"Nailhead" Shaped Pens

[QM2]

http://queenmargot.com/nailheads2.jpg

 

There must be proper terminology to describe this shape of pens, but I do not know it. So I've been

referring to the shape as "nailhead". There are different ways to craft the pen to give it this form,

but the unifying feature is that not only is the pen a flat-top, but the top is markedly wider than the

rest of the pen.

 

http://queenmargot.com/nailheads1.jpg

 

The design was popular is the 1920s and earlier, especially with pencils that we often see from that era.

But today, not many new pens are manufactured in this style.

 

Pictured above are some of my (and my husband's) modern "nailheads":

. Yard o Led Perfecta Victorian pencil

. Faber Castell Guilloche FP

. Yard o Led Corinthian FP

. Montblanc Kafka FP

. Montblanc Greta Garbo FP

 

So what do you think of this style? Too outdated, or eternally beautiful? Do you find it uncomfortable for any

reason, or do you wish more pens of this type were made? If you own any, please report and post images.

 

QM2

 

 

[dumdummuoi]

I tend not to like this shape, so I don't have any examples of my own, but those two MBs I *do* find gorgeous!

[mjb30]

I'm not a big fan of the shape or MB's either however I find those two Mont Blancs so, so beautiful as well!

[penburg]

I don't fancy that shape. I'm more of a cigar-shaped-pen-man, myself.

[QM2]

I tend not to like this shape, so I don't have any examples of my own, but those two MBs I *do* find gorgeous!

 

Thanks, the MBs are very nice, especially after I had the nibs customised to lovely italics... But in my first year of

owning the Greta Garbo, I wrote with it so much, that I nearly wore off the tipping! : (

 

Would you mind telling me what you don't like about the nailhead shape? I have been trying to design a pen like this

and ask someone to make it for me, but it seems that the shape is not popular with penmakers. The only articulated

reason I have heard so far as to why, is that people seem to think these pens are top-heavy.

Edited September 27, 2008 by QM2

[ethernautrix]

I don't have any nailhead-shaped pens, preferring flat-tops (which would not preclude nailheads, per se), but yours are gorgeous!

 

I've held the Kafka, and it's a beautiful pen. I was tempted. But then there was the Dietrich in close proximity, and that turned my head, too. Therefore, I left with neither. (Deirdre left the shop with her Lighthouse of Alexandria!)

[ethernautrix]

But in my first year of owning the Greta Garbo, I wrote with it so much, that I nearly wore off the tipping! : (

Really? Were you writing on rough paper? I'm surprised; I would expect the tipping to last years, decades, even with heavy writing.

[Djehuty]

But in my first year of

owning the Greta Garbo, I wrote with it so much, that I nearly wore off the tipping!

 

 

Can you get Mont Blanc to replace it? That must count as defective!

 

[QM2]

I should clarify that the tipping wearing thin is not a manufacturing problem. I did two things that contributed to it: had it ground to a very fine point (.35mm italic), and then wrote with it almost exclusively on Moleskines, which is what all of my notebooks are. I wrote with this pen for a year, nearly every day, for an average of 1 hour a day on Moleskine paper (patient notes, drafts for articles, personal notes, art-related notes -- I write a lot). I then noticed that the pen was becoming increasingly scratchy over time. I brought it to Richard Binder at the NY/NJ pen show. He had a look, exclaimed in surprise, re-smoothed it, but warned that if I keep using this pen the way I've been using it, I will wear the tipping off soon.

 

This issue really needs its own thread, so I do not want to dwell on it here. But from what I understand, it is possible to wear out XXF nibs with frequent, heavy writing on textured paper.

Edited September 27, 2008 by QM2

[ethernautrix]

This issue really needs its own thread, so I do not want to dwell on it here.

But... you know how we are! We react!

 

Anyway, that all makes sense, so now we can calm down... heh.

 

 

 

_{(By "we," I mean "I," and by "calm down," I mean "carry on, la la la.")}

[QM2]

This issue really needs its own thread, so I do not want to dwell on it here.

