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Thread: Not the usual Balance nib

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    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Not the usual Balance nib

    I spotted this Balance in an antique store some years ago while visiting my mother.

    https://imgur.com/a/0zcw470

    The first thing that caught my eye was the size. Then i noticed the brassing and the fleabites. I asked if i could uncap it and things got a little more interesting. First, the nib is unmasked. I turned it over to look at the later style feed and noticed that the nib was much thinner than the usual Balance nib. “Hmm, this might have some flex...” i thought.

    It does, although i find it behaves more like a vintage German nib than a Waterman 52. That is to say i think it’s best treated as a soft nib with some give rather than something to write Spencerian with. For that reason, i don’t usually push it as much as in the sample below. I’m content to have some extra thickness on descenders and the softer ride. It kinda looks like an old MB, too: somewhat thicker and just a smidge longer than an early 146G.

    https://imgur.com/a/iViEE4O

  2. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to guyy For This Useful Post:

    azkid (March 28th, 2020), Chrissy (March 26th, 2020), FredRydr (March 26th, 2020), grainweevil (March 26th, 2020), welch (April 6th, 2020)

  3. #2
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    ...i find it behaves more like a vintage German nib than a Waterman 52. That is to say i think it’s best treated as a soft nib with some give rather than something to write Spencerian with. For that reason, i don’t usually push it as much as in the sample below. I’m content to have some extra thickness on descenders and the softer ride. It kinda looks like an old MB, too: somewhat thicker and just a smidge longer than an early 146G.
    I used to have a stable of vintage celluloid Meisterstucks with great nibs, but I found there were rare big Sheaffer nibs from ca. '29 to '40 that impressed me more than the vintage MB nibs, and my collecting and divesting shifted (surprising myself). So, I do understand where you're coming from. The hunt for those special big Sheaffer nibs is never-ending because they're never quite the same as the ones already found.

  4. #3
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    I just took a flier on a full-size Sheaffer flattop (they never called them OS/oversize, did they?) that was just the badly ambered black/white barrel, no cap. The photos of the nib made it appear to not be the usual F or EF or even M but a stubbish profile. Almost concerned the tipping was off on one side but it showed up and was *exactly* what I was hoping for.

    Seller even included the cap, which was not in the auction, and had been shortened after cap-lip incidents. I carefully did a bit of alignment (those early thick 14k nibs are a bear!) and the smallest bit of smoothing. Perfect! I'm not certain if I want to put it in an existing 8C, put it in a screw-in nib unit and add it to a Bexley, or something else. The odd part is that the pen was restored with a new sac so i put a black 8C cap on it and it's a really nice look for a frankenpen.

    Of course, I managed to get it for not much more than a Pilot Metropolitan. And, hilariously, the seller was Richard Lott, who lives about 5 or so miles from me. Didn't realize that til the package arrived.

    I love the nib on the OP's pen. I actually prefer semi-flex nibs to full flex, as I don't have good enough control for truly florid writing, yet having just a bit of flex can add character to my script.

    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

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    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    I agree Fred, old Montblancs have nice nibs, but they're not the only ones. I have Sheaffers, Wahl-Eversharp & Parkers that are exceptional and interesting writers. The only problem is finding them among the piles of fines and mediums. It's relatively easier to find interesting writers among vintage German pens. Then there are also those rare fines or mediums that write draw-droppingly well -- and they're usually Sheaffers.

    Jon, that's a great find. I find the typical 8C monster nibs too rigid. Is it a semi-flex medium stub?
    Last edited by guyy; March 28th, 2020 at 07:33 PM.

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    Jon, that's a great find. I find the typical 8C monster nibs too rigid. Is it a semi-flex medium stub?
    No, this one you could use as a dart in a local pub game. To be honest, that is what I was looking for, as the pens I use for lengthy correspondence or fast notes, I like stiff nibs, and reserve soft or flexible nibs for personalized cards or notes of character. Just my quirk.

    I think you can see from the next photo why this nib doesn't flex too much...

    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Ah, yes, that's what i expect the profile of a Flattop nib to look like.

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Yep. You get a sense of the ramping up of the speed of business in the 20s, and people having to get. stuff. done. and not be so expressive. For certain uses (like, well, what they were meant for) I love them. I have very, very few Sheaffer nibs with any flexibility in them. Still a lot of great writers, though.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    ...I think you can see from the next photo why this nib doesn't flex too much....
    Goodness! Diamond plate gold sheet?

  10. #9
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Goodness! Diamond plate gold sheet?
    Probably not ultra-ultra-accurate, but my digital caliper measures the thickness to be right around 0.65mm. If I end up pulling the nib I'll measure in a couple spots, this is just across the tines at the tip of the feed. But, yeah, there's a lotta gold in this hunk.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

  11. #10
    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Goodness! Diamond plate gold sheet?
    Probably not ultra-ultra-accurate, but my digital caliper measures the thickness to be right around 0.65mm. If I end up pulling the nib I'll measure in a couple spots, this is just across the tines at the tip of the feed. But, yeah, there's a lotta gold in this hunk.
    I measured a little away from the feed and got 0.75mm. I doubt that is ultra-accurate either, even if they are nice calipers.

  12. #11
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    I measured a little away from the feed and got 0.75mm. I doubt that is ultra-accurate either, even if they are nice calipers.
    Well, at least one of us is off by quite a bit! If you just compare the side-shot photos of our respective nibs it is clear that yours is a lot thinner than mine. When working on the alignment of the nib, it was really hard to get one tine to flex up even with significant pressure from my thumb(nail). This is a thick, stiff nib, and yours is quite a bit thinner... else it wouldn't flex!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Jon, that measurement is from an 8C flattop, not the Balance.

  14. #13
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Not the usual Balance nib

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    Jon, that measurement is from an 8C flattop, not the Balance.
    Oh. Nevermind!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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