What is the purpose of this nib design?

**fountainpenkid** · May 26th, 2021, 07:28 AM

I've never seen this before...very intrigued: https://www.ebay.com/itm/18485545328...wAAOSwpjFgrLGi
Is it even original?
soennecken safety nib.JPG

**jar** · May 26th, 2021, 08:59 AM

The so called "breather holes" were actually meant to reduce stress fractures and cracks and so could also be ornamental while still preventing cracks at the sharp corners that were left by the wheel cutting the nib slit.

The purpose of that design was marketing.

**fountainpenkid** · May 26th, 2021, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by jar

The so called "breather holes" were actually meant to reduce stress fractures and cracks and so could also be ornamental while still preventing cracks at the sharp corners that were left by the wheel cutting the nib slit.

The purpose of that design was marketing.

Does the depression have a hole on the nib-base side? I'm trying to figure out how the top of feed looks. What do you think the marketing angle was for this?

**Kulprit** · May 26th, 2021, 12:11 PM

Could also be to hold additional ink to supplement the feed. You see similar approaches in some dip nibs.

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**jar** · May 26th, 2021, 12:34 PM

Look closely and the hole is still just a circle right at the end of the slit.

I doubt there was any more purpose than BromoSeltzer only using blue bottles.