On Fountain Pen Nib Sizes: #5, #6, #7, #8
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- čas přidán 24. 05. 2022
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I didn't know about the feed size in mm and the size of the nib... Thank you for improving our vast knowledge :)
FINALLY! Someone has solved the mystery for me. As a Newbie to fountain pen "Gathering" and an Octogenarian, I have an understanding of nib size. Not too hard to follow explanations of nib width in writing (EF, F, M, etc.) and Japanese vs Western stuff. Plenty of info and videos on that,. But, hearing mention of # 5, #6 nib sizes remained a mystery until now.
Thank you for your informative, entertaining ,fun "classes" on You Tube..
Well done on the mythbusting. There may be general differences, but nothing definitive.
Personally, I like No.6 nibs because there are lots available at a decent price, so I can swap them around and have lots of different writing experiences if I choose.
"Inks with pieces of things in them." Laughed out loud.
It’s not the size that matters but the skill of the man using it😊
Great info. If this video is also meant to serve those new to fountain pens, it might be worth mentioning that you can determine the nib size on many pens simply by looking up the nib size online. Most manufacturers and many retailers will provide specifications on the pens they sell, so the information is generally easy to find. Obvious, I know, but maybe not to someone who is new to this.
That just about covers it! Thank you. I really enjoy this type of video.
Great demonstration. Thank you.
That is so cool and informative. Every time! And I am into fountain pens since, well, now two decades. I think we can all grow old together like that.
To me there is only one consistent consideration when it comes to nib size: the bigger the nib, the further the tipping will be from your fingers. Where you grip the grip section contributes to this as well, of course, but I find that with #8 nibs I'm often accidentally dragging the tipping across the page when I go from one word to the next. Conversely, with a #5 nib my hand gets tired because I have to squish it down further to get the nib to touch the paper. The material, geometry and treatment of the nib as well as the characteristics of the feed are of far bigger influence on the writing than the nib size. After all, most of those wet noodle vintage flexible nibs are tiny compared to a #8 or even a #6 nib, and a modern steel #8 nib is hard as diamond by comparison.
Interesting point, Rick. I haven't paid attention to that and wonder if I'm adjusting without thinking about it simply because I've used such a wide variety of writing instruments over the years? [asked rhetorically of course.]
Great point, this is why I think I'm done with #5 nibs in my collection. But this also made me rethink my urge to get my hands on a #8 pen - #6 is a great sweet spot. The size of the pen (typically pocket pens) adds to the squished-down cramped feeling that associate them with...
Yeah..its usually the spacing of holding it from touching the paper...the farther away it is...usually the less comfortable it is for me.
most grip sections seem to have a small diameter, a number 8 nib is one way to increase the grip section diameter.
question: on a size 5 pen, if one dispenses with the srew-in part of the nib unit of say a number 6 nib and use a number 6 feed with a tube to connect with the cartridge... would it fit in the number 5 pen?
Amazing video, I have been around the FP world for a long time but you are always capable of explaying well and give us good examples with clear information.
Thank you.
EXCELLENT explanation, Stephen.
Thumbs up for ink containing "things" that begin with "sh" as the next fad. Now we know that Steven is a trendsetter and where the idea for sbrebrown ink originated. Enjoyed the video as always and the subtle humor
Very informative video. Appreciate the content contained in this video.
If only to have seen a numver 7, utterly worth watching! Thank you.
I think Onoto pens can be bought with no. 7 nibs, though I've not used one myself.
Thanks for the clarification its saved me spending money on something which it now appears won't improve my writing experience - keep up the good work!
3 minutes into it, and I already learned something. So that's how the numbering comes about, from the diameter of the feed. Is it just me or does it seem like the odd number nibs have broader shoulders? The color of the Leonardo is memorizing. I love it.
Personally after much experimenting and money, I find that a #6 nib or larger is better for me. I like the added height from paper to section. May be it's psychological, but I find it more comfortable with the added girth of the pen and height of the nib.
Thanks SBRE Brown. Very informative.
The #6 nib with its height to paper length is very comfortable for me also. For the way I hold a FP, that height seems natural for me. The girth of a pen is also important to me. A concrete example I have from my own experience is from Esterbrook FP's. The regular size Estie has a #6 nib, as does the O/S Estie. Both #6 nibs are comfortable for me, but the added girth and length of the O/S makes for a better writing experience. It seems a FP is more than just the nib.
@@jasondaniel918 I couldn't agree more with you. The nib might steal the show, but the length and girth of the pen is so important. It can really make a difference because I nib can be tuned, smoothed, etc to your liking, but the pen body comes as is. For new comers to FPs, pen bodies should also be learned, not just nibs and filling systems. I would have saved a lot of time and money if I knew just how much of a difference it made, because for years using thin ballpoints, I thought nothing of it. My first pen was a Waterman Hemisphere, and while I love the pen to death because it's my first, I hardly ever use it.
Onoto's standard nib is a #7, although one can special order a #8 on a few of their models.
Great info !!!!! 👍👍
Now to explain Pilot's nib numbering! 😀
I was thinking the same thing.
Yes. I agree! That would be great & informative.
Thank you for the very insightful video. You cleared up my misconception that nib comes from measuring the width of the nib itself. (where on the nib would you measure??)
*Thank you.*
Interesting, thanks!
Nice to know, not something I worry about, did make me wonder about the diameter of my Man 100 (don't have a caliper) and Carène (not something I would disassemble).
Geometry, material, and finishing of the nib will bring to bare changes in writing characteristics. Should have done my bachelor's engineering thesis on this, would have been fun. #8 on Jinhao x159 is my favorite, close 2nd, #6.
Thanks for this. Congrats on obtaining Tenure at Red Deer College.
