Bespoke Nibs vs. Stock Nibs: One Week With the Lamy Cursive Nib

I tend to buy things in multiples, especially those things that I use regularly. This goes for pens, notebooks, and even nibs. Over the years I’ve done a fair bit of experimentation with nib grinds, and the specific nibs that I’ve settled on as best for my particular style of handwriting are: (1) a .4mm cursive italic with soft edges; and (2) a kodachi-style nib. Lately, nearly all of the nibs that I’ve had ground fall into the second category.

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For purposes of this review, I’m going to use the terms “Kodachi-style” or “Naginata-style” because there are so many different variations on this grind, from different companies and nib grinders, that there’s a fair bit of disagreement as to what constitutes a “true” Kodachi or a “true” Naginata nib. Personally, the version that works best for me is the “Perspective” nib grind by Gena Salorino at Custom Nib Studio, which I reviewed last year. I enjoy this nib because it gives your handwriting two different types of line variation: a wider cross stroke similar to an architect nib (without the sharp edges of an architect), and the ability to vary vertical line width by angling the nib up or down. I now have three different Perspective nibs, and while each of them writes slightly differently due to things like nib design, the feed, etc., they’re all excellent.

You can see the similarities between the Perspective Nib (left) and the Lamy Cursive Nib (right). Both have a wedge shape, though the Perspective is slightly more defined (and also a narrower nib to begin with). I would best describe the width of the Lamy Cursive as a standard western fine.

Because this nib grind works so well for my handwriting and the type of writing that I do, which involves a lot of moving between longhand notetaking and annotation, I was immediately intrigued when I heard that Lamy had released their “Cursive” nib. While Lamy doesn’t describe this particular nib as a Kodachi, in reality that’s how it’s being marketed, as suitable for Chinese, Japanese, or other “cursive scripts” where the ability to alter line width using a brush-like stroke can be considered important. I tried one of these nibs at our local pen club and loved it, but put off picking up a couple for my own pens until my initial shipment of Lamy products arrived for the shop.

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The line variation is more subtle than with an architect, but it’s there.

I now have the Lamy Cursive nib installed in two different pens - a Safari and a Studio - and I have to say that I’m enjoying it a lot. It’s an excellent pre-ground specialty nib that I would personally describe as a hybrid between an architect and a Kodachi-style nib that leans more to the latter. While you don’t have the sharp edges of the architect grind, you also don’t get quite as much line variation by angling the pen as you would with a true Kodachi. That said, I would consider the Lamy Cursive nib to be an excellent introduction to both styles. For $23, you can get a sense of whether this type of nib would work for your personal style of handwriting without permanently modifying a more expensive pen or nib in your collection. If you decide you’d like sharper edges with a thinner vertical line and more definition on the cross-stroke, then you may want to try a true architect. If you find you enjoy the ability to vary the line width by adjusting your writing angle, then perhaps you try a Kodachi or a Perspective. And you may even find that the Lamy Cursive nib suits you just fine, and you can move it between your various Lamy pens!

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Writing samples from four different pens. There is some slight variation even between my two Lamy Cursive nibs, with the top one showing slightly less line variation than the bottom (though this could also be due to the Yama-Budo being a wetter ink.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’m glad to see Lamy offering additional options for their swappable nibs, and honestly was surprised that they went this route with such a specialized grind. We’re now able to offer the Cursive nibs directly in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and have them available for purchase at $23. If you’re interested in learning how to swap them, check out this short YouTube demonstration I did last week. I’m also happy to install one of these nibs for you, and will do so with the purchase of any Cursive Nib + any Lamy Safari or AL-Star fountain pen if you message me after placing your order. Just use the “Contact” link on the navigation bar.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid advertising or third-party affiliate links.

Exploring Custom Nibs: Custom Nib Studio "Perspective" Grind

When I was choosing pens to take on this latest trip, I leaned heavily towards loading up on specialty nib grinds that are an absolute joy to write with, because I really want to get some fun writing done. Whether that be journaling, a bit of “work” on the blog as opposed to the store, or simply playing around with pens, inks, and nibs, I feel like I haven’t had the chance to truly step away from the grind in a while. With that in mind, it’s a complete no-brainer that one of the pens I’d choose to take with me is my Pelikan M800 featuring the “Perspective” nib grind from Gena Salorino at Custom Nib Studio. Put simply, this nib is a joy to write with, whatever your specific use case.

