Thank you, I'm glad it was helpful! Stubs definitely offer a special effect when writing! Here is a link to another, more recent video of mine involving Stubs: th-cam.com/video/uyrMPQPP_lI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Cgxo4s0O_DCV27ya
Good information! I like to use a stub nib to sign my name and recently got a stub for a Lamy AL-Star. It isn't "stubby" enough to have dramatic line variation, but that's OK. It still adds a little character. I haven't had any hard starts, but I did learn a trick. Uncapping it, that "click" when the cap releases, is enough to break the surface tension in the converter. If the nib is pointing up, the bubble of air will end up next to the feed and it will quickly run dry. If I uncap it with the nib pointing down, the ink ends up next to the feed.
Very nice overview, thank you! Brause nibs (Federn) have that good old German quality control. They‘re usually very good. I love the Lamy 1.1 stub. I have it on a Lamy Studio and it’s a great universal writer. My latest acquisition is a Santini Libra Cappuccino with a medium cursive italic grind on a 18k nib. It‘s so smooth, it’s just lovely.
Have you had the experience also of the Brause nibs being good? The quality control is definitely superior to other brands as mentioned but I still got some bad Cursive Italics in my set, unfortunately. I've enjoyed my Lamy 1.1 Stub also and it's probably the best steel nib Stub widely available. I would love to try out a Santini! That's good to know you've been happy with their pen and nib!
Wonderful video. I’m glad I randomly chanced upon it and decided to watch it through. I’m very fond of broads, stubs and italics. And your patient, clear and interesting demonstration and explanation of the essence of these specialty nibs is well worth viewing for anybody new to these nibs. My own firm favorite stub and italic nibs are the ones Aurora makes in-house. Aurora’s factory stub nib is a smooth, splendid and very satisfying writer. The Aurora factory Italic is really the loveliest, crispest, truest italic nib I’ve used so far. One of my favoritesnibs ever. Btw, the Stipula stole the show here - both the pen and that nib.
Thank You, very much appreciated! I've been having my eye on getting an Aurora Optima (preferably second-hand) and I'll have to keep the stub nib you've mentioned in mind for sure! Thanks for the heads up on that! I've very fond of the crisp 1.3 on this Stipula but it's certainly not an everyday writing nib for me. It seems there is always another fountain pen calling my name!
I’m anxious to try Aurora fountain pens. I’ve always found their designs intriguing. Your comment and experience with Autora nibs is really helpful so thank you for sharing.
@@Topscura ..I’m happy to hear that my comments helped you get a clearer impression of what to expect from Aurora pens, and particularly the specialty nibs like their stubs and italics. If possible, I’d recommend trying out a pen with a stub or italic grind at a physical store before paying to make the pen purchase. Alternately, to buy from an online retailer that has a reputed customer service in terms of returns/refunds/exchange etc.. Most Aurora pens are very pricey, so it’s worth being selective where you buy from. That said, I’ve had an all-round fantastic experience with Auroras - I have 28 Aurora pens, in all their nib sizes, excepting EF, and only two nibs unluckily turned out problematic.
Thank ypu so much for this information packed video. I have been trying to google this question for some time and not really getting the answer. So happy I found this 😊
@@fountainPENdulum I've wanted to know what the difference between a stub nib and an italic nib. It seemed everything that turned up seemed to be saying it was the same. Thanks for verifying that for me 😊
Pilot Pluminix pens come only with a B 1mm stub nib. Lamy Joy pens are good stub desk fountain pens with 1.1 or 1.5 nibs. I use a Jinhao 80 with a Lamy 1.1 nib I swapped on to it. I also use a Pilot 78g+ with a supplied B 1mm stub nib . Excellent.Pilot nibs sre amazing. Twsbi and Kaweco use Jowo and Bock nibs which are German and excellent stubs especially the 1.1 versions.
Thanks for sharing that! My first and favorite stub nib was a TWSBI Precision 1.1mm Stub. UNTIL, the Pilot Vanishing Point 1.0mm Stub, that's when I realized I prefer more Italics to stubs!
Oooooh look at that Stipula. And that celluloid. I much prefer non-standard nibs. That is the great thing about fountain pens. I have a ton of "M" now that am considering what grinds to get. Nice video.
