Author Topic: Nib Review  (Read 44857 times)

Offline PapeLineCo

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #30 on: December 05, 2015, 03:29:45 AM »
hi all
head over to my instagram (https://www.instagram.com/papelineco/) for vintage nibs that i've tried, compared to hiro41 and titanium g
hope this helps!

Offline AAAndrew

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #31 on: December 08, 2015, 01:12:59 PM »
I recently purchased a box of Spencerian "Forty" Falcon nibs. I had one from the original set of nibs which I inherited, and it was quite nice. When the opportunity came to get a box of them for a reasonable price, I jumped at it.

Here's a quick review. I'm not comparing it to anything so I didn't use my regular comparison sheet, and thought I'd stick it in this thread for reviews. Hope that's ok.

Spencerian "Forty" No. 40 Falcon
100% Cotton Southworth Business Paper
Walnut ink
lines are spaced at 8mm

Hope you find this useful.
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Offline Entropy

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #32 on: January 23, 2016, 09:13:29 AM »
I'm not sure why I didn't think about it but it occurred to me that I shoulf post something here since I'd going through my (extensive) nib collection slowly and trying out different nibs. You can find mu list in the members only section under "Nik's Nibs". I've so far tested out a pretty good number of Hunt and Esterbrook nibs as well as most of the wrll known French nibs. I would love for some feedback on how accurate you feel those ratings are (surely many people here have also tried a number of those nibs). There's also a growing nib book for view there that might be useful as a reference. Do also feel free to remind me to twst something if you're curious, I've been so busy sorting them that I haven't been keeping up with my goal of trying out at least one new nib a day...

Offline AAAndrew

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #33 on: March 22, 2016, 09:48:25 AM »
I like to highlight lesser-known nibs that are also of good quality. I've got two of them this time that are definitely worth trying if you ever get a chance.

In an IAMPETH article on nibs you can find some mention of the Esterbrook #14 Bank Pen listed as a "beaked pen" and talked about favorably.  They're very nice, semi-flexible nibs, especially the earlier ones, and quite smooth.

We'll I recently acquired two others in the same Bank Pen shape, which is generally like a large straight nib, often with a longer point. The Bank Pen shape is too large for most oblique holders, but they are quite fun in a straight holder.

These two are examples from less-known lines manufactured by Turner & Harrison, one of the major US manufacturers, based in Philadelphia. The Pacific Railroad Pen is slightly narrower than the Constitution, which is wide even for a bank pen. Both are really nice writers with good snap and a firm action. Both are quite smooth, but the Pacific Railroad is able to draw some really fine hairlines. It's not as obvious in the photo as in real life, but as good as the Constitution is at hairlines, the Pacific Railroad is even better. Both are better at hairlines than the Spencerian No. 1.

The Pacific Railroad is starting to get broken in, and once it is fully, it could probably work fairly well for smaller-sized Spencerian because it is so fine and yet so smooth with some good, stiff action. Both work quite well for everyday roundhand.

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Offline AussieCalligrapherAlex

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #34 on: March 23, 2016, 03:11:40 AM »
Hey guys,

One that a lot of people don't try is the hunt 100, its super sharp and super soft and the tines flex reasonably well. I'm pretty sure its a drawing nib and not meant for copperplate but I tried it out and it forced me to learn a soft touch and even then it still snagged on the upstrokes. Going from that to the modern 303 made it seem smooth even though it is called scratchy by most people.

Offline darrin1200

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #35 on: March 23, 2016, 08:49:50 AM »
Thank you very much for this Erica.
As a beginner, it really helps to see the different nibs together, with a description of how they work.

And thank you for pointing out Dasherie magazine to me. I must be blind, because I am sorry to say that I never realized it existed. It is nowat the top of my magazine "To buy" list.
Darrin McArthur
Timber Elegance ~ Handcrafted Writing Instruments

Offline AAAndrew

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #36 on: April 06, 2016, 09:07:54 PM »
I was waiting for my son to finish with some activity last evening and had my portable kit with me, so I pulled out a bunch of nibs I had on hand that might qualify for semi-to-flex depending on your definition.

It was interesting writing with each one in immediate proximity to the others. It really pointed out some subtle differences in action from one to the other. I use the term "action" in the sense that it was used last century to talk about nibs: a kind of combination of flex and spring and stiffness. You can have a nib that springs back beautifully but doesn't flex very far. You can also have a nib that spreads far and wide but is still soft, like the Palmer 8. If you just judge by the width of line it doesn't really tell you much about what it's like to write with the nib.

A couple of things are obvious right off the bat:
1. My writing is NOT calligraphy.
2. It is definitely harder to have control with some nibs than with others
3. The Palmer nibs tend toward soft action and the Turner & Harrison are definitely on the stiffer side.
4. Nib size generally does not determine either flexibility, or action.
5. Some nibs trade spring and hairlines for smoothness, like the Eagle and Esterbrooks
6. The Spencerian 1 is really nothing that special. I found the Zanerian 3 and the Wm Mitchell "G" would make a much better pen for Spencerian writing, in my very ill-informed opinion.

