So I've Got Three Broads Doing Lines In My Pad...

[NinthSphere]

Or "A very brief comparison of Masuyama nibs with a S.I.G.". Either way, it sounds like a fun time, am I right?

 

Long story short, I agonized over my choice of Masuyama broad italic vs stub when I got my first Franklin-Christoph pen. Writing samples I could find were often not the broads or not in direct comparison to one another. I ended up with the italic for that one, but after a while, I was curious what I was missing not having the stub. Curiosity got the best of me & the next time I got an F-C, the stub was a must. All good for a time. Then this mysterious Stub Italic Gradient shows up & ruins my peace with the promise of smooth, stub-like action with line variation more like an italic. Do. Not. Need. More. Pens. Which would be fine if the nib units weren't available seperately. I can't afford another whole F-C pen atm, but I managed to talk myself into the nib. Problem being that finding samples directly comparing the broad with the other broads was just as bad as when this mess started, so I figured I'd throw this up for those in a similar position.

 

http://img07.deviantart.net/6c0c/i/2016/238/3/9/f_c_broad_comp_by_voidelemental-daffdxb.jpg

 

Paper is Clairefontaine & line spacing is 8mm for ref. Mind those cross strokes at the bottom. They turned out a bit broader than they should have, since I was more focused on getting a relatively straight line than using normal writing pressure. Also, perhaps not entirely fair using a pair of Iros with the KP, but I still had most of a converter full when I made the nib swap.

 

I would describe the Masuyamas as smooth, but not slick. They're also audible when writing. The S.I.G. does have a slick feel to it, but not in the "nigh uncontrollably glassy smooth" sense that I've encountered a couple of times. It's also noticeably quieter. By eye, the downstrokes appear to be approximately the same as both that of the italic & the stub. Cross strokes would appear to be on par with those of the stub. As you can see in actual writing though, the S.I.G. comes down as a sort of middle ground between the stub & italic, so it is in fact what it says on the tin. Smoother than the italic, with more line variation than the stub. The grind itself is even a hybrid of the italic & stub in appearance. Ground close on top like the italic, but with a bit of tipping curving up underneath, albeit less than the stub. I don't have a camera on hand atm, but there's a close up picture floating around here somewhere.

 

TLDR, a fine option if you don't want to go all the way on the italic &/or want to squeeze a bit more line variation out than the stub. Not displacing either in my heart, but certainly a welcome addition to the family. Glad I picked one up.

Edited August 27, 2016 by NinthSphere

[Newjelan]

I have 3 Masuyama CI nibs (F, M & - 1 on each of my Franklin-Christoph pens and they're a delight!

[MCWB]

Great thread title! Nice comparison too, thanks!

[NinthSphere]

Thanks.

[FOUR X FOUR]

I just love the title of your thread.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Does look thin for even vintage German B for me, but I'm very glad you are happy.

One chases the nib, and now there is another and new at that to chase.

 

So does the new nib replace both CI&Stub? Or is it an also?

[NinthSphere]

I just love the title of your thread.

 

Does look thin for even vintage German B for me, but I'm very glad you are happy.

One chases the nib, and now there is another and new at that to chase.

 

So does the new nib replace both CI&Stub? Or is it an also?

Oh, I would kill for these to be more like a 1.1-1.2, but they're about .9-1mm on the downstroke. After playing around with the italic a bit though, I got used to it, so I didn't mind the width when I got the other two.

 

If you mean F-C, it's an additional option alongside the Masuyama & other special nibs.

 

For me, it's definitely an also. I said in the op that the S.I.G. doesn't displace either in my heart. What it did instead was cause me to reorganize my pouches. It now resides in my Model 02 body alongside the Masuyama italic in my Scriptorium custom & the stub in my Panther 40. All three are counted among those kept inked for daily use with the same trio of colors in the op.

[estie1948]

Great thread title! Nice comparison too, thanks!

 

I just love the title of your thread.

The last time I had three broads doing anything at my pad, they were cleaning and I wasn't even there. I loved the title of your thread, also. Of course, I am an extremely old man.

 

-David (Estie).

[Bo Bo Olson]

I was going to mention I too had a happily wasted youth. Broads doing such did seem to come in three packs. I supplied the table.

[TSherbs]

the mention of a "stub" in this story is anticlimactic

Edited October 11, 2016 by TSherbs

[NinthSphere]

I was going to mention I too had a happily wasted youth. Broads doing such did seem to come in three packs. I supplied the table.

 

Of all things, this didn't warrant an essay?

[Margana]

Nominated for best thread title of the year!