Leonardo Officina Italiana - Momento Zero

[dms525]

Nibs dot com has a chart comparing nib widths for various pens. It does not include steel nibs, because nibs dot com only sells pens with gold nibs. Here's a link:

 

https://www.nibs.com/content/nib-tipping-sizes

 

David

[Mezu]

This'll be helpful: https://www.gouletpens.com/pages/nib-nook.  I've found it to be fairly accurate even with a sample size of one.

 

Compare the LAMY steel with Goulet's (Jowo) #6.

[A Smug Dill]

8 minutes ago, dysmedia said:

I'm trying to find some way of figuring out what I've just ordered...

 

I have received two (out of three Leonardo pens I ever ordered) Leonardo EF nibs. Both came with asymmetrical tipping that was not equal in height between the two (uneven) hemispheres. So, I personally wouldn't count on any consistency in what Leonardo sends out having any consistency or even proper QC, with regard to the nibs and their performance.

 

(The first pen I ordered I still have, after I reground the nib to make it write properly. The second pen I ordered was never dispatched by the retailer, purportedly on account of Leonardo failing to supply the EF nib I asked for in reasonable time, and eventually the order got cancelled after some four months. The third pen was received, inspected, and rejected and returned to the retailer without being inked.)

 

None of them had JoWo-made #6 F nibs though, to be fair; so I can't help you with what to positively expect, sorry.

 

[dysmedia]

54 minutes ago, dms525 said:

Nibs dot com has a chart comparing nib widths for various pens. It does not include steel nibs, because nibs dot com only sells pens with gold nibs. Here's a link:

 

https://www.nibs.com/content/nib-tipping-sizes

 

David

 

@dms525 When you say it's a nail, do you mean that you find it less interesting than Leonardo's Bock steel nibs? Apparently they have some bounce — that appeals to me.

 

Edited January 14, 2022 by dysmedia

[dysmedia]

12 minutes ago, Mezu said:

This'll be helpful: https://www.gouletpens.com/pages/nib-nook.  I've found it to be fairly accurate even with a sample size of one.

 

Compare the LAMY steel with Goulet's (Jowo) #6.

 

Ah, thank you; that's helpful.  It accords with what I just found here — samples from this precise Leonardo nib: https://www.stiloestile.it/en/refills/fountain-pens/nibs/leonardo-officina-italiana-pennino-di-ricambio-messenger

 

And here are samples from the Lamy:  https://www.stiloestile.it/en/fountain-pens/lamy-safari-umbra-penna-stilografica

 

It does seem that they're roughly comparable. The Leonardo might even be a touch finer.

[dms525]

2 hours ago, dysmedia said:

 

@dms525 When you say it's a nail, do you mean that you find it less interesting than Leonardo's Bock steel nibs? Apparently they have some bounce — that appeals to me.

 

Yes. The steel JoWo nibs Leonardo uses are quite stiff. 

 

Of the various nibs Leonardo has used, the Bock 14Kt gold nibs had the most spring, in my experience.

 

David

[dysmedia]

14 hours ago, dms525 said:

Yes. The steel JoWo nibs Leonardo uses are quite stiff. 

 

Of the various nibs Leonardo has used, the Bock 14Kt gold nibs had the most spring, in my experience.

 

David

 

Okay, I decided to be less lazy; I tracked down a brick and mortar shop that had a number of Leonardos in stock, which I had a chance to try.  I'd say the Fine is similar to my Lamy F; maybe a *touch* wider.  It is, yes, pretty stiff, but extremely smooth.  Probably right for my tiny handwriting (which is more like printing).

 

AND: I had the opportunity to try out a special edition Momento Zero — the "Romolo" (pictured) — which has a flexible JoWo steel nib! I liked it, but I'm not keen on the color, which is said to be inspired by the ground beside the Tiber.  I expect others will like the color a lot, actually; I'm just not in the market for a brownish pen. This is the first "Seven Kings of Rome" edition, in a run of 100. Every year they're going to release a new edition, named after a different king. I believe the only place you can order them from is the store I visited:  Stilo Fetti, one of the venerable Roman establishments.  https://www.stilofetti.it/gb/716-753-romolo-il-i-re-limited-edition

 

(Now we just have to pester Leonardo to produce this nib in a replacement module.)

Edited January 14, 2022 by dysmedia

[dms525]

7 hours ago, dysmedia said:

 

Okay, I decided to be less lazy; I tracked down a brick and mortar shop that had a number of Leonardos in stock, which I had a chance to try.  I'd say the Fine is similar to my Lamy F; maybe a *touch* wider.  It is, yes, pretty stiff, but extremely smooth.  Probably right for my tiny handwriting (which is more like printing).

 

AND: I had the opportunity to try out a special edition Momento Zero — the "Romolo" (pictured) — which has a flexible JoWo steel nib! I liked it, but I'm not keen on the color, which is said to be inspired by the ground beside the Tiber.  I expect others will like the color a lot, actually; I'm just not in the market for a brownish pen. This is the first "Seven Kings of Rome" edition, in a run of 100. Every year they're going to release a new edition, named after a different king. I believe the only place you can order them from is the store I visited:  Stilo Fetti, one of the venerable Roman establishments.  https://www.stilofetti.it/gb/716-753-romolo-il-i-re-limited-edition

 

(Now we just have to pester Leonardo to produce this nib in a replacement module.)

