Oblique nibs

[MrPeeps]

Just interested, left or right foot, why do you use them, do you like them at all, just curious about others opinions-personally i love em!
thanks all, Luke!

[tandaina]

Luke, I use left foot oblique nibs because my natural grip rotates the pen inward. The oblique compensates for my rotation and puts the "sweet spot" on the paper. Simple as that. I find straight nibs far more finicky, some are fine (generally those with a large sweet spot), some just don't work at all for me. The issue is bigger with stubs and italics often straight stubs will not write for me at all so I generally only buy regular nibs and have them custom ground into oblique italics.

[Anne]

I agree with Tandaina, I am also a left footed oblique and naturally turn my pen while writing. However, I do the same sometimes with my italics! I actually haven't had a problem there though.

[dannzeman]

It depends what effect I'm looking for. With a 45° left I get a perfect architect result. With a 30° right I get a true italic effect.

[Chrissy]

I've only written with left foot obliques, and I have to make myself turn the pen to write, because I don't usually turn the pen to write with my normal nibs. I've never tried a right foot oblique though.

I must admit I thought broad right foot oblique nibs were primarily designed for left handed writers. Perhaps one day I should try writing with one?

[tandaina]

I have indeed used a right foot oblique. I think they're fairly rare and I bought an old Montblanc from someone who I guess didn't know there was a difference. When I got it I was distinctly surprised. I found it unusable without a great deal of *thinking* about rotating the pen outward. It just didn't work for me, was very uncomfortable and I kept catching the tines (it was soft)! I ended up selling it on.

[Pelikan-Vera]

I like the left foot obliques too, as they can offer some awesome line variation and I find them easy to use. Vera

[Paddler]

If you don't want the expense of all that buying and selling to test the various nib angles, try grinding your own nibs from dip pens. You can try all the angles and widths and find out what works for you. For exponentially more fun, learn to cut quill pens; that way you can add flex to the mix.

[MrPeeps]

Thanks for all the responses guys, interesting to hear others opinions!

[ac12]

I tried two different LF obliques and could not get used to them.
As a RH person, a LF oblique makes a heavier horizontal stroke. I would rather have a heavy vertical stroke, like a flex dip pen. So for me a RF oblique would be more appropriate.
But it is all personal taste, as I know several RH people who like the LF oblique.

[Chrissy]

I tried two different LF obliques and could not get used to them.
As a RH person, a LF oblique makes a heavier horizontal stroke. I would rather have a heavy vertical stroke, like a flex dip pen. So for me a RF oblique would be more appropriate.
But it is all personal taste, as I know several RH people who like the LF oblique.

I'm right handed and for a heavy vertical stroke I prefer to use a stub nib that I don't have to rotate.