I'm very happy with 6's and 7's. Cool video, funny and reasonable.
While I have very intrigued about nib sizes and their comparable writing results. I have wanted a #8 only because I don't own one.
That said, one of my favorite nibs is a fountain pen revolution flex, a 5.5 size. It is currently attached to a Noodler's Ahab. It is a tight fit but it works wonderfully.
I like the look of #6 nibs. Some pens demand this size to be in proportion to the rest of the pen. A number 5 nib on a MZG would not look right. My King of Pen nib is a #9, but that is not part of this demonstration. There is no mention of Japanese nibs and their unusual sizes. That would make this comparison very confusing, but can be for another video.
A brief analysis of Japanese nibs sounds like a great idea. I hope Dr. Brown takes it seriously.
Love that Oldwin. I thought it had to do with the proportion of the pen: Small and slim pens needs smaller nibs, and wide and oversized pens need big nibs..
Inks with shinola. (A reference to the Steve Martin movie, The Jerk.)
A fantastic video!! I have always wondered what was the rationale behind the number on the nib sizes. On the point of why a size is popular, I don't agree it's just a fad. I am a very private user of fountain pens. I keep my pens at home and use them in the privacy of my room only. But still, I do like bigger nibs. There is an intangible pleasure in writing with the bigger nibs. I feel a sense of greater cushioning, a sense of greater precision. For example, Pilot Custom 845 and 823 are both great nibs but the bigger size of the former does have a big impact on the difference in writing experience. Given there's so much "feeling" around, this becomes very subjective I know. But I do believe there's a difference.
Sometimes there are numbers embossed on the underside of the feed. I have an Amazon Basics pen with a "M" nib and the number "7" in a circle on the feed. I haven't tried to remove the feed in order to measure its diameter, but it certainly looks to me to be closer to a number 5 or 6. So, may I assume that a number on the feed doesn't necessary indicate the feed's diameter?
Congratulations on getting tenure (assuming the rumors are true). Love your content and ideas
The rumours are true, thank you Edward!
@@sbrebrown Congratulations. It also shows how discerning your college is to want you to continue being a part of their organization. Are you a professor?
inks with the s word :D great episode thanks man
Great video, well demonstrated - much appreciated! For me, the nib should be proportional to the pen. A #8 nib on an Ensso, would look a bit ridiculous and a #5 on the Armando Simoni would be hideous. Nibs CAN be a work of art as well, and the larger "canvas" can display that art better. However, my writing experience parallels yours!
Now, do Asian pens follow the same sizing rule as those from Europe?
I have to admit that I admire the size and looking at large #8 nibs, but mostly I was drawn to them for the feel. As a leftie, I tend to hunt for 'sweet spots' with nibs, and found #8s to have them often.
After sizes…. Odd sizes/shapes? Or nib materials e.g. titanium?
Very nicely presented. Thank you. Yes, the information is useful. Do I have any questions? Yes, a very specific one. I have to date found NO ONE who can tell me what size nib the Pelikan M-1000 uses. I have heard a lot of jokes and a lot of wild ass guesses, but no real answer. What size nib does the Pelikan M-1000 use?!
Don't use caliper like that. Measure with the "dull" part.
Yes, useful. Didn't know stoics used calipers...
then what is no.35 nib means?
👍👍
1. Thanks for this good info. In my stupid opinion the only reason for a different nib size is to look good in a different pen size.
2. I'd like to add that I use a Sailor Candy pen that has an infinitesimal #2 nib, and it writes like my #5 & #6 nibs, just fine.
3. My cursory search could not find a #8-nibbed pen under $200. #6 and smaller are available in pens under $20. Maybe part of the appeal of #8 nibs is the thrill of the expensive.
You might be on to something, and for me, the #8 titanium I have in a William Shakour dip pen is just a bit of odd ball fun. And it is great for testing and playing with ink because the feed holds a generous amount and it's easy to clean.
Magna Carta has made #8 pens under or around $200, but I’m not sure if they are available on their website
@@EnCwoisant That's good news. I'm hopeful that if #8 nibs ever actually become a thing, the price will come down. I would pay $50 for a #8 in a Jinhao just to get the experience.
Try Ranga pens (splendour, 9B giant) in basic ebonite colours + Bock #8 Ti. This will get you around $200. There are Kanwrite nibs which are cheaper, but I have not used them and cannot confirm they are in #8 size.
@@ichirofakename I believe Jinhao X159 has a #8 nibs. I already have one incoming and will order more if I like it :)
Great video Stephen, I’m kinda surprised no third party company (so to speak) doesn’t make replacement feeds out of ebonite! Because everyone in the fountain pen community would choose ebonite over plastic any day, jude
Have a look at Flexible Nib Factory, he makes ebonite feeds for some common nibs.
It looks like Fountain Pen Revolution sells some but I never hear anyone talk about swapping feeds like they do nibs
Funny, eh, how nib size get bigger as the numbers go up but paper is the other way round 🙂
3rd!!
Greetings from Mexico
Yeah number 8 waaay to big for me...even 7 would be pushing it for what I'm comfortable with...5 and 6 are where it's at for me...I got small hands..so..5s are my favorite..but have no problems with 6..so 👍
I'm so glad to find this video. When we first begin our fountain pen journey, we're mostly concerned with discovering the differences between EF, F, M, B, and stub nibs. Then we get hit with cursive, architect, etc,etc. It takes awhile for curiosity about actual nib sizes to take hold. To my eyes, there is little or no difference in the writing samples. So why do pen reviewers always reference the nib size? The only reason I can see for having a large nib, other than to compliment the pen body size, is if the nib is beautifully engraved; ie: Pelikan M800. If I heard you correctly, that's basically what you're saying.
First one lol