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Thread: Is putting a 1.1 mm CI tip on a flexible nib counter productive?

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    FPG Donor ♕ KrazyIvan's Avatar
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    Default Is putting a 1.1 mm CI tip on a flexible nib counter productive?

    I was thinking of sending my Pelikan 140 with an 14K F nib to Greg Minuskin to have a 1.1 mm cursive italic put on it. After thinking about it and using the pen for the past couple of days, I realized how really flexible this 14K nib is. It is a totally different nib experience that I have not had before. I understand the draw of older flexible gold nibs now. Now, I am thinking that doing the cursive italic thing would be counterproductive. I would lose the fine side of the nib width gamut. Is my reasoning sound?
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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    If you have a nib that is flexible enough to give you a broad stroke when you want, but always will return to a fine when you need, I can't possibly see changing that into a 1.1 *anything*. Seems like a waste of a perfectly good flex nib to me. CI points don't have to be flexible at all to be successful at what they are designed to do, so you'd be much better off using a nail-ish nib, that isn't doing much of anything to add character to your writing, as a candidate for customization.

    My $0.02.

    BTW, my wife just became the owner of the 'nicest' pen in the house (only her second), a lovely vintage Pelikan 100NN tortoise. I'm in love with the nib on it, a beautiful fine with plenty of flex. I could write with that pen for days but... um... it isn't mine!
    Last edited by Jon Szanto; April 13th, 2012 at 10:49 AM. Reason: Adding a little info...

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    FPG Donor ♕ KrazyIvan's Avatar
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    You pretty much confirmed what I was thinking. It is so flexy! I still don't have the hang of it yet but man this is really cool.


    Flexy by IvanRomero, on Flickr
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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Oh, please, don't do anything to that nib.

    Anecdotal: at the LA Pen Show, I met with Pendleton Brown to see if he would reduce the size (width) of a stub nib on a Sheaffer Prelude; this was a pen I had purchased from him earlier in the year. He said that it was such a nice nib, he'd hate to grind it down, would I consider trading for another pen? He had a number of pens to try, and I found a different pen that wrote a lot more like what I wanted. The story isn't so much about finding a pen/nib better suited, or how good a guy he is (which he completely is!), but about how he valued the intrinsic nature of that first nib, and wanted to keep it as intact with it's character as possible. I had no problem getting behind that.

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    Senior Member bgray's Avatar
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    If you do create an italic nib from a flexible nib, then don't expect the nib to be smooth when flexed.

    When a good italic nib is created, the tip is made flat, or course. This means that the inner corners of the nib have now been made sharp. An italic nib will not exposed these sharp corners unless you flex the nib.

    So you can do it, but don't expect the nib to be smooth when flexed.

    Generally, I don't like to add flex to an italic nib, and vice-versa. I like to keep the two separate, personally.
    Last edited by bgray; April 13th, 2012 at 07:27 PM.

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    FPG Donor ♕ KrazyIvan's Avatar
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    I hear ya. I think I will leave it as is, as far as the nib width is concerned but it does have an issue. Greg, purely from my photos, and a description of symptoms, thinks it may have a flat spot. I posted the closeup of the nib in the Pelikan forum. You see one nib tip is shorter than the other but it is really smooth, just squeaks at certain angles. For some reason I am having trouble seeing it really good in my loupe. I may have to get a stronger loupe.
    Last edited by KrazyIvan; April 13th, 2012 at 08:40 PM.
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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KrazyIvan View Post
    For some reason I am having trouble seeing it really good in my loupe. I may have to get a stronger loupe.
    In my case, I just call that "middle age".

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    FPG Donor ♕ KrazyIvan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    In my case, I just call that "middle age".
    Haha! That may be it but just on this pen for some reason. Eye doctor said I only have another two years or so of good near vision.

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