Nibs

[Nurmister]

1 hour ago, readytotalk said:

Most people don`t consider nib undersides).
But having some experience in repairing, regrinding and adjusting nibs, I can honestly say: looking at the upper surface of nib we see the face of the pen, but only by looking at the lower surface it`s possible to see its soul.

 

I've never truly considered the intricacies of the nib and the grid. There indeed are variations in how the ink channels from the feed, through the underside and then to the tip.

 

The grind in the photo is incredibly elegant. Where is the nib from? It feels... non-German, or perhaps vintage. It isn't blobby like the Pelikan I'm looking at now; it is shaved where it can be. My older pens have these kinds of grinds, my newer (mostly Germans) do not.

 

Wonderful quote by the way, to paraphrase: "The topside's the face, the underside the soul"!

[readytotalk]

21 hours ago, Nurmister said:

The grind in the photo is incredibly elegant. Where is the nib from? It feels... non-German, or perhaps vintage. It isn't blobby like the Pelikan I'm looking at now; it is shaved where it can be. My older pens have these kinds of grinds, my newer (mostly Germans) do not.

Its my work), and the nib is Montblanc Boheme. And you precisely grasp the essence - a repetition of vintage proportions is the key) 

[Andrew_L]

No, guys, you as a want, but I disagree with you! The soul is not how the nib looks from front, or from back side, the soul is the properties of the nib, how nib it writes, how nib it sings on paper. And the front and reverse sides are just a facade and backyard along which you can create an idea of the owner (manufacturer), not more.

[Andrew_L]

Pilot Metal Falcon

 

 

Detailed: http://lenskiy.org/2021/04/modern-pilot-metal-falcon/

[readytotalk]

For those who like to admire nibs)..

[Nurmister]

On 4/29/2021 at 3:00 AM, Andrew_L said:

No, guys, you as a want, but I disagree with you! The soul is not how the nib looks from front, or from back side, the soul is the properties of the nib, how nib it writes, how nib it sings on paper. And the front and reverse sides are just a facade and backyard along which you can create an idea of the owner (manufacturer), not more.

 

Well, ultimately that's a fair point, especially given the feed can be an object of comparable beauty to a nib (those thick ebonite feeds are the prettiest). The underside of the nib towards the tipping is just the last stage. But I thought the quote sounded romantic, so I liked it! hahah.

 

Edit: speaking of ebonite feeds, I was just watching this video from Nathan Tardif (Noodler's) I think both of you will find interesting:

 

 

There is indeed much to a pen's soul and writing character, and my favorite aspect of pens is how beautiful nibs and feeds tend to naturally be when they are designed to aid the flow of ink well, even without many embellishments to everything surrounding them like the pen body and such. Vintage feeds in particular can be very interesting.

[readytotalk]

7 hours ago, Nurmister said:

But I thought the quote sounded romantic, so I liked it!

So did I) 

Making analogies about people, any nib has its own behavior... temper if you like.

The upper side of the nib, its "face" can be pretty or ugly, but it never tell you enough what`s "on its mind", how will it behave itself being inked. 

But looking at the inner side of nib (and the feed, of course), we can surely predict it`s temper. 

You can take knife or file and do a deep сut on nib`s upper side, and it wont radically change its behavior. But if you do the same with inner side and tip, you will immediately get dramatically changed nib behavior... no matter how beautiful is "face".

Here is just my personal point of view, of course.

[readytotalk]

@Nurmister, thanks a lot for interesting video!

Here is the nib comparison of OMAS for Davidoff (Ogiva-based), and Montblanc 146 (1970`s version), nibs B and F.

  

[Andrew_L]

On 4/30/2021 at 12:05 PM, Nurmister said:

much to a pen's soul and writing character, and my favorite aspect of pens is how beautiful nibs .... Vintage .... can be very interesting.

 

What I like most in fountain pens is how nibs can write. No, nothing beautiful is alien to me in design either, but the properties of the nibs occupy the most important place for me.

 

PS: vintage nibs are overwhelmingly out of competition over modern ones, no matter how beautiful they are to eyes, neither from the front, nor from the bottom  But I will post photos of any nibs in this thread. For a general knowledge base:)

[Nurmister]

Yea, I think this forum is a great way to archive information. I'm going to start posting some of my pens too, soon. There are some subtleties I'd like to highlight in certain pens.

[Andrew_L]

vintage earlier Pelikan 140 nib

 

 

Details: http://lenskiy.org/2018/09/pelikan-140-1954/

[readytotalk]

On 5/9/2021 at 7:35 PM, Andrew_L said:

vintage earlier Pelikan 140 nib

Oh, the tip doesn`t seem typical for Pelikan`s B size... was it ground?

 

[readytotalk]

[Andrew_L]

46 minutes ago, readytotalk said:

Oh, the tip doesn`t seem typical for Pelikan`s B size... was it ground?

You have an eagle eye! Yes, this is a regrind, because owner wanted it.

[readytotalk]

Montblanc #6 from 1920s.

 

[Andrew_L]

Montegrappa Cosmopolitan 1849 E-W nib, fixed and ground to F

 

 

Details: http://lenskiy.org/2021/05/modern-montegrappa-cosmopolitan-1849ew/

[readytotalk]

Soviet АР-17 pen, original nib.

 

[PithyProlix]

On 4/29/2021 at 2:00 AM, Andrew_L said:

No, guys, you as a want, but I disagree with you! The soul is not how the nib looks from front, or from back side, the soul is the properties of the nib, how nib it writes, how nib it sings on paper. And the front and reverse sides are just a facade and backyard along which you can create an idea of the owner (manufacturer), not more.

 

Nib:Writing::Pudding:Tasting

[Andrew_L]

3 hours ago, PithyProlix said:

Nib:Writing::Pudding:Tasting

Yeah, you are in topic:)

[Andrew_L]

Cross Townsend Tuxedo (made in Ireland) with Pilot F nib

 

 

Detailed: http://lenskiy.org/2021/05/modern-cross-townsend-tuxedo/