# Looking for a #6 nib kit



## chartle (Dec 22, 2015)

My son just made his first pen for a friend and now wants to make one for himself.

He wants one that uses a 6 nib(?). (Did I say that right? )

Maybe we just need one that you can replace a 5 with a 6? Again he is the fountain pen expert.

He also wants to make a retractable pen. Told him I don't think they have a kit for that style.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Dec 22, 2015)

Cliff, there are a number of component sets (Kits) that use a 6MM nib that suppliers here sell. There are the full sized (Large) components like the Emperor and Majestic and if your looking more for what most folks would call a standard sized there is the Aaron, and the George that have 6MM nibs.


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## BigNick73 (Dec 22, 2015)

A #6 is gonna be your full size kits. Churchill, el grande, statesman, gentleman, majestic etc.. Nothing with Jr. In the name, and none of the smaller barons etc... I think classic nib has a couple of smaller kits that use a 6mm feed but have never used those.

You can't swap a 5 for a 6 it refers to the feed size. 5mm vs 6mm.

I don't know of any vanishing point kits. I know you can but the pilot mechanism separate from the pen body but imagine it'll be quite complicated to turn a custom body for one of those.


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## Dalecamino (Dec 22, 2015)

Check with Roy Robaldo at classicnibs.com The #5 & #6 have different size sections & feeds unless something has changed since I last made a FP. :redface:

Three of us typing at the same time. Never mind!!!


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## OKLAHOMAN (Dec 22, 2015)

BigNick73 said:


> A #6 is gonna be your full size kits. Churchill, el grande, statesman, gentleman, majestic etc.. Nothing with Jr. In the name, and none of the smaller barons etc... I think classic nib has a couple of smaller kits that use a 6mm feed but have never used those.
> 
> You can't swap a 5 for a 6 it refers to the feed size. 5mm vs 6mm.
> 
> I don't know of any vanishing point kits. I know you can but the pilot mechanism separate from the pen body but imagine it'll be quite complicated to turn a custom body for one of those.



Big Nick, you are right in that there is no component set with a vanishing point, and we are currently working with Dayacom one of the largest suppliers of better component sets and the original supplier of the Jr. Series to upgrade all of the Jr. sized component sets to 6MM. When the first Aaron and George was introduces they were introduced as the Jr. George and Jr. Aaron. We dropped the Jr. on these as there was no full sized versions and also I just think calling anything Jr. leaves the impression there is a bigger and better version:biggrin:.


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## Jgrden (Feb 8, 2016)

Roy, I have always wanted to go witless in making fountain pens. From what i am reading here the #5 nib sounds best for standard sized pen. Would you tell me the answers to a few questions that I now have been asked before, bu here goes:
1. Do you recomend a triple start, double start or single start thread design?
2. For a instrument with a cap and nib thread, what tap and die do you recommend? 
I would rather make beginners mistakes on triple start threads and learn how to perfect them than to put out an instrument that is hard to start the cap threading. 
I hope this make a little sense. 
Also, a buyer scolded me, as he bought a kit fountain pen, and said Iridium is not a standard addition to pen tips. Can yo give me/us a little background on whether you focus on Iridium as a sales point and do mins come with them normally?
I know tap and die are expensive but hope that one good set will allow me to make a closed end fountain pen. 

John
3I just went into your site and found a tap and die set reasonably priced at $25.00 but then there was a picture of two taps for $42.50. I am wondering if it is the same tap that is in the set?


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## Smitty37 (Feb 8, 2016)

OKLAHOMAN said:


> BigNick73 said:
> 
> 
> > A #6 is gonna be your full size kits. Churchill, el grande, statesman, gentleman, majestic etc.. Nothing with Jr. In the name, and none of the smaller barons etc... I think classic nib has a couple of smaller kits that use a 6mm feed but have never used those.
> ...


Roy you can correct me on this if I am wrong.  My impression is that the larger nib i.e. #6 rather than #5 implies nothing vis-a-vis the writing characteristics of the pen.


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## Mr Vic (Feb 8, 2016)

Smitty, you are correct the nib size refers to the size. A #5 broad will write a line pretty close to a #6 or a #4 broad. If you think of the 5 & 6 as a shoe size and the broad as being a not quite square toe shoe, a medium as a round toe, and a fine nib as a pointed toe. The narrower the toe the finer a line regardless of the size. If you think of a broad or Italic nib think Swim Fin.


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## duncsuss (Feb 9, 2016)

Jgrden said:


> ... a buyer scolded me, as he bought a kit fountain pen, and said Iridium is not a standard addition to pen tips ...



John, the best discussion of "Iridium Point Germany" that I've read is this one by Brian Gray, of the Edison Pen Company.

LINK

Iridium used to be used as nib tipping material, but has been replaced by other metals and alloys. For whatever reason, the nib makers didn't change what they stamped on the nibs.


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## Smitty37 (Feb 9, 2016)

duncsuss said:


> Jgrden said:
> 
> 
> > ... a buyer scolded me, as he bought a kit fountain pen, and said Iridium is not a standard addition to pen tips ...
> ...


The link is a good one and the author is knowledgeable about nibs  That being said - if you are looking for pen kits with really good nibs you still need to know what you are doing or take the manufacturer's word for what you're getting.


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## Jgrden (Feb 10, 2016)

thank you team. I had watched this last year but I guess my brain needed refreshing on the subject. What I want to do is start making my own kitless fountain pens; nib, feed, body, finail, hidden cliop. etc. i need a basic basic tap and die set. 
Okay, I am subscribed to the Edison site.


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## corgicoupe (Mar 15, 2016)

Jgrden said:


> Roy, I have always wanted to go witless in making fountain pens.



I really had to laugh at this... I suppose the "spelling incorrecter" got you.


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