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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ส.ค. 2024
- In this video, I talk about different fountain pen nib materials. I am often asked whether gold nibs are better than steel ones. In my experience, they can be better, but it depends on what you expect, and what you need. I use a number of nibs to try and demonstrate the difference between steel, gold-plated, solid gold (14, 18, and 21k), titanium, and palladium nibs.
The close-up of a nib and feed was taken by Alex Hackmann. - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
The world of fountain pen would be so sad without you. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. :)
Thank you!
8 years later, your knowledge still on point. Thank you so much!
back in old days they do not have stainless steel - they made nib with normal steel which got easly rust while using with the ink.
so thats why they use golden nib.
IamSteelManS - That is very interesting and makes sense - thanks
Very good point at 5:05 about the tipping not being gold even on gold nibs... Sometimes it's good to hear the obvious stated. Extremely useful, thanks!
Great video! I love the way you talk. Clear, concise, but not boring at all. Keep it up!
The main reason why gold was much preferred to steel for making a nib in a pen that you wanted to keep for a long time (as opposed to a nib you would use in a cheap dip-pen) was that the steel of those times was very corrosive, especially on account of the generally higher pH value of the ink of the time. A steel nib could be made to last longer by washing it and drying it after every use ... but who ever has the patience for that? Also, steel nibs were (never? generally? I am not sure) tipped with a hard metal (such as rhodium or titanium), so they had a limited life, anyway, because they would wear down. Modern steels are different, and are resistant to corrosion, in addition to which modern inks have a much more neutral pH value.
Thank you Daniel for the insight. Very true !
I am a Diplomat fan. I find their steel nibs are better than their gold nibs,anytime ! But the Japanese gold nibs (particularly Pilots) are a joy! Slightly softer, wetter & smoother. But still with some amount of feedback,which is good. Conclusion,not all gold nibs are superior or better than steel nibs !
Regarding my Visconti 'HS' pen, to be exact, I quote Appelboom: 'The fountain pen has a 23 ct (950) palladium Dreamtouch nib. Dreamtouch is the term Visconti coined to define a nib that requires no pressure whatsoever in order to write, it traces in a gentle way thoughts and words for a dream handwriting. This Visconti Homo Sapiens uses the cartridge/converter filling mechanism.'
My pen's nib whispers across fine vellum. Never once have I heard it. Never.
Thank you for your video. You were most illuminating!
Thanks for this fascinating review, all the better with your delightful sense of humour!
Thank you! This will save me the temptation just to try gold very informative.
Such an awesome video! Thanks so much for doing this!
Fantastic Video Yet Again Dude. I Love your collection of beautiful Fountain Pens. Keep up the great work. Nick.
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Fantastic ! Very informative & useful ! Thank you
You are always so interesting. For me, one key point was that the ball/nib point is never gold because it wears quickly. That is important because gold or not is all cosmetic. Thank you
The tipping material and grind matter quite a bit but there are other factors at play when it comes to how a nib writes. Material thickness and shape come to mind first. There are springy gold nibs and stiff ones as well, and the stiff ones have sharper folds on the sides to provide said stiffness. Making the nib thicker also helps but is less cost effective. Think Sailor nib (flat sides, stiff) vs Pilot nibs (flat top, round or no sides, springy).
Thanks again for a very useful review. This helps a lot!
Excellent show. Thanks.
"I remember the days of old..." what a sexy start!
Keep making those very informative videos!
This was very informative. It was great to see and hear the different nibs in action. I had just come from a channel and fountain pen review site that swears by gold nibs over stainless steel; they claimed that steel nibs are scratchy and uncomfortable. Luckily I came across that website you mentioned that gives praise to steel nibs.
I think a lot of this debate comes down to confirmation bias. People want to believe that gold nibs write better so they can justify the extra cash they put out for it and to give some weight to the feeling of prestige.
Thank you alot,every day I learned new things from you.
This video confirmed some of my thoughts, but I still found it useful! Thanks :)
was not rambling too much, i was transfixed for nearly 30 mins, and subscribed
Thank you!
