What Is A K Nib? (Vintage)

[cnjackson]

I gather that this is a ball-tipped nib, and it allows one to write comfortably from a range of angles. But I am puzzled by a number of things about these nibs.

 

My questions are these: are kugel (sp?) nibs usually quite stiff? Is it possible to have a flexy K nib? How do they differ from, say, a fine or medium nib? And why might they have been made/designed?

 

Sorry for the flailing questions. I saw an interesting example of a MB with a K nib, and I realized that I have many preconceptions about them. In fact, I realized that I have some unexamined prejudices against them. So any insights would be most welcome!

 

C

[jar]

Yes, it is a ball nib.

 

Almost always they are pretty stiff.

 

They can be any width from EF to at least B.

 

They are meant to be used on the go, away from desks, for writing on whatever surface is available. With a well made "K" nib you can write on a piece of paper against the wall where the pen is actually perpendicular to the paper.

[RMN]

K is for Kugel which is the German word for Ball.

 

I can't tell you about the properties of it. I have seen it mentioned at a German website on a vintage MB, possibly the same you saw..

 

D.ick

[Pen Nut]

Had the MB 146 tester set earlier in the year and the last slot in the box was indicated as a S (special) nib and that was a Kugel ball nib. Very easy to use even for those not use to using a fountain pen ie my son wrote with it instantly having never used a 'proper' pen before.

[Blade Runner]

I think I have a K nib or something very much like it on my Voltaire. It's not labelled as such, but just product of the factory variation. Wonderful nib.

[cnjackson]

Thank you, everyone, for your responses! I think I had some odd idea that a kugel nib was a sort of unpopular nib... not sure where this came from. In any case, I'm glad to know better now.

 

I gather that their writing will not have all that much variation--perhaps they will be similar to some modern nibs (with their big iridium tips)? That might be too much of a generalization.

 

Thanks again, Jar, RMN, PenNut, and Blade Runner!

 

Chris

[jar]

I gather that their writing will not have all that much variation--perhaps they will be similar to some modern nibs (with their big iridium tips)? That might be too much of a generalization.

 

 

Chris

 

The idea was that it should have as little variation as possible. Remember that at the time you might be writing on a pad on your knee, writing on paper against the wall, against machines, counters, peoples backs, in doors, outdoors, in cars, trucks, on rough roads ...

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have an Osmia-Faber-Castell 773 and a Geha 790, both with a Kugle nib, both are semi-flex.

 

Made for folks that liked to hold a pen like a pencil, or one of those new fangled ball point pens.

 

Mine have the vintage '50-60 flat German bottom of the tines, with most of the ball on top of the tines.

So if I hold it low I get the "normal" stubbishness of the '50-60's German nibs, + the 'modern' hold it before the big knuckle if one holds high.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Bo Bo Olson

[Pterodactylus]

I don't like the Kugel nibs very much, they are similar than the modern spherical nib cuts (with more flexibility).

I prefer the normal stubby ones.

[whitedot]

If they are flexible, they can provide as much line variation as any other.

[Pterodactylus]

If they are flexible, they can provide as much line variation as any other.

 

You only have the variation out of its flex and don't have the natural variation out of the stubby italic character which have of the normal ones in addition.

Which results in less overall variation.

 

And the line definition is more fuzzy and more dependent on the ink. (like on modern spherical nibs which are also Kugel nibs).

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Not all modern nibs are Kugel nibs. They don't all work the same way. Most of the time, anfänger nibs are more closely related to the kugel nib. They are typically KFM nibs with round tips and fine-medium line width. I have Rotring and Lamy examples, and they have spherical, ball-shaped tips. Pelikan also makes the Pelikano with them, and they are my favorite Pelikan nib.

 

If you want a picture of a KB nib, I have one. The tipping as like a sphere on the tip and it is very smooth in all directions and really forgiving. The diameter of the tip is about 1.4 mm. The lines are a little smaller than that (about 1-1.1 mm) since not all of the ball touches the paper, as is the case with many K nibs.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7357/10024122714_1504460d37_b.jpg

 

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/10024252933_7dac51f8bf_b.jpg

 

The tipping is just massive. It's the first thing you notice when you uncap the pen. It's also the only broad nib I have, and I don't always write with it as often. And, yes, it's a stock KB nib. I don't think they make this pen with this nib size and type any longer.

 

Dillon

Edited September 30, 2013 by Dillo

[Pterodactylus]

Hi Dillon,

 

you are right, not every modern nib is a Kugelfeder but as you also said there are some.

 

I can also provide an example of a Kugelfeder.

 

This is a Mont Blanc 142 - KM from the 50s:

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img545/9125/7ksr.jpg

(Mont Blanc 142 - KM)

[Dillo]

Hi Dillon,

 

you are right, not every modern nib is a Kugelfeder but as you also said there are some.

 

I can also provide an example of a Kugelfeder.

 

This is a Mont Blanc 142 - KM from the 50s:

 

 

(Mont Blanc 142 - KM)

 

Wow, that's a great picture of a KM nib. I used to have a Reform from the 70's (same time period as the Aurora with the KB nib) with an excellent KM nib. Sadly, I don't have a side view of it, and I can't take one since I don't have the pen any longer. You can see how round it is at the tip though. The side profile was similar to that of your MB pen and less like my KB nib.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/10027814513_35b976f818_b.jpg

Here is the modern Rotring. Sadly, such things were discontinued some time ago. You just have to appreciate how much of a sphere the tip of the nib is. It's nearly perfectly spherical. I have a Rotring Core, which is the sister of the Primus, and neither the XL or XS nibs are nearly this perfectly spherical.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7423/10027803234_79e9cdea74_b.jpg

I wore a flat spot on my Lamy nib (I write a lot, and have had my Lamy for a very long time, so stuff like this is bound to happen), so it isn't as spherical as it used to be, but if I get a new A nib Lamy, I'll take pictures.

Of course though, we're mainly talking about older pens with kugel nibs, so if anyone has more pens, especially vintage, with the K nibs, feel free to post more pictures so that people can see what they generally look like.

I always thought that the kugel nibs had a rather distinct way of writing. Pretty much all of them I have used make a very consistent line width in all directions if they were stiff, and if you look carefully, the ends of lines and everything are pretty much always rounded.

 

Dillon

Edited September 30, 2013 by Dillo

[provis]

I have a vintage 136 KM nib, which is semiflex. But I do think because of the size of the ball tip, it's a little unwieldy to flex. Nevertheless, it makes for a very pleasant and springy writing experience -- every which way you hold it.

[Sasha Royale]

I just wandered into this topic, knowing nothing of it. I like knowing that this exists. For writers from the other side -- (No. I mean left-handed people.). Do you think such a nib benefit the different writing angles of lefthanders ?

 

Presently, I don't need this, but will store the information for future use. I am becoming a genuine keeper of odd knowledge.

 

Thanks.

[Pterodactylus]

I think it is at least worth a try as they write smooth in almost every position.