Essential Pen Part II

[syngent]

That maroon is sexy isn't it? I knew I should have stayed out of the nib, but like a moth to flame...

Lol you keep saying that Lou, end yet every couple of months or so...

 

[suits123]

Does the 18K Gold nib write any better or is it a "I have a gold nib thing"? Maybe a dumb question but I know different metals bend and react to things differently. Thanks!

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Lol you keep saying that Lou, end yet every couple of months or so...

Just like a moth attracted to flame I venture back, salivate madly, and then ultimately get a new pen that I don't need.

 

[GG1]

Just like a moth attracted to flame I venture back, salivate madly, and then ultimately get a new pen that I don't need.

Well I think I showed need.
I told my wife how F/Ps help with bad handwriting. I signed my tax return with a 78g. My wife said "hey, nice, fancy signature. I wonder how my handwriting will look with an F/P"

Uh oh, we'll see what happens now...

 

[syngent]

Well I think I showed need.
I told my wife how F/Ps help with bad handwriting. I signed my tax return with a 78g. My wife said "hey, nice, fancy signature. I wonder how my handwriting will look with an F/P"

Uh oh, we'll see what happens now...

Ill tell you what happens now, your pen one morning will suddenly vanish and you will never really know what happened to it until you get a new pen thats nicer then the 78G, then that pen will disappear while the 78G just suddenly pops back up

 

[jzuzphreek]

Ill tell you what happens now, your pen one morning will suddenly vanish and you will never really know what happened to it until you get a new pen thats nicer then the 78G, then that pen will disappear while the 78G just suddenly pops back up

Heh, SWMBO is getting a pack of 78g (Med/Stub) as part of her bday present... Or an NOS Parker 21 if I can find one...

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Ill tell you what happens now, your pen one morning will suddenly vanish and you will never really know what happened to it until you get a new pen thats nicer then the 78G, then that pen will disappear while the 78G just suddenly pops back up

Buy one in a color she likes

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Well I think I showed need.
I told my wife how F/Ps help with bad handwriting. I signed my tax return with a 78g. My wife said "hey, nice, fancy signature. I wonder how my handwriting will look with an F/P"

Uh oh, we'll see what happens now...

The fancy word is called "Co-opting" her. Well Done!

Ill tell you what happens now, your pen one morning will suddenly vanish and you will never really know what happened to it until you get a new pen thats nicer then the 78G, then that pen will disappear while the 78G just suddenly pops back up

The man is a prophet!!

 

[syngent]

No I've just heard Jason (Argonaut) tell the story a few times lol

 

[Suzuki]

Does the 18K Gold nib write any better or is it a "I have a gold nib thing"? Maybe a dumb question but I know different metals bend and react to things differently. Thanks!

Short answer is "no" - nibs don't write any better simply because they're gold - in fact, the part of the nib that touches the paper is typically an alloy of metals from the platinum group. So what actually comes into contact with the paper is something other than the gold or steel the nib is made with.

Far more important than the nib material in terms of writing performance is the overall design and construction of the nib and feed assembly. In other words a good steel nib will write better than a poor gold nib.

The only difference I've noticed when comparing modern gold vs. steel nibs is that some modern gold nibs have a springiness or give (and this is not the same as flex) that provides a different writing feel (this is not the same as writing quality in terms of how well the nib lays down ink on paper)than steel nibs.

I can't speak to the FC gold nibs, as I've not used one, so this is a generalization.

Hope this helps.

 

[syngent]

All my modern golds have been stiff, sailors have almost no give at all... my pelikan steel is my springiest modern nib
So really its very manufacturer specific

 

[syngent]

Some guys the last round on the black pen picked up the gold maybe they can give their thoughts on Scotts Gold nibs

Or Scott can as well lol

 

[InfernoOrangeSS]

After having used my needlepoint for a few weeks now, I have to say that this pen was worth every penny I paid for it. It writes like a dream and delivers the tight thin line that I require. I am very happy to have purchased this wonderful FP!

 

[jzuzphreek]

After having used my needlepoint for a few weeks now, I have to say that this pen was worth every penny I paid for it. It writes like a dream and delivers the tight thin line that I require. I am very happy to have purchased this wonderful FP!

Does it catch or scratch? Have you written on any textured paper? DETAILS MAN!!