 

I'm glad you found your nib satisfactory.

 

Yes. The Romolo and the "Kings of Rome" series is exclusive to Stilo Feti. As it happens, I have one - No 55 (LV). I find it good-looking. It is redder and less brownish than your photo.

 

Happy writing!

 

David

[clear1]

On 1/15/2022 at 2:44 AM, dysmedia said:

the "Romolo" (pictured) — which has a flexible JoWo steel nib!

 

 

Flexible steel Jowo nib? Is it some kind of modified nib? 

[dysmedia]

4 hours ago, clear1 said:

 

Flexible steel Jowo nib? Is it some kind of modified nib? 

 

My understanding is that it's a bit longer than the standard Momento Zero nib.  David will know more.

[dms525]

5 hours ago, clear1 said:

 

Flexible steel Jowo nib? Is it some kind of modified nib? 

 

The Romolo pen only comes with steel JoWo nibs, EF, F, M and B. I made a special request for a stub nib and was able to get one with the special nib engraving for the Kings of Rome series.

 

AFAIK, Leonardo does not fit any of their pens with a flexible STEEL nibs. Their ELA (elastic) nibs come in F and EF and are 14Kt gold. That said, I did find on just one vendor's web site a few Leonardo models that have Steel ELA nibs as an option, however these nibs are listed as "Unavailable." If I am able to find out more, I will post the info here.

 

David

[dysmedia]

47 minutes ago, dms525 said:

 

The Romolo pen only comes with steel JoWo nibs, EF, F, M and B. I made a special request for a stub nib and was able to get one with the special nib engraving for the Kings of Rome series.

 

AFAIK, Leonardo does not fit any of their pens with a flexible STEEL nibs. Their ELA (elastic) nibs come in F and EF and are 14Kt gold. That said, I did find on just one vendor's web site a few Leonardo models that have Steel ELA nibs as an option, however these nibs are listed as "Unavailable." If I am able to find out more, I will post the info here.

 

David

 

Perhaps "flexible" is the wrong word — I forget the Italian word that was used by the man at Stilo Fette. But he was explaining to me that the nib on the Romolo was less rigid:  he pointed out the length of it, relative to the standard Momento Zero.  Maybe he was just indicating that it was a bit softer; that it had some bounce to it?  

[dms525]

23 minutes ago, dysmedia said:

 

Perhaps "flexible" is the wrong word — I forget the Italian word that was used by the man at Stilo Fette. But he was explaining to me that the nib on the Romolo was less rigid:  he pointed out the length of it, relative to the standard Momento Zero.  Maybe he was just indicating that it was a bit softer; that it had some bounce to it?  

 

The word Leonardo uses (in English) is "Elastic."

 

I messaged Salvatore Matrone and asked about a steel flexible nib. His reply was, "Hello David, I'm testing the elastic steel nib, I ask to jowo to improve some details"  So So, it looks like a steel ELA JoWo nib may be available on Leonardo pens at some point in the future.

 

David

[Enkida]

My "first edition" (read: steel Bock-nibbed) Leonardo Momento Zero Pietra Marina had an unfortunate accident with the floor two days ago; I could kick myself, but that nib is busted.  Apparently Leonardo is no longer shipping out Bock nibs (to Appelboom at least) since they switched over to Jowo nibs, which are incompatible with the old Bock feeds. 

While I have written the company, I wanted to get a feel for what would be my best bet to get it back to the beautiful writer it used to be.   Do any stores in the EU still sell the old Bock nibs for Momento Zeroes?  Is that a no. 6 nib and any no. 6 Bock nib would do the trick if I were to replace it?  Do I need to find myself a nibmeister to get the original nib fixed?    Man, I really loved that pen and the way it wrote before I killed it.  I could just kick myself. :-(

[Karmachanic]

FPNibs sell Bock.  Unscrew the present nib and replace.

[A Smug Dill]

Just now, Karmachanic said:

Unscrew the present nib and replace.

 

As another owner of a “first edition” Leonardo Momento Zero, I wouldn't advise that.

 

[Enkida]

21 minutes ago, Karmachanic said:

FPNibs sell Bock.  Unscrew the present nib and replace.

You can't unscrew the early model nibs.  The inner housing of the nib is glued in, not screwed in, I think.

 

Edit:  Actually I found Pen Venture's video on this, I guess I can still pull it out...

[A Smug Dill]

23 minutes ago, Enkida said:

I guess I can still pull it out...

 

Yep, straight out, without applying torque.

[Enkida]

Thank you!  Pen Venture still had a variety of the Bock nibs in stock, so it looks like relief is on the way.  Thank goodness!  I love that pen

Really, it wouldn't be fair to just say that without mentioning that the customer service I received from both Appelboom and Pen Venture concerning this matter has been outstanding.  Props to you guys