@Markus What size nib is your Lamy 2000? I'm really considering one at the moment (current Safari owner). I like the M, I'm told the 2K nibs are different.
i dont mean to be so off topic but does anybody know of a way to log back into an Instagram account? I was dumb forgot the account password. I love any assistance you can give me
@Roy Jacoby I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm in the hacking process atm. I see it takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
I think Pilot Vanishing Point's 18kt gold nibs are criminally underrated. The pen being retractable completely overshadows the nib's performance. It's extremely smooth, and quite springy for how narrow it is.
I love how steep the pen can go without any performance issues! I write at a really steep angle (approaching 80 / 90 degrees) and my VP always delivers. Both the F and M nib have served me well. I'm waiting to try a Stub nib, maybe for the next special edition...
I agree. I'm a big fan of Pilots. I have several Falcons, some from the days when they bore the Namiki brand and more recent ones under the Pilot brand. Figboot is right that individual nibs on the same model of pen can have their own personalities. But I also have several VPs, in all sizes (B, M, F, and EF) and they are uniformly consistent and great writers. My only mild complaint about the VP is the way ink can build up in around the closure mechanism, but that just forces me to do regular cleaning of the pen, which is not a bad thing anyway.
@@rsanderson100 I wipe the "section" carefully every time I ink it. If no leaking occurs, the ink will only build up on the door, which is not an issue unless the ink which got stuck on the door is highly reactive ( Baystate Blue, for example).
As a Japanese would you please advise me as to which nib should I choose in a platinum 3776 century. I don't want too broad and too narrow. I like the feedback but I don't want it to be scratchy. Is a medium nib good to go?
@@san2881 Unfortunately, I only have two types of Platinum Century, F and SF. I've heard that B is very smooth and easy to write with. I'm sorry that I'm not much help.
@@san2881After living in Japan in 1968 and 1969, I fell in love with Japan. I did take a group of students to Japan in 2001, but I have had little chance to return. My best friend married an American educator’s daughter in Ibaraki, and they eventually settled up in the Sapporo area. I would love to visit them, as we are each in our late 70s now. I hate the cold though. My question is did you still hold to the Custom Urushi and it’s # 30 nib? I know Figboot loves the #50 on the Emperor, but I have a tendency to think the one I can stretch to buy, especially if I see an old Montblanc 149. Are you still happy with the Pilot Custom Urushi? Or, did you too reach for the Namiki Emperor?
Thank you for this very well documented nibs comparison that encouraged me to make the big jump of buying a Namiki Emperor last month in Japan. Every day since that purchase, I enjoy the wonderful feeling of precision and dynamism in writing with it. Useful to mention indeed that my handwriting is different that with my other loved nibs (MB149, Pelikan1000, Lamy2000, Waterman Edson, Pilot 845…). It’s more expressive with the nib asking for bigger mouvements and allowing some changes in pressure safely. What a joy!
I’ve been wanting to see a video like this. It’s hard to parse how different pen manufacturers tune their nibs in comparison to each other and you do a good job describing how each of them feel.
Great video, as always! I'd say my favorite nib is the nib on my 1950 pelikan 400. I got it from my grandfather (it was his pen) and it was in dire need of love. I fixed and tuned the nib, freed up the piston and polished out most of the scratches that were gathered by decades of use. It is just so supple, smooth and wet it is unbelievable. Next up would be my 18K Visconti HS F nib followed by the EF nib on my TWSBI Precision.
Just wanted to thank you. I purchased my first starter pen today and I got the Faber-Castell Loom. I was planning my first trip to the fancy pen shop near me on Friday then they announced on social media they were closing the shop again because of COVID numbers increasing. ☹️ Found a Loom in an art store and the color I liked was $15 less than the other colors for some reason. 🙌🏼🙌🏼 I purchased without being able to try it based on your recommendation and I couldn’t be happier. It’s so smooth and a great size for my hand and I like the weight versus some of the plastic and aluminum models I was considering.
Very interesting list! Thanks, David. For the first time, I have _none_ of the items in your final 10 list. I do own and very much like two of your three honorable mention nibs, so your top 10 must be spectacular.
I never thought I'd ever watch one of these list videos and agree with literally everything on it, but the day has come; even down to the honourable mentions and the Loom. Haven't tried three of them, but I can see why they'd be nice nibs. The only thing I'd add for people who love feedback is the Platinum President, which I think is both the best looking nib in existence and the best feeling heavy feedback nib. I have a theory about why Pilot/Namiki nibs feel so good. If you look at the tip of the nib, it isn't a smooth curve like any other nib. Instead, the Pilot nibs have this unique feature where the tines kink and narrow the part of the tines closest to the tipping. Seems to me like it acts as a little needle with a lot more spring to it than a straight curve from shoulder to tine.
My family has shifted over to mostly using Platinum nibs somewhat organically. It's only been this year that I discovered just how good the Platinum nibs are, after a long time with Montblanc and PIlot nibs. Platinum sort of swept through the house and took over. My everyday writing pens (which are always my current favorite nibs) are now a #3776 Music and UEF. I avoided the feedback train for too long, only to discover just how good it can be.
I received your letter yesterday, thank you very much! Communication Breakdown really describes my letter well! It definetly is a ink I will look into though, it looks fantastic.
Your Sailor King of Pens Pro Gear Sky... be still my heart. My favourite nib is the H-MF LF (Lefty) on my Sailor 1911L. I don't know what makes a "Lefty" nib a lefty, but writing with it feels better than the non-lefty one, for me anyway; and I'm right-handed. I tried different H-MF at the store, and I was always going back to this one. I didn't realize it was a "Lefty" until I got home. When I went back to get the silver trim, there were no more, and a restock wasn't planned. This was in the fall of 2018. I haven't seen any lefties anymore. My second favourite is my Fine 14kt nib on my Montblanc Meisterstück 144 - not nail hard at all. My third is the H-B 21kt on a 1911L, then my H-F 21kt (yup) on my 1911S. Honourable mention: Pilot Petit1. I love these types of videos. Thank you so much!
My fav of all your videos! I find that nibs are highly neglected but you succeed in making them the superstar of every pen here! Thank you! I may have added the newest Montbanc Calligraphy nib.
I'm not surprised to see so many Pilot/Namiki nibs. Even though I only have inexpensive Pilots, I love the nibs. Also, thumbs up for the Leonardo and the Loom.
Hard to argue with this list, David! Least wise, I hit on most of the honorable mentions (823, Falcon, 2000 and Pelikan M800 for me) and a couple of the "true" top 10s -- F-C Loom, Momento Zero Grande, Omas Arco and in wait for my birthday, the Pilot 845. I have to agree with your comments on the M-Z-G -- what a terrific writer and that's with the steel nib! You've inspired me to put my F-C Loom back into rotation.
A couple of nibs I enjoy a lot and no one mentioned: 1) The red-lacquered steel Bock #6. It is not just the color, it is actually a lot more bouncy than other bock steel nibs. 2) The "flex" nib that comes on Ranga eyedropper pens - I am not sure who makes it, but it is amazing - smooth and bouncy
I love your vids. I prefer a smaller pen in my hand but it is fun to see your list, and your AMAZING collection and body of knowledge and experience. Thank you.
Thanks for a thought-provoking and entertaining video. I was very surprised when you got to the King of Pen at No.3, but I quickly deduced what must then be in first place. I do admire the gorgeous Omas Arco.
I feel like it as a near perfect daily driver nib. It feels awesome, gets the job done every time and I don't have to worry too much about damaging it. I'm dying to try some of Pilot's high end nibs tho.
I really like your videos. Honest and straightforward. This is one of my favorits 👌🏼 Namiki nibs are just outstanding. I have the Pilot custom urushi and love the nib.
Nice list . Another nib that I am constantly amazed by is the steal nib on the Leonardo Furore - possibly the best steal nib I have ever used. Some interesting nibs in your video that I want to try.
