Oblique Nibs For Left Handed Underwriters?

[New_Falcon]

I like many others don't really have a local pen shop that I can try out different nibs, so I've stuck to fines and medium nibs.

 

On a recent discussion this webpage http://www.pelikanpens.co.uk/acatalog/Handwriting_Samples.html was highlighted as having examples from different nibs.

 

The part that is really interesting to me as a left handed writer is the comment under the oblique nibs stating,

 

"Pelikan's oblique nibs are primarily designed for left handed writers. The nib is cut away at a 15 degree angle with the aim of allowing a level and flowing writing motion."

 

That's really interesting I for some reason thought that obliques were more for right handed people. Now as I venture more into the broad nibs, would a broad nib with an oblique cut be more suitable than a straight broad nib?

Edited September 17, 2015 by New_Falcon

[ian1964]

I recently acquired a Montblanc 146 and a 1950's Diplomat (sorry I don't know the model) both with OB Medium nibs. I am Right handed and my writing with these pens has improved significantly. I do admittedly write at quite an angle, tilting the nib counter clockwise. So, I imagine if one tilts the pen this way it would work the same no matter if you are right or left orientated.

[Cushy Butterfield]

I'm a leftie underwriter and have never had any problems with ordinary nibs. My favourites are broad nibs and I have ordinary broads on Waterman, Pilot, Lamy, Cross, Italix, Parker and Faber Castell pens. None of them have caused me any problems. My understanding is that the purpose of oblique nibs is to allow more contact between nib and paper. Also that a leftie should use a reverse oblique. That that seems to conflict with the Pelikan info. Seems to be a subject that can cause confusion. Why not try an ordinary broad on something like a Lamy because then if you don't like it you can easily replace it without breaking the bank.

[EricaTX]

I'm a lefty-underwriter. Before I knew what I was really doing, I went to Dromgoole's in Houston. I thought I wanted a flex nib, but the pen doc talked me out of it. He said what I would probably enjoy more would be an oblique nib. However, what we ended up doing was that I bought a Parker Sonnet medium and he ground it to an oblique. It is still, 25 pens later, one of my favorites.

[Biber]

I'm a lefty-underwriter. Before I knew what I was really doing, I went to Dromgoole's in Houston. I thought I wanted a flex nib, but the pen doc talked me out of it. He said what I would probably enjoy more would be an oblique nib. However, what we ended up doing was that I bought a Parker Sonnet medium and he ground it to an oblique. It is still, 25 pens later, one of my favorites.

 

Do you have a sample of your writing with said pen that you could share?

[New_Falcon]

Thanks for the comments all. I think that I'm going to have to make an effort to get to a store or a show where I can try out an oblique nib. I've never really thought about it before but as I said the comment on the pelikan website seemed to suggest left handed people should use oblique nibs.

[Biber]

There are several things you can do to play around to see if it'll fit with your writing set up. Cut a straw or even some card stock to mimic the oblique you're interested in, and pretend write with it. Note how it contacts with the paper and cut adjustments if necessary - then you'll know whicch foot (left or right) and the degree (30; 60) oblique works best for you. And/or whittle a pencil tip (a fat grade school pencil is great for this, best would be an old fashioned carpenter's pencil) and file the lead to mimic the nib shape, then write with it to see if you'll actually like the line that the nib will produce. Point is, you really don't have to wait or blindly purchasenib that you may potentially not like. Be creative.

[Algester]

the only for me to think you would need a right foot oblique as under writer if you hold your pen a bit foo differently beyond that I still like to use round tip pens because I constantly adjust the way I write

but I only use oblique nibs on nibs that are in the italic ranges so 1mm-6mm or what ever kind of nib size you may want

Edited September 19, 2015 by Algester

[sidthecat]

It is perhaps some imp of the perverse, but my handwriting changes frequently and so does my hand position. Of all the two dozen-ish pens in my rotation, none are oblique. One might make my life easier but I have such a low boredom threshold I'd hate to lock myself into a single style of nib.

[Artlike]

I've been searching for the right nib for my left hand writing that would give a nice line variation. So far a left oblique medium has given the best results. I have numerous Osmiroid left oblique pens and they work pretty well. What I would really like is an oblique medium nib that would fit Jinhao 450 section. Has anyone created such a nib? I'll be going to the Dallas Pen Show this weekend and may have some luck there. I also have nicer pens than Jinhao but I really like Jimhao price and variety. If I could find the right the right nib that I could use with any of my Jinhao 450 pens.....life as I know it now....would be really good. Does anyone know of an oblique italic and section that would work ??

