# Advantage of A Steel Nib



## JBCustomPens (Jul 30, 2010)

Hey,

I have a kit nib in my daily writer, and have messed with it until the point when it is pretty good. You never see any characteristics, or descriptions of kit nibs; what they are made of etc. Can anyone help me out?

Also, what are exactly the advantage of an upgrade steel nib? Would it be better than what I already have?

Thanks.


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## mrcook4570 (Jul 30, 2010)

If you can tune a nib, then you have the ability to make almost any nib write the way you want it to write.  

Quality control of the IPG (iridium point germany, which are generally not made in germany) is spotty at best.  This means that it is not very likely that two random nibs will produce the same results without a little tweaking.

The upgraded nibs generally have better quality control, so the performance of two random nibs will usually be similar prior to any tweaking.

For general writing, steel nibs can give the same performance as gold nibs.  Gold nibs serve primarily as a status symbol.  However, the gold nibs are superior to steel nibs if one wishes to custom grind the nib and add flex.


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## JBCustomPens (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks Stan. Anyone else?


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## DCBluesman (Jul 30, 2010)

Kit nibs are steel.  Some are excellent, some are mediocre, some are poor.  It's all a matter of quality control.  Some of the upgrade nibs have better quality control.  Pen makers and pen users have generally figured out who does what well. As for gold nibs, serious fountain pen users (not collectors, not snobs, users) can tell the difference between 18k, 14k, steel and titanium.  Each gives a different feel across the paper.


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## ed4copies (Jul 30, 2010)

Stan's answer hits the nail pretty squarely!
(edit in-my answer was typed at the same time Lou typed, his answer is also very accurate!)

As a "marketing guy", I  would add this:
Fountain pen buyers who have seen ANY hand-made pens have come to identify them as "kit pens".  This is NOT a term of endearment.

"Kit pens" are known to sport the nib with the imprint "iridium point, Germany" which has come to be known as the IPG nib.  

IPG=NFW  (no way!!!!) 

So, changing that negative impression will enhance your fountain pen sales significantly.  Now, add a "penmaker" who can speak intelligently about nibs and feeds and inks, there is a "communication" with the prospect that can easily lead to a "high dollar" sale.

Go forth and try it.  Every prospect you do NOT sell will teach you something.  Every prospect that turns into a customer will make you feel better!!!  Remove IPG and you are light years ahead of where I have been for a decade!!!  

(Substitute nibs are relatively new, about 2004-5)


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## JBCustomPens (Jul 30, 2010)

DCBluesman said:


> Kit nibs are steel.  Some are excellent, some are mediocre, some are poor.  It's all a matter of quality control.  Some of the upgrade nibs have better quality control.  Pen makers and pen users have generally figured out who does what well. As for gold nibs, serious fountain pen users (not collectors, not snobs, users) can tell the difference between 18k, 14k, steel and titanium.  Each gives a different feel across the paper.



Thanks Lou and Ed.

Lou, with your articles, I was able to take a mediocre kit nib, and turn it into one of the best pens I have ever used.


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## DCBluesman (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks!  Jeff will be glad to hear that the Library was used!


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## glycerine (Jul 30, 2010)

I'm with Ed.  The advantages of an "upgraded" nib are not NECESSARILY in the way they write, but mostly an upgrade in customer perception.  In YOUR daily writer, you might could care less.  But if you see that customers turn away from a "kit nib", then give a "custom" nib a try and see what happens.
As far as how they write, IN GENERAL, a gold nib will have more flex, a steel nib will be stiffer.


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## bgibb42 (Jul 30, 2010)

Brian Gray posted a link to an article he wrote about this subject a while back.  Very informative and well worth a read.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58329


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