I have a Moonman T1 with a fine steel nib that is nearly glassy smooth. Along with the medium 14k nib on my Pelikan 605 they are my best performing ones. Followed by a broad steel nib on a TWSBI Diamond 580 and fine steel nib on a TWSBI Diamond Mini. Need to obtain a Faber Castell Loom next. Thanks for your Videos! Always a pleasure to watch!
WOW! All Japanese top 3! Not surprising at all I guess. Sailor and Pilot are easy to recommend for that near perfect writing experience. And I appreciate how you don't write off those steel nibs just because they're inexpensive, I've had some amazing steel nibs in my collection too. If they were stamped 14K or 18K, no one would question if they were really gold or not. I just spent a bunch of time tuning, heat setting a $200 Bock #8 14K nib. It kept running dry even though there was enough spacing between the tines. I finally had to increase the air exchange by modding the feed to get the desired ink flow. It should have been perfect out of the box for the price.
Recently, in the last year or two, I've been happy with Bock Medium and Fine, both steel and titanium, on Karas Kustom acrylic Vertexes and Decographs and Fountain Ks. I think my most expensive pen is a Cross Townsend Titanium with an 18K Medium. I find it very wet and glassy smooth - but it's not my favorite. But in general, I rotate through pens not only for different inks but also for different "feel", and I often write on 24lb linen paper. Thanks for the video. Some really nifty pens, and nibs.
Thanks for this video. I enjoyed it a lot! Curious how the nibs on the ASC Bologna and the Wahl-Eversharp Decoband ranked? Given your reviews of both, it was surprising neither made even honorable mention. Anyway, thanks again for your work!!
Thank you for this video! To me, the non is the most important part of a pen, it's size and aesthetics of course also drive me to purchase but if a nib isn't pleasing then I may display it but won't ever used it whereas I'll continue to use a pen that's plain or not as pleasing to the eye if it writes well. :)
I just recently had my Great Grandfather's Parker Vacumatic Major (1945q2) with a 14k gold nib (fine, I believe), and it's now my favorite to write with. it's silky even on the copier paper I have to write on at work.
A bit surprised to not see the diplomat aero pen, since you mentioned few times is among your personal favourites. Still, thanks for the review, keep learning about pens with you
Nice ranking :) Pilot nibs are great whatever the price range. I'm in love with the Emperor and the Custom Urushi (which are the ones I use the most), but if you don't want to go the 4-digits-price-tag, one of my favorite I can recommend from them is the "basic" (hem) 14K medium on Namiki Tradition (their entry level maki-e ebonite pens). To me it's butter smooth and can easily stay 15/20 minutes uncapped without drying (and depending of the ink sometimes without any hard-start, like the Pilot Falcon SE btw). The con of this is I hardly use my capless now ^^.
I recently received a Hondian Black Forest pen in an Inkredible box from Truphae and it is absolutely a dream to write with and easily one of my more favorite pens.
Thank you for another fine fountain pen video! My favorite nib is a Sailor 21k (black, Imperial) zoom. Prior almost every pen I own was a Fine nib so this was like jumping in the deep side of the pool and I fell in love. I’ve since bought an 18k (black, Imperial) zoom nib but it doesn’t come close. As you say each nib, even with all things being equal, can be different. I think also the pen itself can greatly influence it as well as a story of who gave it to us or a struggle getting it and so many outside and individual aspects.
Very nice stuff! Lol! Not the "Hall of very good" LoL! My current favorites are vintage, one is a stiff Sheaffer's Balance lifetime, two tone 14k, the other is an Eversharp Skyline 14k nib that currently lives in an Esterbrook J... I call the pen my Estersharp... LoL!
I like very fine lines and was somewhat spoiled in that one of my first pens was a pilot penmanship. Which I discovered right when they became difficult to find and going way out of my price range. That was about five or six years ago. Periodically I go on a pen buying binge to try to find something similar in size. Recently I discovered wing sung has some EF nibs and am playing around with them. I also splurged for a moonman m2 and am in love. (I have a very tight budget, so the moonman felt decedent lol.) I can grind nibs to the size I want. I just don't always want to.
This was fun and instructive to watch. Thanks. This list is very much a personal taste list. For me, if I cannot get a lot of line variation I am not interested in the pen. In addition I just cannot enjoy any nib thicker than an EF point. I would also include some vintage pens to my list. And you did not include nibs that were modified. I would have added some that I have. So I guess I will have to do what you just did but with my favorites. Thanks again for the video.
Did you ever make one of these list videos? We have similar preferences so I checked out your channel but didn’t see one. What are the best/your favorite nibs that meet this criteria (very fine + capable of producing some expressive line variation) and are readily available (i.e. non-modified and not rare vintage)?
I had to come back and watch this a second time while I decide on additions to the collection. Trying to narrow down the right KOP and patiently waiting for Bulkfillers to be available again. I’m torn on the Emperor because I don’t typically care for the cigar shape as much.
I love the 0.6 Stub Nemosine Nibs. They are so smooth and I can use them even though I write small. Sadly they are no longer but I was able to hoard a few nibs!
You mentioned Mike Matsuyama several times. I have a Franklin Christoph Panther with a Matsuyama 14K medium Cursive Italic that is in my top 10 nibs. It is a custom grind, but all of the others on my list are "out of the box" nibs. They include a Montblanc JFK with a BB nib, at Montblanc Unicef Legrand with OB nib, a Lamy Studio with 14K medium nib, a Waterman Carene with 14k medium nib, and a Faber Castell Loom with Broad steel nib. I love very smooth nibs - the "writing on glass" smoothness. So, I appreciate your description of the Pelikan 800. And I would very much appreciate hearing your comments on the Scribo. My favorite pen "guru" has suggested that a Scribo should be my next pen.
Glad you're trying fountain pens! I have 3 of the classic sports, black, burgundy and green. I also have a white skyline sport that came as part of a Kaweco calligraphy set with 1.1, 1.5 and 2.9 mm nibs. My classic sports are all fine nibs. I've heard of a lot of issues with kaweco nibs but I lucked out on all but one of the calligraphy nibs that had flow issues. Jet pens replaced it for me, no problem. It is a good idea to flush out new pens with water and doing so may make your one nib perform better... or not. Could also be the ink. Try one of the black cartridges in it. Different colors from the same manufacturer can be more or less saturated and flow differently. Hope you enjoy your pens! And if you do, I'll wager we'll be seeing a lot more fountain pen invoicing and reviews! 😃 I'd love that.
Hi David - thank you for this video, it was a great idea. Would I be able to ask a question? I am interested to know how you feel the Pilot Custom 823 nib compares to the others that actually made it on the top 10 list. I do have a Faber-Castell Loom with both the Fine and Medium nibs (which are surprisingly different from each other) and noticed that it made your list above the 823, which was just an honorable mention. I've long been eyeing the 823 as a bit of a stretch goal, so I would really be interested to hear your thoughts on how it compares, maybe especially with the F-C Loom and Lamy 2000. Thanks! Ken
Great list. I have the Visconti and Pelican. And yes they all have their personalities. I also believe that of all my pens, the best nibs are: ST Dupont Line D L'Ateler and even smoother is the older Delta Dolce Vita Large nib which is huge and is as smooth as butter.
I dont have any high end pens but my best nibs are my FC's and my Nemosine .6 & .8 stubs! They're extremly smooth and theyre really fun to use. Rip nemosine 😔
Thanks for this video. It was very entertaining and informative. Maybe one day I'll get to try a Namiki Emperor - but then again, maybe not. I've never sent a nib to be tuned or reground. I've only occasionally done a little smoothing and only once used a shim on the ink slit of a cheap Moonman to improve the flow (thank you SBRBrown). I really find it hard to choose between my Faber Castell Loom (M), my Waterman Carene (M), my Delta Dolce Vita (B), my Pilot Prera (F) and my Rosetta Magellan (F). I've never had a bad Jinhao nib (I've used quite a few) or TWSBI and I've got a beautiful Bexley Classique (M). If I had to choose one, it would probably be the Carene because not only is it ridiculously smooth and juicy, it just looks so damn good.
