Music Pen/nib For A Near-Vertical Writing Surface?

[GarethGlyn]

I'm a composer, and for well over 30 years I used a trusty Sheaffer to write music on a near-vertical surface (essentially a huge board that sits on the music rest of my upright piano). When the pen finally gave up the ghost I bought a Lamy calligraphy pen, but within a second or two of my starting to write with it on the stand the ink stops flowing. It certainly never did that with the Sheaffer, which, incidentally, had a standard (and, as far as I can tell, fixed) nib.

 

I'm very glad to have come across these forums. Some posts touch on the subject, but my knowledge of fountain pens extends only to how to fill them with ink and write with them. So I'd be most grateful if somebody could point me in the right direction regarding a pen/nib that would meet my requirements: as I have discovered, some pens can cope with being held virtually horizontally and others can't, which puzzles me.

 

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

[georgeb]

How about another Sheaffer?

[Honeybadgers]

Japan has you covered for $75-$150. There is also a steel option around $50. And franklin cristoph makes a big honking 1.9mm steel nib for music.

 

Personally, I found the pilot custom 74 to be FLAWLESSLY tuned for vertical writing. it was also quite flexible with the three tines, and while it wrote like butts when held at a normal angle, with some tuning and fettling, it turned into an unbelievably good flexible (1.1mm to about 2mm) stub nib at normal angles as well. Cost was about $75.

 

I don't have the other two from platinum (the 3776 music nib is pretty darn well loved for being glassy smooth, wet, and perfect for music, but at $150 I just haven't pulled the trigger yet, but I absolutely will someday) or sailor (I opted for the zoom nib, but the music nib is about $100. This is the only one with only two tines, but it also comes in a steel nib option for less money.)

 

The franklin cristoph nib is about $30, and is a standard #6 nib, so it'll fit a ton of different pens.

[GarethGlyn]

Many thanks for a great deal of useful advice!

 

Gareth

Japan has you covered for $75-$150. There is also a steel option around $50. And franklin cristoph makes a big honking 1.9mm steel nib for music.

 

Personally, I found the pilot custom 74 to be FLAWLESSLY tuned for vertical writing. it was also quite flexible with the three tines, and while it wrote like butts when held at a normal angle, with some tuning and fettling, it turned into an unbelievably good flexible (1.1mm to about 2mm) stub nib at normal angles as well. Cost was about $75.

 

I don't have the other two from platinum (the 3776 music nib is pretty darn well loved for being glassy smooth, wet, and perfect for music, but at $150 I just haven't pulled the trigger yet, but I absolutely will someday) or sailor (I opted for the zoom nib, but the music nib is about $100. This is the only one with only two tines, but it also comes in a steel nib option for less money.)

 

The franklin cristoph nib is about $30, and is a standard #6 nib, so it'll fit a ton of different pens.

[Mech-for-i]

you can try to get a current production pen with a music nib ; but my past experience is that a Chinese Calligraphy nib can be very useful when writing on a vertical or near vertical surface, ditto some of the more extreme Japanese Fude, because of the particular of these nibs ( which had an up turned tip ) they behave like a normal one when used in this fashion ( when you are literally just using the tip part of the curved front end ) ; its a little known secret that even many who own this kind of nib do no aware of but I have had plenty of use like that , even though I know nothing about working music ( I use them on wire cabinet when I am on site servicing customer IT physical network , using permanent carbon ink ).

 

You would want to pair them with a pen tha give fairly consistent wet flow though

[Erik Dalton]

Platinum 3776 Music nib.

Sailor 1911 with music nib.

 

The platinum nibs are a bit smoother, but both are nice wet writers. I prefer the Sailor. The ink line is a touch thinner and the ink flow more controlled. The platinums flow generously. I have to work to keep up with the flow. That’s my personal observations. I have two Platinums and each one writes a little differently. (Line thickness). The sailor is a sailor and writes well.

Like a lot of stubs, they like to be held to a higher angle between the 45 & 90 degree zone.

You can’t go wrong with either. Platinum will be cheaper.

[jekostas]

Sailor's music nibs are still ground and adjusted to write at a near perpendicular angle to the page.

[GarethGlyn]

A lot of excellent advice being offered - I'm glad I came here! Thanks, all. I'm learning a lot.

 

Gareth

[zaddick]

www.peytonstreetpens.com

 

They specialize in vintage Sheaffer pens and provide a warranty and tune nibs before shipping. If you sent them some photos the may have an exact replacement for the model you liked so much.

 

Not affiliated, just a satisfied customer of a small business offering a useful service at a reasonable price.