Nib Suggestions For Someone New To Being A Leftie...

[dk76]

I am a lefty over writer. The only issue that comes to mind is that I have to turn the pen such that the nib is parallel woth my upstroke.

 

Other than that, I don't have any lefty nibs. I have used Lamy, TWSBI, Pilot and Kaweco. All wrote fine for me.

 

Perhaps a medium nib would be better suited to get accustomed to it? I say this because sometimes the fines and ef's dig into the paper creating a not so pleasant experience.

[pajaro]

I write left handed, and there are no left handed nibs or pens. There is a lot of rubbish believed by the right handed, but it is misleading. Any pen and nib will do, except some really broad or wet nibs. The left handed writer can use those also with care.

 

Saying that this pen or that nib is better for lefties is untrue, unless the person likes it. As far as Esterbrooks go, inexpensive pens that some people wax ecstatic about. These and other specific pens are no panacea for the left handed. Try anything that catches your eye. Don't be stampeded down some narrow alley. The full scope of available pens is open to left handed writers.

[LagNut]

dk76,

 

Thanks much, I appreciate your sharing your experience. This does seem to be a common theme, that the left-handed nibs are not necessary, though I am now intrigued to see what the difference in the grind is. Which is completely beside the point, but there you are. I get nosy...

 

The little details like "I have to turn the pen such that the nib is parallel with my upstroke" are information that might be quite useful in getting things to work comfortably, and are beyond my knowledge base.

 

Cheers,

Mike

Edited October 6, 2016 by LagNut

[LagNut]

Pajaro,

 

Thanks much for your experience as a southpaw. I think I am now quite comfortable in believing that the left-handed nibs are not the help that I thought they might be. I am still curious about them, but it's becoming a more academic curiosity.

 

She will be getting a run through some of my pens, including the Estie, on the idea of trying a number of combinations, much like I've been doing on my own just to try things out. I'm going to be a lot more open in things I'll suggest to her to try now.

 

Cheers

Mike

[estie1948]

David (Estie).

 

I have an Estie, and that exact nib. I like thin lines, so again she will be gaining a pen of mine. It's nice that a fine nib is where she nneds to go, as that is where I have been largely in my fountain pen travels.

 

She likes the idea of a expanding her collection. Have you people been in cahoots with her?

 

Cheers,

Mike

Wait! Mike! It is great that she tries the pen to see how it does for her. But give it too her!?! This does not bode well for the future. Now are you trying to snag her? Fine, let her have the pen. Otherwise, you need to guide her, Mike, to where she can find her own Esterbrook J with the great 9550 nib and tell her to return yours. I'm not a counselor, but watch out that she doesn't fit you for a ring in your nose.

 

-Dave (Estie) who had a ring in his nose.

[Sinistral1]

For clarification (because you did confess to being nosy), the only time a nib needs to be ground to accommodate a leftie (like me - underhanded) is if you are doing calligraphy or using a broad or stub nib to write in an italic style, with thick and thin lines in the lettering. A left handed nib is one that the left tine is lower than the right tine so as you upstroke at a 45 degree angle you use the edge of the nib to get a thin line and on the down stroke you use the full flat of the nib to get a thick line. It is also called a left foot oblique nib. (I think) Right handed people generally use a right footed nib for italic or calligraphic writing. If you have a flexible nib, you (as a lefty) can get the thick and thin lines with a regular nib, by applying pressure on the down stroke (to widen the line by separating the tines) and no pressure on the upstroke (leaving the tines together). It's all about how you want the lettering to look. Clear as mud?

Edited October 6, 2016 by Sinistral1

[mivox]

Mivox,

Do you find ink choice important? I do have Quink, and I may have some Lamy ink that I was not enamored with.

 

Mike

I only find ink choice important on paper that isn't absorbent. For everyday use, I use HP Premium Choice Laserjet 32lb paper, which you can buy by the ream quite affordably. But with paper like Tomoe River, which absorbs almost no ink, I use a bit of cheap copy paper as a blotter. :-)

[LagNut]

Wait! Mike! It is great that she tries the pen to see how it does for her. But give it too her!?! This does not bode well for the future. Now are you trying to snag her? Fine, let her have the pen. Otherwise, you need to guide her, Mike, to where she can find her own Esterbrook J with the great 9550 nib and tell her to return yours. I'm not a counselor, but watch out that she doesn't fit you for a ring in your nose.

 

-Dave (Estie) who had a ring in his nose.

Dave,

 

My nose has been fitted with multiple rings: wife, 3 daughters, 2 dogs (in relative order of nose holding power).

 

This is one of my daughters, who is actually mailing me a couple of my pens back, due to their lack of suitability (too large - she want's thinner pens, which may well get me the Estie returned.) About the only pens that are safe from the two youngest daughters are my daily carry pens, and even then I have to remain vigilant. And actually, it is this daughter who is most likely to liberate items from my clutches. And then snicker when she is outside of my effective capture radius.

 

Actually, I may lose the Estie, looking at it. It will entirely depend on her enjoyment of the nib.

 

But yeah, I lost that battle a while back. I'm fully resigned to it...

 

Mike

[LagNut]

Sinestral,

 

Actually that was pretty clear, except I was expecting side writer, overwriter or underwriter. I'm assuming underhand = underwriter? Which it turns out is what my daughter is gravitating toward ("between the #1 and #5 photo" on the nibs.com link Sandy1 provided).

 

Thanks much

Mike

Edited October 7, 2016 by LagNut

[estie1948]

Dave,

 

My nose has been fitted with multiple rings: wife, 3 daughters, 2 dogs (in relative order of nose holding power).

 

This is one of my daughters, who is actually mailing me a couple of my pens back, due to their lack of suitability (too large - she want's thinner pens, which may well get me the Estie returned.) About the only pens that are safe from the two youngest daughters are my daily carry pens, and even then I have to remain vigilant. And actually, it is this daughter who is most likely to liberate items from my clutches. And then snicker when she is outside of my effective capture radius.

 

Actually, I may lose the Estie, looking at it. It will entirely depend on her enjoyment of the nib.

 

But yeah, I lost that battle a while back. I'm fully resigned to it...

 

Mike

Sorry, Mike, my warning was years too late and, as you say, you are resigned to it. And, to be truthful, I haven't given any of my Esties to my great-granddaughters yet simply because they have not asked. Having only five great-granddaughters, I believe I will get to keep a few (few?) Esties.

 

I wish you good luck, Mike!

 

-David (Estie) who talks the talk, but whose nose was made for rings . . .

[LagNut]

Mivox,

 

More useful information. I think she tends to favor the cheap paper, so she should be in reasonably good shape on that score. Using that paper as a blotter is a nice idea also.

 

Thanks again,

Mike