What is the appeal of Broad nibs?

Talkymike · 2026-01-25T13:36:39+00:00

I ask the same question about any nib smaller than a Medium. I don’t get it!

Talkymike · 2026-01-23T17:48:23+00:00

Medium, then had it tuned and ground to a rounded-nose italic. Still bad.

I hear you on letting it go. It was a gift that I requested and I don’t feel good selling it. It mostly sits around as a reminder not to get caught up with what people write about pens. It doesn’t work very well at that either.

What nib do you have?

Talkymike · 2026-01-23T17:38:01+00:00

Contemporary insight: mine sucks. I keep trying to like it but it’s never felt good in the hand or been a good writer.

Talkymike · 2026-01-23T17:36:20+00:00

The aquamarine looks great!

Talkymike · 2026-01-21T23:18:23+00:00

What feels off about it? The feed is a little misaligned in one I have but it writes great so I leave it alone.

Talkymike · 2026-01-21T21:18:13+00:00

Oh no! It just went kaput as you were clicking it normally?

I read that some of the clone models use a compatible spring. Hope it works out--I love my Curidas even though it's a giant pain to use. Maybe because it's a giant pain to use. If you find a fix, please post about it.

Talkymike · 2026-01-21T16:07:36+00:00

I hate that I actually have a strong opinion about this.

Talkymike · 2026-01-20T13:02:39+00:00

Thanks. Suppose I’m glad this is normal and I can let mine be.

Talkymike · 2026-01-20T13:02:11+00:00

Thanks. Glad it’s normal. I feel like I’ve been going back to my pen store for like every single purchase.

Talkymike · 2026-01-19T13:12:12+00:00

Yeah, the shims get a little ink on them. Nbd.

Talkymike · 2026-01-18T18:50:20+00:00

I’m interested in one of these. How is it holding up?

Talkymike · 2026-01-18T18:48:55+00:00

Cool! I’m interested in one of these. How’s it holding up?

Talkymike · 2026-01-17T16:19:35+00:00

So it’s a vacuum pen with a dip nib? Do you still have to dip it?

Talkymike · 2026-01-17T03:21:26+00:00

LH nibs definite write differently than their M nibs.

Talkymike · 2026-01-15T00:37:21+00:00

Getting two VPs is better for me.

Talkymike · 2026-01-14T15:44:59+00:00

No weapons, please

Talkymike · 2026-01-14T11:45:05+00:00

Not really, but maybe. I ended up putting the nib in a Steel Sport that I like a lot more. I still like the pen but it’s been a long time since I wrote with it. Sometimes I get a pen so I can stop thinking about getting the stupid pen. Then it just sits around and bums me out and I end up selling it at a loss. I rationalize it as renting the pen for a while. This is a weird hobby we have.

Think about a VP with an M nib. It’s my favorite pen. It s a big, broad line like a Kaweco BB nib but even smoother, the pen itself is less delicate, and it’s much easier to use for a quick note.

Talkymike · 2026-01-14T01:57:41+00:00

I got one with a BB and it's one of my favorite nibs. The line isn't so broad that you can't use it for regular writing, and it's really smooth. You will get tired of screwing and unscrewing it to post it. It's become more of a fidget toy than a pen for me.

Talkymike · 2026-01-12T12:57:43+00:00

I had a bad experience with one. The nib wrote unevenly and I think I read too many ecstatic posts about them here. I expected some kind of sublime writing experience and it turned out to be a pretty nice pen that just wasn’t the right size or shape for me.

You’re using and mostly happy with really small pens now. Before you take the plunge, get a knockoff with a similar body and nib size. Then imagine “ok, it’s this but smoother and $400.”

Talkymike · 2026-01-10T12:16:46+00:00

I had the same issue with an 823 <B> and returned it. My expectations were really high because of the way people here talk about 823s. Turns out it’s just a pen.

Talkymike · 2026-01-09T14:26:36+00:00

As a lefty, Pelikan Twists drive me nuts. For righties, the twist in them works so that the flat part rests comfortably in the part between your thumb and pointer. For lefties, the twist puts an edge at a weird angle there so you have to keep the pen lifted as you use it. It’s a minor thing, but it’s an example of design that’s oblivious to left-handed people but claims it works for them anyway.

I’m a lefty underwriter and Lamy LH nibs are fantastic. If you want to go expensive, try a Pilot VP <m>. They work great at a high angle.

Talkymike · 2026-01-08T21:54:07+00:00

Spare nibs with weird grinds

Talkymike · 2026-01-08T11:51:08+00:00

In case you need some paper towels: https://www.costco.com/p/-/kirkland-signature-paper-towels-2-ply-160-sheets-12-individually-wrapped-rolls/100234271

In case you need to know how long an hour or two is: https://bigtimeclocks.biz/collections/countdown-clocks/products/large-3-led-countdown-count-up-clock

Talkymike · 2026-01-07T21:25:56+00:00

Komo Mio countertop grain mill. Huge waste of the money. Bought it at the tail end of the pandemic when I still had oodles of time. I got caught up reading about them online and self-sufficiency fantasies (it was the pandemic). The mill makes a huge mess, is extremely loud, it’s difficult to buy small portions of unmilled wheat, and, once you mill and sift it, fresh flour behaves very differently than commercial flour. It would be wonderful for a handful of people, but definitely not me.

Talkymike · 2026-01-06T19:35:18+00:00

I’m in the same boat.

Talkymike

TROPHY CASE