What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Titanium Nib?

[iamharshkumar97]

I have an opportunity to buy a lovely pen with Titanium Nib. The description reads as follows:

 

Titanium provides an incomparable writing experience, with a very tactile feel. Although not flex, this is a bouncy nib. The two tone ebonite feed ensures flow is never an issue, even while achieving some line variation.

 

 

While reading online most people talk about getting line variation about the nib. Also Richard doesn't recommend these nibs on his website.

 

What are your views?

[mannschott]

I have only one titanium nib: a fine #5 (Bock 076, I believe) on a Karas Kustoms Fountain K. It is quite toothy and moderately wet. Its not a nail, but also not notably bouncy. I find it perfectly functional but unremarkable to write with. I enjoy its appearance. The 076 nib is longer than the 060 that also fits the Fountain K and better suited to the proportions of the pen. The matte grey color compliments the rest of the pen well.

[bebox]

The Bock Titanium nibs are great.

You can find them on the CONID, Namisu offers them as an option etc.

 

They #6 TI nibs are soft, allowing for some line variation, but they're not flex nibs.

And if pressed too hard you can spring them for good.

 

I like their feedback, they're not scratchy at all, but offer that nice feedback.

Overall very good nibs, especially for the price (in between steel and gold).

 

I think some people don't like them, because they were falsely advertised as flex-nibs by others and then probably sprung...

Edited April 14, 2019 by bebox

[Freddy]

I have an opportunity to buy a lovely pen with Titanium Nib. The description reads as follows:

 

 

While reading online most people talk about getting line variation about the nib. Also Richard doesn't recommend these nibs on his website.

 

What are your views?

Views:

If you like the pen....Buy it.

People on line..more often than not don't know the difference between {xxxx} and shinola.....

I purchased a Retro 51 {made by Stipula} Abbondanza 10th Anniversary LE with Ti trim and nib...Nineteen years ago....

Writes just like any number nine nail................Again if you like....Purchase and enjoy using it...

Fred

[BaronWulfraed]

I appear to currently have five titanium nibbed pens, with one on order (Ranga/Bock). Of the others, three are Stipula and two Levenger (I'm sure made by Stipula at the time). Both the Model T and Etruria were sold with so-called T-Flex nibs. The 22 was an italic. Don't know if the Levenger nibs qualify as T-Flex -- I think they predate that variant.

 

My hand tends to not use flex capability, so I'll just end with a comment that the titanium feel softer than steel, to me -- and maybe even softer than most of my gold nibs (not that an "H-EF" Sailor is ever going to challenge for "soft' )

 

The Model T / T-Flex in testing did offer 0.4x0.4mm to 1.0x0.4mm variation (so about 2.5X spread on draw strokes with pressure)

Edited April 15, 2019 by BaronWulfraed

[katerchen]

This is not scientific by any means but I compare the feel to writing with a soft gold nib (like Pilot ones specifically marked "soft")

 

The disadvantage is that they are very easily bent if you are over-press them just a little.

[Bo Bo Olson]

At first the advertizing seemed to say it was or would be semi-flex....that soon was seen it was not true.

 

Could be it is more toward the now rare regular flex/ Japanese 'soft' is not so rare.

Springy regular flex can be a very nice nib to write with.

[Karmachanic]

 

And if pressed too hard you can spring them for good.

 

 

This is true of every nib.

[Karmachanic]

At first the advertizing seemed to say it was or would be semi-flex....that soon was seen it was not true.

 

Could be it is more toward the now rare regular flex/ Japanese 'soft' is not so rare.

Springy regular flex can be a very nice nib to write with.

 

Semi means half. According to the dictionary.

 

Conscious = fully with it

Semi-conscious = half conscious, not quite with it

 

Detatched house

Semi-detached house

 

Flex = flex

Semi-flex = half flex.

 

What Bobo refers to as regular flex, the rest of the world calls semi-flex

 

I have four Bock Ti nibs so far. Soft, bouncy with soft pencil-like feedback. I'll be ordering a fifth soon for a large transcription project. Cursive italics all. They'll give subtle line variation with normal writing, due to changing pressure. They can also teach one how to write with the lightest hand. If one so wishes.

Shading too!

Edited April 15, 2019 by Karmachanic

[biancitwo]

I had an Omas Paragon with titanium nib. It was not merely soft. It was mushy and slow to rebound. It wrote a very broad line. It was like a brush. Replaced it with a broad Omas 18k gold nib, which Mottishaw modified to a marvelous CI. Now that Omas writes stunningly. Of course, the feed that had kept up with the former titanium brush makes for the wettest pen I own with the new gold CI nib.

[Honeybadgers]

Ti nibs are a little mushy and a little prone to springing, but they are definitely an in-between of a soft gold nib and steel. They're nice enough writers.

[Honeybadgers]

 

Semi means half. According to the dictionary.

 

Conscious = fully with it

Semi-conscious = half conscious, not quite with it

 

Detatched house

Semi-detached house

 

Flex = flex

Semi-flex = half flex.

