Author Topic: Nib Review  (Read 44856 times)

Offline carencruz

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #45 on: January 28, 2017, 07:27:13 AM »
I love this graphic and mini review of the nibs. As a beginner, I've only tried the Nikko G and the Blue Pumpkin. Now I am eager to try out the others and see how they work for me.

Offline JanisTX

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #46 on: January 28, 2017, 12:47:29 PM »
I'm glad that this got bounced back up to the top again!  I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed that article!  And, the layout is just beautiful!!!

Janis

Offline Tales from the Nib

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #47 on: February 13, 2017, 05:07:22 PM »
What a super thread, I've enjoyed reading this very much.
I must admit I'm guilty of returning to my G nibs, but very fond of my Baignol and Farjon Incomparable. It's lovely to use.

Offline Cyril Jayant

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #48 on: April 19, 2018, 10:48:54 AM »
This is great thread on the topic of  best and favourite nibs. It really helps for the New bees like me who are struggling and becoming curious to get into calligraphy.
As we begin in anything, we always get into the to trap of finding the best tools believing that help you to be better than learning to do some thing repeatedly in a learning process.
" TOOLS DON'T MAKE THE ART YOU DO"  :'( AGREE)

So I had found some very different Vintage nibs and was able to buy a lot of them at some reasonable price. Lot of nibs are very good quality and old new  stocks. So I spent some time to know what level they are and I have decided to use some when my level of writing get better. I have seen this Spencerian 40 Falcon as somewhat  demanding and great looking. There are other Falcon similar to this and Easterbrook and from other Co. had produced this same style in shape. It looks very majestic.... Baignol and Farjon ( French ) too had wonderful nibs and don't know if they produced the same Falcon nibs.
I recently acquired  Baignol/F Pens . They looks quite interesting.
Dose anybody can tell the modern nibs have more advantages than some Vintage nibs or vice-versa.. I think that helps us to  focus some points to add advantages to improve our experience in calligraphy.
I believe adding best tools to get best experience  and that is why I bought  a Spencerian N0 1 nib recently  for a higher price. :P


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.

Offline Cyril Jayant

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Re: Blanzy-Poure Sergent-Major Superieure No. 2500
« Reply #49 on: April 19, 2018, 03:53:32 PM »
I just now won a bid on a box of unopened  "Sergent Major Superior" On  E-Bay.  It was for £13.40 Plus postages. When I was going after Baignol and Farjon French nibs, Just two nibs attracted me.
This S-Major pen and Henry Superior pen nib. I have got one H-Superior nib to try and see what it gives before I get hold of more of that nibs. :D

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

Offline overthemoon

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #50 on: April 22, 2018, 02:11:55 AM »
Thank you so much for sharing.
Truly help me in deciding what nib I should get and try next!

I started off with nikko g and now I am totally in love zebra g, just like what the pic said!
I also use LPEF, which is also my favourite.

Definite going to try some brause, hunt and gillott when I have access to it.

Offline Ergative

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Re: Blanzy-Poure Sergent-Major Superieure No. 2500
« Reply #51 on: April 23, 2018, 03:30:04 AM »
I just now won a bid on a box of unopened  "Sergent Major Superior" On  E-Bay.  It was for £13.40 Plus postages. When I was going after Baignol and Farjon French nibs, Just two nibs attracted me.
This S-Major pen and Henry Superior pen nib. I have got one H-Superior nib to try and see what it gives before I get hold of more of that nibs. :D

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

Judging from the availability and marketing, those 2500 were enormously popular back in the day. The company brands itself as the maker of the Sergent Major on boxes for other nibs, and the 2500 boxes have different images of battles on them (like a 'Collect them all!' marketing campaign).  I played with one once, and it was certainly flexible enough to do copperplate with, but I haven't had a chance to really give it a proper work through. Maybe next time I'm on an Ebay nib-spree I'll grab a box of those.
Clara

Offline chisato

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Re: Blanzy-Poure Sergent-Major Superieure No. 2500
« Reply #52 on: April 26, 2018, 03:20:35 PM »
I just now won a bid on a box of unopened  "Sergent Major Superior" On  E-Bay.  It was for £13.40 Plus postages. When I was going after Baignol and Farjon French nibs, Just two nibs attracted me.
This S-Major pen and Henry Superior pen nib. I have got one H-Superior nib to try and see what it gives before I get hold of more of that nibs. :D

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

Judging from the availability and marketing, those 2500 were enormously popular back in the day. The company brands itself as the maker of the Sergent Major on boxes for other nibs, and the 2500 boxes have different images of battles on them (like a 'Collect them all!' marketing campaign).  I played with one once, and it was certainly flexible enough to do copperplate with, but I haven't had a chance to really give it a proper work through. Maybe next time I'm on an Ebay nib-spree I'll grab a box of those.

As a small bonus, supposedly the Sergeant Major nibs were Proust's favorite :)

Offline Jenafer

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #53 on: April 27, 2018, 11:14:35 AM »
Thank you for these wonderful printables. I think I'm going to buy a sampler pack of nibs soon too see what speaks to me the best.

Offline AAAndrew

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #54 on: May 03, 2018, 05:59:05 PM »
I have a "new" pen I would recommend, especially for copperplate.

I just received a box of Eagle E470 "Magnum Elastic" nibs. I've not purchased this Eagle number before, and I figured with that name they were worth a gamble. I paid $26 for pretty much a full gross of them. That helped too.

These remind me a lot of Esterbrook's 453 Business and College pens. IAMPETH lists the 453 as good for copperplate. The E470 is at least as flexible with good snap and a fine line. It share's the 453's problem of not fitting in standard oblique holders. This is not a small nib, but for straight holders, it's quite a good, flexible and durable nib. It's essentially the larger version of the Eagle E370 College. The E370 does fit into oblique holders and is quite flexible. This E470 is larger and will last a long time, and seems better suited to straight holders.

