The majority of pens that can be found at stores that are not considered to be specialists on the High Street will have a medium (M) nib. Although this is going to work for the writing of a lot of people, it is not going to work for everyone. That is why, where it is feasible, we give several different options of nib point size.
The following is a basic summary of the many kinds of nibs that are regularly used (notice that most pens only offer a handful of these possibilities!).
EF is a common nib size (extra-fine). A nib that produces a line with a width of about 0.4 millimeters. Suitable for those with very fine handwriting.
F (fine) (fine). A nib that produces a line with a width of about 0.6 millimeters. Appropriate for those with tiny handwriting.
M (medium) (medium). A nib that produces a line with a width of about 0.8 millimeters. Suitable for those whose handwriting is of an average size.
B (broad or bold) (broad or bold). A nib that produces a line with a width of about one millimeter. It is a good choice for those who have huge handwriting or for signatures.
Which fountain pen is best for daily use?
A ("Anfanger" Means beginning). A fountain pen nib with a rounded tip, manufactured by Lamy and designed specifically for the ABC and NEXX fountain pens. However, we are able to adapt this nib to any Lamy pen that utilizes a steel nib. Developed specifically for first-time authors and younger students. In the range between fine and medium in terms of the line width.
Specialist nib sizes
Italic (eg IF, IM, IB, 1.1mm, 1.5mm etc) (eg IF, IM, IB, 1.1mm, 1.5mm etc). A nib that has been honed such that the tip is flat rather than rounded; the nib is often made of steel and does not have a tip. Designed to produce a broad range of line variations, from small side-strokes to wide down-strokes, in the style of a calligraphy pen. Typically, dimensions are given in units of width (in mm). The majority of "italic" nibs that are produced in factories are actually cursive-italics or sometimes stubs (see below), which means that the corners of the nib are rounded to allow for continuous writing. This is in contrast to a proper calligraphy nib, which requires significantly more skill and care to use correctly. The designations MI or IM (medium italic), 1.1mm, 1.5i, etc. are among the most common.
Stub or Stop or ST.
One way to think of them is as a softer, more rounded rendition of an italic nib, which allows for a greater degree of line variation to be generated. In most cases, these nibs include tipping. These are commonly defined in terms of width (in mm), although they may also be simply labeled S or ST. This is also the case with italic nibs. It requires less of an angle to be maintained to the paper compared to an italic nib.
Which one is it—a stub or an italic?
These two words are often interchanged, which may sometimes cause some level of confusion. The traditional shape of an italic nib is that of a flat, untipped point. Italic nibs may be found on pens made by Lamy, TWSBI, Kaweco, and Edison, amongst other manufacturers; hence, we use the word italic to denote nibs like these. However, stub nibs have a tipping that is ground to be flattened rather than spherical, and gold nibs are the most common kind of nib used for stubs. The italic-style nibs produced by certain manufacturers, such as Conway Stewart, Pelikan, Parker, Visconti, and others, are often not as sharp as the more straightforward flat steel varieties. These manufacturers include Conway Stewart, Pelikan, Parker, and Visconti.
NP (needlepoint) (needlepoint). A very tiny point that creates a line that is very thin. In certain circles, this format is also known as XXF or EEF (extra-extra-fine). Typically exclusive to Japanese writing instruments (see below).
either BB or 2B or EB (extra-broad). A nib that produces a line with a width of about 1.2 millimeters. It is a good choice for those who have really huge writing or for signatures. In most cases, it provides a fair line variety. The line width is not twice as wide as that produced by a broad nib, despite the fact that this nib is sometimes referred to as a "double-broad" (from the same manufacturer).
The grade of BBB, 3B, or EEB (extra-extra-broad). A nib that produces a line with a width of about 1.4 millimeters. Will result in broad flowing lines as well as a nice diversity between wide downstrokes and narrower sidestrokes (less wide). Nowadays, a rare occurrence.
OM, OB etc (oblique medium, oblique broad etc). A nib that has been ground such that the tip slopes to the left, in a manner that is similar to your left foot. Developed specifically for those writers who either twirl the pen counter-clockwise or hold it at an odd angle while writing. It is important to keep in mind that oblique nibs do not, in most cases, provide more line variation than a regular rounded point, unless it is clearly specified differently (in other words, they are not italic style nibs). Sometimes, but not always, wrongly identified as "left-handed."
LH (left-hand, example Pelikano and Lamy) (left-hand, eg Pelikano and Lamy). A medium nib with a tip that is designed in such a way that it may be more suitable for left-handed writers, especially those that keep their above the line as they write ("over-writers").
MK (rounded medium) (rounded medium). A particular nib that was produced by Lamy but is no longer available. It had a point that was more rounded than a regular point, making it less important to position the pen in relation to the paper than with a standard point and making it simpler for novices to use. The MK designation is no longer used, although the current medium nib offered by Lamy is crafted to the exact same standards as the MK.
Music.
A specific kind of stub or italic nib designed to produce the extensive range of line widths required for the drafting of musical scores.
Zoom.
A unique nib crafted by Sailor that can produce a variety of line widths. When used in the conventional manner, it draws a generously wide line. When the angle between the pen and the paper is increased by raising the pen, the line will grow smaller. When the pen is held at a shallow angle, on the other hand, the line that is produced is broader. When inverted, this nib may also produce an extra-fine (EF) line when used for writing.
ROM (reverse-oblique media etc) (reverse-oblique medium etc). A nib that has been ground such that it slopes to the right, in a manner that is similar to your right foot. There are situations when persons who are left-handed can use it. Sometimes, leading to confusion, this angle is termed the right oblique. Extremely unusual.
Fude.
A kind of Japanese nib that is curved in an upward direction at an acute angle. The ability to create lines of varying widths with a single pen has made these nibs popular among sketchers and artists, despite the fact that they were originally created for eastern calligraphy. Typically, this is described in terms of the degree to which the nib is bowed (eg 40 degrees).
Lastly, there is no universally accepted standard for the diameters of nib points. As a result, it is not impossible for a pen with a medium nib to be comparable to a different brand that is labeled B or F.
The point on many steel nibs is more precise than the point on the corresponding gold nib. This is without a doubt the case with Pelikan, Lamy (with the exception of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen), Edison, and Bexley.
In general, pens manufactured in Japan have nibs that are finer than those made in the United States, which have nibs that are finer than those created in Europe. However, a significant number of the nibs used in American and European pens are manufactured in Germany.
Left handed?
For more details, kindly refer to the following page.
What if I end up picking the incorrect option?
If the nib that you first choose does not work out for you, we will gladly swap it out for you at no additional cost (subject to availability). It is not necessary for you to send the pen to a distributor or manufacturer that you have never worked with previously at this time.
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