Omas Ogiva Alba With A Factory Italic Nib

[dms525]

 

 

OMAS Ogiva Alba, Factory Italic Nib

The OMAS Ogiva Alba was released this Fall in a limited edition of 327 pens in each of three colors - green, purple and red. The pen is a demonstrator with a longitudinal grooved guilloche pattern. I am not a huge fan of demonstrators, and none of the colors really inspired me. What prompted my purchase was the opportunity to acquire an OMAS FP with a factory Italic nib at a reasonable price, at least for an OMAS LE with an 18Kt gold nib.

It turned out that the italic nib was a special order, which delayed shipment of my pen. And the italic nib is “factory,” in that that is from where it comes to the dealer, but it is apparently a stock Broad nib that the factory circumcises. That is to say, they cut off the tip, including all the iridium tipping material, making it flat and chisel-like, and smooth the corners of the tip.

My first impression was positive. The Ogiva shape is a classic. The color I chose was the green. It’s a nice, dark green with a bit of blue, to my eye. The nib initially shocked me. The lack of tipping was obvious. The tines appeared widely separated, raising concerns about excessive ink flow. The tip had such rounded shoulders, I feared the line differentiation would be insufficient for my needs. But read on …

1. Appearance & Design (9) - A nice looking pen, but no Paragon Arco Bronze

I have described the general appearance of the pen above. It is pleasing to look at. It has a nice shape, color and hardware, with the classic modern OMAS wheeled clip and Greek Key cap band. But, it doesn’t take my breath away like the OMAS Arcos or Blu Senape celluloids. It’s got stiff competition!

…

2. Construction & Quality (10) - Flawless

I can find no fault with the materials, fit or finish. In spite of it’s light weight and plastic body, it looks and feels like a high-quality writing instrument.

…

3. Weight & Dimensions (9) - Long length, comfortable diameter, lightweight
The Ogiva is slightly longer than a Paragon. Or a Pelikan M800! You don’t appleciate it’s size until you place it next to other pens. It sticks up quite a bit when put in a shirt breast pocket, and that’s a negative for me.For me, the section diameter is just about right. That is one of the most important pen parameters for me. I am not especially fussy about pen weights. I have both light pens, like this one, and much heavier ones, for example, my CS Bellivers, and I enjoy writing with them all.

…

4. Nib & Performance (8.5) - Good ink flow, very smooth, not very crisp.
As mentioned, the OMAS factory italic nib is cut from a B nib and is untipped. It has very round shoulders and writes more like a stub than a cursive italic. It is quite comparable to the Bock Italic/Stub nibs used by TWSBI, Franklin-Christoph and Edison. For a user who wants a broad stub to write in cursive or to use for signatures, this would be an excellent choice. I wanted to use it for italic script, and wish it were crisper.

I had read old reports on FPN that the OMAS italic nibs were untipped, but it was still a bit of a shock to see. For the amount of use this pen will get, the lack of iridium tipping is probably not a practical issue, but why OMAS chose to make the nib this way is a mystery to me. I believe I have 11 OMAS pens, and all of them have custom-ground crisp cursive italic nibs that started as M, B or BB round nibs. All have abundant iridium left.

As mentioned, I feared excessive ink flow because the tines seemed wide-space, but ink flow is fine, even with moderately wet ink like the Diamine with which I loaded it. It does hesitate starting after a pause in writing but starts again after just a bit of a nudge.

…

5. Filling System & Maintenance (9) - Classic reliable piston filler
This pen uses the excellent OMAS Piston filling system. It operates smoothly. I am pretty sure the nib is friction fit. I much prefer easily changed nibs like those on Pelikans and Auroras. I cannot comment further regarding maintenance.

…

6. Cost & Value (8.5) - High cost. High value?
I have been testing a variety of low cost pens with italic nibs the last few weeks. All have steel nibs and plastic bodies. None have the stunning beauty of an OMAS Paragon Arco or of a Pelikan M620 or of an Aurora Mare. Some, but not all, look and feel cheap. But several of them write really, really well and cost a small fraction of the pretty pens I named. The Ogiva Alba is much less costly than those pretty pens too, although still way more costly than my budget italic pens. And it feels to have the quality expected of an OMAS pen.

