If you’re just getting started in the world of fountain pens, choosing which nib is best for you can be completely overwhelming. There are different nib materials, nib sizes, grinds and manufacturers to sort through. Even I get overwhelmed just thinking about it. Still, I’m here for you. In this article I want to go over some of the more popular nib options that you’ll find when purchasing a new fountain pen. The goal is to help you more confidently decide what will work best for you so that you can enjoy your new pen once it arrives.
Why Does The Nib Matter?
It seems that pen bodies get all of the attention. It’s easy to see why. They are the most obvious part of a fountain pen. They are colorful. They’re what you hold when you write. The cap even covers up the nib and keeps it protected (and hidden) when you’re not writing. So while the body shape, color and material may strongly influence your pen purchases, the nib is what actually puts ink on paper and makes up a good portion of your overall writing experience.
Most of the time, the fountain pen body is the main factor when deciding which one to purchase.
Most people are going to choose a pen based on how it looks, not which nibs are available, which is totally understandable. This is especially true if you’re not spending thousands of dollars on a pen that has exotic nib choices. So most of the time your nib options will be somewhat limited based on which pen you’re choosing. Still, you will have a few choices to make and maybe even the option to upgrade nibs, which is what we’re going to take a look at below.
Not using a new pen because you don’t enjoy writing with it is not only sad, but entirely avoidable.
Nib Material
One of the biggest decisions you can make when it comes to nib options is what the nib is made out of. Steel nibs are the most prevalent option and for many pen manufacturers are the only option available. Many manufacturers who make mid-range pens and almost all high-end pens use gold nibs. Some pen makers who use nib units will offer a titanium nib option. Let’s take a closer look at each of these materials.
Steel Nibs
Most fountain pen manufacturers make at least one pen with a steel nib option and for some steel is the only option. While steel may be the most common and least exotic nib material, it is by no means a bad option. On vintage fountain pens, gold nibs were much more common and steel nibs were definitely inferior (in most cases), but on modern pens steel nibs are fantastic. They are durable and are not nearly as fragile as gold or titanium. They won’t rust. They are smooth to write with. They are inexpensive. In short, they are a great option for beginners.
Some manufacturers also offer flexible steel nib options. While steel is not a very flexible material, they are able to modify the nibs to flex with added pressure. These are significantly less expensive than a flexible gold nib, making them very popular with people who want flex without having to spend an arm and a leg to get it.
Steel nibs come in a variety of shapes, sizes and even colors. The gold-colored Pelikan on the left is a steel nib.
Gold Nibs
Many manufacturers offer gold nibs as an option and they are generally regarded as providing a better writing experience than steel nibs. Why is that? Gold is a softer material than steel, so it tends to offer a bit more give when writing, giving a softer writing experience. While many vintage gold nibs have a good amount of flex, don’t expect significant flex from standard modern gold nibs. Most have little to no line variation, although there are some “soft” nib options (such as a Pilot Soft Medium or Soft Fine) that will provide some line variation when writing. To get a true flexible nib, you’ll need to find a manufacturer who offers one.
Soft nibs can offer some line variation, but not true flex.
A true flex nib is an entirely different writing experience than anything else.
What are the other benefits to having a gold nib versus a steel nib? There aren’t many. There is always the prestige and style points a gold nib offers. Gold nibs are gold colored, although many also come in a white gold, making them look just like a steel nib. That’s about it! In fact, it has been speculated that pen manufacturers only offer gold nibs on their higher-end models as a way to justify the higher prices of the pens.
Gold nibs come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes.
Titanium Nibs
Titanium fountain pen nibs are a much more modern option and fall somewhere between gold and steel nibs. They are generally less expensive than gold, but definitely more than steel. They are stronger than gold, but interestingly are more springy. While gold nibs are generally regarded to provide a softer writing experience, titanium is usually referred to as bouncy or springy, giving some line variation to your writing. They also offer a different quality of feedback, which is not as smooth as either gold or steel. They are mainly only available from third-party manufacturers and won’t be an option for most pens on the market, but are still worth considering if you have a pen that accepts them. I would highly suggest using one before purchasing one to see if you like the material or not.
