Suggestions - 1.5mm Stub Nib with Flex that is a Wet writer

[amberleadavis]

If you were just looking for a nib - I can design a pen around it. I'd like to find ones that write about 1.5-1.9 mm with stub, cursive italic or architect grind, with flex - one that you didn't have to get custom ground - what would you buy?  I want it with a feed and collar, and it must write wet. I can design a pen around it, but I am looking for nib suggestions.

[Grayspoole]

Hello!

 

I love stubs and italics, but I haven’t found many fountain pen stub/italic nibs that really do flex. I enjoy writing with the F&C 1.9 mm Music nib and the Opus 88 1.1 mm italic but I would say that they don’t flex much, if at all.

 

I’m a big fan of the Osmiroid Music nib which goes into an Esterbrook. It is slightly flexible, but it’s not 1.5 - 1.9 mm wide.

 

I have made a successful Frankenpen by putting one of my favorite flexible italic dip pen nibs, the Blanzy Poure Alaska No. 719  into an Ahab (but this is also not as wide as what you want).

 

 

You could grind a $1 Noodler’s nib down to a wide italic. I don’t think it will be very flexible though.

 

Mitchell italic dip nibs are pleasantly flexible but they won’t go into a fountain pen. Size 2-1/2 (1.8mm) or Size 3 (1.4mm) would give you the line width that you seek.

 

It’s worth experimenting because a flexible italic imitates (sort of) the action of a goose quill but I think it might be hard to achieve flexibility at the widths you want. I’m curious to read what others suggest.

 

 

[amberleadavis]

Thank you that was a wonderful discussion of nibs.

[InesF]

Hi @amberleadavis.

That's an interesting question. If grinding a nib by yourself is not an option, I know at least one manufacturer offering stub/CI flex nibs in the standard program: Santini.

I own one of them and made it a bit smaller. Maybe not 1.9 but 1.5 mm should be in range.

You may get an ebonite feed together with it and all you need to do is drill a hole in a stick to fit the unit (no threads).

Only one hurdle: since over a year the possibility to order a nib without pen is "coming soon".

 

My experience with dip nibs is limited - I do not expect any flex from my calligraphy nibs and have never searched for any.

[Grayspoole]

Hello Amberlea and InesF—

 

I’m still ruminating over the idea of a really wide, flexible italic nib.

 

I know that you are seeking a pen that will lay down a wide and wet line of ink, so I am wondering if you have tried the Pilot Parallel pens? The nibs are not flexible at all, but honestly  I don’t think flex contributes much when you are wielding a 1.5 -1.9 mm wide nib. And the Pilot Parallel pens are absolutely wonderful tools for playing with ink. The nibs range in size from 1.5 mm to a whopping 6 mm. You can fill the cartridge with any ink you want.  The calligrapher and typographer Jake Rainis has written a great post on Pilot Pen Hacking.

 

Now a Pilot Parallel is not a particularly attractive pen, but it is possible to insert the PP nib and collar into an Opus 88 Demo. After much hemming and hawing, I recently acquired an Opus 88 just to try this hack, but I am still enjoying writing with its original 1.1 mm stub and first barrel of ink. I’ll update when I successfully make the switch

 

If flexibility and width is truly what you want, then at that point you might need to begin to consider refillable chisel tip markers.

 

Have fun with the quest!

 

[txomsy]

Maybe go vintage? Seems the best option to me.

[amberleadavis]

7 hours ago, txomsy said:

Maybe go vintage? Seems the best option to me.

 

I started looking at vintage. So much of what I can find is flexible but fine. The nibs that got me into this great plan are vintage (images coming shortly).

[amberleadavis]

@Grayspoole and @InesF

 

[amberleadavis]

The Sheaffer the one I am using now is the one on the far left.

 

[amberleadavis]

The Sailor music nib with a custom grind.

 

[amberleadavis]

The Osprey with a Broad Flex - writing sample.

 

[amberleadavis]

And the one that I think would probably be perfect if I actually had it stubbed, but I don't know that I want to change it?

