Why is a gold nib better than a steel nib? Or is it...

[FP_GaF]

I am daring a controversial one here. I find myself aiming for gold when I browse eBay and other sites for potential new items I want to add to my little collection. I know that the nib's body material is not as essential as the nib's tipping material when it comes to writing experience.

And there is more. One of my favourite silky smooth writers has a palladium-silver nib and again that is not the material of the writing tip. And some of my steel-nibbed pens (Visconti and Faber Castell, for instance) are easily as good as most of my gold-nibbed pens. Of course, most (but not all) of the latter were bought used.

So, why am I, or dare I ask "are we", quite often gold-snobs. Does it depend on how and what we write. Or is it prejudice or even superstition?

Please don't hurt me, just askin'. I am really interested because I want to make better decisions in future when I buy my next pens. So, I'd really like to hear your opinion on this.

[writingrav]

As far as I can make out the only advantage to gold is in the flex, for those who can take advantage of it. Otherwise, no excuse for spending the money.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[eriquito]

If we are not talking about vintage flex (and the only true flex nibs are vintage nibs), then we probably all agree that the writing experience is determined by the nib's tipping and shape, not by the nib's material.

However, knowing this does not negate or override our (my?) emotional desire to have a nib made of precious metal.

Logically, I know that the nib's material is immaterial to the way the nib meets and interacts with paper. Unfortunately, in all debates between logic and emotion, emotion wins.

A gold nib, by simple virtue of being gold, is no better than a steel nib. But then you have to define "better." If having a gold nib on your beautiful pen makes you feel better somehow, ... you get the picture.

[ianmedium]

Eric. I ink that is the best reasoning on the subject I have seen to date!

I have pens with both steel and gold nibs, in truth I can Tell very little difference in terms of material used for writing quality.
But as Eric says, a pen is to a large extent an emotional experience for so many reasons and I must say when using a gold nibbled pen it does feel more special in terms of emotional content and considering my writing is 90% emotional and intuitive it makes sense to go with that which gives me the greatest experience on those terms!

[manoeuver]

yep, people like gold. nothing wrong with that.

[FP_GaF]

I must admit I have never looked at the whole issue from the point of view that you presented, Eric. Logically, choosing gold over steel makes no sense. But choosing a fountain pen over pencils or ballpoint pens or you name it is not a logical decision in the first place. It is an emotional decision: I LIKE fountain pens better. Just as you say ianmedium, writing is very much an emotional act.

So, why then suddenly turn around and be logical about the choice of nib? I like to write with gold nibs. Simple. It is the entire pen that makes me choose it and sometimes the gold nib just has to be part of it. And sometimes steel is perfect, too.

Great! I needn't feel guilty anymore about being a nib-snob.

No, seriously, sounds stupid but I haven't been able to make that simple connection. I got caught up in trying to make a logical argument where logic doesn't work. I knew it was worthwhile asking this seemingly difficult question. I learned a lot today. Thank you brothers and sisters in geekdom, thank you!

[writingrav]

I must admit I have never looked at the whole issue from the point of view that you presented, Eric. Logically, choosing gold over steel makes no sense. But choosing a fountain pen over pencils or ballpoint pens or you name it is not a logical decision in the first place. It is an emotional decision: I LIKE fountain pens better. Just as you say ianmedium, writing is very much an emotional act.

So, why then suddenly turn around and be logical about the choice of nib? I like to write with gold nibs. Simple. It is the entire pen that makes me choose it and sometimes the gold nib just has to be part of it. And sometimes steel is perfect, too.

Great! I needn't feel guilty anymore about being a nib-snob.

No, seriously, sounds stupid but I haven't been able to make that simple connection. I got caught up in trying to make a logical argument where logic doesn't work. I knew it was worthwhile asking this seemingly difficult question. I learned a lot today. Thank you brothers and sisters in geekdom, thank you!

Well, I don't want to sound overly logical but there is the financial concern. The choice between a steel and a gold nib is prohibitive in terms of acquiring many pens. Without the steel nib option and without knowing that steel nibs functioned just as well as gold, I for one wouldn't own many pens.

[duende]

Gold is better because it well confer upon the scribe the properties of the philosopher's stone, which besides immeasurable riches, includes long and everlasting life. Any questions?

[rapid_butterfly]

I'm just fine with steel, and most of my nibs are steel. OTOH, I use iron gall inks extensively, and suppose that my gold nibs may show less wear over time. we'll see.

[Rich L]

It might seem odd but I equate the time I write with a fountain pen as a time of luxury because when I do write with one, I take my time and enjoy it. Most of the other time I'm writing it is because of necessity and all I care for is flowing ink, ball ink, roller ink, or pencil ink. Later, I'll relax with slow, easy script with a color of my choice easily sliding off the italic tip I prefer. Along with that illusion of luxury goes the gold nib so I prefer that above all other alloys, especially steel, even though I am convinced that a steel nib will write equally, if not better. Don't matter - gold it is. It's appearance, perception, emotion, intrinsic value that contribute to my whole experience. It's ethereal, transcendental, precious ... oh, boy ... going way over the edge here

Gold is better because it well confer upon the scribe the properties of the philosopher's stone, which besides immeasurable riches, includes long and everlasting life. Any questions?

