Vintage Nibs For #6 Jowo Housings?

[comixfan]

Just throwing this out there, as I figure there might be some knowledgeable folks who have done this already-- are there are any recommendations for nibs (especially vintage) to swap into pens fit for #6 JoWo nibs? I have a few custom pens made for the #6 Jowo housing and I feel like the standard Jowo nibs don't do these pens justice, so I'd like to change it up and put something unique into those bodies. Any recommendations? I'm particularly fond of flexy nibs, but I'd be happy with a smooth writing nail, too. Interesting breather hole shapes would be a plus (like keyholes, crescents, hearts, etc.). Thanks!

[sidthecat]

I’m looking at the question from the other end: I recently acquired a dip pen with a huge #11 nib and I wondered if anyone made a fountain pen big enough to use it? The thing’s about 7.5 mm across.

[terim]

On 2/23/2018 at 10:24 PM, comixfan said:

Just throwing this out there, as I figure there might be some knowledgeable folks who have done this already-- are there are any recommendations for nibs (especially vintage) to swap into pens fit for #6 JoWo nibs? I have a few custom pens made for the #6 Jowo housing and I feel like the standard Jowo nibs don't do these pens justice, so I'd like to change it up and put something unique into those bodies. Any recommendations? I'm particularly fond of flexy nibs, but I'd be happy with a smooth writing nail, too. Interesting breather hole shapes would be a plus (like keyholes, crescents, hearts, etc.). Thanks!

 

We've experimented a lot with vintage nibs, and the only ones we found that fit the #6 well were Waterman 100 year pen or Emblem nibs.  These came in various sizes for the various 100 year pens, so I can't be sure which exact nib was a good fit.

[como]

I once inquired from a nibmeister about getting a vintage nib to fit a Jowo or Bock 6 housing. The answer was: difficult to find. He also mentioned Waterman 100 year. I’ve since abandoned the idea.

[sansenri]

The answer is difficult because vintage nibs were often smaller than size 6, and not always size was standard.

You are better off trying to fit more modern nibs in a size 6 housing, although Jowo feeds are peculiar as they are wider at the nib shoulder (Bock nibs are more easily swapped with others).

I have successfully fitted Delta, Omas, Ancora, Visconti nibs in size 6 housing.

It's not all downhill. The main issue is not so much the size of the nib, size 6 nibs are compatible with respect to diameter of the feed, but it's not granted they will be the same thickness (gold nibs are often thinner than steel nibs)! When they are not, they will fit but will not stay in place!

You need to play with the nib housing, feed and nib to find the right match, and that may imply having several spare nibs, feeds and housing and often pens...

[Karmachanic]

On 2/24/2018 at 6:24 AM, comixfan said:

I'm particularly fond of flexy nibs

 

Failing all else, Pablo at FPnibs can grind a very nice semi-flex 14k Jowo for you

[como]

25 minutes ago, Karmachanic said:

 

Failing all else, Pablo at FPnibs can grind a very nice semi-flex 14k Jowo for you

@Karmachanic May I ask if this Jowo semi-flex can easily flex to over 1mm assuming it’s an EF without too much pressure? The website says they are on holiday. 
@sansenri Do you know if I can fit a a Jowo 5 into a Visconti Van Gogh (new style with steel nib, size 5 nib), hopefully without tinkering with feed? I am a bit tired of my Visconti steel nib and am thinking about getting a modern flex into this pen.

 

Thank you both!

[Karmachanic]

1 hour ago, como said:

May I ask if this Jowo semi-flex can easily flex to over 1mm assuming it’s an EF without too much pressure? The website says they are on holiday.

 

I have a #5 0.5 CI and a #6 0.6CI, not that I use them for flex writing, but because I enjoy the softness that these modifications provide.  I just now had a try and can say I can easily get 4-5x the natural line width with the #5, which is inked at present.

 

A companion for your Calligraphy?

[como]

47 minutes ago, Karmachanic said:

A companion for your Calligraphy?

@Karmachanic Thank you! I have a few vintage pens that have similar nib performance as the MB 149 Calligraphy, but they are smaller pens (as many vintage pens are, compared to modern ones). I am interested in trying a Spencerian grind which I think probably produces just one notch thinner lines than the Calligraphy (but maybe I am expecting too much, as Calligraphy is already an EF). As I don’t really love the looks of several options on the market (Pilot Falcon, Pilot Custom 912 w Spencerian grind), I am exploring options of getting a suitable nib to fit in the pens I have. Maybe it’s not necessary. The 149C is excellent, though I am forever curious.

 

To OP and moderator: sorry for being off topic!