Titanium nibs have a unique look that’s a little more matte than shiny.
Nib Sizes
Another decision you may be faced with is the physical size of your nib. I’m not talking about Fine, Medium or Broad. I’m talking about 0.25 inches long or 1 inch long. For almost every pen out there, it will only have one nib size available, but it may come into play if you’re deciding between two different pens with different nib sizes. Even though they both cost about the same, a Pilot Vanishing Point has a very small gold nib, while a Pelikan M205 has a much larger steel nib. Should the size affect your decision? In a word: no. There are many, many differences between those two pens that are much more important than the physical size of the nib.
The small gold nib on the right costs significantly more than the gold-colored steel nib on the left.
So why does nib size even matter? It does affect how the pen feels when you write with it. For example, Pelikan comes in many different pen sizes, each with a different nib size. An M800 is a much larger pen and has a much larger nib than an M200, which is a much smaller pen. That larger nib will offer a different writing experience (and not only because it’s gold and the smaller nib is steel). In general, larger nibs have longer tines, which are more prone to have a bit of give, especially on gold nibs. So larger nibs are more likely to offer a softer writing experience.
The gold Pelikan M800 nib on the left is both larger and more expensive than the steel M200 nib on the right.
Nib Grinds and Line Width
One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make with any pen purchase is what line width you want the pen to lay down. This is the typical Fine, Medium or Broad nib option. Of course, this isn’t a simple decision to make. The actual line width is going to vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Even though they are both Japanese, a Pilot Medium may be different from a Sailor Medium. A Sailor Medium is definitely going to be different than a Pelikan Medium. This is due to the fact that each country has a different writing style and the nibs are made with those writing styles in mind. In general, Japanese pens have smaller line widths than European or American pens.
Both of these are Medium nibs, but the tipping material on the left pen (Italian) is larger than on the right (Japanese).
So how do you even start to decide which nib size is best for you? Goulet Pens has a tool called the Nib Nook that allows you to compare writing samples of different nib sizes from different manufacturers. This might be a good place to start if you’re looking for the finest fine nib or the biggest broad nib around.
Another option is knowing your own personal preferences when it comes to writing. Do you tend to write smaller letters that are close together? A fine nib is likely going to work best for you. If you like to write bigger and spread things out a bit, a broad nib might fit your writing style better.
Using a broad nib isn’t a great idea if you tend to write small.
Don’t assume that Fine, Medium and Broad are your only options. Many pens also come with stub options. Stub nibs are great for adding a bit of visual interest to your handwriting. They are basically wide and thin, which gives you a wide downstroke and a thin horizontal line when you write. In some ways it imitates the look of writing with a flex nib, but without the added cost or effort. Still, stub nibs are a mixed bag. Their width is usually much bigger than any broad nib, so you’ll need to write fairly large to keep your writing from merging into an inky mess on the paper. They are also not as smooth to write with as a regular nib because they have so much surface area in contact with the paper.
You can see how a stub nib has a very different shape than a standard nib.
Stub nibs can provide some nice line variation in your writing.
On more expensive pens, you’ll find more exotic nib options. Many will offer double broad, extra fine, oblique, italic, music, zoom, fude, and many other nibs geared towards specific writing styles. While all of these give your writing a different look and offer a different writing experience, they are not something you’ll encounter in less-expensive fountain pens. I’m not going to spend the time going through all of the different nib styles here.
An oblique nib, such as this, is cut at an angle for people who hold their pen at a particular angle.
Nib Grinding
I do want to mention the option of getting your nib ground into something different than what it started out as. Nib grinding is a service performed by trained professionals, or nibmeisters, who add or remove material from the nib of your fountain pen and transform it into what is essentially a different pen. This is a great way to get a more exotic nib on a pen that previously had a simple Broad nib.
How does one go about getting their nib ground? Many nibmeisters set up shop at pens shows and grind nibs all day long. Getting a nib ground in person is the best option, as you are able to sit down and have a conversation with the person grinding your nib and let them know exactly what you’re looking for. They can also observe how you hold and write with your pen, giving you a custom grind just for your writing style. If attending a pen show isn’t possible, you can also mail your pen to a nibmeister to have it ground. Some boutique pen companies even have a resident nibmeister who will custom grind your nib (for an additional charge) when you purchase a pen.