Great video Dave and a great concept. The heart of the fountain pen IS the nib. i gotta agree with many of you choices but may i add in a few of my favorites: The Platinum 3776 century Kumpoo Soft M nib, Nakaya Heki Tamenuri Soft M nib, Aurora Optima Med nib, Pilot VP med nib and Omas Paragon Med. What do you think?
Bryan thank you for mentioning the Platinum Kumpoo with Soft Medium nib. It is glorious! I will have a Omas Paragon Medium in just a few hours and am thrilled you mentioned it. Was also disappointed the Platinum President not on this list as it has a great nib. You never see me post comments but had to let you know I Agree with you. .Thanks so much. Barbara
I am also obsessed with getting top nibs from major brands as a collection. I like top of the line nibs, but not so much on all the fancy barrel made and finishes that command very high prices. It's very tough to come up with a top 10 list that everyone agrees. For example the M1000 B or Lamy 2000 OB would be on my list. The 149 O3B is also a very interesting one too! I prefer broader nibs compared to EF unless it is offering a lot of flex.
I love the M nib on my Sailor 1911L-the feedback on it is really pleasant and makes it stand out among my pens. I’ve got a Pilot Custom 74 (also M nib) coming and I’m curious to see how it compares to the Sailor. I’ve branched out from my favorite M nibs into B and my favorite so far is a Lamy B mounted onto my stainless steel Lamy Studio-smooth with a nice wet ink flow. For a shot time, I did have a FC Loom and while I liked the nib and how it wrote, I didn’t like the polished grip, as it tended to be too slippery for my fingers so I sold it. I would be willing to give it another try, with a grip that has the more matte finish.
Pilot is more smooth than Sailor, which is matter of taste. I like more feedback for glossier paper I usually work with and Sailor is more exotic brand than Pilot. But there are many people that prefer Custom 74. I like Sailor convertors more than confusing mess of Pilot models, they are smaller in capacity but clean out quickly and fit perfectly. Cartridges are similar, I use them only occasionally.
Hi David... I have just revisited this video purley to write this comment... I have just taken delivery of a Delta "The Journal" with a Fusion nib... wow! I have a few wonderful gold nibs but this nib is an unusual hybrid and is a joy to write with, better than some of my all gold nibs.
I cannot afford gold nib pens. How about a list of top 10 steel nibs? And my biggest problem with steel nibs is that most pens uses either Bock or Jowo nibs. Should we consider in house tuning (Diplomat) or grinds (Franklin-Christoph)?
Gadget yoyo Until I got my first Lamy 2000 (on eBay), I rather had multiple Lamy Safari's, Al Stars or 4 TWSBI's Eco with different nib sizes. But nothing compares to my Lamy 2000 with an F nib. And you can only write with one pen at a time, can't you? Sell your Safari's and save for a Lamy 2000. You won't regret it for a minute!
Why are Jowo and Bock nibs a "problem?" Jowo in particular makes excellent nibs that can be tuned or ground to your taste. And both companies make gold nibs, while Bock also makes titanium nibs. To dismiss these excellent steel nibs as a problem doesn't make a lot of sense.
Gadget yoyo The Lamy Safari is a good pen, but the Diplomat Aero with a medium or broad nib is better and the Lamy 2000 with any size nib is better yet. Franklin Christoph is good, but I don’t find their nibs to be worth the money. So I agree that one Lamy 2000 is worth 5 Safaris.
Wow! How opinions can vary. I usually use an oblique dip pen with a cheap Zebra G nib. But I have used some of these and still have a 149 BB that is never used. My favorite flex nib is the Fountain pen Revolution gold super flex. My favorite broad nib is a music 3 tine nib. I do use the broad nibs by Goulet pens also. As far as regular nibs ie medium I use Jin Hao.
Thanks, this was very informative. Some other nibs I find great and would recommend: 1) Aurora nibs are amazing. They are stiff but smooth and very precise. 2) Santini: the regular gold nibs are somewhat similar to the Auroras in their pleasant feedback. 3) Parker Duofold nibs are also stiff but they are glass smooth. 4) Leonardo steel nibs are amazing. (The are made by Bock, but tuned/modified by Leonardo) The best steel nibs I have. +1) It's fun to have a titanium nib in your collection, it's a significantly different writing experience.
+1 on issues with Leonardo. Their steel Bock nibs are hit and miss, with a lot of misses. They are switching to Jowo as we speak - probably shows the level of unhappiness...
Interesting to see Pilot dominating the list with three in the top five, if you count Namiki as part of Pilot. Quite interesting also to see that Japanese pens comprise the entire top five. A very fascinating video. :) My top nibs would be a broad nib on the Pilot Custom 823, a broad on my Aurora 88 Nettuno and the broad on my Visconti Novelli. :)
Excellent review. Just one question about the nib. You said the Faber-Castell Loom is the only one on the list that has a steel nib. However, the Leonardo Momento Zero also has a steel extra fine nib, if I thought about this correctly.
I really like the blue pelikans. My fave nib migh be a symphony evrsharp deluxe (same as the skyline nib). I use the pelikan m200 though for my daily workhorse pan though. The eversharps, though manifold nibs have an inherent style to the writing almost like a stub. I have one also in flex. But its more difficult for general writing use. Personally i like a manifold nib for general writing. The pelikans are a touch bouncy but i like them too and it adds a bit of character instead of just a solid nail of a nib. I use fine nibs. Medium at the most but fine is best for me. Extra fine i tend to want to push it for a more dicernable line. And medium tends to write to round and blended for me generally. But it can take harder use.
The Namiki Emperor would have to be at the top of my "want" list for pens, but after experiencing Montblancs, Pilots, Visconti's, Watermans, and Monteverde, my whole house has been surprisingly drifting towards Platinum's nibs. I had dismissed Platinum for a while (generally preferring to stick with Montblanc and PIlot's), but after being really impressed with the steel nibs on the Preppy's and on my wife's Curidas, I picked up a #3776 in UEF and another Music nib (unlike you I tend to only go on extremes, since I generally write (aspirationally) calligraphically with flex nibs or stub/italic nibs), and they pretty much instantly replaced my other nibs for "love to write with" and the overall experience. The nibs themselves are really nice to look at, but the intentionally feedback heavy and stiff nib characteristics that I had previously dismissed grew on me almost instantly. I have so much control and precision with the nibs, and they are surprisingly comfortable to use and a pleasure to experience. After using the smoothly ground Montblancs and Pilots as my daily pens for so long, the Platinum nibs were something of a revelation to me in terms of the virtues of the often decried feedback and stiffness of a nib, something that other equally stiff nibs haven't been able to do before this. There really is something special in the Platinum nib design and grind, to me, at least. It also doesn't hurt that Platinum's feed design really strikes me as exceptionally well done, especially when comparing Music nibs and feed designs across the various makers. Still doesn't stop me from wanting that absolutely delicious and covetable Namiki Emperor though. ;-)
My collection is only just, getting started but I think my favourite nib I'm gonna split into gold & Steel. Gold has to be my Parker Sonnet Medium. It is so smooth & very wet. It's glorious. Steel has to be my italix Parson's Essential medium. It actually writes a little fine, & has a nice feedback. I love it.
Thanks for the (as usual) interesting video. I just want ad two comments. First, I experienced nibs on the Faber Castell Grip 2011, and for such a cheap pen, it's just unbeatable (imho). I have it in M, and also 1.1 stub. Both are fantastic. Only drawback (not for me, but could be for others): the stub nib is smooth but sings or whistles a bit when you write. And the best nib (by far) I wrote with is the Waterman Carène M. But I didn't try as many poems add you did.