Absolutely! It's especially fantastic when you have the option of purchasing a fountain pen with a specialty grind already also (offered by the Manufacturer). I have mixed feelings about getting a specialty grind from the retailer with a Nibmeister, only because I think I owe it to a new pen to give the nib a go and see what it's like before changing it! Sometimes it's a real gem! Even 'standard' Grinds from each manufacturer can vary and have uniqueness!! You lots of options before you for Custom Grinds on your Medium Nibs!! That will be a fantastic venture!
@@fountainPENdulum Too bad pen makers are not making stock specialty nibs. Lamy and Montblanc still do it, but MB charges extra. Pelikan stopped, and they charge extra for an EF, not that I buy EF nibs, but I hear you can buy a Pelikan, and then have it sent back to Germany for a specialty swap. Santini offers a wide range of nibs, that they make in-house, and SCRIBO is starting to broaden it's range too. They have the flessible nibs, but have introduced a BBB. Then there are the Japanese nibs that have their own special nibs. The one really good thing about a stock ground nib is they make the grind aesthetically pleasing too. Some after market grinds look horrible. It gets the job done, but you can tell it's after market, especially on stock nibs with the top side of the nib flattened. I don't mind getting it ground by the retailer's nibmeister. I'm looking for that specific thing, so I don't feel bad about it. Agreed that every nib is unique, but I do find that JoWo nibs write the same across the manufacturers. One reason I have pretty much stopped buy pens with JoWo nibs. I guess that is what the community wanted though, some kind of standardization across the board. I'll have to see what to do with all those mediums. If I do, I'll have to cut back on pen purchases.
@@ironmic9244 well said, I very much agree. I have been most impressed with Santini's nib offerings and of course Pilot on their Custom series! So far I've been more inclined to get Grinds done than purchase more pens. Perhaps mostly in search of trying to 'perfect' a good pen more to my liking. It's definitely a journey with these fountain pens!
@@fountainPENdulum Agreed! With the Japanese pens I try not to get the standard nibs. Pilot's Custom series have so many options it's incredible. Santini is now doing an architect grind. It's also nice that these companies make their own nibs. Good thing about Santini is that their nib units screw out, so you can change them without getting the multitude of pens.
Great information shared here. I've also ventured into the typical calligraphy kit, first with Kaweco then a couple of J. Herbin sets of dip pens. Not great experience, and as you said wood holders are no good. Then I went to Osprey which offer acrylic and ebonite holder of much better quality. For nib I find that the Brauser are really above average compared to many of the other nibs, I tried zebra but I am not yet convinced. I've made progress but I am still struggling with writing with them especially getting the proper amount of ink on the dip pen. Either I get a blob of ink that gets right onto the paper or I simply run out of ink at mid letter. I tried to cleaned the nib with simple soap to remove any oil, but without great improvement. In short pretty frustrating. On the other hand I developed a taste for left oblique italic on a number of fountain pens, sometimes also cursive italic or even architect but my favorite would be the left obliques. I ground a Montblanc 149 like this and it must be one of my favorite nib, it is not a formal ground and thus pretty forgiving, and very smooth. I sweated a bit doing this on such a pricey pen (though I bought it second hand) but I cannot be more satisfied with the result. Next will be a factory OB Montblanc 146 which is way too broad to me and not formal enough, but somewhat I am intimidated by it (It's a chunky nib) and I am pushing it for later. Thanks for the nice video!
If you're still interested in trying Calligraphy or flexing with a dip pen I would most highly recommend the dip nib by Brause "Blue Pumpkin." It is very flexible but it a much more controlled manner than others and holds a reasonable amount of ink due to its excellent design! I've heard of burning off the oil on new dip nibs using a candle or lighter, though I haven't tried this myself. I've written with a vintage pen that had a left oblique from constant use, as some vintage pens had little or no tipping the gold is more susceptible to being worn down with constant and continual use (is my understanding). Anyway, though it was not a ground left oblique, it was, and I found it very enjoyable to write with. Though my favored is the right obliques.
@@fountainPENdulum Interesting, burning the oil something I could try as well. But you don't seem to run into the same problems, though you are also using fountain pen inks which are more fluid than calligraphic inks, anything special you do? Or is it simply a matter of hanging in there and getting used to the right technique?
