Stub Nibs

[richardandtracy]

The line width I get with light pressure with my Lamy 1.1i is 0.8mm.

The line width I get with light pressure with my Lamy 1.5i is 1.1mm.

With high pressure I get a line as wide as the nib.

For normal writing with light pressure I get the same line width with my Lamy 1.5i as I do with a Parker 51 CI, Stipula Etruria 1.1 Italic and a modern Duofold Centennial Broad Italic. This is shown below (excepting the Stipula as it gives the same line).

http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx356/richardandtracy/ParkerDuofoldPicture2.jpg

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[mAnuscript69]

If you want to try your hand at some inexpensive italic nibs, I can recommend the Pilot Plumix, which comes with a Medium italic nib (~1mm on the wide stroke) or the Pilot 78G Broad, which is also an italic (~1.3mm on the wide stroke). I absolutely love the Broad nib on the 78G: Smooth and wet, just the way I like it

[Paddler]

I think the rule of thumb is that the width of the wide stroke should be 1/5 the height of your minuscule letters, say an "o" or an "a". Personally, I like 'em a little wider than that. A 1.1mm is a great compromise.

[RudyR]

My experience is that I have a preference for a .9 mm italic nib for general writing. And different Manufacturers nibs do have very different characteristics. So far the Lamy 1.1 is my preferred nib as far as cheap goes. The TWSBI 1.1 doesn't seem to give the line variable widths that the Lamy does. But the real killer nib I really enjoyed writing with was a Conway Stewart Churchill with a .9mm Italic Cursive (or fine Italic nib as CS calls it). Next in line was the Stipula Etruria also with a .9 mm IC. The line variation was very dramatically more apparent with these two pens.

One of these two pens will be mine in the future.

[RMN]

My experience is that I have a preference for a .9 mm italic nib for general writing. And different Manufacturers nibs do have very different characteristics. So far the Lamy 1.1 is my preferred nib as far as cheap goes. The TWSBI 1.1 doesn't seem to give the line variable widths that the Lamy does. But the real killer nib I really enjoyed writing with was a Conway Stewart Churchill with a .9mm Italic Cursive (or fine Italic nib as CS calls it). Next in line was the Stipula Etruria also with a .9 mm IC. The line variation was very dramatically more apparent with these two pens.

One of these two pens will be mine in the future.

I fully agree on these nibs. Alas they are not in the inexpensive range....

 

D.ick

[mercurius]

I have not had the pleasure of using any of these Lamy nibs, but as a general rule these sizes (1.1, 1.5 and 1.9) are for Calligraphy pens, and not regular pens, and NO they do not coincide with the regular pen widths. The cross stroke should be equal to a F/M by a regular pen whereas the down strokes will be much wider in these nibs, and 1.1mm down stroke will be (or should be) wider than any B, more like a BB of most brands. Having said that the stubs are really enjoyable with a lot of line variations. I love them.

 

For regular writing 1.1 should do you well. Broader nibs become more difficult to handle on a regular basis and need more care and positioning to give a better writing sample.

 

Thanks, Junaid, for this really helpful info and advice.

[mercurius]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are some different nibs, all lined up together to give an idea about comparative sizes. As jslaller said, you cant really make any comparison between normal F/M/B nib sizes and the 1.1/1.5/1.9 calligraphy nibs. They don't equate.

 

Below are the following nibs, left to right, moving from narrow to wide (quick iPhone shot):

 

1. Nakaya Portable Writer 14k F

2. Pelikan M400 White Tortoise 14C B

3. Bock 14K M stub

4. TWSBI Micarta steel B stub

5. OMAS Ogiva Extra 18k B stub

6. Lamy Safari steel 1.1

7. Bexley 10th Anniv. 18k stub (approx. 1.3mm)

8. Pelikan M800 18C BB stub (approx. 1.3mm)

9. Montblanc 149 18C BBB stub (approx 1.5 nib)

 

Wow, what a lovely collection of pens! Thanks for your help and for the great picture.

 

My opinion, having written with the Lamy 1.1 nib, is that it writes a line narrower than 1.1mm, and is a little dry out of the box. I once had Pendleton Brown smooth and adjust the flow on a Lamy 1.1 and it wrote more the way I liked, but still not as wide nor as wet as I like. I sort of like stub nibs, as you might guess. :embarrassed_smile:

 

Hope this helps a little.

[mercurius]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are some different nibs, all lined up together to give an idea about comparative sizes. As jslaller said, you cant really make any comparison between normal F/M/B nib sizes and the 1.1/1.5/1.9 calligraphy nibs. They don't equate.

 

Below are the following nibs, left to right, moving from narrow to wide (quick iPhone shot):

 

1. Nakaya Portable Writer 14k F

2. Pelikan M400 White Tortoise 14C B

3. Bock 14K M stub

4. TWSBI Micarta steel B stub

5. OMAS Ogiva Extra 18k B stub

6. Lamy Safari steel 1.1

7. Bexley 10th Anniv. 18k stub (approx. 1.3mm)

8. Pelikan M800 18C BB stub (approx. 1.3mm)

9. Montblanc 149 18C BBB stub (approx 1.5 nib)

 

 

 

My opinion, having written with the Lamy 1.1 nib, is that it writes a line narrower than 1.1mm, and is a little dry out of the box. I once had Pendleton Brown smooth and adjust the flow on a Lamy 1.1 and it wrote more the way I liked, but still not as wide nor as wet as I like. I sort of like stub nibs, as you might guess. :embarrassed_smile:

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

 

Wow! Thank you for the great picture and advice. What a great collection of stubs you have.

[mercurius]

As my friend DCP says above, a picture is Indeed worth a thousand words.

 

IMO, my 1.1 is a smooth Stubish Cursive Italic. Mine hasn't needed any massaging.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

Hi Bruce: thank you very much for taking the trouble to illustrate different types of stub. It really brings the discussion to life.

[mercurius]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

 

Looks like it's play time! I think the Lamy 1.1 and Pilot 78G or Plumix beckon...