But... you know how we are! We react!

 

Oh I know, I know -- I started it in the first place by bringing it up : )

 

I am just happy that the obscenely fine and italic nib on this pen is super-smooth again. I am using it only on Clairefontaine and Rhodia paper from now on; no more daily Moleskine marathons. The Garbo is so nice that in retrospect I should have gotten a duplicate at the price I paid for it last year. Alas, the price of new ones has risen considerably since then...

 

 

[jmkeuning]

I recall railroad spikes.

[Bananafish]

As a descriptive term, I think ‘nailhead’ is to the point. I like the shape actually, but I also like a lot of other shapes so it’s not a preference thing. I think the attractiveness of this particular shape probably lies in its sense of columnar stableness - just thinking out loud. I have the Kafka, which looked odd to me initially but has since grown to become a favorite due to its shape and its grape jelly lookalike resin. Isn’t the Charles Dickens also of similar shape? The Dunhill Sentry line of pens is too IIRC. I didn’t know this particular shape was popular in the 1920s and earlier; I don’t pay much attention to vintage due to lack of interest. Also didn’t realize the Yard-O-Led is slim?

Edited October 1, 2008 by Bananafish

[Wolverine1]

I do like the look of the "nailhead" shape. Have tried out a Kafka owned by a guy I met at the coffeeshop.

I wonder if custom pen makers like Brian Gray of Edison Pens might make you a nailhead pen to your design.

 

I know that David Broadwell has , in thep ast, made pens of this shape- I have seen pictures on Pentrace a couple of years back.

[Kurtz]

This shape is my favourite. As another example, I find specially attractive the Dunhill Sentryman (image stolen from the web):

 

http://www.mensvoguemusthaves.com/images/dunhill.jpg

 

 

 

[EventHorizon]

Shapes I've always liked. I typically put the YOL Corinthian in the "Column" shape catagory but it also works in the "Nailhead" catagory. Great pictures. Thanks.

[QM2]

Kurtz, that is an interesting Dunhill: It combines a classic form and a "high-tech" look.

 

Regarding the "nailhead" terminology -- I have also just found the term "chef's hat", in reference to vintage Conway Stewart Pencils.

 

http://www.conwaystewartpens.co.uk/pics/cs.1216.jpg

[image from conwaystewartpens.co.uk]

 

 

[RevAaron]

I too think nailhead is a great word- way more evocative than chef's hat, at least for me. I think of a chef's hat as being rounded and more cylindrical. If you need an alternative, maybe "golf tee pens?"

 

Personally, I don't like the look of nailheadded pens. While they do look rather top heavy, I've never actually used one. I dare say that I think they're as ugly as homemade sin. Not as bad as Pelikan's Temple of Artemis, which has the homemade sin and cheap souvenir from Greece thing going for it. Don't want to start a flamewar, I just call 'em like I sees 'em.

[QM2]

Personally, I don't like the look of nailheadded pens. While they do look rather top heavy, I've never actually used one. I dare say that I think they're as ugly as homemade sin. Not as bad as Pelikan's Temple of Artemis, which has the homemade sin and cheap souvenir from Greece thing going for it. Don't want to start a flamewar, I just call 'em like I sees 'em.

 

That's too funny to be offensive : )

 

But I am glad that some people like these things as much as I do. You may see a new, spruced up version of these produced in the future... At least I'm working on trying to make that happen!

Edited October 2, 2008 by QM2

[Sharkle]

 

And I'm hoping you'll keep us posted . I am very curious. I just called all these pens flattops and I have quite a few; but actual nail heads, well, the only thing remotely close of mine is a YOL Retro BP. I'm not crazy about a pronounced nailhead or chef's hat shape because as you mentioned it suggests top-heaviness to me, something I don't like in a pen. Simple flaring at the top of the pen often looks nice. Good luck with your endeavor!

 

BTW, the colors on the Conway Stewart pic = WOW.