Some dip nibs are definitely more user friendly than others. The softer they are the more difficult and the smaller the ink holding capacity also the more challenging. I really do think the Brause Blue Pumpkin is the perfect starting point and kind of end point too in my opinion. As for others yeah, it is just practice. I gave up on them for a while and then came back a year later after doing some flex writing with fountain pens and found the use of them remarkably easier- its the muscle memory and fine motor skills of the hand!
Thank you Very Much, much appreciated! I was considering making a video about using a loupe! I use the Belomo Triplet 10x. It's a bit up there in price but it comes recommended by Nibmeisters and the quality is there. It's sturdy metal, compact, and has a clean design. If I were to purchase again I would get the 15x it was the same price and though 10x was recommended I don't see the harm in 15x.
The same nib could be used in a Pilot Prera, perhaps even a Metropolitan or Explorer as well. Maybe you meant a different pen altogether... including the nib.
Alright, well there you go, I'm quite sure most of the steel Pilot nibs are interchangeable on the various pens. So now you have quite a few options. I remember I felt the same way when I got my Plumix, loved the nib but was over the pen's style...
Thank you! This is the Stipula Etruria Volterra. The nib is an 18k 1.3mm italic/Stub. It wrote very nicely originally, but I wanted it even more crisp, so I had it ground to a formal italic. Definitely not an everyday writer with such a large nib so I got a Stipula Titanio Nib that I use for more everyday writing:) Glad you're enjoying your stub! They definitely add nice character to writing!
learned alot..thank you
Glad it could be of help! Thank you:)
Thank you for the education. I’m into stubs right now and this truly helped.
Thank you, I'm glad it was helpful! Stubs definitely offer a special effect when writing! Here is a link to another, more recent video of mine involving Stubs:
th-cam.com/video/uyrMPQPP_lI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Cgxo4s0O_DCV27ya
@ going to watch it now. Thanks 😊.
Good information! I like to use a stub nib to sign my name and recently got a stub for a Lamy AL-Star. It isn't "stubby" enough to have dramatic line variation, but that's OK. It still adds a little character. I haven't had any hard starts, but I did learn a trick.
Uncapping it, that "click" when the cap releases, is enough to break the surface tension in the converter. If the nib is pointing up, the bubble of air will end up next to the feed and it will quickly run dry. If I uncap it with the nib pointing down, the ink ends up next to the feed.
I'd say the Lamy steel nib stub is one of the crisp-er steel stubs on the market, more so than Twsbi and Kaweco.
Thanks for the tip on the capping!
Very nice overview, thank you! Brause nibs (Federn) have that good old German quality control. They‘re usually very good. I love the Lamy 1.1 stub. I have it on a Lamy Studio and it’s a great universal writer. My latest acquisition is a Santini Libra Cappuccino with a medium cursive italic grind on a 18k nib. It‘s so smooth, it’s just lovely.
Have you had the experience also of the Brause nibs being good? The quality control is definitely superior to other brands as mentioned but I still got some bad Cursive Italics in my set, unfortunately. I've enjoyed my Lamy 1.1 Stub also and it's probably the best steel nib Stub widely available.
I would love to try out a Santini!
That's good to know you've been happy with their pen and nib!
I enjoy your clear and detailed tutorial. Just subbed. Good luck on building your channel.
Thank You, much appreciated!
Wonderful video. I’m glad I randomly chanced upon it and decided to watch it through.
I’m very fond of broads, stubs and italics. And your patient, clear and interesting demonstration and explanation of the essence of these specialty nibs is well worth viewing for anybody new to these nibs.
My own firm favorite stub and italic nibs are the ones Aurora makes in-house. Aurora’s factory stub nib is a smooth, splendid and very satisfying writer. The Aurora factory Italic is really the loveliest, crispest, truest italic nib I’ve used so far. One of my favoritesnibs ever.
Btw, the Stipula stole the show here - both the pen and that nib.
Thank You, very much appreciated!
I've been having my eye on getting an Aurora Optima (preferably second-hand) and I'll have to keep the stub nib you've mentioned in mind for sure! Thanks for the heads up on that! I've very fond of the crisp 1.3 on this Stipula but it's certainly not an everyday writing nib for me. It seems there is always another fountain pen calling my name!
I’m anxious to try Aurora fountain pens. I’ve always found their designs intriguing. Your comment and experience with Autora nibs is really helpful so thank you for sharing.
