Advice Wanted: Which Pens Have Nibs Like The Broad Nib On A Parker 65?

[skiron]

Good evening.

 

I inherited a Parker 65 from my granddad, and dropped it on its medium-sized nib. I bought a replacement broad nib, and fitted it myself, inexpertly, which resulted in leakiness on my thumb when writing.

 

Rather than spend time and energy fixing this pen/getting it fixed (that's perhaps a long-term project), I'd like to buy a new fountain pen with a nib like that of my Parker 65; a nib that's flat, flexible and wide. I presume only gold nibs provide those kinds of specifications, but I might be wrong there. I really like the expressive lines this nib provides, and the big variation in line width; the thick and thin lines are so very different.

 

If anyone could suggest some pens like this I'd be really grateful. I've uploaded some pictures of the nib.

 

Thanks!

Edited January 29, 2017 by skiron

[Chrissy]

Hello and welcome to FPN.

 

I see you're in the UK. Did you buy your replacement nib from the US like this one on ebay.com?

 

If that's what you did already, you might be better off buying a replacement pen that's a bit beat-up and swapping the whole section over to your Parker 65. For those you could try searching on ebay.co.uk. Whole pens will be less expensive than buying a nib from the US.

 

I would restrict your search to the European Union in order to avoid US high shipping costs and customs fees.

[Jamesbeat]

I had a Parker "51" like that.

The nib was broad and wet, and even had a bit of flex, and it made even my horrible handwriting look good.

 

When I emigrated to the States and needed as much money as I could lay my hands on, I sold all of my pen collection except a few Sheaffers.

 

Eight years on, I still regret selling that 51

[ac12]

@skiron,

Warning, trying to make a nib flex that was not designed to flex is asking to damage/destroy the nib.

IMHO, the best nib for most people is a stub or cursive italic nib. That give you the thick/thin ink line, without the hassle of dealing with a fussy and EXPENSIVE flexible nib. Try a Lamy Safari/Vista/Al Star with a 1.1 italic nib, and see how you like how that nib writes.

 

@James,

A 51 nib is NOT a flex nib. At least the design of the nib and the hood is not meant for the nib to flex.

[mitto]

The English made P61 C/C pens have most of the times fat juicy nibs but no flexibility. The English aero Duofold family pens' open nibs are sometimes found with a bit spring and give but with no true flexibility.

[skiron]

Thanks for all the advice!

 

When I said 'flexible', though, perhaps I should have said 'springy'? This is in comparison to the Lamy 2000 and a TWSBY 580, on which the nibs feel pretty rigid; they're the only other fountain pens I own, so not much of a frame of reference for me.