Which Is The Smoothest Writing Pen In Your Collection

[Bo Bo Olson]

For 'butter smooth' I have a MB Woolf, modern fatter than once was, B=BB....I've a '50's KOB that is three times thinner.

My Pelikan 605 BB has been stubbed by Fountainble to 1.0 and is just as smooth as before.

I'm sure I have one or two other 'butter smooth' pens. I don't chase them. They slide on slick paper.

 

The majority of my nibs are 'good and smooth', which don't slide on slick paper. That is not 'toothy' or even with much 'feel', but is less slick than butter smooth.

 

I do have a couple of toothy pens too.....and a couple dry ones. The dry ones get fed wet inks, the wet ones dry inks....if it's bothering me. Why alter the nib to vanilla when one can play with inks to be a bit more or a bit less.

 

I know some who alter all their nibs to 8/10 on the wetness scale. I just wonder why they have a second pen....out side of width. 4 pens , EF, F, M & B would be more than enough if all are the same wetness.

 

Pelikan 4001 is the dry inks...............once before Noodlers, Waterman was the wet ink. Now there are Noodler users who consider Waterman a dry ink.

 

So there are inks out there that will make your nib 'butter smooth' if it was made of concrete.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

It's hard to say based on general impressions without any standard for actual measurement. And I have several that are quite smooth, and a real pleasure to write with.

 

But I assume general impressions are just fine. For me, it would be two pens from the 1940s. One of two my Eversharp Skylines, which has a medium nib, just glides over the page. And my Mabie Todd Swan 3150, with a slightly finer nib, is just as good.

 

But that's not a guarantee for anybody else. The Skyline was, I think, just the luck of the draw. And the 3150 only became what it is after I sent it out to John Mottishaw for regrinding.

 

For modern, still made, pens, it's harder to pick, but a Custom Heritage 92 with a fine-medium nib is probably first among equals.

[SpecTP]

My MB WE's, GvFC, and any pen that Mike Masuyama has worked on.

[OMASsimo]

By far my Osmia Supra from the 1930s. Not only smooth as silk but also very flexible and fantastic ink flow.

Edited October 23, 2017 by OMASsimo

[virgilio]

Sometimes it is enough to LIGHTLY press down on the nib when you first ink the pen. If you push too far and the tines are sprung too far to permit ink flow, turn the pen over and press down again, lightly, until ink flow is restored. But if you press too hard, you may permanently spring the nib. Ruined.

 

Usually tho for the Universals I have to pull the nib (very easy for Universals using just your fingers) insert a razor blade between the tines (or any very think piece of smooth metal) so as to increase ink flow. The late great Frank Dubiel recommended this, and it works. Sometimes I have to bring the tines back into alignment with my fingers, or needle-nosed tweezers, or just by pressing down on one tine. Allow plenty of time, and be patient. In the old days people sat at benches and worked on a pen for up to an hour to make it right. That is why they were so expensive. $5 was a week's wages for many people back in the 30s.

 

The most critical part of a fountain pen is the feed, not the nib, as it is hard to improve a bad feed, or to find one that fits a given nib. Occasionally one of the ink channels will be defective tho, and it can be fixed with a razor blade.

 

For polishing nibs (unnecessary for the Universals and for any reasonably good pen) see my posts on using a copper penny to polish nibs. The mylar also works, but not as well.

 

In many cases however, a nib can be 'smoothed' just by using a wetter ink. Add Ivory dish detergent with a small vet syringe as required (1 to 4 drops). If you add too much, just add a little distilled water until the ink no longer feathers on your chosen paper.

[Chris C]

Smoothest is Cross Verve. Too bad Cross doesn't make better ink cartridges.

Pre-1997 Pelikan M600 and 1990's Stipula Etruria, both in fine, are also very smooth.

[Freddy]

Sometimes it is enough to LIGHTLY press down on the nib when you first ink the pen. If you push too far and the tines are sprung too far to permit ink flow, turn the pen over and press down again, lightly, until ink flow is restored. But if you press too hard, you may permanently spring the nib. Ruined.

 

Usually tho for the Universals I have to pull the nib (very easy for Universals using just your fingers) insert a razor blade between the tines (or any very think piece of smooth metal) so as to increase ink flow. The late great Frank Dubiel recommended this, and it works. Sometimes I have to bring the tines back into alignment with my fingers, or needle-nosed tweezers, or just by pressing down on one tine. Allow plenty of time, and be patient. In the old days people sat at benches and worked on a pen for up to an hour to make it right. That is why they were so expensive. $5 was a week's wages for many people back in the 30s.

 

The most critical part of a fountain pen is the feed, not the nib, as it is hard to improve a bad feed, or to find one that fits a given nib. Occasionally one of the ink channels will be defective tho, and it can be fixed with a razor blade.

 

For polishing nibs (unnecessary for the Universals and for any reasonably good pen) see my posts on using a copper penny to polish nibs. The mylar also works, but not as well.

 

In many cases however, a nib can be 'smoothed' just by using a wetter ink. Add Ivory dish detergent with a small vet syringe as required (1 to 4 drops). If you add too much, just add a little distilled water until the ink no longer feathers on your chosen paper.

 

Still tryin' to promote your claptrap....if nothin' else you are persistent......This of course is me personal opinion and yours will differ.

Vae Vulgum Pecus.........{freakinhappysmileyfacetimethingie}

 

Fred

What are your views on spontaneous combustion?

 

Happened to me once.

