Nib Review

[carencruz]

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.

[JanisTX]

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

[Tales from the Nib]

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.

[Cyril Jayant]

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.

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.

[Cyril Jayant]

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.

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

[overthemoon]

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.

[Ergative]

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.

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.

[chisato]

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.

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

[Jenafer]

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.

[AAAndrew]

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.

[JenniferJesse]

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.