Scratchy Nib Vs Feedback, What's The Difference?

[5370H55V]

So like the title says, what's usually considered feedback (which some people prefer in a pen), and what's considered scratchy?

I'm wondering since my new platinum 3776 century chartres blue with a fine nib felt like it had more resistance flowing across the page than my EF TWSBI 530 and I could definitely feel the texture of the paper through the 3776 more, but I'm not sure if that comparison means the 3776 nib is scratchy or rather it has more feedback than the 530.

 

Are these two completely different properties, or is it more like a "That safari has a scratchy nib, but my MB has feedback." sort of thing?

[dragos.mocanu]

I think the difference between feedback and (mild) scratchiness is purely subjective (for example, a nib that I would find mildly scratchy may be considered alright by someone who considers it only has a bit more feedback than usual). Of course, I'm not counting baby bottom scratchiness or tines misalignment scratchiness...that's just scratchy. And then, there's the paper (texture), the ink (how lubricated it is), you can't only count the nib in the feedback "equation".

[Inkysloth]

Scratchy sets my teeth on edge, feedback is gentle & consistent. Of course, you don't have my teeth, so that's not helpful for you!

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I usually say that scratchy is "risk of cutting paper and catching"

Feedback is generally smooth, but you can feel the paper beneath. There isn't any catching.

 

Dillon

[aawhite]

Hi,

 

I usually say that scratchy is "risk of cutting paper and catching"

Feedback is generally smooth, but you can feel the paper beneath. There isn't any catching.

 

Dillon

 

+1. Well said.

[proton007]

Scratchy usually means the nib catches on to the paper or tends to dig in.

 

One way to compare them is by drawing fast horizontal lines. A scratchy nib *will* end up scratching the paper, one with feedback won't; however the texture of the paper will be felt much more enhanced.

Edited November 18, 2013 by proton007

[Mafia Geek]

As well, scratchy is often only when you make certain motions or in certain directions whereas feedback is all the time, in almost all directions.

 

From my personal experience with my Sai, its almost certainly feedback rather than scratchy unless the nib got badly damaged. Platinum make VERY good nibs that are quite difficult to misalign or damage from my experience. The best pen right out of the box I've ever used.

 

It can help if you have a look at the tip with a loop, abt scratchy would be from misaligned tinnes.

[whoelse]

To me:

 

Feedback = same feeling writing with a pencil? The amount of feedback depend on the pencil such as 2B, 6B etc.

Scratchy = try write with a safety pin point, it scrap the paper.

[Sblakers]

To me:

 

Feedback = same feeling writing with a pencil? The amount of feedback depend on the pencil such as 2B, 6B etc.

Scratchy = try write with a safety pin point, it scrap the paper.

+1.

[Sasha Royale]

I love the snow, when I am skiing. I hate the stuff, when my car is stuck.

 

Feedback: the murmuring of the nib, as it sings across the paper. It gives the pen character.

Scratchiness: the irritating rattle, from a noisy nib, stumbling across the paper. Infuriating !

 

I spent several hours, hunting an annoying cricket, in my parlor. I sprayed insecticide into hiding places.

The Chinese remedy is to praise a cricket in the house as "good luck".

[ethernautrix]

Feedback: like.

Scratchy: dislike.

[Bo Bo Olson]

"""""As well, scratchy is often only when you make certain motions or in certain directions whereas feedback is all the time, in almost all directions."""" +10

 

Some one brought up toothy feels like a pencil and I thought that a good description.

 

""""Feedback: the murmuring of the nib, as it sings across the paper. It gives the pen character.

Scratchiness: the irritating rattle, from a noisy nib, stumbling across the paper. Infuriating ! """ :thumbup:

 

One experienced person's feed back/tooth can be a noobies SCRATCHY.

gel pens are smoother .

 

 

Then there is drag.....sometimes cured by a wetter ink, a smoother paper....

 

the buff stick touch up.... All you need is the gray side for a anti-drag touch up....you are not grinding.

 

Some folks insist on butter smooth at all costs...there are very smooth papers that make that a bad choice. I like good and smooth, a step under that....I don't get upset with a touch of tooth.

