# Just morethinking of FDountain pen nibs annnd feeds



## avbill (Oct 7, 2011)

In one of the threads some one said its best to buy the correct feed and nib together.  Yet  if you have a baron/sedona kit  with a # 5 nib  or a JR gent  2 or Retro using a #5 nib   why would you purchase the feed   if the  # 5 nib is just an up grade to a hertiage or bock? 

What is the importance of the two being purchased together?  

thanks just trying to under stand better.


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## tim self (Oct 7, 2011)

Because some people are making pens WITHOUT all the weighty parts in the component sets.
AKA kitless pens.


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## ed4copies (Oct 7, 2011)

Far as I can tell (and I am NOT an expert here), the nib and the feed should match because the feeds are not "standardized".  They may have a different profile (radius where it meets the nib).  Now, I have read from other "pen guys" that you can bend the nib to correspond to any feed.  This MAY be correct, but I have never seen a nib maker who did NOT suggest their nib be used with THEIR feed.

So, that's the logic---time will tell whether the "kit pen" fits the better nibs.  We have had Heritance for some time and they have fit the feeds in our pens--but Lou had them made with this in mind, so I imagine that was covered in the "construction specs".


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## RogerH (Oct 7, 2011)

Can someone give me a quick primer on nibs?  I did all fountain and roller balls until a show this summer, when I brought 6 PSI fountains to see what would happen.  They all sold-could probably have sold another 6.  

Now, I'm building stock for a more upscale show in the winter, and not being a fountain pen user, I know nothing about nibs.  I took four fountains that I turned to a friend who is really into fountain pens, and he was not terribly impressed with the nibs that came with the Jr. Gent, the Triton, the Majestic Jr. and the Nouveau Septre.  He had me write with an old Parker and even with a Japanese Pilot/Nakamichi (sp?) and they did seem FAR superior to my hand.  Looking at my pens, one nib is a Dayacom, and the rest just say "Iridiam point, Germany".

Any and all advice appreciated.  I don't want high end pens to go unsold because of inferior nibs.

Roger


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## nativewooder (Oct 7, 2011)

Not knowing anything about fountain pens, I was surprised when I read in a post a while back that a nib has to be used and worn by the user before it gets a comfortable feel.  Learn something new every day!


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## Chthulhu (Oct 7, 2011)

nativewooder said:


> Not knowing anything about fountain pens, I was surprised when I read in a post a while back that a nib has to be used and worn by the user before it gets a comfortable feel.  Learn something new every day!



That may have been true in the early days before "iridium" tipped nibs, and when people wrote for hours each day. With modern nibs, paper, and writing habits, a nib wouldn't "wear in" for many years. What mostly happens is that the user adapts to the pen without realizing it.

I have several vintage pens, and they all write just fine for me; no sign of any of them having been "broken in" or "worn in" despite having obviously been used heavily.

The importance of matching nibs and feeds is due to a lack of standards from one manufacturer to another, though minor differences in curvature can be accommodated if one owns a nib block and knows how to use it. Many modern nibs have tabs and/or notches that interlock the nib and feed, so only that type of nib will fit that type of feed.

More important is matching the feed with the size of the nib's stroke: a feed for a fine nib won't provide enough ink to a broad nib of the same type. Pre-assembled, screw-in nib units avoid this issue entirely, but where's the fun in that? 

"Iridium Point Germany" used to mean what it says; nowadays it generally means "Chinese" and may or may not be a good nib. Some IPG nibs have no tipping (the "Iridium" part) at all.

If you want to use *good* nibs, buy Bock, JoWo, Schmidt, or the ones Brian (Edison Pen Co.) Grey sells.

Oh, and modern steel nibs write every bit as well as gold nibs, but some people won't accept anything but gold. Steel nibs tend to be very firm ("nails") in comparison to gold, and well-suited to folks used to ballpoint pens. Gold nibs are usually a bit more flexible and have a "softer" feel against the paper. They're more easily damaged by people who aren't used to writing with a fountain pen, though.


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## RogerH (Oct 7, 2011)

Mike:  

Thx for the info.  I will shop for Bock, JoWo, Schmidt, or the ones Brian (Edison Pen Co.) Grey sells.

If you make a premium pen like a Majestic etc., do you sell it with the nib that comes in the kit, or replace it with a better nib?  What do most sellers do?

Thx

Roger


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## bitshird (Oct 7, 2011)

RogerH said:


> Mike:
> 
> Thx for the info.  I will shop for Bock, JoWo, Schmidt, or the ones Brian (Edison Pen Co.) Grey sells.
> 
> ...



A majority of the Jr Statesmen and Gents I sell I put a Heritance nib on, and most of the time they write fine, once in a while I have to tune it just a bit, on the larger pens, the Heritance work on the Dayacom kits, but the won't work on the Ultra Cambridge, or El Grande and Churchill. So on those and I would also imagine the Majestic you would be better to change the feed and nib. The Bock are decent nibs and feeds, I imagine a #6 would fit a full size pen, and a #5 for the JR. size pens, just not sure about the thread compatibility.


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## Chthulhu (Oct 7, 2011)

RogerH said:


> Mike:
> 
> Thx for the info.  I will shop for Bock, JoWo, Schmidt, or the ones Brian (Edison Pen Co.) Grey sells.
> 
> ...



Roger, as it turns out Brian sells JoWo nibs. As bitshird says, Heritance nibs are also an option.


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## SCR0LL3R (Oct 8, 2011)

bitshird said:


> A majority of the Jr Statesmen and Gents I sell I put a Heritance nib on, and most of the time they write fine, once in a while I have to tune it just a bit, on the larger pens, the Heritance work on the Dayacom kits, but the won't work on the Ultra Cambridge, or El Grande and Churchill. So on those and I would also imagine the Majestic you would be better to change the feed and nib. The Bock are decent nibs and feeds, I imagine a #6 would fit a full size pen, and a #5 for the JR. size pens, just not sure about the thread compatibility.



Really? I just ordered a Churchill fountain and the website offers the option of upgrading to a Heritance nib?


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## glycerine (Oct 8, 2011)

ed4copies said:
			
		

> ...I have never seen a nib maker who did NOT suggest their nib be used with THEIR feed.



That's just the manufacturers trying to "upsell".  When I was talking to Bock last year, they tried to do this.


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## ed4copies (Oct 8, 2011)

glycerine said:


> ed4copies said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You may be correct, but I also have never felt I know more about nibs than the manufacturers.  To each his own level of comfort.


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