Your exiting salutation was cut short and I was left longing for more... on to the next SBRE Brown review!
Excellent video, as are all your videos. I always learn something.....thank you
You're very welcome!
Excellent review on nibs
Quite interesting explanation. Thanks!
Consistent intro music. Excellent. Reminds me of being in Egypt during Ramadan.
It's actually Greek orthodox.
That’s really cool.. similarities.
Very informative. Thank you.
What an excellent video, which dispels a bevy of misconceptions. The finish of the tip and the design of the nib irrespective of material are the things which count, I think. No fountain pen will come close to a steel dip pen nib (Gillot 303 etc) for flexibility, anyway - and no feed would be able to keep up.
Also, well done with "boustrophedon" on the FPGeeks podcast! For some strange reason I knew the word, but you deduced it which is truly erudite. I doff my hat to you, sir. :-)
Thanks for the video, Even though I have some gold nib fountain pens, I enjoy writing with my steel nib as much as the golden ones, in fact one of my all time favourites is a Pelikan Pelikano M nib ( late 80’s model). As you perfectly outlined it in the video the tip of the gold nibs are not necessary gold! I really like that comment.
Agreed. Actually I have some steel nibs that write better than gold nibs.
but if a fountain pen was to be only a writing instrument we would all use ballpoint pens or type on our keyboard.
Fountain pens are also like jewels that go beyond basic function
Excellent review! May I suggest showing one additional nib characteristic to your upcoming reviews?-- Nib Inverted. Many vintage fountain pens were promoted as having "two nib widths"-- normal position & inverted. It would be great fun to see how modern pens compare in line width variation when written upside down! Hope to see it soon!
Thank you for very good video ...then I will know what the next pen that I should looking for .Thank again.
Faber-Castell use sprung steel for their lower-end-priced pens and tip each with iridium to give a smoother writing experience. Their nibs produce a consistently satisfying experience, particularly their e-motion versions that apparently maintain the use of sprung steel.
Whereas my Visconti does not have a gold nib, but 23karat palladium, no less! The nib is plated with gold and silver, the nib of my Homo Sapiens' nip is an absolute joy to use! Writing with their nib is heavenly! The nib I use is M, medium, but when I press the nib onto fine paper (Rhodia for example, or Crown Mill laid), its flexibility produces a delicious ink flow that is almost equivalent to a B, the broad nib. Visconti produce a stubby (1.3mm) in the same version, but I feel that it would overpower my script writing style that is very similar in style to that of Times New Roman, italic. Still, Visconti's palladium nibs are an absolute wonder to behold. If you ever get the chance to review my pen, I am sure you will find its 23 karat palladium nib quite an experience.
Thank you for your presentation; I love all your videos and thank you for listening.
excellent video.
Good points, especially the fact that at the end of the day the interface between the paper and the pen is iridium (on the pen side).
Awesome video. Very informative.
I'm glad this was useful for you!
sbrebrown All your videos are useful. Thanks.
Thanks for the video: a valuable contribution into the everlasting discussion about steel vs. gold. I have a limited experience with gold nibs, currently have only 18K nib in Sheaffer Connaisseur and writing-wise it doesn't stand out (while, of course, being quite pretty to look at). With regard to flex. I've never seen a gold dip nib and I'm not sure there exist one for serious. At the same time if one wants real flexing dip nibs are the way to go.
Good information, thank you
Glad you found this useful!
There are practical benefits to having a gold nib. Namely longevity.
Gold is virtually stain proof, where as modern steel is merely stain proof. The same can be said for corrosion. Because ink can corrode and rust steel, but cannot do the same to gold. Gold plating also offers the same benefits.
Even with today's more resistant alloys and less corrosive ink, a steel nib will perish in a decade or two whereas its gold counterpart, with proper care, will last forever.
Very good explanation. What I think is the amplitude of the feedback from the nib. If nibs are big like Pelikan M800 or MB 146, nibs tend to transmit feedback more than smaller nibs such as Pelikan M400. It is not scratchy but smaller the nib, less you feel. It depends on the metal too. I use M200 steel nib which gives smooth writing experience but almost no feedback because steel is harder than gold. Even you have a little bit scratchy steel nib, you wouldn't feel much as gold nibs.
