How To Determine Nib Size

[Shannon]

Any suggestions on determining nib sizes when they're not marked? I have a couple of Classics that I purchased used. I love both of them, but one is especially juicy. It seems to have a decent amount of line variation compared to some other pens I use. I'd like to know more about the nib so I might replicate it someday in another pen.

 

Thanks.

[Chrissy]

Sorry but it's impossible to tell without any pictures. Even with pictures, it would still be guesswork, but there are some FPN members who might be able to give you a reasonable guess.

[Ron Z]

Nibs were graded by sliding down a tapered groove, and where it stopped determined the nib size. Sheaffer used a dial gauge to measure width.

 

I think that the more accurate way to determine nib size is to measure the actual line width laid down by the nib on paper, which is what most of the pen mechanics and nib techs do today. You can buy a magnifying loupe with a graticule built into it on eBay to do this. The really cheap ones sell for about $5. We used to sell them. They aren't great, but do the job. Better ones with a handle on them run in the $10-$12 range. You can also buy a quality one starting at about $40.

 

Once you know the line width, you can refer to a nib chart to figure out the size. Richard Binder had one on his website. I don't know if its still there or not.

[BillH]

Hi neighbor!

I've used this page at Richard Binder's site with some success in comparing written lines

http://www.richardsp...trokewidths.pdf

Montblancs have a lot of variation though, at least in my limited experience, so just ordering an M or F will not guarantee getting the same line.

[Chrissy]

There is a nib tip width guide on the Montblanc.com web site. It's tricky to find, but if you go to a FP and select it, you can then choose your nib size, and that takes you to the guide.

[Stef]

I tend to think that the nib's aren't always identical. I used to have a F but in my Ultra Black, I had to switch to EF ...

Edited November 6, 2017 by Stef

[Ghost Plane]

If your juicy one is stubbed at the tip, that’s a clue it’s B or larger. M and below are always rounded.

[irrigger]

I hate stepping in on someone elses thread, but this seems to be the most current one asking this question. I finally dove into Montblanc and picked up one with a supposed double broad nib. But as everyone has stated, MB does not mark their nibs. It is definitely on the larger size, but just how far?

 

[Chrissy]

It looks like a BB nib to me.

[zaddick]

I agree with Chrissy. Looks BB, even without reading any of your comments that was my first thought.

[zaddick]

By the way, that nib is a fair bit older than the pen body and feed. That nib was used up through the mid 1970s, but the body and feed look post 1995 or so, maybe very modern. The cap, with maybe the exception of the clip, is likely a replacement. Or someone put an old nib into a new pen.

[irrigger]

Thanks for the comments. I figured that the nib was probably salvaged from an older pen and the rest probably went through the MB service center and was "upgraded".

[BlueJ]

Probably BB as others have said, but perhaps a bit narrower than the average BB. I also agree about the relative age of the nib and the rest of the pen. It should be a sweet writer!