Accountancy Nibs - Sharp Marketing Or Just A Sharp Nib?

[nigelg]

I've recently had occasion to write out columns of figures on logsheets for short term archiving and have found my fine-nibbed Parker 61 admirable for the job (with Diamine Registrars ink as it happens ). This set me thinking ( not during work time of course ) whether an accountancy nib is simply a stiff fine/extra-fine nib by another name for marketing purposes or whether there are real differences between them in design or materials. Anyone know or have any thoughts?

[Paddler]

I have never had to fill out long forms with figures by hand, so I am probably not qualified to express an opinion. However, this has never inhibited me before, so have your grain of salt ready.

The "Accountancy Nibs" I am familiar with are all dip pen nibs. These are from Esterbrook, Spencerian, and others. They certainly are sharp and, straight from the box, rather scratchy. They are not really stiff as such pointy nibs go. When writing text, they will give rather pleasing line variation without the writer overtly modulating pen pressure.

[Biber]

It's probably just a plain old stiff fine/extra fine nib. I can't imagine there being that great a demand for such a thing that a company would make the investment in a specialized design. And as for marketing I doubt any nib maker was trying to corner the accountancy nib market. It's probably just a descriptor to aid the customer Take Esterbrook for example, each of their numbered nibs has a specific or generalized application attributed to it. Very few if any of them are really specialized nibs (beyond grinding for size or shape) in any modern sense.

[jar]

Very few if any of them are really specialized nibs (beyond grinding for size or shape) in any modern sense.

 

But grinding for size and shape and adjusting for flow are what made them specialized.

 

Specialized nibs were the norm back when fountain pens were the normal office tool.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I've always understood it to be more in the line of an XXF point; finer than any reasonable person would want to write with for an extended period.

 

Being an unreasonable person, I frequently write with them.

[BillyL]

Many years ago, I use to do quarterly P&L's for the comptroller of the company I worked for. I haven't done that kind of work in 30 years. When I received my Sailor Sapporo Fine nib pen, I thought that the Sapporo Fine, would have been perfect for accounting work. It's a HF fine. But, for more character to cardinal numbers, I think I would have preferd to use my Noodler's Piston Flex. Without any pressure, the Noodler's lays down a very fine line. With normal writing, the semi-flex nib would add the occasional thicker down stroke.

[Biber]

But grinding for size and shape and adjusting for flow are what made them specialized.

 

Specialized nibs were the norm back when fountain pens were the normal office tool.

 

I was referring to the line of Esty nibs.

 

I'b be interested to learn just how much post-purchase nib meistering went on in "the day", as opposed to using off the shelf nibs.

[jar]

But grinding for size and shape and adjusting for flow are what made them specialized.

 

Specialized nibs were the norm back when fountain pens were the normal office tool.

 

I was referring to the line of Esty nibs.

 

I'b be interested to learn just how much post-purchase nib meistering went on in "the day", as opposed to using off the shelf nibs.

 

I was referring to off the shelf nibs.

[htom]

I was referring to off the shelf nibs.

 

I used to use what was called an "14K accountant's duo nib" in a Parker 75; xxf and xxxxf, flexed easily. I'm not sure what the proper name for it was. I had a light hand then, now spoiled by years of mostly using ballpoints.

[gweddig]

In my current rotation I have a Waterman Ink-Vue with a nib labelled "Account".  It puts down a very fine line.  With my terrible scrawling the extra fine does not help my legibility.  I am discovering the extrafine is scratchy and turns a medium smooth line into a slightly wavy extrafine line.  Looks like I should stick with a medium to help my line control.<br /><br />--greg

Edited January 18, 2012 by gweddig

[raging.dragon]

Apparently vintage Japanese accountant nibs had sharper edges than a standard nib (the contact area was closer to square than round) in order to get sharper edges on numbers and ledger lines. I've never written with such a nib, but I assume one would be tricky to write with - rather like a crisp italic nib.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/53294-a-field-guide-to-japanese-nibs

 

I've always assumed American accountant nibs were finer than anything but a needlepoint, equivalent to an XF or more likely XXF.

Edited January 18, 2012 by raging.dragon