 

[amberleadavis]

Finally, the one that I think looks best for my penmanship:

 

 

@txomsy

 

[txomsy]

The Eversharp and Sailor are both beauties with a great effect in writing. I am sorry not being able to help much more, all I can say is I now regret not having waited for the MB calligraphy nib (could have been saving for it, but who would ever have predicted it would eventually come out?)... it is rumored that the next MB calligraphy nib will be an italic, so maybe it will become the solution you seek (but who can ever predict if it will eventually come out ad how will it be?). Life is too short to be waiting for unpredictable events.

[InesF]

On 3/5/2022 at 3:08 PM, Grayspoole said:

I know that you are seeking a pen that will lay down a wide and wet line of ink, so I am wondering if you have tried the Pilot Parallel pens?

Hi @Grayspoole.  Yes, the Pilot Parallels ware well known, also the Automatic pens and several types of dip nibs. Great for calligraphy because the line width is constant as needed and expected.

I like the hack with the Opus 88 a lot!

Thank you!

[InesF]

19 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

Finally, the one that I think looks best for my penmanship:

Indeed, @amberleadavis, your handwriting benefits a lot from this Wahl Eversharp nib! That looks great!

 

Another thought may be to try a puck nib. It has a unique type of dynamic line, different from regular stub or CI, but interesting. It was a random finding for me and works well with a modern Pelikan M600 nib which is not flex but has some elasticity.

Maybe the best progress and the best findings happen by chance ...

[barutanseijin]

Stub nibs with some flex are my thing.

 

Aside from aftermarket modifications, vintage is your best bet.  Hard to find, but nice when you do.  I’ve got a few great ones.

[I-am-not-really-here]

It is much easier to get a Flexible Coarse nib and grind to a Stub than take a Coarse Stub and add Flex.

 

Maybe your choice is simple - get that 100 Year ground to an Italic Stub?

 

[amberleadavis]

14 hours ago, txomsy said:

The Eversharp and Sailor are both beauties with a great effect in writing. I am sorry not being able to help much more, all I can say is I now regret not having waited for the MB calligraphy nib (could have been saving for it, but who would ever have predicted it would eventually come out?)... it is rumored that the next MB calligraphy nib will be an italic, so maybe it will become the solution you seek (but who can ever predict if it will eventually come out ad how will it be?). Life is too short to be waiting for unpredictable events.

 

OH, that would be cool!

 

8 hours ago, InesF said:

Hi @Grayspoole.  Yes, the Pilot Parallels ware well known, also the Automatic pens and several types of dip nibs. Great for calligraphy because the line width is constant as needed and expected.

I like the hack with the Opus 88 a lot!

Thank you!

 

I looked at buying an Opus just for that concept.

 

8 hours ago, InesF said:

Indeed, @amberleadavis, your handwriting benefits a lot from this Wahl Eversharp nib! That looks great!

 

Another thought may be to try a puck nib. It has a unique type of dynamic line, different from regular stub or CI, but interesting. It was a random finding for me and works well with a modern Pelikan M600 nib which is not flex but has some elasticity.

Maybe the best progress and the best findings happen by chance ...

 

Thank you for the suggestion. I liked your puck nib.  Did you do it yourself?

 

8 hours ago, barutanseijin said:

Stub nibs with some flex are my thing.

 

Aside from aftermarket modifications, vintage is your best bet.  Hard to find, but nice when you do.  I’ve got a few great ones.

 

Where did you find them and what nibs are they? That will help me locate one.

 

6 hours ago, I-am-not-really-here said:

It is much easier to get a Flexible Coarse nib and grind to a Stub than take a Coarse Stub and add Flex.

 

Maybe your choice is simple - get that 100 Year ground to an Italic Stub?

 

 

That is probably what I end up doing.I found a broken 100 year that I could have redone.

[InesF]

7 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

Thank you for the suggestion. I liked your puck nib.  Did you do it yourself?

Hi @amberleadavis.

Yes. It is comparably simple, because all needed is flatten the underside of the tip (but not removing it).