Looking For A Smooth Italic Nib

[Runnin_Ute]

If you have a Safari, get a 1.1 Cursive Italic nib for it for about $13. If you don't have a Safari, still get one and get the 1.1 as it's main nib. IMO it's a very nice ground nib and writes 3-4 times better than what it's cost would suggest. It leans towards a Stub with its amount of line variation but is smoooooth.

 

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

I have one of these on my Al Star - haven't had the fine back on since I got it........

[MisterBoll]

I wholeheartedly agree. I have a pendleton ground BLS nib (butter line stub - sort of a cross between a stub and a cursive italic) on my vanishing point and it is both super smooth as well as having great line variation.

 

A big + 1. Pendleton makes the smoothest nibs known to man.

[georges zaslavsky]

If you want a nice italic out of the box, then check conway stewart of stipula pens, Mottishaw can also turn your pen in a nice italic nibbed fountain pen.

[Blue_Moon]

 

A big + 1. Pendleton makes the smoothest nibs known to man.

 

Another +1. Pendleton does an outstanding job, and also is a very nice guy!

[idazle]

My best straight-cut italic nib is one sported by a stainless steel Sheaffer's Targa, though I guess they are difficult to grasp in the marketplace. The Lamy joys are ok, although a little bit on the dry side.

 

About Pendleton nibs, my only experience is with a couple of customised cursive italics sold by Teri Morris (Peyton Street Pens) and they were not up to expectations. I bought a Sheaffer Imperial pen from Teri with one of these nibs (a medium point) but had to return the pen to Teris, who acknowleged there was a serious flow issue with the nib (I couldn't get the pen to write) and replaced it by a second cursive italic, this one with a fine point. This second nib certainly wrote but was scratchy.

 

I must say that I write italic hand with italic nibs. That means that normaly scratchiness is not a problem to me. I'm into straight cuts with maximum line variation and I know how to use these nibs. But nevertheless my Pendleton italics were hard to use. I do not mean that my experience can be extrapolated to all Pendleton nibs. Quite the opposite, I take on board the good references given by fellow FPNers in the posts above, but I think it only fair to tell my experience so that others can judge by themselves.

[Nashten]

I'll give a +1 to the Franklin-Christoph italic option. Their nibs are closer to cursive italic so they aren't as hard to use... But you need a pretty steady hand for italic regardless if it is cursive-oriented or not. My italic hand kinda sucks.

 

Here's a picture to give you an idea of the FC option.

 

 

Their italic is actually 1mm, not 1.1.

Edited July 22, 2013 by Nashten

[johnjayalvaro]

Get Pendleton to customize a broad to his point. I have this and it is smooth as butter but sharp as hell too. Mine is a Lamy Broad with his grind on it. I plan on posting a full review soon.

[Runnin_Ute]

If you have a Safari, get a 1.1 Cursive Italic nib for it for about $13. If you don't have a Safari, still get one and get the 1.1 as it's main nib. IMO it's a very nice ground nib and writes 3-4 times better than what it's cost would suggest. It leans towards a Stub with its amount of line variation but is smoooooth.

 

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

I second this. I pulled the fine off my Al Star and replaced it with the 1.1 mm and it does a beautiful job and is nice and smooth as well. I don't write well (if at all) in italics, but this I sometimes use as a EDC pen.

[pajaro]

That's a stub. The italic is 2312/9312.

[Jadie]

Wow, I didn't realize people were still replying to this topic.

 

Well, as it turned out, I ended up getting a Sheaffer Delta Grip----the review of which I actually posted here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/249017-sheaffer-delta-grip-satin-gold-finish-ci-nib/?do=findComment&comment=2723458

 

With that 20% off coupon, the price was hard to beat and I've been very satisfied with my purchase. However, I'll definitely look back to this thread when I think about getting another italic! ^___^

 

Thanks for all your help! This is one reason why I love FPN---it's a never-ending stream of helpful advice and enablers.

[Harlequin]

Just to keep in mind, Franklin Christoph nibs are ground and tuned by Mike Masuyama aka Mike-it-Work.

[Felix1]

Echo in here? Isn't that what RagingDragon wrote in the thread about a month ago?

[Harlequin]

Yup, but it seemed to me that most people glossed over that fact while recommending other nibmeisters or solutions. The FC nibs ARE ground and tuned by a nibmeister- that was kind of the point. Hence my use of the words "to keep in mind".

[mohan]

Probably this may be the cheapest italic grind of the world (available at Rs. 25.( less than half dollar).

http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w583/mohancv/2013-08-01133652-1_zpsac5272b8.jpg

http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w583/mohancv/2013-08-01133715-1_zps93c93d41.jpg

Smoother than my lamy italics.

Edited August 1, 2013 by mohan

[Fabienne]

OK I give up, what is Rs. 25?

[mohan]

Sorry, one dollar= Rs 56. So this may the cheapest.