@@Topscura ..I’m happy to hear that my comments helped you get a clearer impression of what to expect from Aurora pens, and particularly the specialty nibs like their stubs and italics. If possible, I’d recommend trying out a pen with a stub or italic grind at a physical store before paying to make the pen purchase. Alternately, to buy from an online retailer that has a reputed customer service in terms of returns/refunds/exchange etc.. Most Aurora pens are very pricey, so it’s worth being selective where you buy from. That said, I’ve had an all-round fantastic experience with Auroras - I have 28 Aurora pens, in all their nib sizes, excepting EF, and only two nibs unluckily turned out problematic.
@michael topscura likewise I am becoming increasingly intrigued by these Aurora Nibs!
@@fountainPENdulum ..Aurora’s nibs (along with Sailor’s 21c nibs) are my runaway favorites among all pen brands that exist today.
Thank ypu so much for this information packed video. I have been trying to google this question for some time and not really getting the answer. So happy I found this 😊
Thanks! So glad it helped out! What question were you searching for?
@@fountainPENdulum I've wanted to know what the difference between a stub nib and an italic nib. It seemed everything that turned up seemed to be saying it was the same. Thanks for verifying that for me 😊
Cool thanks, good to know!
Pilot Pluminix pens come only with a B 1mm stub nib. Lamy Joy pens are good stub desk fountain pens with 1.1 or 1.5 nibs.
I use a Jinhao 80 with a Lamy 1.1 nib I swapped on to it.
I also use a Pilot 78g+ with a supplied B 1mm stub nib . Excellent.Pilot nibs sre amazing.
Twsbi and Kaweco use Jowo and Bock nibs which are German and excellent stubs especially the 1.1 versions.
Thanks for sharing that! My first and favorite stub nib was a TWSBI Precision 1.1mm Stub. UNTIL, the Pilot Vanishing Point 1.0mm Stub, that's when I realized I prefer more Italics to stubs!
Oooooh look at that Stipula. And that celluloid. I much prefer non-standard nibs. That is the great thing about fountain pens. I have a ton of "M" now that am considering what grinds to get. Nice video.
Absolutely! It's especially fantastic when you have the option of purchasing a fountain pen with a specialty grind already also (offered by the Manufacturer). I have mixed feelings about getting a specialty grind from the retailer with a Nibmeister, only because I think I owe it to a new pen to give the nib a go and see what it's like before changing it! Sometimes it's a real gem! Even 'standard' Grinds from each manufacturer can vary and have uniqueness!!
You lots of options before you for Custom Grinds on your Medium Nibs!!
That will be a fantastic venture!
@@fountainPENdulum Too bad pen makers are not making stock specialty nibs. Lamy and Montblanc still do it, but MB charges extra. Pelikan stopped, and they charge extra for an EF, not that I buy EF nibs, but I hear you can buy a Pelikan, and then have it sent back to Germany for a specialty swap.
Santini offers a wide range of nibs, that they make in-house, and SCRIBO is starting to broaden it's range too. They have the flessible nibs, but have introduced a BBB.
Then there are the Japanese nibs that have their own special nibs.
The one really good thing about a stock ground nib is they make the grind aesthetically pleasing too. Some after market grinds look horrible. It gets the job done, but you can tell it's after market, especially on stock nibs with the top side of the nib flattened.
I don't mind getting it ground by the retailer's nibmeister. I'm looking for that specific thing, so I don't feel bad about it. Agreed that every nib is unique, but I do find that JoWo nibs write the same across the manufacturers. One reason I have pretty much stopped buy pens with JoWo nibs. I guess that is what the community wanted though, some kind of standardization across the board.
I'll have to see what to do with all those mediums. If I do, I'll have to cut back on pen purchases.
@@ironmic9244 well said, I very much agree. I have been most impressed with Santini's nib offerings and of course Pilot on their Custom series! So far I've been more inclined to get Grinds done than purchase more pens. Perhaps mostly in search of trying to 'perfect' a good pen more to my liking. It's definitely a journey with these fountain pens!
@@fountainPENdulum Agreed! With the Japanese pens I try not to get the standard nibs. Pilot's Custom series have so many options it's incredible. Santini is now doing an architect grind. It's also nice that these companies make their own nibs. Good thing about Santini is that their nib units screw out, so you can change them without getting the multitude of pens.
