Vintage Aurora 88 vs 88P: Fine nib size variation

[spiritstampede]

Hi,

I'm new to posting here but has been lurking for a while. As a result I've learned a great deal and begin to dabble a bit into vintage. For my first Italian vintage, I got myself a pretty nice 88P with firm fine nib a few months ago. It's a bit finicky in terms of inks and paper but it's the smoothest nib I've owned (and for a Fine nib nonetheless!).

So I had to get myself an original 88 and came across one in poor condition but it was cheap enough so I just snatched it to see. This one does not have any marking on the barrel or cap, no Aurora branding, no serial number but the size and nib/cap design all point to the original 88 (circa 1948-53, if I'm not mistaken). It has an F marking under the section that means Fine nib (at the same location on the section as my 88P). I actually got it to work alright without having to replace anything. It has a VERY wet but lovely flex fine nib, though I was quite surprised with how the nib writes. Here is a sample of the 88P's fine nib and 88's fine:







You can see the thickness difference is quite stark between the 88 and 88P. I know a flexible fine should put down a different line from a firm Fine but the variation here is a bit too much (the 88P being closer to Sailor Soft F-M and the 88 being closer to a Pelikan Broad in the photo).

The size of the tip on my 88 is also quite bigger than the tip of the 88P. I tried to capture it in a photo here (88 is on the Left):







For me the 88 writes too broad to be a fine nib. Could this be the nib is indeed a Broad or it is just how the 88 writes? Or I may have an ink flow problem on my 88 that makes it write too broad (it is indeed very wet)?

Thank you in advance.