I had this architect grind done at a pen show and love it!
This is what an architect grind writes like. It’s the opposite of a stub nib.
Nib Manufacturers
While you may be in love with a particular fountain pen, you may have heard bad things about the quality of the nibs. For example, while I haven’t personally experienced it (and don’t own one), I haven’t heard many good things about the quality control on Visconti nibs. Because of this, even though I may like the look of a Visconti pen, I probably wouldn’t buy one without trying it first if there was a chance I’d get one with a bad nib. On the flip side, Sailor is generally regarded to have some of the best and most consistent nibs around. Based on this, I wouldn’t hesitate to order a Sailor pen if I came across one that I liked and couldn’t test out first.
For most fountain pens, the only available nib is going to be made by whoever manufactured the pen. Some boutique pens will come with a variety of nib options, including nibs from different manufacturers. You’ll see nibs from Goulet, Edison, Nemosine, Franklin Christoph and more. The thing is, most of these are originally made by two main manufacturers: JoWo and Bock. If you care to dive into internet conversations, you’ll discover that each brand has its own pros and cons and I’m not sure that one is necessarily better than the other. The only reason I even mention nib manufacturers is in case you are torn between two different pens that may in fact have the exact same nib, just one has been rebranded and one has not.
This interchangeable nib unit came with a pen I bought from a smaller, independent pen manufacturer.
Conclusions
My fear when writing an article like this is that I give you a ton of information, but in the end didn’t actually offer any advice. Here’s the biggest piece of advice that I can give you; if possible, try out a variety of nibs from different manufacturers to see what you like. This can be done with pen friends or by visiting a pen shop or pen show. If this isn’t possible, then here is the order of steps I would take when figuring out which nib will work best for you:
- Analyze your writing style – Decide if your writing will be best suited by a more fine or broad nib. Try writing with other writing instruments and see how you like the line size. Does a fine mechanical pencil feel better than a Sharpie or is it the other way around? This should give you a general starting point of Fine, Medium or Broad.
- Figure out the difference between brands and line width – You don’t need to do detailed research here, but if you’re considering a German pen and are only familiar with Japanese pens, a little research into how different of a line you can expect between two different brands would be time well spent, as it may mean choosing a Fine nib instead of a Medium nib.
- Do you want to add any variation to your writing? – If you’re happy with a consistent line throughout your writing, you don’t need to consider a stub, flex or anything fancier. If you do want to have a little line variation, a stub is a great starting point that typically doesn’t cost much more than a standard nib. TWSBI, for example, offers stubs in many of its pens for the same price as a standard nib.
- Compare your options – Like I mentioned at the beginning, most people choose pens based on how they look, not the nib options. You probably already have a few pens that you’re considering. Take the above information about your nib preferences and see what’s available. Maybe one pen stands out as having exactly what you’re looking for in a nib, while the other doesn’t. If so, decision made!
When shopping for a new pen, it’s tempting to upgrade yourself for no reason at all. “I definitely need a gold nib. It’s more expensive so it’s got to be better, right?” “I need to upgrade to that higher pen model because it has a bigger nib.” “Exotic nib options available? Why would I even consider something as mundane as a Medium?” Don’t fall into this trap! While many people do have a legitimate reason to upgrade (maybe it’s simply because they can, and there’s nothing wrong with that), spending less on a pen does not make it an inferior pen. I have plenty of pens that have simple steel nibs and cost less than $50 that I love using.
Fountain pens are complex and have a lot of variables that can play into your writing experience. The nib is one of the most important parts of a pen and can have the biggest impact on your overall writing experience and how your handwriting looks. Choosing the right nib for your writing style, while not an easy decision, is very important. Choosing a nib that doesn’t fit your writing style can not only make your handwriting look bad, but can even cause you to not enjoy using a pen. To me, not using a new pen because you don’t enjoy writing with it is not only sad, but entirely avoidable. So take the time to do a bit of research and put a bit of thought into your nib choice so that, once you have it in your hands, you can’t stop writing with your new fountain pen.
