Why Is Nobody Talking About Santini Italia Pens?

[Karmachanic]

12 hours ago, Zephyr259 said:

That sounds like a tricky nib to use, any chance of a writing sample with this pen?

 

Not inked at present. I do not use this as a flex - variation on demand - which is why it has a CI grind. I write with a light hand and prefer a soft nib. I also have similar 14k nibs from FPnibs, and several Ti nibbed pens.

[Zephyr259]

4 minutes ago, Karmachanic said:

 

Not inked at present. I do not use this as a flex - variation on demand - which is why it has a CI grind. I write with a light hand and prefer a soft nib. I also have similar 14k nibs from FPnibs, and several Ti nibbed pens.

Ah cool, that's fair. I have one of Pablo's semi-flex 14k nibs too, it's ridiculously soft and wet but that may be partially due to the heart-shaped breather hole. It's actually pretty hard to use given how soft it is.

[Zephyr259]

17 hours ago, Carrau said:

I bought the Laurel last year, and added the Cumberland this year.  Both are beautiful pens, and good writers.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

What nibs did you go for on your Libras?

[Carrau]

33 minutes ago, Zephyr259 said:

What nibs did you go for on your Libras?

Medium Flexy on the Cumberland, and Fine on the Laurel. 

[JonSzanto]

15 minutes ago, Carrau said:

Medium Flexy on the Cumberland, and Fine on the Laurel. 

 

May I ask: do their nib 'sizes' run true to European models (i.e. wider line than the same size in a Japanese nib)? If I can sell one of my Optimas I'm going to order one immediately, but I can't decide on M or F, and flexy or not. I wonder if people who have multiple Santinis could supply writing samples?

 

[Carrau]

8 minutes ago, JonSzanto said:

 

May I ask: do their nib 'sizes' run true to European models (i.e. wider line than the same size in a Japanese nib)? If I can sell one of my Optimas I'm going to order one immediately, but I can't decide on M or F, and flexy or not. I wonder if people who have multiple Santinis could supply writing samples?

 

I don’t have any experience writing with Japanese fine nibs (I have two Platinum pens with customized stubs on Coarse nibs), so I can’t comment on any comparison there.  My Libra fine compares with an Edison JoWo fine, and the Medium Flexy seems more like a MF that can write wider when desired.  I like the Flexy more than the Fine, as it feels softer, and have the same Flexy Medium in a Libra Safira.  Of course, Santini’s nibs are interchangeable (this might not hold for the LE Ebonite models), and they sell replacement nibs as well. 

[JonSzanto]

5 minutes ago, Carrau said:

I don’t have any experience writing with Japanese fine nibs (I have two Platinum pens with customized stubs on Coarse nibs), so I can’t comment on any comparison there.  My Libra fine compares with an Edison JoWo fine, and the Medium Flexy seems more like a MF that can write wider when desired.  I like the Flexy more than the Fine, as it feels softer, and have the same Flexy Medium in a Libra Safira.  Of course, Santini’s nibs are interchangeable (this might not hold for the LE Ebonite models), and they sell replacement nibs as well. 

 

Thanks very much. It sounds like their flexy models are somewhat like the Platinum "soft" nibs - not nibs designed for wide range of widths, but a more cushioning experience while adding some character to your strokes.

[Carrau]

Just now, JonSzanto said:

 

Thanks very much. It sounds like their flexy models are somewhat like the Platinum "soft" nibs - not nibs designed for wide range of widths, but a more cushioning experience while adding some character to your strokes.

I’m not a Flexy writer, per se, but if I choose to learn that technique some day, I’m equipped to try.  I like having a selection of nibs to try, once I find a pen I like, so I typically accumulate a portion of the range for that model ( I’ve done that with Santini, Parker 75s, Pelikans, Leonardos, and Edisons).

[Zephyr259]

Thanks, I have the flexy fine and enjoy the bounce it gives. I'd agree that my nib feels more about the cushioning rather than line variation although it does do both.

 

I'd agree that my nib runs similar to a fine JoWo nib, probably a touch broader but it's much better due to the ebonite feed and soft nib.

 

I'm thinking about an extra fine which should run similar to my sailor fine.

[JonSzanto]

57 minutes ago, Zephyr259 said:

Thanks, I have the flexy fine and enjoy the bounce it gives. I'd agree that my nib feels more about the cushioning rather than line variation although it does do both.

 

I'd agree that my nib runs similar to a fine JoWo nib, probably a touch broader but it's much better due to the ebonite feed and soft nib.

 

I'm thinking about an extra fine which should run similar to my sailor fine.

 

Excellent information! Time to shoot some photos of the Optima and get it ready for sale...

[sansenri]

my Libra Cumberland bronze with flexy stub is ready to ship, should be here soon (Santini is rather close to where I live).