I like Santini nibs a lot. I have a Nonagon, but I think the nib is the same one as in the less expensive Libra ebonite models. I am not sure if you've reviewed any if those...
Hi, thank you for the review. How do you compare the Leonardo Monmento Zero EF with the Pelikan M400 EF? I mean I am looking for a smooth EF. I found Pelikan is a bit broad for an EF. I wonder if the Leonardo one is in similar case. Thanks! And also do you have any other EF nib to recommend? Thanks again
Medium is a great all-around size typically putting down enough for a smooth line for FP friendly paper and in reverse typically fine enough for regular paper
Rather late to the game, I am happy to agree that you showcase some mighty fine nibs. I have tested King of Pen and Emperor nibs. Just, wow. In my own collection, my Pineider 14k iperflex, Bock titanium #6, and Pelikan m800 18k reign supreme. But, the first gold nib I purchased was on the Hong Dian Mt. Qomolangma (a #5-ish homage to the Namiki Mt. Fuji?) -- very nice bounce and feedback. I doubt I would sell it, although I can imagine gifting it to someone I really care about, if they have demonstrated their love for fountain pens.
I agree with you that each nib can have its own personality(although some have none). I have about nine pens from Leonardo Officina Italiana. They are all wonderful, but one of the medium steel nibs writes like a dream. I can't explain it, but it stands out from all the others, regardless of which ink I'm using.
My Leonardo is awful. First nib didn't write. Replacement nib is almost as bad. I am far from the only customer who has complaints about Leonardo Momento Zero. So bad it cured me of my fountain pen addiction. Haven't purchased any since.
@@user-br3sl9go3b That is sad. They had some quality control problems at the beginning that I believe were resolved. Did you buy these nibs earlier in their launch? I got a really bad nib too, but now I have 7-8 more and they all write beautifully.
@@marilyngardner4269 I've had the pen for maybe a year and a half or two years. Needed to ship it back on my dime. Both nibs are lousy. Irritates me to see Figboot and other reviewers cheer without mentioning that some folks got burned. Yet, the silver lining: I haven't spent $10,000 on fountain pens. Figboot must have given only the ones attached to his best nibs!! Cheers.
David. Great review and list here. I am looking to replace the nib on my Fuliwen World Map pen. Could you recommend a nib that would both fit and give me a great writing experience. I am looking for a FINE nib. I am a noobie pen enthusiast and know nothing about replacing nibs. Thanks,
The Loom (F) is the greatest value for me. Lamy 2000 (OM), Pelikan M600 (BB, a bit stiff, but very smooth) are great. On a budget I would also recommend TWSBI Eco (B), in a different league, but for everyday throwaround: great!
@@dariusus9870 Maybe that nib would need some work. Strangely in the shop my F nib was smoother than the M. You can see with a magnifying glass if the tines are well aligned. If it is scratchy that would be my first point to look at.
I appreciate your description of the Pelikan M800 nib, it makes it definite for me not to get one. I hate glassy smooth nibs, which had been my main complaint about my Lamy 2000 until I got it re-ground.
I have two Pelikan pens. One has a medium nib which writes more like a broad and has a stubbish quality. It is smooth and a wet writer. I like it. The other had a very smooth, non-bouncy, fine nib. It was boring to me, so I switched it to a medium with an architect grind, and now I like it. So I agree, if you don’t like smooth nibs, you might not like the Pelikan.
I bought a Momento Zero and had so much trouble with it -- and not only with the nib, which didn't write! It cured me of the addiction. I haven't bought a fountain pen since then. That was over a year ago.
@@user-br3sl9go3b I'm sorry to hear that. Did you have a look to see if there was a problem with the nib and feed lining up? It's unusual to have a pen not write at all, but sometimes they get knocked around before they get to us. If what you want to do is not deal with the pen, you could sell it. They are very popular and I'm sure you could find a buyer easily.
@@julierak343 I wouldn't wish this pen from Leonardo on anyone. First nib: baby's bottom and often simply didn't write. Replacement nib: ink flow is weird, pen won't even write on Triomphe Clairefontaine paper. I'm far, far from the only customer who has complained about Leonardo pens. Can't remember exactly what this cost me (close to $200) what with the cost of sending it back to Europe on my dime. So lousy I have given up buying any more fountain pens. To be honest, although I absolutely love reading Figboot's videos and still do, this nib review that includes Leonardo sort of offends me, but also the fact that the nibs he likes are on pens that in total must cost -- who knows: $10,000??)! At least Leonardo's pen shocked me enough to kick the pen habit. Cheers!
@@user-br3sl9go3b I think that you are complaining about Figboot unfairly. He often reviews pens that cost less than $40 CAD (my currency). That is just his favourite list. You had bad luck with that Leonardo but there's 3 things you can do. (1) replace the nib. You don't have to send the whole pen back. (2) Get a cheaper pen and see if you like using it, like the Pilot Metropolitan. That was my first pen, and I still use it. (3) Collect watches! :-)
Interesting list of your personal top 10 nibs. I’m sure it has changed since you made this video. It’s very hard to believe the Faber-Castel Loom edges the Pelikan M 1000 nib but I respect your choices.
My favourite’s the Pilot Kakuno. That happy face is the best part of the nib!
Underrated Pen, its my favorite too!
You know it is going to be a good list when the pilot custom 823, Lamy 2000, Pelikan 1000 and 805, and Montblanc 149 all made honourable mention.
Hahaha!
@Markus What size nib is your Lamy 2000? I'm really considering one at the moment (current Safari owner). I like the M, I'm told the 2K nibs are different.
i dont mean to be so off topic but does anybody know of a way to log back into an Instagram account?
I was dumb forgot the account password. I love any assistance you can give me
@Roy Jacoby I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm in the hacking process atm.
I see it takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Roy Jacoby It did the trick and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thanks so much, you really help me out!
I think Pilot Vanishing Point's 18kt gold nibs are criminally underrated. The pen being retractable completely overshadows the nib's performance. It's extremely smooth, and quite springy for how narrow it is.
I love how steep the pen can go without any performance issues! I write at a really steep angle (approaching 80 / 90 degrees) and my VP always delivers. Both the F and M nib have served me well. I'm waiting to try a Stub nib, maybe for the next special edition...
@@Honeycreepin I own a VP stub and it shines when used at a steep angle.
I agree. I'm a big fan of Pilots. I have several Falcons, some from the days when they bore the Namiki brand and more recent ones under the Pilot brand. Figboot is right that individual nibs on the same model of pen can have their own personalities. But I also have several VPs, in all sizes (B, M, F, and EF) and they are uniformly consistent and great writers. My only mild complaint about the VP is the way ink can build up in around the closure mechanism, but that just forces me to do regular cleaning of the pen, which is not a bad thing anyway.
@@rsanderson100 I wipe the "section" carefully every time I ink it. If no leaking occurs, the ink will only build up on the door, which is not an issue unless the ink which got stuck on the door is highly reactive ( Baystate Blue, for example).
Can't agree with more!!! 💯💯
As a Japanese, I am very happy to see that Japanese fountain pens dominate the top rankings.
I also love custom URUSHI.
As a Japanese would you please advise me as to which nib should I choose in a platinum 3776 century. I don't want too broad and too narrow. I like the feedback but I don't want it to be scratchy. Is a medium nib good to go?
@@san2881 Unfortunately, I only have two types of Platinum Century, F and SF.
I've heard that B is very smooth and easy to write with. I'm sorry that I'm not much help.
@@san2881 There is a comparsion of all 3776 century nibs from Yoseka Stationery.
@@san2881After living in Japan in 1968 and 1969, I fell in love with Japan. I did take a group of students to Japan in 2001, but I have had little chance to return. My best friend married an American educator’s daughter in Ibaraki, and they eventually settled up in the Sapporo area. I would love to visit them, as we are each in our late 70s now. I hate the cold though. My question is did you still hold to the Custom Urushi and it’s # 30 nib? I know Figboot loves the #50 on the Emperor, but I have a tendency to think the one I can stretch to buy, especially if I see an old Montblanc 149. Are you still happy with the Pilot Custom Urushi? Or, did you too reach for the Namiki Emperor?