 

What Bobo refers to as regular flex, the rest of the world calls semi-flex

 

I have four Bock Ti nibs so far. Soft, bouncy with soft pencil-like feedback. I'll be ordering a fifth soon for a large transcription project. Cursive italics all. They'll give subtle line variation with normal writing, due to changing pressure. They can also teach one how to write with the lightest hand. If one so wishes.

Shading too!

 

lol semiconscious ain't "half conscious" in medicine. A Semi-conscious patient could be postictal and answering all questions appropriately but only a little drowsy and slow to respond, or could be completely altered and barely rousable.

 

But yes, Bo bo's "flex" = semi flex.

[Inkysloth]

I just fit a Jinhao x750 with a Bock Ti nib and like it a lot so far. Writes nicely, has a little tooth but not what I feel as scratchiness. It doesnt feel mushy to me, but I have a pretty light hand and dont want to push it and risk mangling the tines.

[Hawker]

Ti nibs are a little mushy and a little prone to springing, but they are definitely an in-between of a soft gold nib and steel. They're nice enough writers.

My sentiments exactly - from the use of both Bock and a Stipula titanium nib.

Edited April 23, 2019 by Ink_Monitor

[Bo Bo Olson]

Karmechanic, Then I guess Japanese Soft must be semi-flex as some suggest...and me thinking they were regular flex.... (Not that I'm going to buy a Japanese pen....they would be 'new', in there are no used Japanese pens on German Ebay. Buying new pens is against my religion...sigh, (have fallen off the wagon when the moon is green.)

 

...I do differentiate between German regular flex and semi-flex....(once had an Esterbrook in regular flex also)....but living at the German well for semi-flex have a few....29 semi-flex & 16 maxi-semi-flex....and a good hand full of regular flex....more '82-97's era pens (7) than modern 200 (3).

 

No wonder I have so much problems, what I call semi-flex the rest call 'flexi'. Which is what I call superflex. Flexi is so last decade. Before the term superflex slipped through the back door.

 

Almost in hand grenades is not as close as almost in horseshoes. Semi....ain't nearly.

 

I think I'll go over to the modern 2019 definition ...Nail and everything else is flexi. Ok... Semi-nail is the famous soft Gold nails. But the rest; the tines both bend and spread , so are flexi.

Other grumbles lost in the distant thunder.

[hari317]

"The two tone ebonite feed"

 

What's a two tone ebonite feed?

[Karmachanic]

The only downside I have experience with Ti nibs is wanting to replace all my steel nibs with Ti. 1.5 stub and Plumix F on the 698 excepted.

I look forward, with great anticipation, to the arrival of the two-tone ebonite feeds!

[Bo Bo Olson]

Sorry, there has to be some my age, from back when there was a regular flex......the regular issue nibbed pens back in B&W TV days.......which are not semi-flex. Semi-flex has been rare in the US since the 40's, with Whal-Eversharp, some rare Sheaffer and an Esterbrook nib many were not so joyful with... in some expected more flex.

............That was back in the days when at first 200HP was a powerful motor and a 351 real big engine. Then came the own a gas station Mercury 400hp of the '56-57 era. By the end of semi-flex days say 1970....there was the 427 Hemi and that engine could be seriously pimped. The first thing to do was blue print the engine....and better than stock guts.

 

If you happen to have the right Esterbrook nib, or a Wearever or one of the vintage Sheaffer regular flex nib, or a Pelikan 200.....when well mashed will give 3X tine spread vs a light down stroke. (Esterbrook did have a great many different nibs!!!!

 

Semi-flex takes only half that pressure (of a regular flex) to spread the tines to a max of 3 X. Best found in B&W TV day German pens.

Ie not well mashed, just a bit heavy handed....looking for when the nib says Whoa....or 3 X. One is supposed to know the difference between a flex pen and half a flex pen. If not....tough. Too bad for the nib.

The semi-flex nib is sturdy enough to take the three months I needed to go from Ham Fisted to bacon fisted. Well, at least in OB.

 

That is as big a difference between nail and semi-nail....you know the little tine bend, 2 X max tine spread pens, like the P-75 or modern 400/600 Pelikans.....as there is between regular flex and semi-flex when one comes down to it..................what wonderful flex a semi-nail has!!!! Well, compared to a nail.

Edited April 23, 2019 by Bo Bo Olson

[Phonz]

I have a Ti frame in my bicycle and it works wonderfully! So nice that im thinking on buying a tea set on Ti as well; however, im wondering about the right alloy for it...mmmm i wonder! Would it be softer with an increased vanadium ratio on it? 🤔 

By the way...does anybody knows if all the Ti nibs out there have the same alloy? In other words, are they all made by Peter Bock, with a different print like the Conid, Stipula, etc. ? Thanks 

[Christopher Godfrey]

I have two Ti nibs: one in a (full) titanium Omas and one in a Conid Minimalistica and I like them both -- a lot!  No, vintage flex they are not; but they <do> provide some line variation and yes, they are soft.  They are good for me!  I do not try to make them work like my vintage Pelikans and Watermans.