Yes, that sounds good.
Interesting and informative video delivered with your usual style. The only thing that concerns me is the state of your hand,although it happened to me recently ;-) leakage is a worry considering the quality of most of these pens....which one was the culprit?
Thank you for this video. Very helpful to me. I would love to get a Visconti Homo Sapiens someday. My wife has a Visconti Rembrandt and it is very nice.
Loving my Pelikan 205 M nib (steel) not scratchy at all! Now I am waiting to receive my second pen. The sailor 1911M 14k gold broad nib!
thank you for this sir. wonder if your opinions have changed any since this upload.
Reason was that gold did not rust.
I love your video where you say bye bye and come back in a second lol :D
Very informative video. I've been looking at pens with gold nibs because I thought they had the ultimate flex, now I know better. The writing sample with the Homo Sapiens has bumped it to the number one spot on my wish list. I just need to find a local store where I can get the feel of it in my hand. Thanks, Stephen!
I was thinking about the kaweco sportclassic,
Hope hearing from you
Stephen, how about one more video on the body of a FP ie, resin vs plastic vs metal ect.Love your videos learned alot.
Thanks man!
you're helped alot :D
100% agree, Faber Castells are the best finished steel nibs, right up their with the Visconti steels (they look nicer and are a bit wetter from 'tuning' or lack thereof) - many gold nibs left me wanting, for flex a noodlers often gives me more joy and its a chepo! Who makes a titanium nibed pen?
thanks you for this video wich is very usefull.I'm using a MB 146 with a 14K gold EF nib it has some flex in it but it's an "ambidextre"(sorry don't know th eneglish word for it) nib so a little bit special.It's one of the advantage of MB,you can ask everything you want
It is interesting seeing two 14k nibs for example, manifest different qualities.
Did you ever do a comparison of all the synthetics? IE a plastic molded vs resin vs ebonite etc?
I don't think I have.
Gold is mostly sold for aesthetics, given the technical changes with nibs, inks, and material engineering. For those in the gold camp that speak about longevity, other parts like feeds, piston parts, celluloid/acrylic/resin bodies, converters, etc are also subject to breakdown, so at some point, servicing your pen is required. This eventuality will negate any debate vs steel nibs, unless you plan to deadstock the fountain pen, in so having a gold nib also makes no difference. Lastly, longevity is moot, if the next generation are not interested in fountain pens, and dispose of them after you have passed on. Main point, gold or steel nib, write with what you like with what you have.
14 carat gold nibs are technically superior to 18 and 21k nibs. They spring a lot less easily, and have the capability for more flex. The reason for these higher gold content nibs was purely a marketing point, mainly coming from jewellery where a higher gold content is preferred. The only advantage of the increased gold content is increased corrosion resistance, which is not needed.
gold nibs are just like a car with better suspension, its more bouncy and has more give. the rest of the properties can be shared between the materials. also the size of the nib is more important, you can get lamy broad pvd nibs smoother then gold medium from montblanc.
Tanks :)
Great video. Should have watched this earlier!! BTW what's the name of the font you are writing? Is it a variant of Copperplate?
It is just the version of cursive that I learned in school. Over the years, it has become slightly modified.
Are You Being Served, "I'm Free" you've got a good sense of humour don't lose it.
I thought flexibility had a lot more to do with the shape of the nib than the metals used within it.
Thanks alot for this vidoe,,i bought Montblanc Boheme with open up nib,,but someone who has experience in pens told me never press the nib to get thick lines cuz it will damege the nib!! plz ,what's you openion?
Wow, I had no idea Ti Nibs even existed! I'd be VERY interested in trying one out. Do you know of any value pens that use a Ti nib material. And just for the sake of knowing (just in case our definition of value varies), what is the absolute cheapest pen made of Ti?
Appears we are back then to what you said in an earlier video about expensive vs inexpensive pens - inexpensive pens can deliver as satisfactory a script as expensive gold nibs and if your tastes go to flexible line width even that can be found in an inexpensive fountain pen - case closed!
somewhat unrelated question, but can you tell what the opening song is and who is the singer? Thank you.
