Last year I ran an Instagram poll in which I asked followers to vote on their preferred nib size. By a wide margin, fine and medium nibs won out, which corresponds to what I generally see going out the door in our shop. For today's post I thought I'd talk about my efforts over the past year to branch out beyond my default "medium" nib preference, and specifically my experiments with broad nibs for everyday writing.
Why Many People Avoid Broad Nibs (Including New Users)
If you find yourself in the “scared to try it” category, you’re not alone! Back when I first started using fountain pens, I could never envision myself using a broad nib for everyday writing and waited nearly three years before venturing beyond medium. Why? Here’s what my brain told me:
"Broad nibs are messy because there's too much ink."
"The ink will bleed through the page."
"My handwriting isn't that large."
While all of these statements have an element of truth, in the sense that broader nibs do put more ink on the page, I’ve found that the difference between a medium and a broad is not as pronounced as many believe, especially with standard stainless steel nibs. For sure, a GOLD broad nib can absolutely write very wet - especially when paired with an ebonite feed - but I've come to discover that broad JoWo and Bock stainless steel nibs might actually appeal more to me than the medium. How so?
As you can see from the writing samples below, the line width on the stainless steel broad nib doesn't require me to increase the size of my handwriting, despite being ever-so-slightly broader.
While the broad nib definitely writes an "inkier" line, the steel nibs aren't so wet that they cause performance issues - at least no more than a relatively wet medium. This added ink flow actually lends a smoother feel to the nib that I find pleasant for longer writing sessions, and allows me to see more of the ink's properties (shimmer, sheen, and/or shading).
I go through more ink. I am still reluctant to flush a pen while it's partially filled with ink and prefer to write my pens dry. That said, I also like to rotate through my pen collection regularly. With broad nibs, you'll use more ink, which means more variety!
Finally, broad nibs are ripe for customization! I’ve started ordering broad nibs with most of my custom pens, and it’s become my default size whenever I pick up a new TWSBI, because I know that if I ever get bored with the round broad nib I can always have it ground to an architect, stub, cursive italic, or Naginata-style/kodachi nib because there’s plenty of tipping available. You can even have a broad nib ground down to a fine or a needlepoint - for the most part, it’s easy for a nib grinder to take a nib down in size, but you obviously can’t go up! Also, where possible, consider experimenting with pens that have interchangeable nib units. In addition to having the nib ground, you can also just swap it out should you not like the experience.
A writing sample comparing stainless steel medium and broad nibs from the same brands. From top: Broad and Medium Magna carta No. 8 nibs, followed by Broad and Medium JoWo No. 6 nibs. Inks used were from Tom’s Studio, and the paper is Midori MD Cotton.
Give a Broad Nib a Try!
For beginners, TWSBI and JoWo currently make my favorite stainless steel broad nibs and are good places to start. My first broad nib was a TWSBI Diamond 540 that I loved because it wrote just slightly broader than the TWSBI medium, and it was followed by a broad nib unit for my Pilot Vanishing Point (which essentially writes like a medium from many other brands). Pilot and other Japanese brands might actually be an exception to the general rule of thumb that broad gold nibs run wet, as Japanese nibs tend to write narrower than their designated nib size.
So in short, don't be like me and wait three years before you try a broad, especially if you're already using medium nibs. You might find that you’ve been missing out!
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you enjoy our content, please consider supporting us directly!