Thank you for this very well documented nibs comparison that encouraged me to make the big jump of buying a Namiki Emperor last month in Japan. Every day since that purchase, I enjoy the wonderful feeling of precision and dynamism in writing with it. Useful to mention indeed that my handwriting is different that with my other loved nibs (MB149, Pelikan1000, Lamy2000, Waterman Edson, Pilot 845…). It’s more expressive with the nib asking for bigger mouvements and allowing some changes in pressure safely. What a joy!
I’ve been wanting to see a video like this. It’s hard to parse how different pen manufacturers tune their nibs in comparison to each other and you do a good job describing how each of them feel.
Great video, as always!
I'd say my favorite nib is the nib on my 1950 pelikan 400. I got it from my grandfather (it was his pen) and it was in dire need of love. I fixed and tuned the nib, freed up the piston and polished out most of the scratches that were gathered by decades of use. It is just so supple, smooth and wet it is unbelievable.
Next up would be my 18K Visconti HS F nib followed by the EF nib on my TWSBI Precision.
Scribo! Happy to hear you'll be discussing-- I'm very interested but know just about nothing about them. Really looking forward to this one!
Just wanted to thank you. I purchased my first starter pen today and I got the Faber-Castell Loom. I was planning my first trip to the fancy pen shop near me on Friday then they announced on social media they were closing the shop again because of COVID numbers increasing. ☹️ Found a Loom in an art store and the color I liked was $15 less than the other colors for some reason. 🙌🏼🙌🏼 I purchased without being able to try it based on your recommendation and I couldn’t be happier. It’s so smooth and a great size for my hand and I like the weight versus some of the plastic and aluminum models I was considering.
Have fun with your new toy!
are you using a fine or medium nib?
@@aegystierone8505 it came with a medium nib which is my preference.
Very interesting list! Thanks, David.
For the first time, I have _none_ of the items in your final 10 list. I do own and very much like two of your three honorable mention nibs, so your top 10 must be spectacular.
Awesome Omas Arco block! You are the coolest of the pen guys. I love admiring your collection.
I never thought I'd ever watch one of these list videos and agree with literally everything on it, but the day has come; even down to the honourable mentions and the Loom. Haven't tried three of them, but I can see why they'd be nice nibs. The only thing I'd add for people who love feedback is the Platinum President, which I think is both the best looking nib in existence and the best feeling heavy feedback nib.
I have a theory about why Pilot/Namiki nibs feel so good. If you look at the tip of the nib, it isn't a smooth curve like any other nib. Instead, the Pilot nibs have this unique feature where the tines kink and narrow the part of the tines closest to the tipping. Seems to me like it acts as a little needle with a lot more spring to it than a straight curve from shoulder to tine.
My family has shifted over to mostly using Platinum nibs somewhat organically. It's only been this year that I discovered just how good the Platinum nibs are, after a long time with Montblanc and PIlot nibs. Platinum sort of swept through the house and took over. My everyday writing pens (which are always my current favorite nibs) are now a #3776 Music and UEF. I avoided the feedback train for too long, only to discover just how good it can be.
Just got a Pilot Custom Urushi and the nib is absolutely sensational. Perfect ink flow, touch of tactile feedback, hint of flex. Gorgeous.
Thanks for a very interesting review. It's fun to contrast and compare what I own with what someone else has experienced with the same model nib/pen.
I received your letter yesterday, thank you very much! Communication Breakdown really describes my letter well! It definetly is a ink I will look into though, it looks fantastic.
Your Sailor King of Pens Pro Gear Sky... be still my heart.
My favourite nib is the H-MF LF (Lefty) on my Sailor 1911L. I don't know what makes a "Lefty" nib a lefty, but writing with it feels better than the non-lefty one, for me anyway; and I'm right-handed.
I tried different H-MF at the store, and I was always going back to this one. I didn't realize it was a "Lefty" until I got home. When I went back to get the silver trim, there were no more, and a restock wasn't planned. This was in the fall of 2018. I haven't seen any lefties anymore.
My second favourite is my Fine 14kt nib on my Montblanc Meisterstück 144 - not nail hard at all.
My third is the H-B 21kt on a 1911L, then my H-F 21kt (yup) on my 1911S.
Honourable mention: Pilot Petit1.
I love these types of videos. Thank you so much!
My fav of all your videos! I find that nibs are highly neglected but you succeed in making them the superstar of every pen here! Thank you! I may have added the newest Montbanc Calligraphy nib.
I'm not surprised to see so many Pilot/Namiki nibs. Even though I only have inexpensive Pilots, I love the nibs. Also, thumbs up for the Leonardo and the Loom.
Hard to argue with this list, David! Least wise, I hit on most of the honorable mentions (823, Falcon, 2000 and Pelikan M800 for me) and a couple of the "true" top 10s -- F-C Loom, Momento Zero Grande, Omas Arco and in wait for my birthday, the Pilot 845. I have to agree with your comments on the M-Z-G -- what a terrific writer and that's with the steel nib! You've inspired me to put my F-C Loom back into rotation.
Love that loom nib, posts well too. That would be a good top ten list also, “top 10 best posting fountain pens”.
A couple of nibs I enjoy a lot and no one mentioned:
1) The red-lacquered steel Bock #6. It is not just the color, it is actually a lot more bouncy than other bock steel nibs.
2) The "flex" nib that comes on Ranga eyedropper pens - I am not sure who makes it, but it is amazing - smooth and bouncy
I love your vids. I prefer a smaller pen in my hand but it is fun to see your list, and your AMAZING collection and body of knowledge and experience. Thank you.
I love the close-ups of the nibs! While I am getting into some vintage nibs, there is something special about these more modern nibs.
My 18k vanishing point ef is so smooth yet so loud. Writing on cheap paper as a lefty makes a racket and i love it.
Thanks for a thought-provoking and entertaining video. I was very surprised when you got to the King of Pen at No.3, but I quickly deduced what must then be in first place.
I do admire the gorgeous Omas Arco.
I absolutely love the nib on my Pilot Custom Heritage 92. It's smooth with a touch of feedback and has a little line variation as well
The CH92 is high on my list as well. It made the "long list" for me, but not the short one.
I feel like it as a near perfect daily driver nib. It feels awesome, gets the job done every time and I don't have to worry too much about damaging it. I'm dying to try some of Pilot's high end nibs tho.
Thank you, David! I really loved the Danitrio GenKai!
I really like your videos. Honest and straightforward. This is one of my favorits 👌🏼
Namiki nibs are just outstanding.
I have the Pilot custom urushi and love the nib.
Thanks for watching!
Great review. Thanks. Also like the stainless steel nib on the Pineider Avatar UR. I have it in F.
That OMAS Milord Arco is absolutely gorgeous. The little block of material you have is very cool.
Nice list . Another nib that I am constantly amazed by is the steal nib on the Leonardo Furore - possibly the best steal nib I have ever used. Some interesting nibs in your video that I want to try.
Thank you for posting this this morning.
I have a Moonman T1 with a fine steel nib that is nearly glassy smooth. Along with the medium 14k nib on my Pelikan 605 they are my best performing ones. Followed by a broad steel nib on a TWSBI Diamond 580 and fine steel nib on a TWSBI Diamond Mini. Need to obtain a Faber Castell Loom next. Thanks for your Videos! Always a pleasure to watch!
Thanks for sharing, very entertaining. I miss the inlaid Sheaffer nib, like in the Legacy or PFM.
Glad that I have one of your top ten. I absolutely love the M nib of the 845. I hope to be able to try the top three one day.