Comments 36
Thanks for providing all this information. I have had a basic fountain pen before, but am looking for a new one.
Author
You’re welcome! I hope this helps in your search for a new pen.
Thanks John for the very informative article!
Author
Glad you enjoyed it, Richard!
This is excellent advice, even for seasoned pen buyers.
Author
Thanks, Rupert. Glad to hear it!
A number of years ago, I was totally taken in by a pen’s aesthetic appeal, and was generally OK with the particular nibs that were part and parcel of the pen. At some point I discovered flexi-nibs, and now I could not care less about the barrel/clip, etc., so long as the nib flexes freely.
This has led me to only purchase vintage pens with flexible nibs; I love the variation of line that I am able to achieve, and with the right ink, I can achieve pretty nice results. I happen to be an ardent pool/billiards player (about 60 years’ experience), and though I can appreciate some of the beautiful designs of many cues, it’s all in the shaft/ferrule/tip where the true determining factor is present. Only the leather tip ever touches the cue ball; the rest is purely for show.
Last note: Paper makes a great deal of difference, and I applaud the host of this site for his testing and analysis of different papers and their effect on inks and nibs. Thanks, John!
Author
I think that your experience is something many of us have experienced, Marc. At a certain point, we all become aware of what really matters to us and what is superfluous. Thanks for reading!
thanks for writing this, john – i feel it’s such an easy trap to fall into as enthusiasts, to focus on all the details and nuances, while skimping on the big-picture explanations that make our hobby accessible. (and may even teach the most hardened veteran a thing or two about themselves)
i also love the nib nook you linked! i was joking that my lamy 2k EF was more like a medium nib, but comparison with the TWSBI 580 nibs (a 580 EF is my go-to for all occasions, from home/desk to the wild outdoors) bore that out *exactly*.
Author
You’re welcome, gekitsu. That’s great the nib nook worked out for you! I played with it a bit but didn’t directly test it with any of my pens (I’ve tweaked the nibs on most of them).
This is very interesting article. I have always loved the idea of using fountain pens more but I have a very messy and small writing style. Every fountain pen I’ve tried fills in my loops. I need to learn to write better unless there’s a big to solve this problem. Thanks for your blog.
Author
Thanks for the comment, Paul! I wonder if a fine nib would help with your loops getting filled in. Or it may be too wet of a pen/ink combination? With a bit of trial and error, I’m sure you can find something that works for your writing.
Great article. I’ve only been at this for 5 years or so, but my personal experience is that, while I do like a fp that aesthetically pleasing, it must write well in order for me to truly enjoy it.
I have small handwriting that tends to get even smaller during longer sessions, but I went ahead and ordered a Faber Castell Loom with a broad nib and love it. It forces me to relax my writing grip which enables me to write big enough to use a broad…almost like a means of improving my cursive.
Thanks for such helpful information. You’ve justifiably given steel nibs their due. A functional nib is a good nib. PERIOD!
Author
Thank you, Rich! That’s great that using a broad nib has let you write bigger than usual, which is a great way to improve your handwriting. Hope it helps with all of your nib and writing sizes!
I’ve tried a few fine nibs and perhaps they’re too cheap because they felt scratchy. I currently like the cheap and cheerful lamy pens but I’m pretty sure they are medium nibs. Smooth but my lips get filled. I wonder if they do fine nibs that are as smooth.
Author
If a nib feels scratchy, there are a few possible options. It could be the nib having some alignment issues or just finer than you’d prefer. It could also be the paper, as some paper has more feedback and can make finer nibs feel scratchy. I’m not sure if Lamy fine nibs are as smooth as their medium, but if you have a Lamy and want to try a fine nib, you can pick up a replacement nib from most pen shops for a lot less than the price of a new pen.
Hi John! Thanks for putting this together!! I appreciate you taking my request. Don’t forget to update your Fountain Pen Basics link with this article!
Author
Of course! I’m glad you said something, as it seems like something many people need. I’ll add it to the basics link now!