With walnut ink on good paper I was able to get .5mm hairlines and a flex up to 3.2mm with reasonable pressure. With good control you can write decently in 9mm lines, and very well with larger size letters.

This is my poor writing in a 9mm-line Black n' Red notebook. I did not get even close to pushing it for this example. I easily wrote quite well with my letters twice as large.

I've not noticed this Eagle pen before, but that doesn't mean it's not periodically available.

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

Offline JenniferJesse

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #55 on: March 09, 2021, 01:43:02 PM »
so agree with this review.  the Gillott 303 & 404, Hunt 56, I may have to try again.  I was not a big fan due to the scratchiness on the upstrokes.  It really requires a a very light hand on the hairlines.  but all the rest... LOVE them all!  they are organized in my little storage container as faves.

Offline Mark T

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #56 on: August 26, 2023, 10:25:50 PM »
Hello,

I'm very new to calligraphy. So new that the paint hasn't dried yet.
I am learning as much as I can about nibs and paper and ink and, and, and, and,.... make it stopppp!
Basically, as much as I can about everything, but I've realised that slowly, slowly catchee monkey is the best way to go, so I have chosen to learn about nibs as a priority, and pick up along the way whatever falls at my feet.
I also participate at a fountain pen forum, and have asked calligraphy questions their, to which I am pleased to say, that the questions have been answered by people calligraphy knowledgable.
The question I have (now that I am a member of a calligraphy orientated forum) is this - I have tried everything that I have read to make my nib good for writing by way of loading it with ink, but unfortunately, I don't seem to get more than three words on the paper before having to dip my nib into the ink to refill.
I have tried the 'potato' method,... the 'saliva' method (apologies if you're eating whilst reading),... the toothpaste method and the 'flash' with a lighter, but nothing. I'm guessing I am doing something wrong. I have tried the 'no spreading the tines', or 'pressing too hard on the paper' but nothing seems to work.
I have bought a couple of dip pens from a company here in the UK, and they offer a device to fit to the nib to allow extra ink to be taken onto the nib, but at the moment they don't have the device for sale (out of stock).
However, a member from the FP site was very helpful and sent me a link to a webstore in the USA when I asked a 'paper' question. When I was looking through the site I came across this https://www.johnnealbooks.com/product/ink-cage-reservoir-nib please don't think I am spamming/trolling, I'm not I promise.
My question is this - the nibs and the coil on the nib obviously work, but what nib would be recommendable for a total novice, and secondly - would I be required to do anything other than write what I would consider normally, or do I press lighter/get better paper?
Please remove the url if I have overstepped the rules to the forum.
Many thanks,

Carpio
« Last Edit: August 26, 2023, 10:28:01 PM by Carpio »
Laughter is definitely the best medicine, but Wolves destroying WBA runs laughter close, and the Yankees winning the World Series is ................ laughter is the best medicine, remember?

Offline AnasaziWrites

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #57 on: August 27, 2023, 10:59:57 AM »
@Carpio

Which nib depends on which script you are learning. If happens to be Spencerian, a Nikko G is often recommended for beginners--smooth, reasonably sharp, and inexpensive, and widely available.

Any of the cleaning methods you have tried should work. Are you dipping the nib deeply enough to cover the vent hole?

What kind of paper are you using and what type of ink?
« Last Edit: August 27, 2023, 11:02:51 AM by AnasaziWrites »

Offline Mark T

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #58 on: August 27, 2023, 04:07:56 PM »
Hello,

Thank you for the reply.
I'm attempting to learn Copperplate. I was advised to use a Nikko G to start off with, but it was as if I was prospecting for gold by way of the nib digging into the paper as well as the lack of ink. The paper at the time was a cheap printing paper. I then purchased a pad of Rhodia but was having the same issues. I then, rightly or wrongly, changed nibs to a Brause 361b. I found that I'm not digging into the paper so much, but not getting a lot of ink onto the nib and the ink I do get onto the nib is causing bleeding through on the copperplate practice book paper. I hope I now have that (bleeding) sorted as I have ordered some laser print paper (as recommended to use for practice) and I'll just draw the lines onto the paper.
I seem to be covering the vent hole each time I dip the nib into the ink.
The ink that I am using at the moment is 'Diamine calligraphy ink'. I have also just ordered a 'McCaffery's set of ink' from America as I am led to believe that ink is great for dip pens.
I'm sure I am doing something wrong with what/how I'm doing things, as 'Diamine' is a highly reputable company, and I trust the person who advised me to use Nikko G, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
As frustrating as it is, I have no doubts that this is not uncommon so I'm not at the end of my tether, and any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,

Carpio
Laughter is definitely the best medicine, but Wolves destroying WBA runs laughter close, and the Yankees winning the World Series is ................ laughter is the best medicine, remember?

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Nib Review
« Reply #59 on: August 27, 2023, 08:46:23 PM »
Great question! I don’t think you are doing anything wrong. Three words seems like just the right amount before you have to redip. Even three letters is a good go. As long as the ink is flowing well, not dropping off the nib, and doesn’t blob, that seems right.

It can take some trial and error to find the right combination that works for you. Recently I was practicing with McCaffrey’s which is one of my favorites. But I think this bottle is old because the ink was not cooperating. It was not flowing well off the pen. I switched to Walnut ink and it flowed perfectly.

I have found sometimes NikkoG and ZebraG nibs can be a little rough at the start. A few rounds of drills (ovals) can help smooth out the tip and it then works better. I also find sometimes just as I get it broken in and flowing well, it wears out and starts to splat.  :o
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
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