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This grind is a bit difficult to describe. Gena’s Perspective Nib combines the vertical/horizontal line variation of an architect with the variable line-width of a Naginata as you raise or lower the writing angle. It even writes an incredibly smooth XXF point on the reverse. The result might be the most versatile nib I’ve used. The standard writing angle can best be described as a forgiving medium architect, excellent for everyday writing because it omits sharp edges while still offering character and line variation. What sets this nib apart, however, is the fact that it can serve as an “all-in-one” workhorse. For example, I typically enjoy writing with a medium nib, but also need to be able to alternately write larger and smaller to highlight/underline and annotate, respectively. The Perspective lets you do it all with one pen.

One nib, four different writing options. The ink is Laban Poseidon Green.

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From underneath, the Perspective grind appears almost wedge-shaped. You can see the tipping get wider, allowing you to write a wider line as you lower the angle.

I often talk about nib grinds as a way to salvage pens that you “like” but don’t “love”. Here, I asked Gena to modify the medium nib on my Pelikan M800 Stone Garden - a true workhorse pen that wrote too broad and wet a line for the type of writing I was doing. It bled through most of the paper used in my office (since we’ve recently cut costs even more and apparently gone even cheaper.) Paired with this grind, the M800 has arguably moved into my Top 5 Personal Pens, and I plan to send at least three more pens to Gena for the “Perspective” treatment.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

While you should absolutely take this glowing review with a grain of salt, since opinions on nib grinds reflect the personal preferences and use cases of the writer, the Perspective Nib from Custom Nib Studio is currently my favorite specialty nib grind. (I will say that everyone who has tried this nib - lefties included - has enjoyed it as well.) Fans of architect and Naginata-style nibs will certainly want to give this one a try.

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If I’m working, and want to emphasize something that I wrote, it’s nice to be able to lower the angle for a bold underline.

The Perspective Grind costs $55. You can read more about this and other grinds Gena offers on the Custom Nib Studio website, or you can visit them at a pen show, where they’re regular attendees, though you’ll either want to take advantage of early sign-up prior to arrival at the show, or get there very early on show days for the best chance of getting a table slot.

This review is part of a larger review series on custom nib grinds. You can follow along here. I purchased the nib grind featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use. I was not compensated for this review, and all opinions expressed are my own. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Updated "Resources": Custom and Specialty Nibs

I’m traveling this weekend, but during a bit of downtime this morning I finalized my latest update to the site resources: a page aggregating all of the previous reviews and posts on specialty and custom nibs. I plan to supplement this as I work my way though a longer ongoing project in which I’m taking the time to compare and review different specialty grinds from many different pen companies and nib grinders. Honestly, this project will probably never be complete, but since nib grinds and nib customization have become such a huge part of the “experience,” I figured a resource like this would be helpful. Enjoy!

Exploring Stock Custom Nibs: The Esterbrook Needlepoint by Kirk Speer

In my past few pen show reviews, particularly my review of the Baltimore Pen Show, I remarked on how there are many more nib grinders working at pen shows than there used to be. The result is not only shorter wait times and more options for those looking to tune or customize their fountain pens to their personal preferences, but a wider range of styles and specialties that only make this hobby more fun and more interesting.

A secondary benefit to having more working nib grinders is yet another trend: manufacturers offering pre-ground specialty nibs as an add-on to standard pens. While Franklin-Christoph has done this for years, with their Masuyama, SIG, and Nagahara-ground nibs, Esterbrook now offers a cursive italic (“Journaler”), an architect (“Scribe”), and now a needlepoint, from Kirk Speer of Pen Realm.

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This Kirk Speer needlepoint nib from Esterbrook balances a narrow line with smooth writing.

Needlepoint grinds, or “extra, extra-fine” or “ultra-extra fine” nibs, aren’t necessarily as popular among enthusiasts as stubs, italics, and architects. They require you to use light writing pressure, or else the sharp tip will dig into the paper, and even with a light hand needlepoint nibs can feel toothy, which some people consider “scratchy.” That said, if you have small handwriting, or need a fountain pen to use for annotations or marginalia, I’m a firm believer that you need at least one needlepoint nib in your collection.