[sansenri]

2 hours ago, como said:

@Karmachanic May I ask if this Jowo semi-flex can easily flex to over 1mm assuming it’s an EF without too much pressure? The website says they are on holiday. 
@sansenri Do you know if I can fit a a Jowo 5 into a Visconti Van Gogh (new style with steel nib, size 5 nib), hopefully without tinkering with feed? I am a bit tired of my Visconti steel nib and am thinking about getting a modern flex into this pen.

 

Thank you both!

 

I'm not sure you can do that, the Van Gogh Visconti nib I think it's Bock. Possibly it could be a 076 nib but I'm not 100% sure.

In such case, I would think the existing feed would work fine.

[como]

7 minutes ago, sansenri said:

 

I'm not sure you can do that, the Van Gogh Visconti nib I think it's Bock. Possibly it could be a 076 nib but I'm not 100% sure.

In such case, I would think the existing feed would work fine.

@sansenri I just had a look on fpnibs.com. I think you are right, Bock 076 looks very similar if not exactly the same as the steel nib on new style Visconti Van Gogh, both the nib shape and the feed. Unfortunately for this model they cannot add flex. So most likely I will find a Jowo 6 14k to be ground to XXF and add flex. I have several pens that will take Jowo 6 nibs. Thank you very much!

[sansenri]

@como

this seems to confirm

 

a Visconti Van Gogh on the left (but this is first version with 14k nib)

a Kaweco Dia II on the right, to which I have changed the nib with a Bock 076

 

and these are the feeds which look identical to me

[sansenri]

17 minutes ago, como said:

@sansenri I just had a look on fpnibs.com. I think you are right, Bock 076 looks very similar if not exactly the same as the steel nib on new style Visconti Van Gogh, both the nib shape and the feed. Unfortunately for this model they cannot add flex. So most likely I will find a Jowo 6 14k to be ground to XXF and add flex. I have several pens that will take Jowo 6 nibs. Thank you very much!

 

That's probably best, I would assume the 076 is to short and wide to be able to add flex.

Still a nice nib, the swap on my Dia II has been beneficial.

[como]

7 minutes ago, sansenri said:

 

That's probably best, I would assume the 076 is to short and wide to be able to add flex.

Still a nice nib, the swap on my Dia II has been beneficial.

Yes, I agree. I might still get the Bock 076 gold nib to put on my Visconti Van Gogh anyway. It will probably feel nicer to write with 🙂. Original Visconti gold nibs are so expensive. I can’t even find a size 5 anyway. Thank you!

[sansenri]

they are available (probably one of the large shops in Milano or Rome could find you one), but yes, expensive, perhaps too much when bough separately.

[sansenri]

3 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

 

Failing all else, Pablo at FPnibs can grind a very nice semi-flex 14k Jowo for you

This is possibly the best answer for the OP, the FPnibs semi-flex 14 Jowo is a very nice nib.

 

 

[A Smug Dill]

On 2/24/2018 at 5:24 PM, comixfan said:

I have a few custom pens made for the #6 Jowo housing and I feel like the standard Jowo nibs don't do these pens justice,

 

Does that include 18K gold JoWo nibs? If you meant ‘justice’ as in matching the level of ‘luxury’ of having custom-made pens, then spending more money on a higher-grade of nib is the obvious move to bridge the gap.

 

On 2/24/2018 at 5:24 PM, comixfan said:

so I'd like to change it up and put something unique into those bodies.

 

On the other hand, if you meant the nibs should also be custom to match, (as suggested) you can always just pay a nibmeister to regrind a nib to your individual specifications and make it unique that way, even though the fee spent would only add value to you and not the inherent value of the nib to anyone else who sees it (or potentially buys the pen off you at a later date).

[lionelc]

6 hours ago, como said:

Jowo semi-flex can easily flex to over 1mm

i get 0.2mm to 2mm for the jowo semiflex by pablo safely.  he also does a full flex jowo 6 that would probably be better off in the hands of yourself or @fpupulin, it's essentially a modern wet noodle - my hand isnt light enough for it yet.

[como]

@lionelc Thank you! I will inquire from Pablo what’s the best setup for Spencerian. The price of this Jowo nib will be in the same range as the whole pen plus nib modification of Pilot Falcon at nibs.com (with Mottishaw Spencerian grind) so I will hope that the Pablo modification will perform at least as good as the Falcon Mottishaw grind. For the moment I am still practicing and learning with MB 149 Calligraphy.

[Jamerelbe]

Hi all, be advised that if you're wanting to order custom grinds from Pablo at fpnibs.com, you're going to have to wait: there's a little note at the top of their page saying "This store is CLOSED till September for holidays."