 

I do think 'smoothing/grinding' should be the last resort, not the first.

 

Writing is 1/3 nib width&flex, 1/3 paper and 1/3 ink, and in that order.

Edited November 18, 2013 by Bo Bo Olson

[Centopar]

Spend a few pounds/dollars/bhat on a dip pen and some dip nibs: compare to your fountain pen and you'll grok the difference between feedback and scratchiness.

[GClef]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Tutuguans/1119130145-1_zpsaa2d35ed.jpg

[Tom Traubert]

This is interesting. I'm having issues with my Cross Apogee because it doesn't glide across the paper like my other pens. There's no real issue with flow - I use Diamine Kelly Green and it leaves a nice, wet line; occasionally needing a shake to bring it back to full strength.

 

But it feels itchy. Like I'm writing with a pencil that's got a jagged point. This is a £100 pen, and my Pilot 78G is smoother. I'll grant that the Pilot is a broad stub and the Apogee is a medium, but surely - something ain't right? I love this pen and don't want to give up on it because it was my first fountain pen in ten years or so, but at the moment, I'm contemplating either returning it to Cross (and incurring a £6 handling charge, 'cos a lifetime guarantee comes with caveats) or sending it off to a nibmeister to be ground into a stub, thereby changing the character of the pen.

 

What do, FPN? What do?

[carlosviet]

It is subjective. Both are degrees of friction, but while one helps the user's writing by providing more control than with the "butter on glass" nibs, the other requires extra effort to maintain a comfortable speed. That means that the same pen might be scrtachy for some, and feedback for others.

[5370H55V]

From all the replies so far, the general consensus seems to be that aside from cases caused by obvious nib misalignment (such as scratching in one direction or catching paper fibers), scratchiness and feedback both describe some amount of friction when writing, which varies from person to person. The difference seems to be based on whether the friction was expected/unexpected and if the user found it pleasant or not.

 

This makes me question whether price or perception play a part in determining if a pen is scratchy or not though. If you buy an expensive (however much that means to you) pen and encounter unexpected friction when writing, would you be likely to critique it more thoroughly due to its price and call it scratchy or would you see it as a feature that adds character to the pen and call it feedback?

[Tom Traubert]

Hmmmm. I gave my Apogee a damn good flush and filled it with washable blue Quink; it seems much happier. That's a pretty wet ink though, isn't it? I might use it as my general scribbling pen, and do my marking (which amounts to most of my extended writing) with my smoother pens.

 

I just can't be bothered sending it to Cross. I like the pen, but they seem pretty rubbish for customer service.

[Renfield]

I like my nibs pretty much butter smooth, and as such I try to smooth out even a hint of feedback, so I have in the past year got about 50 pens, of various prices, and only had about 2 that needed no nib work at all.

 

That was a Conway Stewart (about £400) and a kaigelu 356 (£3.67), so its nothing to do with price.

 

Some of them had feedback and some had downright scratchyness, some here would not worked o a lot of them as they would hae put it down to feedback and enjoyed it. I just find that when a pen has feedback my hand gets tired more quickly when writing.

 

I would agree with the definitions above, but would point out, that the level of feedback can make a pen feel scratchy for someone who doesn't like it.

 

Ren

[ethernautrix]

From all the replies so far, the general consensus seems to be that aside from cases caused by obvious nib misalignment (such as scratching in one direction or catching paper fibers), scratchiness and feedback both describe some amount of friction when writing, which varies from person to person. The difference seems to be based on whether the friction was expected/unexpected and if the user found it pleasant or not.

 

This makes me question whether price or perception play a part in determining if a pen is scratchy or not though. If you buy an expensive (however much that means to you) pen and encounter unexpected friction when writing, would you be likely to critique it more thoroughly due to its price and call it scratchy or would you see it as a feature that adds character to the pen and call it feedback?

 

I do not like scratchy nibs, and the price of the pen does not influence whether or not a nib is scratchy, although the degree of my irritation might be commensurate with the expense of the pen.