WOW! All Japanese top 3! Not surprising at all I guess. Sailor and Pilot are easy to recommend for that near perfect writing experience. And I appreciate how you don't write off those steel nibs just because they're inexpensive, I've had some amazing steel nibs in my collection too. If they were stamped 14K or 18K, no one would question if they were really gold or not.
I just spent a bunch of time tuning, heat setting a $200 Bock #8 14K nib. It kept running dry even though there was enough spacing between the tines. I finally had to increase the air exchange by modding the feed to get the desired ink flow. It should have been perfect out of the box for the price.
Recently, in the last year or two, I've been happy with Bock Medium and Fine, both steel and titanium, on Karas Kustom acrylic Vertexes and Decographs and Fountain Ks. I think my most expensive pen is a Cross Townsend Titanium with an 18K Medium. I find it very wet and glassy smooth - but it's not my favorite. But in general, I rotate through pens not only for different inks but also for different "feel", and I often write on 24lb linen paper. Thanks for the video. Some really nifty pens, and nibs.
Thanks for this video. I enjoyed it a lot! Curious how the nibs on the ASC Bologna and the Wahl-Eversharp Decoband ranked? Given your reviews of both, it was surprising neither made even honorable mention. Anyway, thanks again for your work!!
Thank you for this video! To me, the non is the most important part of a pen, it's size and aesthetics of course also drive me to purchase but if a nib isn't pleasing then I may display it but won't ever used it whereas I'll continue to use a pen that's plain or not as pleasing to the eye if it writes well. :)
The variety of pens and the special interest videos that you produce are truly enjoyable and informative.
Thanks for watching!
@@FigbootonPens You are welcome.
I just recently had my Great Grandfather's Parker Vacumatic Major (1945q2) with a 14k gold nib (fine, I believe), and it's now my favorite to write with. it's silky even on the copier paper I have to write on at work.
A bit surprised to not see the diplomat aero pen, since you mentioned few times is among your personal favourites. Still, thanks for the review, keep learning about pens with you
It was close to making the list. It's in the thumbnail, if that counts for something. :-)
Nice ranking :) Pilot nibs are great whatever the price range. I'm in love with the Emperor and the Custom Urushi (which are the ones I use the most), but if you don't want to go the 4-digits-price-tag, one of my favorite I can recommend from them is the "basic" (hem) 14K medium on Namiki Tradition (their entry level maki-e ebonite pens). To me it's butter smooth and can easily stay 15/20 minutes uncapped without drying (and depending of the ink sometimes without any hard-start, like the Pilot Falcon SE btw). The con of this is I hardly use my capless now ^^.
I recently received a Hondian Black Forest pen in an Inkredible box from Truphae and it is absolutely a dream to write with and easily one of my more favorite pens.
Thank you for another fine fountain pen video!
My favorite nib is a Sailor 21k (black, Imperial) zoom.
Prior almost every pen I own was a Fine nib so this was like jumping in the deep side of the pool and I fell in love.
I’ve since bought an 18k (black, Imperial) zoom nib but it doesn’t come close.
As you say each nib, even with all things being equal, can be different.
I think also the pen itself can greatly influence it as well as a story of who gave it to us or a struggle getting it and so many outside and individual aspects.
Top 10 inks list can be a good topic for the next video. This one was awesome Sir
You might want to check this out: czcams.com/video/xMhMqK74c8g/video.html
Great review. I think the S. T. Du Pont Orpheo has a great nib as well. It lays a wet line with a very smooth feel
Very nice stuff!
Lol! Not the "Hall of very good" LoL!
My current favorites are vintage, one is a stiff Sheaffer's Balance lifetime, two tone 14k, the other is an Eversharp Skyline 14k nib that currently lives in an Esterbrook J... I call the pen my Estersharp... LoL!
My favorite steel nib is the Diplomat Aero. I have broad and fine. They are amazing!
Was hoping for the Peerless to make an appearance, the nib on that is super! Fun video, thanks Figboot
I considered it. It was close to making it.
I like very fine lines and was somewhat spoiled in that one of my first pens was a pilot penmanship. Which I discovered right when they became difficult to find and going way out of my price range. That was about five or six years ago. Periodically I go on a pen buying binge to try to find something similar in size. Recently I discovered wing sung has some EF nibs and am playing around with them. I also splurged for a moonman m2 and am in love. (I have a very tight budget, so the moonman felt decedent lol.)
I can grind nibs to the size I want. I just don't always want to.
This was fun and instructive to watch. Thanks. This list is very much a personal taste list. For me, if I cannot get a lot of line variation I am not interested in the pen. In addition I just cannot enjoy any nib thicker than an EF point. I would also include some vintage pens to my list. And you did not include nibs that were modified. I would have added some that I have. So I guess I will have to do what you just did but with my favorites. Thanks again for the video.
Did you ever make one of these list videos? We have similar preferences so I checked out your channel but didn’t see one. What are the best/your favorite nibs that meet this criteria (very fine + capable of producing some expressive line variation) and are readily available (i.e. non-modified and not rare vintage)?
Finally I found someone who actually answers a question, not the usual, "it all depends..." Thank you, subscribed !
I had to come back and watch this a second time while I decide on additions to the collection. Trying to narrow down the right KOP and patiently waiting for Bulkfillers to be available again. I’m torn on the Emperor because I don’t typically care for the cigar shape as much.
I love the 0.6 Stub Nemosine Nibs. They are so smooth and I can use them even though I write small. Sadly they are no longer but I was able to hoard a few nibs!
It's a shame Nemosine went out of business. I really miss their inks.
You mentioned Mike Matsuyama several times. I have a Franklin Christoph Panther with a Matsuyama 14K medium Cursive Italic that is in my top 10 nibs. It is a custom grind, but all of the others on my list are "out of the box" nibs. They include a Montblanc JFK with a BB nib, at Montblanc Unicef Legrand with OB nib, a Lamy Studio with 14K medium nib, a Waterman Carene with 14k medium nib, and a Faber Castell Loom with Broad steel nib. I love very smooth nibs - the "writing on glass" smoothness. So, I appreciate your description of the Pelikan 800. And I would very much appreciate hearing your comments on the Scribo. My favorite pen "guru" has suggested that a Scribo should be my next pen.
Glad you're trying fountain pens! I have 3 of the classic sports, black, burgundy and green. I also have a white skyline sport that came as part of a Kaweco calligraphy set with 1.1, 1.5 and 2.9 mm nibs. My classic sports are all fine nibs. I've heard of a lot of issues with kaweco nibs but I lucked out on all but one of the calligraphy nibs that had flow issues. Jet pens replaced it for me, no problem. It is a good idea to flush out new pens with water and doing so may make your one nib perform better... or not. Could also be the ink. Try one of the black cartridges in it. Different colors from the same manufacturer can be more or less saturated and flow differently. Hope you enjoy your pens! And if you do, I'll wager we'll be seeing a lot more fountain pen invoicing and reviews! 😃 I'd love that.
Hi David - thank you for this video, it was a great idea. Would I be able to ask a question? I am interested to know how you feel the Pilot Custom 823 nib compares to the others that actually made it on the top 10 list. I do have a Faber-Castell Loom with both the Fine and Medium nibs (which are surprisingly different from each other) and noticed that it made your list above the 823, which was just an honorable mention. I've long been eyeing the 823 as a bit of a stretch goal, so I would really be interested to hear your thoughts on how it compares, maybe especially with the F-C Loom and Lamy 2000.
Thanks!
Ken
Almost got your video "live". Great and different video 😁
Great list. I have the Visconti and Pelican. And yes they all have their personalities. I also believe that of all my pens, the best nibs are: ST Dupont Line D L'Ateler and even smoother is the older Delta Dolce Vita Large nib which is huge and is as smooth as butter.
I dont have any high end pens but my best nibs are my FC's and my Nemosine .6 & .8 stubs! They're extremly smooth and theyre really fun to use. Rip nemosine 😔
I didn't know that Nemosine just shut down its business, I do have Nemosine Singularity fitted with Franklin Christoph 1.5mm stub HP Steel.
