Aftermarket Nibs

[Ulises Victoria]

I have made maybe 6 or 7 Fountain Pens. I can not say I am very satisfied with how they write. Sometimes they feel very scratchy.
What is the expert turners opinion regarding replacing nibs for your FPs?
Do we need to replace the nib only or feeder and nib?
Which brand of nibs do you recommend that are better than kit component nibs, but that are not the more expensive top of the line?

Thank you.

 

[azamiryou]

I'm not an expert, but here's the scoop as I know it:

1. Many (not all) kit nibs can be tuned to write just fine. A nib that writes good, is good. There's an article about nib tuning in the library.
2. Kit nib quality control is poor - some need tuning before they'll work correctly, and some can't even be tuned.
3. Knowledgeable pen collectors recognize kit nibs and avoid them, which can affect your sales.
4. Upgrade nibs are readily available and they are easy to change. Look for "Heritance" and Bock nibs from IAP vendors. Steel nibs are not super expensive. Upgrade nibs have much better quality control, but sometimes still need minor tuning. They don't send customers running.
5. You don't usually have to replace the feed.
6. I've gotten bad converters in kits, too, so you probably want to have a few spare converters on hand as well.

My advice: if you are making pens for yourself or as gifts, try tuning the kit nibs and use them if you can get them to work. If you want to sell to "pen people" -- upgrade the nibs, period.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

While Matthew is correct in that "SOME" of the component set nibs can be tunes to write "GOOD" and if your going to use it for yourself that might be OK. But most after market nibs start out better than a tuned component set nib and some actually write not good but "GREAT" right out of the box.
The second point I'd like to make is if your going to sell your fountain pens and want to give your customers the writing experience they expect the first thing to do is get rid of the component nib as most fountain pen people will pick up your pen take one look at the nib set it back down and walk off. They know the Dayacom label is Chinese.
I also think you would want a nib that is recognized by 99% of all fountain pen people and most of the private labeled nibs are made by great nib makers but if it's labeled Joe's Pen's, IPG, etc. who made it is their question and why should I believe you it's made by xx company is their thinking if xx companies logo is not on the nib.? Pick a Nib with a know company's Logo on the nib.
That being said when you start to MANUFACTURE fountain pens and have gained a reputation then you will private label your nibs just as companies like Conway Stewart, Aurora, Etc. do.

 

[HoratioHornblower]

After market nibs are way better, at least with my little experience they have been. They are worth the cost! Then you might want to tune it, I usually do. Also, ink has an effect on how the pen writes. The kit ink is not something I would suggest...

David

 

[azamiryou]

While Matthew is correct in that "SOME" of the component set nibs can be tunes to write "GOOD" and if your going to use it for yourself that might be OK. But most after market nibs start out better than a tuned component set nib and some actually write not good but "GREAT" right out of the box.

I generally can't tell the difference (by writing) between a kit nib I've tuned and an upgrade nib I've tuned. I guess I must either be good at tuning kit nibs, bad at tuning upgrade nibs, or insensitive to the differences.

(I still upgrade all my nibs, it saves me from wasting time trying to tune a nib that can't be tuned and avoids driving off potential customers who flee at the sight of an IPG nib.)

 

[76winger]

I've been replacing all the nibs on fountain pens I intend to sell as well due to advice found on this site.

The one question I've had though, (I've only used Heritance so far) is how do I tell if it's a fine pt. or medium pt. after its together, mixed with other pens, and I don't recall what I put in it? Just wondering if there's a mark I'm missing or how others are dealing with this.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

 

[propencity]

Same question as Dave.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

A couple of ways to handle this. If your doing shows a good way is to make sure you tuned up a number of each size nib and have them in some small type of container marked with the width of the nib. Now when a customer comes to your booth and is showing interest in a fountain pen the first thing I say is " All my fountain pens will come with a (in my case "Bock nib") of your choice fine,medium or extra fine, the nib on the pen now is just a show, throw away nib. We use these as we never know which width nib you would like on any of these fine writing instruments and this being a place where someone migh pick up on of these pens while we're buzy with other customers and not knowing tries to write and ruines a $30 nib. Then when we change the nib to your choice we will also so you how to change it and completely clean the feed and housing.) I always keep a complete section with each width nib with a converter attached for demo purposes so when they find a style of pen they like all I have to do is unscrew the section and put an inked up section on for them to try. You've explained to them the choices they have and that you will show them how to take care of it....This s how I do it and it works for me, might not for you.
If you want the nibs on the pens ( I still think its not the way to go as the blue Statesman the customer likes might have a fine nib and the customer wanted a medium nib so now you'll have to change it anyway ) but if thats how you want then just make sure that you pack and display them separately, and don't be surprised when someone tries to write with it while your busy and untunes it.:wink:.