It's a small excerpt from a Greek Christian Orthodox mass, here's a past mass, you can scroll through the video to see it sounds very similar to the intro: th-cam.com/video/LvJnmvcYLVM/w-d-xo.html
Steel nib...i recommend the pen of pelikan m205...really impressive
Can you do a video on new interesting inks you got?
Not sure of many videomakers, but La Tortuga Vacumática is a nice blog that does some pen and ink reviews.
Steel wasn't good enough in those days to resist corrosion due to the iron gall inks or any inks for that matter. Gold is as we a noble metal. Almost non reactive. Thus, the ideal choice in those times.
Chintan Pandya Exactly what I was about to say. I would add, that steel nibs on dip pens (called steel pens at the time) long before gold was used. He also hasn't taken into account calligraphy pens, which don't use a ball tipped at all.
Also if you are using specialty inks like homemade walnut ink, you might want to have the gold plated nib over the standard stainless steel nib.
So are gold nib version of some steel nib fountain pen worth the added cost like the steel vs gold nib version of lamy studio?
Hello there! Thanks for dispelling various myths about gold nibs with this video. Question though: If a gold nib does not guarantee springiness, flex, and definitely not smoothness of writing (given the tipping material is NOT gold), then what does a gold nib offer vs a steel nib in terms of performance? I'm thinking for example a comparison of a Sailor gold nib (rather stiff) with a JoWo steel nib (say, in a Franklin-Christoph). Thanks!
Jaime Calleja Alderete I think it offers prestige for a lot of people.
Thanks Gert! Makes a lot of sense.
Every time you talk about your pens it sounds like your talking about a stunningly beautiful woman. Great video Steve.
Very interesting! I think that today could be considering gold or steel only if you buy a vintage pen. ....And your pronunciation of Palladium is right (it come from latin) and yes the homo sapiens full name is too long 😀
What would you recommend parker I M or sheaffer vfm?
What size were the nibs you were using on those pens?
I have a Parker Sonnet Flighter GT w/medium nib. I am looking at getting either an extra fine or fine nib but I find it difficult to find any comparisons.
Choosing a nib size
I'm fine with a nib not being gold. I just wish the price would follow. It makes no sense that Montegrappa pens are stainless steel but are at the price point of gold nibs.
I'd like to know what's the music for the intro
I'm not sure if anyone's said this, but the reason for the "gold vs steel" argument only occurred when stainless or plated steel was a commonality. When fountain pens were a fair commonality, the steel nibs would oxidize and corrode, most particularly at the base of the section and the gap of the tines, after a few months without service. The gold nibs would not corrode, or at least it would take a great deal longer to do so. Golden alloys also offer more soft spring than the stainless alloy variants.
As I discuss in the video, not all gold nibs are springier than steel nibs (cf. Platinum 3776 14k music nib vs. Noodler's Ahab steel nib).
sbrebrown Woah, didn't think you'd actually respond. I love your videos and I've bought the only 3 fountain pens I own off of your recommendation. Well, you may not have recommended the Dialog 3, but I bought it anyway :P. Just recently I went to try out a Parker Sonnet and found that the plastic section just devalued the pen (IMO). When I returned it, the student at the checkout counter called me crazy/stupid for even picking up a $60 pen. Do you ever get that in public?
Heath Calas Occasionally, but I just tell people to (CAREFULLY) give the nice pens a try.
After all that Steven,, and I'll make this not too hard, which 3 pens would you take if you were exiled to Elba like Napoleon. ( BTW,you can take any inks you want )
Hello can I ask how you learned to write so well. was it a gift from God or did you practice a lot by simple writing, or did you start from baisics such as are curves lines and letters
Hi, I fell in love with fountain pens while these buties teached me how to write properly.
I bought a Waterman's Emblem pen (Earlier the hundred year pen) and i have the question that what is your personal experience about this pen. And of course what kind of nib it have i mean medium flex or super flex( or something like that.. :) ).