@@ironmic9244 Santini among others is on my list! Excellent offerings and they keep their company fresh with limited editions! Very impressive.
Great information shared here. I've also ventured into the typical calligraphy kit, first with Kaweco then a couple of J. Herbin sets of dip pens. Not great experience, and as you said wood holders are no good. Then I went to Osprey which offer acrylic and ebonite holder of much better quality. For nib I find that the Brauser are really above average compared to many of the other nibs, I tried zebra but I am not yet convinced. I've made progress but I am still struggling with writing with them especially getting the proper amount of ink on the dip pen. Either I get a blob of ink that gets right onto the paper or I simply run out of ink at mid letter. I tried to cleaned the nib with simple soap to remove any oil, but without great improvement. In short pretty frustrating.
On the other hand I developed a taste for left oblique italic on a number of fountain pens, sometimes also cursive italic or even architect but my favorite would be the left obliques. I ground a Montblanc 149 like this and it must be one of my favorite nib, it is not a formal ground and thus pretty forgiving, and very smooth. I sweated a bit doing this on such a pricey pen (though I bought it second hand) but I cannot be more satisfied with the result.
Next will be a factory OB Montblanc 146 which is way too broad to me and not formal enough, but somewhat I am intimidated by it (It's a chunky nib) and I am pushing it for later.
Thanks for the nice video!
If you're still interested in trying Calligraphy or flexing with a dip pen I would most highly recommend the dip nib by Brause "Blue Pumpkin." It is very flexible but it a much more controlled manner than others and holds a reasonable amount of ink due to its excellent design! I've heard of burning off the oil on new dip nibs using a candle or lighter, though I haven't tried this myself.
I've written with a vintage pen that had a left oblique from constant use, as some vintage pens had little or no tipping the gold is more susceptible to being worn down with constant and continual use (is my understanding). Anyway, though it was not a ground left oblique, it was, and I found it very enjoyable to write with. Though my favored is the right obliques.
@@fountainPENdulum Interesting, burning the oil something I could try as well. But you don't seem to run into the same problems, though you are also using fountain pen inks which are more fluid than calligraphic inks, anything special you do? Or is it simply a matter of hanging in there and getting used to the right technique?
Some dip nibs are definitely more user friendly than others. The softer they are the more difficult and the smaller the ink holding capacity also the more challenging. I really do think the Brause Blue Pumpkin is the perfect starting point and kind of end point too in my opinion. As for others yeah, it is just practice. I gave up on them for a while and then came back a year later after doing some flex writing with fountain pens and found the use of them remarkably easier- its the muscle memory and fine motor skills of the hand!
What is that gorgeous ink in the Stipula?
I believe that was Sailor Ink Studio 967!
Thoroughly enjoyed watching your video, just wondering what loop you use.
Thank you Very Much, much appreciated! I was considering making a video about using a loupe! I use the Belomo Triplet 10x. It's a bit up there in price but it comes recommended by Nibmeisters and the quality is there. It's sturdy metal, compact, and has a clean design. If I were to purchase again I would get the 15x it was the same price and though 10x was recommended I don't see the harm in 15x.
Also, I've heard really good recommendations for the Grobet triplet loupe!
I really like my plumix. I wanna find a " better, more expensive" option
The same nib could be used in a Pilot Prera, perhaps even a Metropolitan or Explorer as well.
Maybe you meant a different pen altogether... including the nib.
@@fountainPENdulum that is exactly what I meant. I'd like another option for P plumix
Alright, well there you go, I'm quite sure most of the steel Pilot nibs are interchangeable on the various pens. So now you have quite a few options. I remember I felt the same way when I got my Plumix, loved the nib but was over the pen's style...
The Stipula is beautiful! What colour is it? I only have one stub in a Nahvalur and it's very nice to write with. 😇🩷🙏🙌
Thank you! This is the Stipula Etruria Volterra. The nib is an 18k 1.3mm italic/Stub. It wrote very nicely originally, but I wanted it even more crisp, so I had it ground to a formal italic. Definitely not an everyday writer with such a large nib so I got a Stipula Titanio Nib that I use for more everyday writing:)
Glad you're enjoying your stub! They definitely add nice character to writing!