[MercianScribe]

I like a bit of feedback, probably because most of my prefered pens are vintage flex, but out of those probably the Swan Calligraph. A lot of my modern Chinese pens are very smooth, like the Jinhao 159, but then, that's a hose so it's hardly surprising. The two most surprisingly pleasant fine/extra fine smoothies are my Preppy 0.3 and Daiso's new-ish one with the partially hooded tubular nib.

 

I had a vintage Skyline with a beautifully smooth semi-flex nib.

 

And my one real wet noodle is very smooth but partly, I guess, because it puts out so much ink. Ditto the top two grades of Pilot Parallels!

Edited October 24, 2017 by MercianScribe

[MercianScribe]

What on earth are you always so angry about, Freddy? The permanent rant mode is a bit dull, pal.

[virgilio]

Stiffer nibs are harder to work on. Sometimes when you spring one of those, you can't put it back, no matter how hard you try. I prefer nibs with a tiny bit of flex, so as to avoid permanently sprung nibs.

[virgilio]

Easy nibs to work for beginners are, among modern pens, the Manuscript Dodec and the Malarkey. Vintage I would suggest Walthams, Italian Universals and Marlowes. Leave the expensive pens to the pros however; you don't want to ruin a really nice pen learning... and you will ruin plenty til you get the hang of it...

 

Easiest nibs to pull and to replace with no hassle are the Italian Universal school pen of the 50s, Sheaffer school pens, etc. Somebody might want to suggest others that are easy to take apart and put back together again. I don't like hooded nibs; often hard to get 'em back in line.

[mitto]

Parker 51 vac with a double-broad nib.

 

Glenn

Same for me. A 1948 double broad nibbed forest green 51 and a 1952 double broad nibbed Bloody British Burgundy English 51.

[Beechwood]

It sounds like there is no concensus and that it is all down to the individual, both pen nib and hand of the writer. And thats before any consideration on paper.

[Kansas Pen]

I have to include two cousins in my reply. I can't pick which is smoother.

 

My two pens I am most proud to own are both Parker Centennial Duofolds - "nibbed" medium when purchased from a salvage dealer selling off damaged cartons. Result of a train or truck going over and spilling the freight. Most of the load was water soaked. The seller did not know much about pens - just said the insides would be ok or send them back.

 

Everything including the outer cardboard sleeves were perfect - my boxes were not damaged, The pens and all other contents of the inner boxes were perfect.

I had only seen the beautiful nibs from the pages of Fountain Pen Hospital. And now I had a pair of these amazing nib works of art.

 

I read the Parker instruction sheet inside and saw that I was eligible for a nib swap.

 

I did as much research as to Parker nib types as I could and called Parker customer service. After talking with Julia, I decided to take a chance on an extra fine with her promise they would make sure it had good flow. I sent the Red Jasper Duofold back to Parker for the switch to X/F.

 

When received back, I was just stunned.

The nib ran like nothing I had ever experienced.. No need to press down to the paper, this nib was outstanding, especially to a neophyte user. Wrote first time, every time. Not a bit of scratchiness. Today based on other pens -especially Asian - I'd say it is a juicy fine.

I called back to thank Julia and she related she sent it over to the "shop" to make sure it wrote with good flow, before sending it home to me,

Wow - what great service!

 

For my Grey body I decided to really take a "flyer" after a little more research and asked for the #89 Oblique Broad (right hand).

Again, whether Julia asked for a little service from the "shop", or this gem was made from the start, I got an unbelievable wonderful writer.

It forms such great contrast of lines and shading. My cursive writing is not too bad, but I don't do justice to the capabilities of this nib either. SMOOOTH.

 

I can't really tell you which I love better

 

The X/F runs like a Jaguar, deftly writing a narrow but juicy line with no effort from my hand. Small precise cursive, quick printing. I can do everything well. Although the nib cannot be called soft - a little pressure produces a wider line with great flow.

 

The OB writes like an artist's brush. Every nuance produces a little different line. Each angle with the slightest pressure produces different shading. Effortlessly. Such a pleasure to write with. Some day in the future I may even begin to know how to use this nib up to it's potential.

 

Both nibs crafted as much as art as mechanics. I still stare at them after all these years. That's crazy - Right?

 

I am so lucky to have these! They come out for special occasions. Never leave the house.

[MKeith]

These are utterly smooth nibs I own:

 

Two Esterbrook nibs one a 2668 and believe it or not a 9556 used in my J pens

Two JoWo fine nibs that were Binderized and used in my two Bexley Coronas and a Poseidon piston fillers

A medium gold nib in a Parker 51 Aero in Forest Green

[torstar]

The Proust

[Kataphract]

Italix Parson's Essential medium stub.

 

Absolute worst, just gawdawful: Parker 51. it may be great once I disassemble it and correct the horrifically misaligned tines, but until that time...

[DanceOfLight]

Depends on the paper actually, some nibs that are really smooth don't work on very smooth paper IMHO, Nibs that have a ever so slight tooth tend to write on practically anything that you throw at them, with the right ink of-course. Till now the ones that practically write on any paper that I throw at them are

 

- Waterman Carene with Stub nibs (got a dozen of them, bomb-proof, no-nonsence)

- Waterman Exception

- Omas - all the ones that I have (apart from the unopened ones) write butter smooth with moderate to wet flow on practically anything.

[dogpoet]

The smoothest I have inked up at the moment is probably a Sheaffer Targa with a medium nib.

[Inksomnia]

I have some fancy vintage pens, but smoothes one still is Lamy Vista with black B nib. I picked nib in Lamy store. Really butterly smooth nib with great flow.