My Italian Nibs Are My Smoothest

[Precise]

I have three Italian pens. Delta Horsepower M, Montegrappa Harmony M, and Omas Mezzo 360 F. They are the smoothest pens in my collection of about 20 pens, which includes an MB 149 and a Pelikan M800.

 

When I examined their nibs, I found that all three have flat bottom tips. You can see a closeup of flat bottom tips here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/127966-nibs/?p=3469153

 

John Mottishaw wrote this about flat bottom nibs:

 

"This tip presents a very smooth flat foot to the paper making possible a "hydroplane" effect as it glides on a layer of ink."

http://www.nibs.com/OmasNibsPage.htm

Other FPNers have pointed out that a bit of drag helps their handwriting. I have to agree with that. But I also enjoy the "sensual" experience of writing with my flat bottom pens.

I recently visited a high-end pen shop that carries many Italian brands, including the three above. But I was surprised to hear that they were not aware of the smoothness of these pens.

I reground the tip of a $15 Duke 191 to change the bottom from ball to flat. Now it glides like my Italian pens.

Do you have some smooth flat bottom pens?

Tell us about them.

Regards,

Alan

Edited October 5, 2015 by Precise

[Randal6393]

Yep, I have a large number of flat-bottomed pens. All are italic nibs and write with varying degrees of smoothness. I like a bit of friction, or tooth, if you will. The nicer the writing, the more tooth to help control the pen. My everyday pens are the infamous butter-smooth. Love that I can expect a certain level of writing from each pen I pick up. It is almost required to hone up or grind a new pen to make it write the way I want it to. So, your experience with the Duke pen will stand you in good stead.

 

Best of luck,

[jar]

Only my italic and stub nibs have what might be called flat bottoms. None though are footed.

[Precise]

Since my original post I've photographed some of my nibs.

 

My Omas 360 Mezzo F. Note flat.

 

My Delta Horsepower M. Note flat.

 

My Duke D190 after I flattened it.

 

My new TWSBI VAC 700 F as shipped. It was somewhat scratchy, so I flattened is slightly after this photo was taken. See below.

 

If you look closely, you'll see that it's slightly flattened. This made it somewhat smoother. After living with it for a week, I may flatten it more.

 

Alan

[Bo Bo Olson]

Many of my German '50s-'65 are flattish to flat very stub added to the bit of flex. Makes for a smooth writing experence with a sharp clean line.

 

Yours have 'big' American Bumps Under, just flat footed. You have to hold your pen exactly and find the flat foot to write so smoothly. Generally flat footed is considered a fault....it is warned of when some one Grinds at Home Alone.

 

The rounded American Bump Under allows more slop in holding a pen. With proper nib tip geometry it should be smooth, and smooth if the pen is held a tad off.

[Precise]

My Omas 360 Mezzo F is my sweetest, smoothest pen. I love writing with it. I loved it so much that I decided to try another Omas. I bought an Omas Milord EF on ebay. It's about as fine as my Japanese F nibs. It was also scratchy. I fiddled with 6k, 8k and 12k grit pads and improved it only barely. Yet the nib looked absolutely perfect under my microscope. Polished, well rounded, perfectly aligned tines.

 

Tonight I decided to make this Italian pen even more Italian. In other words, flatter where the nib touches the paper.

 

I dragged it vertically downward 3.5 inches on 1,000 grit paper, then looked at it under my microscope. It was noticeably flatter. So I tried writing with it.

 

It was superb! Smooth, no scratch!

 

I finished the job, polishing with the 6k, 8k and 12k grit pads, though it didn't really need that.

 

I am blown away by how wonderful only 3.5 inches on 1,000 grit paper has transformed this scratchy pen. Viva the Italian grind!

Edited October 24, 2015 by Precise

[Intellidepth]

I love that we can tune our nibs to how we like them. I use different writing styles so I tend to need a rounded bottom so I can hold the pen at different places on the section. I tend to share my pens too with non-fp people, so a rounded base is good for that too.

 

However, if I had a well-developed single style that worked well with a flatter base... The hydroplaning effect would be a great idea to head for. I do love smooth liquid gliding on non-flex pens. I'll keep it in mind for another experimental project one day. Thanks.

[Precise]

I love that we can tune our nibs to how we like them. I use different writing styles so I tend to need a rounded bottom so I can hold the pen at different places on the section. I tend to share my pens too with non-fp people, so a rounded base is good for that too.

 

I have wider nibs with rounded bottom that I love. My Pelikan M800 F has a rounded bottom and I've often called it my most perfect pen. I've also posted that some FPN'ers, including me, have better handwriting with a bit of drag which rounded bottoms have.

 

But this particular EF nib was scratchy with a rounded bottom. So I'm thrilled that a bit of flattening cured it.

 

Alan

[Precise]

Here is a closeup photo of my flattened Omas Milord EF nib.

[eloquentogre]

My two best nibs, the first, a Pilot #15 WA/Waverly nib from a Custom 823

Nib tips by Eloquent Ogre, on Flickr

 

And the Fine nib on My Omas 360 Magnum (my absolute smoothest, wettest. nib, pure heaven)

Omas 360 Magnum nib tip by Eloquent Ogre, on Flickr\\

 

Sorry for the image quality - that is about the best I could manage with my iphone and shakey hands.

Edited October 26, 2015 by eloquentogre

[Precise]

My two best nibs, the first, a Pilot #15 WA/Waverly nib from a Custom 823

Nib tips by Eloquent Ogre, on Flickr

 

And the Fine nib on My Omas 360 Magnum (my absolute smoothest, wettest. nib, pure heaven)

Omas 360 Magnum nib tip by Eloquent Ogre, on Flickr\\

 

Sorry for the image quality - that is about the best I could manage with my iphone and shakey hands.

 

No need to apologize. Images are fine and they show the flattened foot that I've come to love.

 

The angle of the flat on the Omas suggests that it was formed to be written with the pen closer to vertical than most flattened nibs.

 

The Pilot is just the opposite and looks like it would be smoothest with the pen closer to horizontal than most pens.

 

Alan

Edited November 18, 2015 by Precise