What nib width do you prefer?

[marklavar]

Very surprised to see so many votes for fine and extra-fine - and so few for broad. I wonder if this is representative of the general public - I suspect not.

[zyg]

Maybe because some fines write like mediums or broads

Zyg

[kissing]

My first fountain pens were fat Parker mediums (Vector and Sonnet M), so my penmanship has adjusted to it.

 

I like a nice juicy medium nib (Though I have to admit, Waterman Phileas medium is too fat, even for me )

[marklavar]

Maybe because some fines write like mediums or broads

Zyg

True. But that is always a matter of opinion.

[MikeLip]

I like to *write* with medium nibs for smoothness sake. I like the *writing* from fines!

[rattybad1]

Medium-fine for me. I can never decide between one or the other, so I thought the compromise would suit me best; since I got my new Sailor, I have to say it's been my favorite size nib.

[alvarez57]

I was discussing this very topic with the aquaintance of mine who is responsible (we have to blame someone, eh?) for my recent overpurchasing of pens on eBay Friday.

Another one.... <_<

 

 

I use mainly Medium; I like medium-Japanese because it seems to me a halfway point b/w Medium and fine (I may be wrong )

 

Now, not mentioned was the stub- I write fast, very fast and I do better with stub (my "Binderized" M stub Omas below)

Edited January 11, 2007 by alvarez57

[marklavar]

I'm certainly more of a medium-fine person. And I agree with those who like the Japanese mediums - they seem the perfect size for me. Having said that, I am able to adjust my handwriting to most nibs, so even a broadish medium is not an issue for me; some people find it disconcerting to see their letter loops filled, but it doesn't bother me; on the contrary, I find that it adds to the individuality of my handwriting. And the fact remains that medium nibs are generally smoother than fines. I would never contemplate using an extra-fine or needlepopint!

[rhk745]

I like to use Fine nib. It can write a fine line.

 

Jojo :bunny1:

[Ray-Vigo]

Medium for me- prefer fast drying ink though. I'm left handed so finer tips grind to the paper, but if it's too broad it won't dry fast enough and can smudge. So a good medium with the right ink seems a proper balance.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

I checked "broad." I like broad nibs. I sometimes wonder if I'd really just prefer a paintbrush to get the ink onto the paper.

 

But I have only a couple of broad nibs, and one of those has ink flow problems. So I use a bunch of mediums. For me the larger tip size helps my handwriting. I have a tendency to not write large enough. With a fine or very fine tip I'll write such tiny letters that I'll never be able to read it back agian. And so the medium or broad nibs make me write bigger and that's more legible for me.

 

Also, as I age, I can see the lines written with the larger nibs better than anything written with a fine nib. Fine lines have this sudden tendency to almost disappear, and at best require a lot more eye-work to decipher.

 

I also just find the wider ink lines on paper to be esthetically pleasing. :)9

[pvdiamon]

I agree, the Namiki VP fine is like a true extra fine to me, and no other nib I"ve ever tried seems to compare to that thin, probably too thin, width. I don't care for my VP because the nibs are too different...the F is too fine, and the medium is too broad. My Aurora XF is more like a fine, almost M. I'm intrigued by the XS of my Rotring Core, haven't yet decided if it is too wide for me, but it writes so nice, I'm still experimenting.

 

John

[Carrie]

I voted extra fine because I tend to opt for extra fine or fine nibs, with a lot of mediums my writing can end up being filled in blobs. I guess that's why I like so many vintage nibs. As for a VP, I have fine and medium nibs and think that something inbetween the two would be ideal.

[marklavar]

After 125 votes the picture is becoming closer to what I expected, with medium nibs coming back strongly. Still, I am very surprised at the number of people going for fine or even extra-fine. The few extra-fine nibs I've tried have all been too scratchy for regular usage; I could never envisage myself using one. Fine is just about OK.

 

Still very few votes for broad nibs - a definite surprise. Many people use fountain pens only for signing, and broad nibs seem well suited for the task, allowing the writer the chance to display some flourish without the signature becoming too spidery.

[Kalessin]

I love oblique broad nibs. For practicality, I also like broad and medium nibs. With my wacky left-hand overwriting, flex doesn't really work, but most OB nibs have some line variation.

 

I don't like fine point pens (ballpoint, roller, gel or fountain pen) unless there's a strong reason why I need a fine line.

[Nimrud]

I like fine as long as it's flexy or a Triumph, most mediums, broad if smooth and wet with a large sweet spot, stubs, italics if not too sharp...

 

See, I can't vote.

[NaturalBornWriter]

I have a fine nib on my Pelikan 150 and it writes like I'd expect a medium nib to write: very smooth, slightly thick line. The medium nib on my Pelikan 200 writes with a thinner line and there's more drag on the paper. Scratchy, almost. I was extremely surprised at how the two differed.

 

NBW

[westlandmi]

I prefer fine. It makes my handwriting look so much nicer.

[petra]

I never use fine nibs as my handwriting is somewhat large-ish, and F nibs just make my writing look scraggly. If I have to use a regular round-tip nib, then medium would be my choice, but the line quality has so little character...

 

So I'm a definite STUB fan, with a preference for medium to broad stubs, depending on the pen. One of my absolute favorites is the Bexley stub - not too sharp and not too "soft-shouldered." Most of my pens have either factory stubs or italics, or have been re-ground to stubs and I use them for everyday writing.

 

I'm now also much more conscious of which pen companies, retailers & pen models can provide good factory stubs/italics & it's had a definite influence on pen purchase considerations.

 

Since stub isn't on the list, I'll most likely vote for Italic/Broad.

 

Petra

[JRodriguez]

I love italic nibs, and I think my favorite has to be Italic broad.