Obb Nibs

[meiers]

Are they really more difficult to write with?

 

I am contemplating the purchase of a 146 or 149 with an OM, OB or OBB nib in my quest for a pen that offers line variation.

 

I enjoy EF, F and M nibs a lot. Last year I acquired a B nibbed 146 and am now ready for more daring nib-exploits.

Edited January 3, 2014 by meiers

[meiers]

Please share your experiences and (mis)adventures with MB oblique nibs.

[pajaro]

You can get some line variation with an OBB. You would probably get a more pleasing result with a cursive italic.

[Opooh]

You can get some line variation with an OBB. You would probably get a more pleasing result with a cursive italic.

Agree with that, quite difficult to get enough variation with an OBB.

[CS388]

You must try them out first. Some people love them, others can't get along with them.

 

I'm of the B and BB persuasion. But I experimented with an OBB (on a 1950s 144).

Man! I made some mess with that nib, just couldn't get the hang of it, despite trying all the tips from fellow members.

 

I let a friend use it one day and she instantly took to it, like a duck to water - and put down some beautiful writing.

(It's her pen, now!) I'm back on the straight and narrow broad.

 

So, yeah, go for it - but try out first before laying down any big money!

 

Good luck.

[MisterBoll]

You really need to spend some time with an OBB to see if you get along. You get a certain amount of line variation but not to the degree of a stub or cursive italic.

 

I just kept going back to the local boutique and messing about with the box of many nibs. At this point I would not get a mb pen that was not oblique.

[richter]

I've been messing around with my 146 with OBB nib for a few weeks now. I've never even had a stub or cursive italic prior to getting this nib so it's been a steep learning curve for me. I find I have to twist my wrist in some weird counter-clockwise fashion to be able to get it to maintain contact with the paper consistently and line variation that I like which feels very unnatural and uncomfortable. I'm still playing around with different angles of the pen to paper and rotation of the pen in my hand so it's been very interesting to say the least. I don't regret the purchase and it's given me a very different perspective on nib widths. Prior to this nib, I used to think that M was really wide since the majority of my pens are EF. The OBB is slowly growing on me. I find I have less success when writing on very slick paper like Rhodia while the nib is more forgiving on less-smooth, more toothy paper. I always end up skipping a bit when I'm crossing my t's and sometimes the first part of the first letter in a word since I'm losing my pen angle. So I've tried to write more with my arm and shoulder and less with my fingers to try to keep the angle more consistent. In comparison, a regular round nib is pretty much idiot-proof. I'll probably end up getting a regular B nib down the road too (non-oblique) to play with.

[Keyless Works]

If you can go to a Montblanc boutique they usually have a test set so that you can sample the nibs (EF through OBB). I love OBB nibs but they definitely are not for everyone. If you are right handed and your goal is line variation you will definitely be happier with a stub or cursive italic.

[georges zaslavsky]

I love oblique nibs too, I have two 80's mb146s which are both fabulous writers, one with OB, another one with OBB.I also have an Oblique medium 149 from the 70's with a full flex nib, one of my favorites

[Paul Raposo]

From everything I've read, the older nibs on pens with ebonite feeds are superior to the modern oblique nibs.

 

My only experience with an oblique, was a Pelikan 600 with an OM nib, and I really disliked it. I had the same experience as richter; twisting my hand into a pretzel just to get some good ink down on the page.

 

Maybe instead of an oblique, try a BB, or even BBB.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Paul Raposo

[da vinci]

I have BB and OBB nibs on different 144's.

 

The BB is easier to use,as the OBB requires me to rotate the pen so that the nib is presented to the paper at a slightly different angle than I would normally, but I have got past that and like them both (although I have to say if I had a choice I'd go for the BB...).

[meiers]

I really appreciate ALL these thoughtful and informative responses.

[808sr20]

Personally I prefer my obb over my b. I do find rotating pen counterclockwise almost 30-45 degrees in compared to my b helps a lot in finding a nice smooth feel. Also slowing my upstrokes compared to when I use my b helps the smoothness, I guess I put too much pressure down when I swing for the fences

 

Also when I am not scribbling I generally point nib to upper right corner of paper.

[orfew]

My MB 24 has an OBB nib. I love playing around with it. It took me a little while to get used to it but now I love the line variation I get from it. The nib also has some flex and this in combination with the OBB nib makes things very interesting. I have used this pen for everyday writing but I prefer just to experiment with it and have some fun.

[Blade Runner]

Oblique nibs didn't do anything for except forcing me to adjust the nib position. I wouldn't get one unless it was a rare pen.

[Tombstone]

Let's describe it like this:

 

I have a Fitzgerald - old, used, without box and papers, ugly as hell, far too short and much too thin for my hands.

 

But I love it for its OBB...

 

[ohpaulpleasestop]

Hello everyone and happy new year~

 

I have my share of B, BB, OBB, and OBBB nibs. I'd have to say out of the lot that my favorite pen to write with is my 149 with an OBB nib. I think you'd have to go into the store and play with some of the test pens to really see if the obliques are for you.

 

- Paul

[meiers]

Hello everyone and happy new year~

 

I have my share of B, BB, OBB, and OBBB nibs. I'd have to say out of the lot that my favorite pen to write with is my 149 with an OBB nib. I think you'd have to go into the store and play with some of the test pens to really see if the obliques are for you.

 

- Paul

What does the OBB nib offer you?

[I like mango cheesecake]

I've got an OB 146 and a B 149. Both write differently. I have to rotate the OB as what everyone is saying. When I try to write normally, the pen just does not want to cooperate. I don't mind having different nibs on my pens, as it enables me to explore different ways of writing and holding my pen. I would like to get a 146B some day.

 

I think one oblique is enough for me though.

[sarahfar]

Stubs are easy to start with. If you use a stub or have, it really can be as simple as rotating the nib toward you and finding the sweet spot. The can produce variation I have one on my Hemingway and more than one on some of my Nakaya. I like them and do give some feedback versus a big ball or iridium..... John Mottishaw has Videos of some he modified on his sight which were Nakaya, that could help. You won't know unless you try......