…

7. Conclusion (Final score: 9) - A very good pen, but not my personal ideal.
The OMAS Ogiva Alba has many strengths, and most of it’s weaknesses are subjective or a matter of personal preference. I think the OMAS Ogiva Alba would be an excellent choice for some one who wanted to experience this without spending what a celluloid Vintage Paragon, Ogiva or 360 costs.

 

 

 

 

 

David

[stevesurf]

Wonderful review; I absolutely love my Italic nibbed Ogivas. It's interesting but the Italic nibbed version I got from Goulet Pens is a Medium Italic and I find them amazingly smooth and crisp. So much, so, that I'm using them in my Kanji Radical study. Here's my impressions on it http://www.gouletpens.com/omas-ogiva-alba-violet/p/OM-OgivaAlba-Violet

 

Lightning strikes twice: amazing smooth nib; gorgeous pen Yes, like the title says, it did for me as I am fortunate to enjoy a medium nib version of the Green Omas Ogiva Alba and thought this was the perfect nib, but the Italic is even nicer! A smooth writer with, as Brian states accurately in the YouTube video http://youtu.be/xE0iqfMYAJM?list=UUPdFDFTd6P1a__tAr8CrpCQ just enough feedback to keep you on the paper. The violet is a little less translucent than the green version, but the amazing thing is that the capped pen will seem to be different colors at different angles. In low and incandescent light it will look dark and elegant with the Omas "High Tec" HT trim. In brighter light, the lovely deep violet shows through and of course, as a demonstrator, you can see your ink level. You can clearly see how much ink the piston has drawn into the pen and flip the pen nib up to squeeze out the air and get the maximum amount of ink into it (see the Goulet pen filling video).

How exciting can a fountain pen get? As someone wise told me, a FP should write well so that you'll want to use it every day. I love this pen; you will not be disappointed; just remember, in order of translucence, Orange is the most, then Green, then Violet and all have unique qualities.

Edited December 23, 2014 by stevesurf

[Ghost Plane]

Got my hands on one and was stunned at the perfection of the experience. I normally get the broad italic, but the medium really surprised me. Have to watch the corners, which surprised me as I've had a lot of italics, but once it found the angle it wanted...wow! Now using the experience as a benchmark for what I want in a writing experience. Loaded with Sailor ink, it was transcendent.

[dms525]

Wonderful review; I absolutely love my Italic nibbed Ogivas. It's interesting but the Italic nibbed version I got from Goulet Pens is a Medium Italic and I find them amazingly smooth and crisp. So much, so, that I'm using them in my Kanji Radical study. Here's my impressions on it http://www.gouletpens.com/omas-ogiva-alba-violet/p/OM-OgivaAlba-Violet

 

Thanks for your comments.

 

It occurs to me that, if the italic nibs are made to order, I could have asked for a specific width and, perhaps even, degree of crispness. Did you request a "medium italic" specifically, or was it luck of the draw?

 

David

[dms525]

Got my hands on one and was stunned at the perfection of the experience. I normally get the broad italic, but the medium really surprised me. Have to watch the corners, which surprised me as I've had a lot of italics, but once it found the angle it wanted...wow! Now using the experience as a benchmark for what I want in a writing experience. Loaded with Sailor ink, it was transcendent.

 

I had seen your enthusiastic comments on the OMAS broad italic nib in another topic. I'll ask you the same question I asked Steve: Did you specify a medium italic nib when you ordered?

 

David

[Mr.Rene]

Beautiful pen and interesting review !!

[Ghost Plane]

I had seen your enthusiastic comments on the OMAS broad italic nib in another topic. I'll ask you the same question I asked Steve: Did you specify a medium italic nib when you ordered?

 

David

In this case, I took Goulet stock. Normally I buy from Bryant and he knows my taste in nibs.

[amberleadavis]

Steve, when I saw this review, I thought of you. David, that's a beautiful pen! Thank you for sharing!

 

Ghost - now I want to try the medium italic - you normally like the really broad nibs right?

[gregamckinney]

David, did you find that ink was easily knocked from the nib/ feed to the inside of the cap?

 

I use a lot of demonstrators, so I'm used to having ink in the cap of the pen, but this particular Omas seems to have a problem keeping ink in the feed even with light "carry around" jostling.

With the placement of the cap threads, having a lot of ink in the cap inevitably leads to having ink on the threads, and then my fingers when I uncap the pen.