These were all written on 25% cotton paper, 9mm spacing between lines, and written with a straight holder. All are vintage pens, some, like the Gillott 404 and the Turner & Harrison over 100 years old.

And, in the end, each one delivers a slightly different experience. The combination of nib shape, size, line, action, flex and smoothness add up to an overall experience. I enjoy them all, but some are most definitely more fun than others.

Andrew

Check out my steel pen history blog
https://thesteelpen.com/

Offline AAAndrew

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #37 on: April 27, 2016, 04:08:21 PM »
I just picked up some Miller Bros. #87 Falcon Pen nibs. These are surprisingly fine and have a very nice spring while being a little on the stiff side. They don't open widely, but if you're looking for a Falcon that would work for smaller, less shaded Spencerian, it seems like it would work quite nicely. It's actually a quite nice nib.

I was also playing around to see if I could get shading from a pencil purely from using a lighter and heavier touch. I got a little, but I wasn't trying to go back over and add shade. This was just a continuous writing. It just so happens to be tagging along with my example from the Miller Brothers pen.

Oh, and please excuse that horrible "P." Other than that, and my fake Spencerian, it seems to do quite well.
Check out my steel pen history blog
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Offline Mimi

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #38 on: June 02, 2016, 01:11:35 AM »
This compares the same word with the various nibs.

Thanks, Erica! I do this with my nibs, too! Yours looks way better, though. :) Thanks for the comparison! I haven't used some of these nibs, this is very helpful!
Mimi

Offline Mimi

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #39 on: June 02, 2016, 01:13:27 AM »
But I didn't see your favourite Hiro 41 on there. Are they still having problems?
-Prasad

Thanks Prasad, Brad, Sue!

Prasad,
I left it off because it can still be hit or miss.  >:(

I've noticed this, too. Some of mine are silver, and some are a very light bronze color. And, the worst part is that they work differently. I thought it was just me... user error, but I guess not. :)
Mimi

Offline Krapprot

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Blanzy-Poure Sergent-Major Superieure No. 2500
« Reply #40 on: January 10, 2017, 09:58:27 PM »
Are the old Blanzy Poure Sergent Major Supérieure n° 2500 nibs good for any particular style of lettering?   The 2552 seem to be in great demand and highly sought after, but I never hear anyone talk about the 2500s.   Do any of you use these nibs, and if so, for what kind of lettering in particular? 

Thanks,


K
« Last Edit: January 10, 2017, 10:13:49 PM by Krapprot »

Offline neriah

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #41 on: January 11, 2017, 04:02:41 AM »
I just got a dozen of Sergent Major 2500 and I'm not really sure what to do with them. To me they feel like Nikko G, similar flexibility and similar hairlines. At the moment I can't fit them in any oblique holder I have but I think with minor adjustments they might fit in one made for Nikko G. Personaly I prefer more flexible nibs.
I won't give up on this nib, they are so much cheaper than any modern nib I can get and if I'll ever need medium flex nib I'm sure I'll pick up Sergent Major.

Offline Krapprot

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #42 on: January 11, 2017, 07:22:15 AM »
I DO think I'd have to either use a custom oblique holder or else simply use them in a standard straight holder.

Offline AAAndrew

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #43 on: January 20, 2017, 11:08:10 AM »
The Sergent Major's are really for straight holders. Too long for an oblique holder, in my opinion.

I have an old friend in another state who's wife is a very talented artist. She mainly does pen and ink and comic book art. The penny finally dropped after seeing some of her work online and I asked her if she had ever drawn using old fashioned dip pens. She does have a couple of holders but she'd only ever used a couple of modern Japanese manga nibs. So, I'm sending her a few nibs to play around with and if she likes them she might draw something for me.

Well, I went a little crazy and ended up sending her 53 nibs in 31 different types. These were ones that were easy to get to (I obviously pulled out my stack of Esterbrook boxes) so it's very Esterbrook-heavy. I sent her a list of the pens with some notes on each one. The notes aren't geared towards calligraphy, but they might be of some interest to one or two of you here. See attached pdf.

As for my collection, I've slowed down a great deal in the last 6 months, partially because of the holidays, partially because I'm running out of room, and a lot because it's harder to find something I don't have, and also interested in. I'm now up to over 14,000 nibs and 490+ "types" which can include different impressions or coatings on the same nib. Not bad for a part-time collector, but nothing on the numbers of some here.

Hope someone finds this interesting.

Check out my steel pen history blog
https://thesteelpen.com/

Offline Krapprot

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #44 on: January 20, 2017, 11:44:52 AM »
What an awesome gift for Wendy.    I also no longer feel gluttonous about my paltry (by comparison) nib collection.

Thanks for the terrific info, once again.   I'll use these specifically in a straight holder.



K