I've been replacing all the nibs on fountain pens I intend to sell as well due to advice found on this site.

The one question I've had though, (I've only used Heritance so far) is how do I tell if it's a fine pt. or medium pt. after its together, mixed with other pens, and I don't recall what I put in it? Just wondering if there's a mark I'm missing or how others are dealing with this.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

Same question as Dave.

 

[IPD_Mr]

If your nib is scratchy, then the tines are not in tune. :tongue:

Folks if you are going to own or sell fountain pens, get yourself a 10x loupe so you can really look at the tip of the tines and see what "out of tune" (alignment) looks like. Learn to adjust your nibs as well as the ink flow. And most important, learn to write with a fountain pen. The very tip of the nib should just touch the paper. Our nibs are not flex nibs so there is no need for preasure when writing with them. You can put a $300 18k nib on a pen and if it is out of alignment and not tuned it will write like crap. There is no reason you cannot get kit nib to write well with some practice. The reason we upgrade nibs is for selling FPs. People see the IPG when looking at pens and run!

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

I also agree with Mike on getting yourself a loupe, I bought a cheap loupe off of ebay and then was talked into buying BELOMO LOUPE and even though they were both 10x loupes the Belomo was 10x's better and so much easier to adjust. They are not cheap but well worth it. That being said if all you are wanting is something to quickly (well not so quickly) use only once or twice a month a $5-$10 loupe will do the job.I also recommend the beginners nib smoothing kit, both can be found at Richard Binders site RichardsPens.com • Fountain Pens by Richard Binder I'm in no way associated with Richard just a happy customer.

 

[76winger]

I purchased a 30x loupe off eBay a while back and it really gives me a nice up-close view of the nib. It's probably just my inexperience at this point, but one nib "looked to me" as if it were lined up good but still felt scratchy when I wrote with it. I did work it out and got it smooth after a couple sessions of wet-polishing on micro mesh. Others I've not had trouble with but that one seemed to take a little extra effort even though it looked OK. Thoughts?

Roy, I like your idea about keeping them organized and installing after the sale. Will keep that in mind as I ramp up my FP inventory.

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[glycerine]

I replace all of my "kit" nibs with an "upgraded" steel nib, mostly for the reasons mentioned above (people KNOW a good nib manufacturer's name when they see it). I have used both Heritance nibs and Bock nibs and both are great. I prefer Bock (as you can tell from my avatar picture) because the name and logo are right there on the nib.

 

[Ulises Victoria]

Well I had a very pleasant surprise just this afternoon. The guy who bought my first ever fountain pen, came to my house. He said he liked how his (my) pen writes and that he like it very much. What said next left me speechless. "I have two Mont Blancs, and I like how yours writes better" I swear this is a true story. The kit is an Ameroclassic standard nib...

 

[Sylvrbck]

Well I had a very pleasant surprise just this afternoon. The guy who bought my first ever fountain pen, came to my house. He said he liked how his (my) pen writes and that he like it very much. What said next left me speechless. "I have two Mont Blancs, and I like how yours writes better" I swear this is a true story. The kit is an Ameroclassic standard nib...

Among at least some fountain pen afficionados, Mont Blancs are known more as a show off pen - not necessarily as good writers. My favorite writers are Pellicans. They are very smooth writers. I am new to pen turning, but I would think that a well turned pen with a Pellican nib would command a good price and leave a very satisfied customer.

 

[IPD_Mr]

Vintage fountain pen folks will react to MB the same as they do to IPG nibs. It is kind of fun to watch people at a vintage fountain pen show.

I too am a Pelikan fan and in particular the pens from the early 1950s. The nibs have some really good flex to them. Another pen I like real well is the Waterman 55 or 7. You get the right nib on those and it will even make my writing look fancy. The only problem is getting it out of Linda's hand.

 

[Ulises Victoria]

OK I am showing my ignorance here but won't matter. It will go away as soon as somebody answers my questions. :wink:
Are Pelikan or Waterman nibs available somewhere as replacements, and will they fit our handmade kits? Or should we just buy Bock or (insert other brand available here) nibs and forget about it?
What is IPG nibs?
Thank you all

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Ulises, in short no the nibs from Pelican and Waterman won't fit our component sets. IPG stands for Iridium Point Germany and is an imprint indicating a steel nib that is tipped with a hard tipping alloy, usually Osmiridium or Plathenium. This imprint is found frequently on Chinese-made steel nibs of very poor quality, some of which appear to have little or no tipping material of any kind. Its use, although clearly deceptive, is not technically unlawful because it does not state MADE IN GERMANY. Collectors frequently refer, usually somewhat disparagingly, to nibs bearing the IRIDIUM POINT GERMANY imprint as "IPG" nibs.