So far, I've only used "safe" inks (Aurora, Herbin) as I tend to do with new demonstrators. Not sure to what extent the ink would impact this behavior.

 

Just wondering if you, or any other users of this pen, have experienced this.

 

Best Regards, greg

[dms525]

David, did you find that ink was easily knocked from the nib/ feed to the inside of the cap?

 

I use a lot of demonstrators, so I'm used to having ink in the cap of the pen, but this particular Omas seems to have a problem keeping ink in the feed even with light "carry around" jostling.

With the placement of the cap threads, having a lot of ink in the cap inevitably leads to having ink on the threads, and then my fingers when I uncap the pen.

So far, I've only used "safe" inks (Aurora, Herbin) as I tend to do with new demonstrators. Not sure to what extent the ink would impact this behavior.

 

Just wondering if you, or any other users of this pen, have experienced this.

 

Best Regards, greg

 

Well, Greg, I haven't played rough with the pen or even carried it out of the house, but, so far, there is no leakage of ink into the cap. Since you inquired, I'll watch out for this misbehavior and report if I observe it.

 

David

[Ghost Plane]

 

Ghost - now I want to try the medium italic - you normally like the really broad nibs right?

Yes, which is why I was stunned to find this so spectacular in performance.. Normally I run to the 1.3 side of things.

 

I'm on my 8th refill and no ink in the cap, but then it lives on my desk. Used Sailor's Kobe line exclusively so far.

[amberleadavis]

Someday, maybe I'll visit your pens. (Well I also want to read what you've been writing).

[whichwatch]

Looks great! I definitely see at least one in my future and maybe two or even all three!

 

Very nice review!

[Ghost Plane]

Someday, maybe I'll visit your pens. (Well I also want to read what you've been writing).

Beta readers volunteer at their own peril.

[dms525]

What's in a name?

 

I just watched Brian Goulet's video comparing the nib options for the Ogiva Alba and looked at the Q&A's regarding the italic nib option on the Gouletpens web site.

 

It seems that the "broad" versus "medium" italic nib distinction is without substance. Here are the facts, as near as I can tell:

 

1. OMAS calls their factory italic nib "medium italic," and that is what Brian calls it.

2. Brian says the nib is 1.1mm wide. I assume he measured the physical nib width, rather than the width of the written line. In any event, that is identical to the italic nib on my Ogiva Alba, within measurement error.

3. My nib is a modified OMAS B nib, as described in my OP. Can I assume that all the OMAS "medium italic" nibs started as round B nibs?*

 

Could those who also have an OMAS Ogiva Alba with a factory italic nib take a look at it and report on the original nib width designation? (Just to be certain we're comparing apples to apples, as I now believe.) This is stamped onto the near shoulder of the nib when the nib is pointing at your left shoulder. See the nib photo in my OP.

 

Thanks.

 

David

 

* enricof stated this as a fact in Omas Calligraphic Nibs Testing - The Fountain Pen Network

Edited December 24, 2014 by dms525

[Ghost Plane]

Mine started life as an M. My broader ones are all stamped ST.

[dms525]

Mine started life as an M. My broader ones are all stamped ST.

 

Thanks, GP!

 

Another theory bites the dust!

 

If I needed another Ogiva Alba right now (Like when did "need" every enter the calculation?!), I'd specifically request one of those "medium italics" made from M nibs. I just got back 3 Auroras and an OMAS from Michael Masuyama, 3 ground as "medium" crisp cursive italics (0.7-0.8mm) and one as a very narrow CI. I haven't even inked all of those. So, certainly, not ..... until next week (at least)! Maybe.

 

David

[akafridi3]

Nice pen

[Ambien]

Thank you for the review on this Omas and factory italic nib. I admit the Arco Celluloid is one of my grail FPs ever since I saw it in person at a local club. Although, it's a shame how most of their vintage FPs have become very costly over the years due to rarity.

[dms525]

Thank you for the review on this Omas and factory italic nib. I admit the Arco Celluloid is one of my grail FPs ever since I saw it in person at a local club. Although, it's a shame how most of their vintage FPs have become very costly over the years due to rarity.

 

Yes, but the vintage pens generally can be purchased for less than the new ones. The prices of the new "Vintage" celluloid pens are mind boggling.

 

David