Thanks for this video. It was very entertaining and informative. Maybe one day I'll get to try a Namiki Emperor - but then again, maybe not. I've never sent a nib to be tuned or reground. I've only occasionally done a little smoothing and only once used a shim on the ink slit of a cheap Moonman to improve the flow (thank you SBRBrown). I really find it hard to choose between my Faber Castell Loom (M), my Waterman Carene (M), my Delta Dolce Vita (B), my Pilot Prera (F) and my Rosetta Magellan (F). I've never had a bad Jinhao nib (I've used quite a few) or TWSBI and I've got a beautiful Bexley Classique (M). If I had to choose one, it would probably be the Carene because not only is it ridiculously smooth and juicy, it just looks so damn good.
Great video Dave and a great concept. The heart of the fountain pen IS the nib. i gotta agree with many of you choices but may i add in a few of my favorites: The Platinum 3776 century Kumpoo Soft M nib, Nakaya Heki Tamenuri Soft M nib, Aurora Optima Med nib, Pilot VP med nib and Omas Paragon Med. What do you think?
Bryan thank you for mentioning the Platinum Kumpoo with Soft Medium nib. It is glorious! I will have a Omas Paragon Medium in just a few hours and am thrilled you mentioned it. Was also disappointed the Platinum President not on this list as it has a great nib. You never see me post comments but had to let you know I Agree with you. .Thanks so much. Barbara
I am also obsessed with getting top nibs from major brands as a collection. I like top of the line nibs, but not so much on all the fancy barrel made and finishes that command very high prices. It's very tough to come up with a top 10 list that everyone agrees. For example the M1000 B or Lamy 2000 OB would be on my list. The 149 O3B is also a very interesting one too! I prefer broader nibs compared to EF unless it is offering a lot of flex.
I love the M nib on my Sailor 1911L-the feedback on it is really pleasant and makes it stand out among my pens. I’ve got a Pilot Custom 74 (also M nib) coming and I’m curious to see how it compares to the Sailor.
I’ve branched out from my favorite M nibs into B and my favorite so far is a Lamy B mounted onto my stainless steel Lamy Studio-smooth with a nice wet ink flow.
For a shot time, I did have a FC Loom and while I liked the nib and how it wrote, I didn’t like the polished grip, as it tended to be too slippery for my fingers so I sold it. I would be willing to give it another try, with a grip that has the more matte finish.
Pilot is more smooth than Sailor, which is matter of taste. I like more feedback for glossier paper I usually work with and Sailor is more exotic brand than Pilot. But there are many people that prefer Custom 74. I like Sailor convertors more than confusing mess of Pilot models, they are smaller in capacity but clean out quickly and fit perfectly. Cartridges are similar, I use them only occasionally.
Hi David... I have just revisited this video purley to write this comment... I have just taken delivery of a Delta "The Journal" with a Fusion nib... wow! I have a few wonderful gold nibs but this nib is an unusual hybrid and is a joy to write with, better than some of my all gold nibs.
I cannot afford gold nib pens. How about a list of top 10 steel nibs? And my biggest problem with steel nibs is that most pens uses either Bock or Jowo nibs. Should we consider in house tuning (Diplomat) or grinds (Franklin-Christoph)?
@The Truth I can get 5 Lamy Safari for the price of 2000
Gadget yoyo Until I got my first Lamy 2000 (on eBay), I rather had multiple Lamy Safari's, Al Stars or 4 TWSBI's Eco with different nib sizes. But nothing compares to my Lamy 2000 with an F nib. And you can only write with one pen at a time, can't you? Sell your Safari's and save for a Lamy 2000. You won't regret it for a minute!
Why are Jowo and Bock nibs a "problem?" Jowo in particular makes excellent nibs that can be tuned or ground to your taste. And both companies make gold nibs, while Bock also makes titanium nibs.
To dismiss these excellent steel nibs as a problem doesn't make a lot of sense.
I love my Diplomat Aero in broad. Its a great pen
Gadget yoyo The Lamy Safari is a good pen, but the Diplomat Aero with a medium or broad nib is better and the Lamy 2000 with any size nib is better yet. Franklin Christoph is good, but I don’t find their nibs to be worth the money. So I agree that one Lamy 2000 is worth 5 Safaris.
Wow! How opinions can vary. I usually use an oblique dip pen with a cheap Zebra G nib. But I have used some of these and still have a 149 BB that is never used. My favorite flex nib is the Fountain pen Revolution gold super flex. My favorite broad nib is a music 3 tine nib. I do use the broad nibs by Goulet pens also. As far as regular nibs ie medium I use Jin Hao.
My two favorite nibs are the Platinum 3776 medium and a Jowo fine (I know, I know!) tuned to perfection by Brian Gray of Edison Pens.
Thanks, this was very informative. Some other nibs I find great and would recommend: 1) Aurora nibs are amazing. They are stiff but smooth and very precise. 2) Santini: the regular gold nibs are somewhat similar to the Auroras in their pleasant feedback. 3) Parker Duofold nibs are also stiff but they are glass smooth. 4) Leonardo steel nibs are amazing. (The are made by Bock, but tuned/modified by Leonardo) The best steel nibs I have. +1) It's fun to have a titanium nib in your collection, it's a significantly different writing experience.
My Leonardo Momento Zero didn't write out of the box. I had to get them to send a replacement.
+1 on issues with Leonardo. Their steel Bock nibs are hit and miss, with a lot of misses. They are switching to Jowo as we speak - probably shows the level of unhappiness...
Interesting to see Pilot dominating the list with three in the top five, if you count Namiki as part of Pilot. Quite interesting also to see that Japanese pens comprise the entire top five. A very fascinating video. :)
My top nibs would be a broad nib on the Pilot Custom 823, a broad on my Aurora 88 Nettuno and the broad on my Visconti Novelli. :)
Pilot vp an lamy 2000 and a pelican m400, love these pens and
I hope to get some that write even better
Excellent review. Just one question about the nib. You said the Faber-Castell Loom is the only one on the list that has a steel nib. However, the Leonardo Momento Zero also has a steel extra fine nib, if I thought about this correctly.
I really like the blue pelikans. My fave nib migh be a symphony evrsharp deluxe (same as the skyline nib). I use the pelikan m200 though for my daily workhorse pan though. The eversharps, though manifold nibs have an inherent style to the writing almost like a stub. I have one also in flex. But its more difficult for general writing use. Personally i like a manifold nib for general writing. The pelikans are a touch bouncy but i like them too and it adds a bit of character instead of just a solid nail of a nib.
I use fine nibs. Medium at the most but fine is best for me. Extra fine i tend to want to push it for a more dicernable line. And medium tends to write to round and blended for me generally. But it can take harder use.
The Namiki Emperor would have to be at the top of my "want" list for pens, but after experiencing Montblancs, Pilots, Visconti's, Watermans, and Monteverde, my whole house has been surprisingly drifting towards Platinum's nibs. I had dismissed Platinum for a while (generally preferring to stick with Montblanc and PIlot's), but after being really impressed with the steel nibs on the Preppy's and on my wife's Curidas, I picked up a #3776 in UEF and another Music nib (unlike you I tend to only go on extremes, since I generally write (aspirationally) calligraphically with flex nibs or stub/italic nibs), and they pretty much instantly replaced my other nibs for "love to write with" and the overall experience. The nibs themselves are really nice to look at, but the intentionally feedback heavy and stiff nib characteristics that I had previously dismissed grew on me almost instantly. I have so much control and precision with the nibs, and they are surprisingly comfortable to use and a pleasure to experience. After using the smoothly ground Montblancs and Pilots as my daily pens for so long, the Platinum nibs were something of a revelation to me in terms of the virtues of the often decried feedback and stiffness of a nib, something that other equally stiff nibs haven't been able to do before this. There really is something special in the Platinum nib design and grind, to me, at least.