[fuchsiaulla]

I spoke to Mr Pen and he said as a left handed underwriter I should us a R oblique. At school we did italic and I had to use a Left oblique. I am confused any suggestions

[Biber]

I spoke to Mr Pen and he said as a left handed underwriter I should us a R oblique. At school we did italic and I had to use a Left oblique. I am confused any suggestions

 

Depends on whether you want to lead, as you push the pen across the page (as lefties do), with the top side of the nib facing up or the feed side. Not exactly sure how the latter would effectively work. Either way you'll need to rotate the nib to get to get full contact.

[marchbrown]

I am left-handed and for many years (I am coming up to 78) I have been using Pelikan pens ... I use a Pelikan 400 with an OB nib and it is my everyday pen ... I write normally ... Like a right-handed person, but with the left hand ... At school, I always seemed to smudge my writing, but at my advanced age, I seem to have overcome the problem ... I have had no problems with the normal OB Pelikan nib ... I have never tried a reverse oblique nib, so can't comment on their use for a leftie.

 

I also have a Sheaffer Balance II with the gorgeous stub nib which was very nice to use ... I say "was" because I have only used it once ... I used it a few years ago to write all the Christmas cards and then cleaned it and put it away ... No particular reason to put it away other than perhaps the pens physical size, but I just went back to the old faithful Pelikan 400.

 

I have settled on using a Pelikan with the OB nib as I find it suits me perfectly ... I don't find it too broad or too wet ... I also use Private Reserve Tanzanite ink which some people have found stains their pens ... I just love the colour and haven't noticed any staining so will continue using it ... It is worth trying several broad or oblique broad pens if possible or even having a nib specially ground to suit your leftie-style.

 

Please don't ask to see any of my scrawling letter writing as it will be of no help in your personal nib choice.

 

Good luck

.

[ScienceChick]

My understanding has always been that right obliques work better for lefties while left obliques work well for righties who tend to rotate their pens counterclockwise as they write. I'm in that second category and have found that left obliques cure the issue of rotating off the sweet spot of the nib. I do, usually, see some line variation as well. YMMV.

[Biber]

My understanding has always been that right obliques work better for lefties while left obliques work well for righties who tend to rotate their pens counterclockwise as they write. I'm in that second category and have found that left obliques cure the issue of rotating off the sweet spot of the nib. I do, usually, see some line variation as well. YMMV.

 

Do you have an example of your writing you could share?

[tnaskar]

I think left and right means to have different kind of line variation. I am attaching a sample writing using left, right oblique and stub nib.

 

 

Nice if I get samples from others to confirm this.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I believe modern obliques are made for those who are left eye dominant. In there is little to no line variation with modern oblique pens.

There is with semi-flex vintage German Oblique pens.

The next thread has the whole rant.

[jmccarty3]

I'm a left-handed underwriter, but I tend to rotate my pen to the left, so a left-footed oblique works much better for me. I tried a right-footed oblique once, and couldn't make it work for me at all. I don't think there is any way to generalize about which nib will work better for you based on whether you are left- or right-handed, or whether you are an under- or over-writer. It is an individual thing that only can be determined by trial and error.

 

Another confusion is introduced by nomenclature. Some nibs are designated as obliques or reverse obliques, which doesn't really tell you anything unless there is an illustration of the tip. I prefer to call them left-footed or right-footed obliques, which eliminates the uncertainty. Some nibmeisters will grind obliques to a specific angle, and of course they may vary in their sharpness, just as you see with stubs, cursive italics, and "crisp" or formal italics.

[welcmhm]

I think with oblique nibs, there are two concerns, (1) how do you want to hold your pen, and (2) how do you want your line to vary?

 

I tend to hold my pen with the nib square to my writing line (although, as a lefty underwriter, I rotate my writing surface about 15 degrees clockwise when I can). This means that my stub nibs give their widest line on a straight down stroke and their narrowest line on a straight cross stroke.

 

If I were to get a left oblique nib, I would have to rotate it such that the nib was no longer square to my writing line (in order for the whole nib to contact the page). This would cause the widest line to be created on an upper right to lower left stroke, and the narrowest line to be created on an upper left to lower right stroke. This would be the opposite if I had a right oblique nib.

 

It would also change if you don't hold write with your nib square to the page. I just found that my wife writes (as a righty, side writer, though I have not yet really gotten her into fountain pens) with the top of nib facing directly to the left along her writing line. This means that if she uses a stub nib, her widest stroke is on the straight cross stroke and her narrowest is on the downstroke. If she wanted the line variation that I get with my writing style, we would need to find her an architect point nib.

 

So, you'll have to look at how you hold your pen and what type of line variation your want to get out of it to see whether you would be best suited with a left oblique, right oblique, stub or other nib.

 

Here's a great resource on this topic: http://www.nibs.com/Fountain-Pen-Nib-Customizations.htm

Edited February 22, 2016 by welcmhm