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Thread: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

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    Default Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    I've noticed a number of people asking about compatible nibs for their replacement needs. I may be able to help a little with the modern steel nib pens with this post.
    (CT = chrome trim/polished nib, GT = gold plated trim and nib)

    1 Section-nibs.jpg
    From left to right are: Reflex, JIF, Pro Graduate, Graduate, Graduate Color, Allure, Apostrophe, Harmonie, Laureat CT, Laureat GT, Expert II.
    (Expert II is the only one to feature two-tone nibs - on GT pens. CT Ex II has polished nib)
    I should have included the late Forum, Ici et La, and JIF Metal but didn't. JIF Metal is always GT, Forum and Ici were both CT and GT.

    2 steel sect-nib under.jpg
    The Reflex was hiding when I took this one.

    3 steel feed-nib top.jpg
    I left out the Grad Color and one of the Laureats. You can see a pattern. The only oddball is the Pro Grad with the long feed.
    There are some other cheap plastic JIF types with the same long feed.


    4 steel feed-nib under.jpg

    There were similar contemporary models that were not compatible including:
    Early Forum, Centurion, Maestro and Early Laureat. These have the smooth bottom feed and are compatible with each other.
    It's the same smooth feed as in the Man 2, Exception Slim, Exec and Exclusive. You can put an Except Slim nib in your early Forum.

    The various nibs will have different details in their imprints, relating to retail price. But I find no difference in writing experience
    or corrosion resistance. Cheaper school pens usually only come in F or M. The rest come in EF, F, M, L (French Waterman for Broad).

    regards,
    Craig

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    Quote Originally Posted by broadoblique View Post
    I've noticed a number of people asking about compatible nibs for their replacement needs. I may be able to help a little with the modern steel nib pens with this post.
    (CT = chrome trim/polished nib, GT = gold plated trim and nib)

    1 Section-nibs.jpg
    From left to right are: Reflex, JIF, Pro Graduate, Graduate, Graduate Color, Allure, Apostrophe, Harmonie, Laureat CT, Laureat GT, Expert II.
    (Expert II is the only one to feature two-tone nibs - on GT pens. CT Ex II has polished nib)
    I should have included the late Forum, Ici et La, and JIF Metal but didn't. JIF Metal is always GT, Forum and Ici were both CT and GT.

    2 steel sect-nib under.jpg
    The Reflex was hiding when I took this one.

    3 steel feed-nib top.jpg
    I left out the Grad Color and one of the Laureats. You can see a pattern. The only oddball is the Pro Grad with the long feed.
    There are some other cheap plastic JIF types with the same long feed.


    4 steel feed-nib under.jpg

    There were similar contemporary models that were not compatible including:
    Early Forum, Centurion, Maestro and Early Laureat. These have the smooth bottom feed and are compatible with each other.
    It's the same smooth feed as in the Man 2, Exception Slim, Exec and Exclusive. You can put an Except Slim nib in your early Forum.

    The various nibs will have different details in their imprints, relating to retail price. But I find no difference in writing experience
    or corrosion resistance. Cheaper school pens usually only come in F or M. The rest come in EF, F, M, L (French Waterman for Broad).

    regards,
    Craig


    Can you provide information on where these compatible nibs can be purchased? I have a Waterman Laureat that needs a replacement nib.
    Regards,
    Gran

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    Try ebay for a cheap donor pen. Or ask Dutchpen here. He's a great resource that I have no affiliation to outside of being a very satisfied repeat customer.

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    WHOOPS! I forgot to include the Harley Davidson Combustion. This is the one that comes in a headlamp case and has the clip shaped like a fork spring. These are the same nib, always polished steel, with a HD imprint.

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    I forgot about the Harley pen and the piston shaped cap. It is lovely too for all FPGeeks who ride. It comes in a tank shaped pen case.
    Mags or Rob Maguire MB 149, 147, 146,144, Mozart, Boehme, Sailor Realo, Aurora Optima, Churchmen Prescriptor and Parson's Essential, Parker 51 1.3 mm stub, Parker Vacumatic 1939 OB Can, TWSBI's (540,580, Mini and Vac 700), Pelikan M 1000/800 Demonstrator 600/200 demoM/200 OBB, Visconti Rembrandts (2), Lamy, Cross, Watermans, Pilots, Sheaffer's, Omas 360 LE 84/360, GvFC, Esterbrooks J and SJ, Bexley Jitterbug, Taccia, Eversharp 1952 flex, Edison Herald, Franklin Christoph Piper.

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    That's the Harley Horizon. The barrel and cap are unique, but the nib/feed is the same #6 as the Harley Freewheel (special trim on a Kultur). And except for imprints, is the same as in the Kultur, Phileas, Perspective, and the same except for material as the L'Etalon. I should have some photos of those to post.

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    Quote Originally Posted by broadoblique View Post
    I've noticed a number of people asking about compatible nibs for their replacement needs. I may be able to help a little with the modern steel nib pens with this post.
    (CT = chrome trim/polished nib, GT = gold plated trim and nib)

    <snip>


    3 steel feed-nib top.jpg

    <snip>


    regards,
    Craig
    I must get my hands on more nibs like these to experiment with. Did you know that it is possible to fit some of these nibs to an Esterbrook.

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    Quote Originally Posted by Mags View Post
    I forgot about the Harley pen and the piston shaped cap. It is lovely too for all FPGeeks who ride. It comes in a tank shaped pen case.
    I have one of those. Black Tank, matches my 2006 Electra Glide Classic

    Cw

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    The Grad/Apost/Lauri/Ex II nib is #5. The Phil/Kult/L'et nib is a #6.

    Is that Kultur nib stuffed into the Estie ground quite a bit? There is a proprietary shape to most modern Waterman nibs and feeds that make it a project to move them to other pens. The great exception is the #6 Super 6/Man/big Exception style.

    The Esterbrook feed is much closer to a #5.
    I grew up using Esties with Osmiroid italics as my everyday school pens. With all the choices I never tried to put any other nibs in them.

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    This is the Harley Combustion, same nib/feed as the group above:
    Combustion 4.jpg

    This is the Horizon section, with the Kult/Phil/Let nib/feed:
    Harley Horizon black M.jpg

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    Default Re: Waterman Steel nib interchangeable - compatible

    Thanks to Broadoblique for taking the time to develop this thread with so much valuable information on what nib works with what pen. I have a Laureat with a medium nib that is too broad for me. Thanks to this information I was able to cross reference available nibs in the market to the list of other pens whose nibs will fit Laureat and identify one that will help -- an Expert II EF nib. Thanks again to Broadoblique for taking the time to share this knowledge.

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