It also doesn't hurt that Platinum's feed design really strikes me as exceptionally well done, especially when comparing Music nibs and feed designs across the various makers. Still doesn't stop me from wanting that absolutely delicious and covetable Namiki Emperor though. ;-)
Is the nib on the Omas Milord the same nib they used on the 360? I have one coming in the mail and I can’t wait to try it
My collection is only just, getting started but I think my favourite nib I'm gonna split into gold & Steel.
Gold has to be my Parker Sonnet Medium. It is so smooth & very wet. It's glorious.
Steel has to be my italix Parson's Essential medium. It actually writes a little fine, & has a nice feedback. I love it.
Thanks for the (as usual) interesting video. I just want ad two comments. First, I experienced nibs on the Faber Castell Grip 2011, and for such a cheap pen, it's just unbeatable (imho). I have it in M, and also 1.1 stub. Both are fantastic. Only drawback (not for me, but could be for others): the stub nib is smooth but sings or whistles a bit when you write. And the best nib (by far) I wrote with is the Waterman Carène M. But I didn't try as many poems add you did.
Beautiful nibs are the best, especially the two tone ones with cool engraving.
God bless.
I like Santini nibs a lot. I have a Nonagon, but I think the nib is the same one as in the less expensive Libra ebonite models. I am not sure if you've reviewed any if those...
Hi, thank you for the review. How do you compare the Leonardo Monmento Zero EF with the Pelikan M400 EF? I mean I am looking for a smooth EF. I found Pelikan is a bit broad for an EF. I wonder if the Leonardo one is in similar case. Thanks! And also do you have any other EF nib to recommend? Thanks again
While I don't have the pens on this list, the Pelikan M805 is my favorite pen in my collection.
I started off getting medium bibs exclusively, then I got a stub nib, a fine non, now I’m waiting for my flex nib pen.
You should do a fountain pen company tier list, could be something new for you!
Gonna check out the Faber Castell Loom. Hadn't heard of it before.
Medium is a great all-around size typically putting down enough for a smooth line for FP friendly paper and in reverse typically fine enough for regular paper
Rather late to the game, I am happy to agree that you showcase some mighty fine nibs. I have tested King of Pen and Emperor nibs. Just, wow. In my own collection, my Pineider 14k iperflex, Bock titanium #6, and Pelikan m800 18k reign supreme. But, the first gold nib I purchased was on the Hong Dian Mt. Qomolangma (a #5-ish homage to the Namiki Mt. Fuji?) -- very nice bounce and feedback. I doubt I would sell it, although I can imagine gifting it to someone I really care about, if they have demonstrated their love for fountain pens.
Thanks for a great video :)
Among the cheap, the KAIGELU "EF", fitted in the MOONMAN 'Sandalwood' it has been an unexpected surprise to me.
Lamy 2k do have a unique nib...a combo of love/hate... Love it, and hate how specific I have to hold it to get great results!
I agree with you that each nib can have its own personality(although some have none). I have about nine pens from Leonardo Officina Italiana. They are all wonderful, but one of the medium steel nibs writes like a dream. I can't explain it, but it stands out from all the others, regardless of which ink I'm using.
My Leonardo is awful. First nib didn't write. Replacement nib is almost as bad. I am far from the only customer who has complaints about Leonardo Momento Zero. So bad it cured me of my fountain pen addiction. Haven't purchased any since.
@@user-br3sl9go3b That is sad. They had some quality control problems at the beginning that I believe were resolved. Did you buy these nibs earlier in their launch? I got a really bad nib too, but now I have 7-8 more and they all write beautifully.
@@marilyngardner4269 I've had the pen for maybe a year and a half or two years. Needed to ship it back on my dime. Both nibs are lousy. Irritates me to see Figboot and other reviewers cheer without mentioning that some folks got burned. Yet, the silver lining: I haven't spent $10,000 on fountain pens. Figboot must have given only the ones attached to his best nibs!! Cheers.
David. Great review and list here. I am looking to replace the nib on my Fuliwen World Map pen. Could you recommend a nib that would both fit and give me a great writing experience. I am looking for a FINE nib. I am a noobie pen enthusiast and know nothing about replacing nibs. Thanks,
Sorry. I am not aware of what replacement nibs (if any) will work with that specific pen.
The Loom (F) is the greatest value for me. Lamy 2000 (OM), Pelikan M600 (BB, a bit stiff, but very smooth) are great.
On a budget I would also recommend TWSBI Eco (B), in a different league, but for everyday throwaround: great!
@@dariusus9870 Maybe that nib would need some work. Strangely in the shop my F nib was smoother than the M.
You can see with a magnifying glass if the tines are well aligned. If it is scratchy that would be my first point to look at.
I was about to be disappointed but you showed what I'm waiting for, the Namiki Emperor lmao
I appreciate your description of the Pelikan M800 nib, it makes it definite for me not to get one. I hate glassy smooth nibs, which had been my main complaint about my Lamy 2000 until I got it re-ground.
I have two Pelikan pens. One has a medium nib which writes more like a broad and has a stubbish quality. It is smooth and a wet writer. I like it. The other had a very smooth, non-bouncy, fine nib. It was boring to me, so I switched it to a medium with an architect grind, and now I like it. So I agree, if you don’t like smooth nibs, you might not like the Pelikan.
I actually sold my m800 a few month back bc I don’t like how smooth it is.
Mike Shi I understand why.
It’s funny how tastes are different. His description cemented my desire for an M800!
@@fearlessknits yeah lol. Me too, pretty much. I think i would go for a medium hmmmmmmm...
Got my eyes on the m800
You said the loom was the only steel nib in the list, so I got a bit confused about the nib on the Leonardo.
Is that the steel or gold extra fine nib?
I was hoping to see a Wancher Nib since I’ve ordered two of there pens. :)
I'm confident you will care for them. They make some very nice pens.
I agree about the Leonardo Momento Zero--that is an amazing value in a pen and nib.
I bought a Momento Zero and had so much trouble with it -- and not only with the nib, which didn't write! It cured me of the addiction. I haven't bought a fountain pen since then. That was over a year ago.
@@user-br3sl9go3b I'm sorry to hear that. Did you have a look to see if there was a problem with the nib and feed lining up? It's unusual to have a pen not write at all, but sometimes they get knocked around before they get to us. If what you want to do is not deal with the pen, you could sell it. They are very popular and I'm sure you could find a buyer easily.
@@julierak343 I wouldn't wish this pen from Leonardo on anyone. First nib: baby's bottom and often simply didn't write. Replacement nib: ink flow is weird, pen won't even write on Triomphe Clairefontaine paper. I'm far, far from the only customer who has complained about Leonardo pens. Can't remember exactly what this cost me (close to $200) what with the cost of sending it back to Europe on my dime. So lousy I have given up buying any more fountain pens. To be honest, although I absolutely love reading Figboot's videos and still do, this nib review that includes Leonardo sort of offends me, but also the fact that the nibs he likes are on pens that in total must cost -- who knows: $10,000??)! At least Leonardo's pen shocked me enough to kick the pen habit. Cheers!
@@user-br3sl9go3b I think that you are complaining about Figboot unfairly. He often reviews pens that cost less than $40 CAD (my currency). That is just his favourite list. You had bad luck with that Leonardo but there's 3 things you can do. (1) replace the nib. You don't have to send the whole pen back. (2) Get a cheaper pen and see if you like using it, like the Pilot Metropolitan. That was my first pen, and I still use it. (3) Collect watches! :-)
Interesting list of your personal top 10 nibs. I’m sure it has changed since you made this video. It’s very hard to believe the Faber-Castel Loom edges the Pelikan M 1000 nib but I respect your choices.
#1:Titanium stub on 1st. Gen Stipula 22.
#2: Delta m Millennium nib
#3: Sheaffer Balance m