Hi John:-) I am fairly new to fountain pens, but have fallen hard for them! There’s so much to discover and enjoy. Between the assortment of pens, inks, and paper, I’ve become obsessed. I enjoy your writing style and am very grateful for all of the helpful information you offer here. I have a question about the affiliate links. When you click on them, it takes you to one particular item. However, I may decide to purchase a different variation of that item. Is there a way I can purchase something similar and you still receive credit for the purchase? I buy a lot on Amazon and would like you to get credit for purchases I make based on your recommendations.
Thanks!
Donna
Author
Hi Donna! I’m glad that you find my style and info so helpful! I really appreciate you wanting to support the site. With the affiliate links, I’ll get credit for anything you purchase within 24 hours (I think) of clicking that link, even if it’s not that particular item. I just had to have it point at something. Hope that helps!
Happy writing!
John
I have a pen or two with a numbered nib (Jinhao and Platinum,) but can’t tell from F,M,B aside from some sketchy comparisons I’ve tried with other nibs. Can you offer any clarity on the numbers?
Author
Sorry, Nick, I can’t help you there. I think the number on Platinum nibs has nothing to do with the nib size and is the same for all. You might take a look at the Nib Nook on Goulet’s site and see if you can match any up, as it has writing examples of different nib sizes for each brand.
WHAT ABOUT THE PAPER! I AM A TOTAL NUBI. A the paper seem extremely important to me. My guess was a cloth like paper would be best. I soon realise that would make great water coloring paper. I think Smooth and Glossy. -but what are the names of the beginners paper books for into to learning.mI am so confused. Paper to me would seem almost as import or if not more important then ANY nib. For example [Putting dragster slick racing tires on your car to drive in the snow.] Pretty good analogy for a guy who know zip about pens.
My interest all started decades ago when I purchased a fountain pen made entirely of 24K Solid Gold by Tiffany’s Jewelry. A 1930’s perfect condition writing instrument. But I dare not mess with it. So I got a TWSBI GO med-fine tip and I am writing on stock staple copy paper. (not fun) I need a tracer-book with good paper
I want to learn and need a recommendation for entry writing level with good paper and good easy lessons to follow. The Tiffany’s pen I just admire. John Tel: (212) 535 – 2164. any advise is welcome.
Author
Hi John, I’d suggest you check out my Fountain Pen Basics posts: https://fountainpenlove.com/fountain-pen-basics/. One thing you’ll quickly realize after spending a bit of time on this site is that I’m obsessed with paper, so there’s plenty of paper information for you to peruse.
Excellent article.
Aside from the nib, how the pen fits your hand is probably next in line as far as importance.
According to Richard Binder, Pilot makes the best nibs. He also feels that Jowo nibs are the best from Europe.
Which would be your first choice, Waterman Carene, or Pilot Custom 74 for an everyday writer?
Author
Thank you, Steven. I’d agree about the pen fitting your hand being very important. I’ve had pens that are difficult to hold and they are just not pleasant to use, not to mention how they make my writing look.
I’ve never used either of those pens, so can’t really comment on which would be better for a daily writer. Sorry!
Which is your absolute favorite fountain pen?
Author
That’s a tough question, but my older Namiki Vanishing Point is up there in the top 5 and I think they are great daily writers. My Lamy 2000 is another go-to for daily use.
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Searching for a broad oblique italic nib for either an Esterbrook or Osmiroid pen. Any suggestions? Thanks, russ
Author
Hi Russ, I don’t have any good suggestions. One person I was going to recommend doesn’t have a site any more. Anderson Pens doesn’t show those particular nibs, but does have vintage Esterbrook nibs, so might be worth contacting them or keeping an eye on the shop.
With regard to gold versus steel, gold nibs are finished by hand as opposed to steel nibs which are not. Thus true craftsmanship which usually makes all the difference in the world.
Author
I’m not sure if that’s always the case, but is probably true most of the time.
Between the new Parker 51 Deluxe, Pilot Custom 74, and the Waterman Carene, which one would you choose for an everyday writer?
Author
To be completely honest, I have never written with any of those pens, so I can’t say.
How about reviewing them.
Which are your top five?