A fountain pen only writes as well as its nib.
But with different tip sizes, shapes, and materials to consider,
picking the right one can be a daunting decision.
In this video, we’ll discuss the ins and outs of fountain pen nibs to help you find the perfect pen.
What is a Nib?
The nib is an iconic part of a fountain pen.
This thin, pointed piece of metal is what you write with.
Because a nib is so important, it’s the first thing to think about when picking the right pen.
It comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from standard nibs to stealthy hooded nibs.
The four major nib characteristics to consider are tip shape, tip size, flexibility, and nib material.
There are two main tip shapes: round and italic.
The vast majority of nibs are round thanks to their ease of use and consistency.
A round tip shape creates uniform lines:
both the horizontal and vertical stroke are the same size.
An italic or calligraphy nib has a tip shaped like a rectangle.
An italic nib gives your writing a unique flair, but it needs a little more practice to use properly.
It creates narrow horizontal strokes and wide vertical strokes.
A variation of the italic nib is the stub.
A stub nib has rounded corners and tends to feel less “sharp” than an italic nib,
so it’s a great place to start when trying out this tip shape for the first time.
The difference between horizontal and vertical strokes with a stub is less dramatic than with an italic nib.
Round nibs typically fall into one of four tip sizes:
extra fine, fine, medium, and broad.
Italic nibs are usually labeled in millimeter sizes, like 1.1 mm or 1.5 mm.
Nib sizing isn’t standardized and may vary across brands and even countries.
Japanese writing is dense,
so Japanese fountain pen nibs tend to be finer than those made by Western brands.
Generally, a Japanese nib’s size is equivalent to a size smaller in a Western nib.
For example, a Japanese medium nib would be similar in width to a Western fine nib.
Flexibility refers to how far a nib’s tines will spread when pressure is applied.
A flexible nib can produce line variation, or places where the line is thicker.
The tines on a firm nib do not spread at all.
It’s important to note that vintage flex nibs were made in a specific way
that allowed for high flexibility.
In comparison, modern flex nibs are considered soft or semi-flexible.
They allow for a little line variation but don’t have the same flexibility as vintage nibs.
Flexible nibs are fun to use and add character to your writing,
but we recommend trying them after you’ve had some experience with fountain pens.
Heavy-handed writing may “spring” the nib,
a serious form of damage that can be irreversible.
Most nibs are made from stainless steel or gold.
The color of the nib doesn’t necessarily correspond to the nib’s material.
Steel nibs can be gold-colored,
and gold nibs can be silver-colored.
Gold nibs are always stamped with their gold content.
They aren’t necessarily better than steel nibs.
However, gold is naturally softer, so they might have a slight amount of flex
or provide a wetter flow than steel nibs.
Regardless of which material you pick, a nib’s smoothness doesn’t rely on what it’s made of.
A nib is tipped with an alloy of hard metals that is molded to the correct size and shape.
This ensures that the point which touches the paper will last decades.
Now that you know what characteristics to look for in a fountain pen nib,
it’s time to decide which one fits your writing best.
We recommend extra fine nibs to those who have tiny handwriting or favor a razor sharp line.
Extra fine nibs also use less ink, so you can really stretch your ink supply.
However, these nibs have a smaller sweet spot and may feel less smooth.
Additionally, nibs in this size tend to show less shading and sheen than broader nibs.
Similar in size to typical ballpoint and gel pens,
fine nibs are the most popular nib option for fountain pen beginners and experts alike.
They’re a great all-around nib size: they don’t use too much ink,
their writing dries relatively quickly,
and almost every pen is available in a fine nib.
Like a fine nib, a medium nib is a great place for fountain pen beginners to start.
If you’re having trouble picking between a fine and medium nib, we recommend the medium.
The nib’s larger sweet spot tends to produce less feedback,
which makes the transition from ballpoint and gel pens smoother.
If you want inks to shine, broad nibs are the way to go.
We love using broad nibs for letter writing and journaling.
However, broad nibs practically demand high quality paper.
Their generous ink flow will cause feathering and bleedthrough
on papers that aren’t made for fountain pens.
Additionally, writing with broad nibs takes longer to dry.
Like broad nibs, italic and stub nibs bring out a fountain pen ink’s shading and sheen.
They’re an easy way to give thank you cards some extra flair.
However, while italic and stub nibs make your writing look unique, they do require a little practice to use.
Stub nibs are more forgiving, so they’re great for calligraphy beginners.
Read our detailed guide on choosing a fountain pen nib by clicking the card above.
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Thanks for watching!