Anyway i like your videos ! They are very useful who wants not just to use but personalise their pens :)
I think its an unmissable opportunity that you can make your pen to fit your personality.
I wait for your answer.
Christian.
I'm sorry, I've never used that model - but it is iconic for sure.
Is the Bourgogne fountain pen with a 14k Medium Gold nib Good??????
Quite the opposite: the stub nib in this pen would cost me 55$ extra while the music nib comes free. Go figure?
So the MN then. Thanks for the moneysaving advice ;-)
(Sorry, my phone effed up the reply function).
Were the pens in good conditions? I am into sending you some more. And please write a reply.
Do you typically write in cursive or do you write in print?
I'm thinking of buying a Lamy 2000. I currently have a Lamy Safari and I was wondering if there if a huge difference between them. Right now I've got an EF nib and it's as smooth as butter. Any suggestions?
Being a gold nib, the 2000 nib is a bit springier than the Safari nib.
sbrebrown Thanks
Pilot custom is better option..
For a cheap, all day use pen, what pens can you suggest
Thickness is also very important , the ingredients of your gold , iron, rvs, and your shape width or lengths.
The sounds coming of the pens are coming from the shape of it sharp edge gives you a noise louder then a round shape no material has influence on this.
Also to bringing in to your account is the kind of paper you are using simple experiment take photo-paper to use and drawing-paper smooth-paper and some cheap sketch-paper.
And last ,your speed will also give noise ;-).......
What is the best pen write very little ??
I wonder if you see the point of making a nib with gold since titanium is a lot cheaper and even more flexible.
The Visconti O.E., what nib size is that? It looks to be a medium nib. ...great video
Yes, it's a medium.
Very nice and informative video as usual. But "quality is not a function of price" ? that's not true. Quality is always a function of price , but the function need not be increasing. That is it does not always get better with price increment.
Could having a gold plated nib increase nib life? Isn't gold more resistant to corrosion than perhaps steel and isn't there some effect on ink viscosity which may lend itself to better ink flow characteristics? Any thoughts?
Maybe, gold is very corrosion resistant. I don't think nib materials influence an ink's viscosity.
EdT586 Thanks for the information!
what ink you are using?
+sbrebrown -- It would seem to be that the nib's geometry and finish quality have more influence on nib performance than the nib's materials, and that nib materials affect durability more than it does performance.
Your thoughts, Mr. Brown?
Ankle Donna I think so, Yes
sbrebrown good video, thanks for putting in the work. Also, what's up with the Arabic chanting?
I would greatly appreciate some of your time please. I have loved fountain pens since I was a teenager, about 26 years but Sadly my collection was destroyed in an accident. I am wanting to build a collection again but this time I wish to understand the beauty of the fountain pen in more depth than I did as a younger gal.
I currently have very inexpensive pens, Pilot MR Retro Pop Collection Fountain Pen, and would like to purchase a lovely nib for it that I can later transfer to another pen in the future.
I am hoping you can give me some advice. I adore writing using fancy lettering therefor I would like a medium nib that offers decent line variation and feels delightful as it glides across the paper.
I would enjoy a 14k or 18k nib as I like gold metals in general.
Price is not a huge issue therefor I would love recommendations as to what you might suggest for the criteria I presented.
The first time I wrote work a fountain pen I was instantly in love with the way it almost dances across the paper. I’m excited to start building s collection again.
Thanks for your time and I absolutely can’t get enough of your videos.
Also, I am going to look into some of the gold and steel flex nibs you presented. Do you have a recommendation for the Best place to purchase these nibs?
Maybe an Edison?
sbrebrown thank you. I will absolutely try that one first. I appreciate your time.
If the tip of the nibs are all made of similar materials, why does the material in the rest of the nib effect the scratchiness?
No, Paper Pens and Ink sir.
Do you know about louis codan? thats a fountain pen with a great body but cheap price, btw it's made in Paris.
Please help me find some information for this pen :(
In times of old the gold pens didn't rust as steel did, which is why gold was used more than steel,
Pilot Namiki are beautiful