That's it!!

Cheers,
Rich

[fountainpenkid]

I am a user that collects. All of my pens have 14k nibs. I have yet to aquire one without a gold nib. I guess I'm brainwashed... I really will pick or not pick a pen depending on wether it has a 14k or steel nib. But then again, as one of you said, writing is a very emotional thing, and I emotionally feel better with a 14k nib, There is not a difference in the world (except for flex), but I will stick to my prejudice ways....exception being the TWSBI Diamond Mini

[KrazyIvan]

I am fine with steel. If I luck out and get a XXK nib I don't complain. It is not necessary for me. The only reason I would need a gold nib is flex and I am proving to myself that I don't need can't use flex pens.

[FP_GaF]

Well, I don't want to sound overly logical but there is the financial concern. The choice between a steel and a gold nib is prohibitive in terms of acquiring many pens. Without the steel nib option and without knowing that steel nibs functioned just as well as gold, I for one wouldn't own many pens.

Yes, you are absolutely right about the economic factor and I am sure nobody is saying that a fountain pen MUST have a precious metal nib to be awesome. It is actually more the other way around: even though we all agree logically that the nib material does largely not affect the writing experience (flex put aside for the moment) for some of us it adds on an irrational level when we choose a specific pen making it a "better" nib on a purely subjective, emotional, personal level that defies reason (or common sense if you want to).

At least that is the way I understand Eric's argument. I think it is fair to say that each one of us within their individual means (which vary largely of course) is spending way to much money on our beloved fountain pens, gold nib or not, and that is surely not logical either (but very understandable). I had not thought about the irrational factor before, that's all.

[writingrav]

Yes, you are absolutely right about the economic factor and I am sure nobody is saying that a fountain pen MUST have a precious metal nib to be awesome. It is actually more the other way around: even though we all agree logically that the nib material does largely not affect the writing experience (flex put aside for the moment) for some of us it adds on an irrational level when we choose a specific pen making it a "better" nib on a purely subjective, emotional, personal level that defies reason (or common sense if you want to).

At least that is the way I understand Eric's argument. I think it is fair to say that each one of us within their individual means (which vary largely of course) we all spend way to much money on our beloved fountain pens, gold nib or not, and that is surely not logical either (but very understandable). I had not thought about the irrational factor before, that's all.

Now that really gave me a new perspective. Of course there is no logic in trying to figure out whether one is "wasting" his/her money on 50 fountain pens with steel nibs versus 2 with gold nibs. I guess that's why we welcome one another to the madness.

[FP_GaF]

Of course there is no logic in trying to figure out whether one is "wasting" his/her money on 50 fountain pens with steel nibs versus 2 with gold nibs.

Well put my friend, well put...

I guess that's why we welcome one another to the madness.

[rbadger332]

Ahh. The Gold vs Steel aspect. As Eric said, Emotion trumps Logic, every time. My Sonnet, before I dropped it nib first on the floor, had a steel nib that was one of the best nibs I've ever used, regardless of material. That being said, the Palladium nib on my Visconti.....ack, that thing just rules all. I've had really good examples of both, and horrific examples of both. The main issues are how the user interacts with the pen, and how the nib is ground and shaped at the factory.

[SIR]

It might seem odd but I equate the time I write with a fountain pen as a time of luxury because when I do write with one, I take my time and enjoy it. Most of the other time I'm writing it is because of necessity and all I care for is flowing ink, ball ink, roller ink, or pencil ink. Later, I'll relax with slow, easy script with a color of my choice easily sliding off the italic tip I prefer. Along with that illusion of luxury goes the gold nib so I prefer that above all other alloys, especially steel, even though I am convinced that a steel nib will write equally, if not better. Don't matter - gold it is. It's appearance, perception, emotion, intrinsic value that contribute to my whole experience. It's ethereal, transcendental, precious ... oh, boy ... going way over the edge here

Pretty much!

This weeks main correspondence will have been two hand written notes in the post to family and about the same number again or twice in emails. The two hand written notes i'm sure were as much a pleasure for me to write as for the recipients to receive, and required some care and thought in style of writing, both wording and legibility/aesthetics.

Magic is an art in itself... but there are different styles of art, artist, and magic; my Mike Masuyama steel stub writes as well as, well ... anything!

Here's a question - why iridium for tipping, why not chromium?

[FredRydr]

Um, RichL's post is over five years old, and he hasn't been active on Geeks in two years.

[SIR]

Um, RichL's post is over five years old, and he hasn't been active on Geeks in two years.

my reply wasn't a private message to him, so... what?

[Marsilius]

Um, RichL's post is over five years old, and he hasn't been active on Geeks in two years.

my reply wasn't a private message to him, so... what?

And it is just after All Souls' Day, so a little revival of the dead is ok?