 

[Franklin-Christoph]

Short answer is "no" - nibs don't write any better simply because they're gold - in fact, the part of the nib that touches the paper is typically an alloy of metals from the platinum group. So what actually comes into contact with the paper is something other than the gold or steel the nib is made with.

Far more important than the nib material in terms of writing performance is the overall design and construction of the nib and feed assembly. In other words a good steel nib will write better than a poor gold nib.

The only difference I've noticed when comparing modern gold vs. steel nibs is that some modern gold nibs have a springiness or give (and this is not the same as flex) that provides a different writing feel (this is not the same as writing quality in terms of how well the nib lays down ink on paper)than steel nibs.

I can't speak to the FC gold nibs, as I've not used one, so this is a generalization.

Hope this helps.

Was going to answer this one, but Chris nailed it and I agree with everything he said. The iridium (actually an alloy of different metals, but parlance still says "iridium") is the same on our gold and steel nibs. Which works better for you depends on your handwriting the desired action. Gold is a softer metal so the tines will spread more easily. Most people call this flex, but it isn't really flex as that implies something else. So as the tines will spread more easily, they usually write a bit wetter, putting more ink on the page. If you take the same guy writing with each, usually the gold will seem to flow a bit more thus making the line a bit broader.

One other thing rarely mentioned or known is that gold can absorb vibrations better than most steel. What you sometimes feel as "scratchiness" - if not a true problem of tine alignment or a burr on the nib tip - is the undulations on the paper sending vibrations up through the nib and felt by your hand. So gold absorbs these vibrations and can feel smoother in that regard. BUT - most modern steel nibs and particularly the ones we use are designed in a better way and absorb those vibrations better. This is why we call them "high performance steel" - not just a marketing ploy but an indication that these steel nibs are better performers than most through history.

Because the differences are now more subtle, and the price of gold is so high, the steel nib is now dominant on pens under $300. In F-C, sales are 9-1 in favor of steel currently.

So in answer, it's not just the intrinsic value, there really is a difference - but it may not actually work better for you and it may not be of value for you considering the price difference. I personally prefer steel over gold and 90% of my personal F-C pens are steel.

Scott

 

[syngent]

Was going to answer this one, but Chris nailed it and I agree with everything he said. The iridium (actually an alloy of different metals, but parlance still says "iridium") is the same on our gold and steel nibs. Which works better for you depends on your handwriting the desired action. Gold is a softer metal so the tines will spread more easily. Most people call this flex, but it isn't really flex as that implies something else. So as the tines will spread more easily, they usually write a bit wetter, putting more ink on the page. If you take the same guy writing with each, usually the gold will seem to flow a bit more thus making the line a bit broader.

One other thing rarely mentioned or known is that gold can absorb vibrations better than most steel. What you sometimes feel as "scratchiness" - if not a true problem of tine alignment or a burr on the nib tip - is the undulations on the paper sending vibrations up through the nib and felt by your hand. So gold absorbs these vibrations and can feel smoother in that regard. BUT - most modern steel nibs and particularly the ones we use are designed in a better way and absorb those vibrations better. This is why we call them "high performance steel" - not just a marketing ploy but an indication that these steel nibs are better performers than most through history.

Because the differences are now more subtle, and the price of gold is so high, the steel nib is now dominant on pens under $300. In F-C, sales are 9-1 in favor of steel currently.

So in answer, it's not just the intrinsic value, there really is a difference - but it may not actually work better for you and it may not be of value for you considering the price difference. I personally prefer steel over gold and 90% of my personal F-C pens are steel.

Scott

Thats an awesome bit of information there

thanks Scott

 

[RichieRich3902]

Thanks Scott!

 

[Franklin-Christoph]

Update on F-C Essential II - second edition - we expect to be shipping the pre-orders for the second edition late next week. Bottle necked at the engraver, but not much longer. For those of you waiting, you'll each get a shipping notification as soon as it goes out.

Thanks much!

Scott

 

[Craig9802]

I got my order in on 5/1, and am waiting as patiently as I can... Thanks, Scott!

 

[bhorsoft]

Update on F-C Essential II - second edition - we expect to be shipping the pre-orders for the second edition late next week. Bottle necked at the engraver, but not much longer. For those of you waiting, you'll each get a shipping notification as soon as it goes out.

Looking forward to it.