies between my Italix Churchman's Prescriptor and Edison Collier several times with no ill effects.

 

The Italix Captain's Commission also uses a #6 nib, but does not use removable nib assemblies like the ICP and the Collier... The nib and feed are friction fit. They just pull out of the socket in the grip section, and are easily replaced.

Edited by bigkahuna
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since I couldn't make up my mind, I did what any sane person would do and I went for Parson's Three:

  1. Black with Medium Italic (1mm). I specified no engraving but it came with a barely visible engraving "Italix Parson's Essential"
  2. Amber, Medium Cursive Stub
  3. Blue, Broad Cursive Stub

I'm inking them up now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ooh ooh....please give us a comparison writing sample!

I've been pondering for weeks over whether to get a fine, medium, or broad cursive stub.

 

I have the medium italic and it is amazing, but no good for writing quickly because my hand may turn a little and the edges of the crisp nib catch the paper. The regular italics (Mr. Pen used to call them 'crisp italics' a few years back) are wonderfully smooth but definitely have a sweet spot.

 

My priority for my next Parson's Essential purchase is an insanely smooth, free-flowing nib, which is why I'm struggling particularly between medium and broad cursive stub. My worry about going all in on the broad is that the line might be ridiculously big for my writing. A comparison would definitely help with figuring that out! :D

fpn_1451608922__truthpil_signature_small

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brilliant! Thanks for posting those!

 

What are your thoughts on the pens? Which nib is your favorite so far? Smoothest writer?

How does the writing experience differ between the IM and CM?

 

That cursive broad nib is looking more manageable than I had thought. Hmm....

fpn_1451608922__truthpil_signature_small

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone have line measurements or writing samples for Mr. Pen's oblique nibs?

Would they be the same as the standard, unmodified nibs?

The numbers above are for the italics and stubs.

fpn_1451608922__truthpil_signature_small

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The upper writing example is Rhodia paper, the lower one is Atoma cream colored paper 90 gr/m². I really recommend this Atoma paper.

 

I like all three of them, but I like the medium italic most. The broad cursive is nice if you want to emphasize. I use that for titles mostly. But the cursive italic is nothing to sneeze at either.

 

That being said, the medium italic tends to run dry after a while with the converter installed.. Bear in mind, I don't use it to write long texts continuously. I use it to take notes, or to jot down short text. So I was disappointed that it tended to run dry. I cleaned it thoroughly before inking them up for the first time, so that couldn't be the problem.

That seems to be a standard problem with standard international converter, as mentioned by others, and the converter fits pretty snug on the collector.

This in stark contrast with the FB Loom that barely holds on to the cartridges and doesn't have this problem. If you fit a mini cartridge in the Loom, you need to jam it up against the converter by backing it up with a second mini cartridge in the back of the barrel.

 

Then I used one of the gratis provided cartridges in the med italic. The ink was black, but it came out dull and grey. I tried to drain the feed, but it kept writing dry. Squeezed the cartridge a couple of times and that saturated the feed, solving the problem. I'll be taking it outside to a meeting tomorrow, see how it performs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone have line measurements or writing samples for Mr. Pen's oblique nibs?

Would they be the same as the standard, unmodified nibs?

The numbers above are for the italics and stubs.

 

I don't have the obliques, but you have to understand, don't expect any line variation from an basic oblique nib. Left or right oblique is used to compensate for the extra rotation some people put the nib on the paper with.

Only the combination of oblique with italic or cursive will give line variation.

At least, that's my understanding.

 

"Oblique nibs can be ground with round tips that simply accommodate rotation of the pen, or they can be ground to produce line variation in the same manner as an italic. Oblique italics must be ground to the same essential design as italics if they are to exhibit good line variation. Most modern manufacturers grind their obliques as ordinary round nibs that accommodate rotation." http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/nibs/beyond.htm

 

But keep in mind that Mr. Pen seems to use a somewhat different nomenclature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...