[A Smug Dill]

6 hours ago, JonSzanto said:

May I ask: do their nib 'sizes' run true to European models (i.e. wider line than the same size in a Japanese nib)? If I can sell one of my Optimas I'm going to order one immediately, but I can't decide on M or F, and flexy or not.

 

You can just ask Santini expressly for what you want in terms of line width — not as in “like” some other nib from some other brand that a user may want to rely on as an experiential frame of reference, but along the lines of “0.38mm at rest when the pen is held at a 50° angle to the paper” — and I'm sure they'll customise the nib (within reason) as requested.

[JonSzanto]

5 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

You can just ask Santini expressly for what you want in terms of line width — not as in “like” some other nib from some other brand that a user may want to rely on as an experiential frame of reference, but along the lines of “0.38mm at rest when the pen is held at a 50° angle to the paper” — and I'm sure they'll customise the nib (within reason) as requested.

 

Thank you, this is good to know. I've seen allusions to this in previous post but I somehow thought it was for former or 'revered' customers. Ideally I'd like an italic of narrower dimensions than they show, but I have a bit of time to think it over. Appreciate the info.

[Mezu]

Received a Libra Safira with white gold nib and requested 0.4mm point size.  They did a great job (it's actually on the finer side) and the nib has nice bounce, comparable to a long tined Aurora 88.

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Mezu
Edit: Added a comparison photo.

[Carrau]

17 hours ago, Mezu said:

Received a Libra Safira with white gold nib and requested 0.4mm point size.  They did a great job (it's actually on the finer side) and the nib has nice bounce, comparable to a long tined Aurora 88.

 

Congratulations!

[ravkesef]

I fell in love with Santini a few weeks ago and decided to buy one, then discovered to my chagrin that they are on holiday until September 8. I have been dreaming about the Libra in Sienna, and I’ll put my order in that time.  I’m thinking about the Cursive Italic, and I wonder if I should go with that or the Cursive Italic Flex.  I am open to any ideas (help!) That anyone may be willing to offer. Thanks for any suggestions that you might care to make. 

Regards to all Santini lovers out there,

Eric 

[christam]

1 hour ago, ravkesef said:

I fell in love with Santini a few weeks ago and decided to buy one, then discovered to my chagrin that they are on holiday until September 8. I have been dreaming about the Libra in Sienna, and I’ll put my order in that time.  I’m thinking about the Cursive Italic, and I wonder if I should go with that or the Cursive Italic Flex.  I am open to any ideas (help!) That anyone may be willing to offer. Thanks for any suggestions that you might care to make. 

Regards to all Santini lovers out there,

Eric 

 

My Libra Capri is fitted with a CI flex nib, which I ordered before I realised that I have absolutely no aptitude for writing in a way that utilises the flex of a flex nib.  However, I do love my CI flex.  The nib is soft and there's a bit of bounce, and the line variation (even without any attempt to flex) is always present and interesting.  Mine's quite a wet writer and I use it with minimal pressure when writing.  If ordering now with the benefit of hindsight I might get the non-flex version but I certainly don't regret buying the one I've got.

[Mysterious Mose]

4 hours ago, ravkesef said:

I fell in love with Santini a few weeks ago and decided to buy one, then discovered to my chagrin that they are on holiday until September 8. I have been dreaming about the Libra in Sienna, and I’ll put my order in that time.  I’m thinking about the Cursive Italic, and I wonder if I should go with that or the Cursive Italic Flex.  I am open to any ideas (help!) That anyone may be willing to offer. Thanks for any suggestions that you might care to make. 

Regards to all Santini lovers out there,

Eric 

You can always buy an extra nib from Santini.  I seem to recall that an extra nib costs about 100 Euros.  That way you can compare them.

[A Smug Dill]

4 hours ago, ravkesef said:

I’m thinking about the Cursive Italic, and I wonder if I should go with that or the Cursive Italic Flex.  I am open to any ideas (help!) That anyone may be willing to offer. Thanks for any suggestions that you might care to make.

 

We don't know why you're interested in those nibs (other than to write with, of course). What you want to produce on the page — e.g. the size and style of your handwriting, and even more fundamentally, in which written language — and how you write are unknown to us, so there is no way for us to do any analysis.

 

@Mysterious Mose's advice above is probably the best one anyone could give: spend some more money (without the expense of buying completely separate pens), so that you can decide for yourself which nib suits you better or best, if that decision cannot be made through clear articulation of requirements and criteria upfront being matched against published product specifications.

[Zephyr259]

I've had an Ebonite Libra with a soft fine rose gold nib for over a year now. The flex isn't huge, but I have a very light hand so it's just a nice cushioning bounce. Very wet pen so runs on the broader side of fine but is very smooth.

 

They're releasing a #8 nibbed pen this month and I'm thinking of going for an extra fine this time.