Kirk ground this needlepoint from a fine, as opposed to an extra-fine. Having more tipping to work with on the original nib often leads to better results, in my experience, especially if you value smoothness.

This particular nib, ground for Esterbrook by Kirk Speer of Pen Realm, is smoother than most needlepoints I’ve used, making it a perfect nib for those who want something that writes a narrower line than your typical JoWo steel extra fine nib, but isn’t so fine that it can’t easily be used for everyday writing. I would compare this needlepoint nib to a standard Japanese extra-fine nib (or even some Japanese fine nibs), rather than something like the Platinum Ultra-Extra Fine or the Franklin-Christoph Nagahara nibs. That said, because these nibs are ground by hand, there will lbe at least some variation between them, and the nib I received may not be identical to every nib out there.

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Comparing the line from a Platinum Ultra-Extra Fine Nib (top), the Franklin-Christoph Nagahara needlepoint (middle), and the Esterbrook by Kirk Speer needlepoint (bottom). The Esterbrook nib writes a wider line, but is much smoother and better for everyday writing than the other two, which many people find too toothy. (I personally love them, but I have situations where I need to write very, very small.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Esterbrook has done the pen community a great service by introducing these custom nib options into its standard lineup, and by making it easier to get a custom nib grind as an add-on to your purchase of an Esterbrook pen without having to travel to a pen show or separately send your pen off to a nib grinder for what can be a weeks-long waiting period. While an ultra-fine needlepoint grind may not be for everyone, I found this particular nib to be well-made, and it will have a permanent home among my various Esties.

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The Esterbrook featured here is the Honeycomb with Chrome Trim, one of my favorite materials.

You can purchase the nib and pen featured in this review from most Esterbrook retailers, including our friends at Vanness Pens. Typically, the custom-ground Esterbrook nibs cost an additional $48, with most of the markup going to cover the cost of the nib work. (To compare, having a pen ground to a needlepoint typically costs around $50, excluding the cost of shipping.) If you’re interested in further exploring Kirk’s work and having him grind or modify a pen for you, visit his site at Pen Realm.

Further Reading

Those interested in reading further on different types of custom nib grinds should start with this post I wrote a couple of years ago. In terms of other specialty Esterbrook nibs, I have reviewed the Esterbrook “Journaler” nib - a cursive italic nib ground by Gena Salorino of Custom Nib Studio, which is still available. There is also an architect nib, the “Scribe”, ground by Josh Lax of J.J. Lax Pen Co., which I’ve not had the opportunity to try but I have used Josh’s architect nibs and enjoy them.

Disclaimer: Esterbrook provided me with the nib featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases made through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

State of the Collection: My Franklin-Christoph Fountain Pens after Baltimore

I’ve not written about my Franklin-Christoph fountain pens in a while, even though the brand has been a mainstay of my “daily workhorse” rotation for years now. Previously my collecting has focused on the Model 20 “Marietta” fountain pen, the slip-cap pen that’s one of my all-time favorites, especially for showing off acrylics and other materials. In recent years, however, I’ve expanded my repertoire and added several new pens in different models, including the Model 31 “Omnis”, the Model 02 “Intrinsic”, and the Model 45.

From left: two Model 31 fountain pens, four Model 20s (still my favorite), a Model 02, and a Model 45.

Even if I don’t end up purchasing anything, browsing the prototype trays at the Franklin-Christoph tables is one of my favorite pen show experiences. (It’s rare that you don’t end up walking away from the table with something.) This past weekend, I purchased the Model 02 and Model 45 shown here, both in this dark flecked acrylic with scattered gold, burgundy, blue, and green. (I believe this material is called “Cathedral,” and it’s made appearances at pen shows in the past but I was never able to snag it in a pen model that appealed to me. I’m still looking for a Model 20.)

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The Model 02 features this material on the section and finial, with the slightly blue-tinted “Antique Glass” body.

Another reason I never feel guilty about picking up more Franklin-Christoph pens is because the purchase includes a tuned JoWo nib, with numerous specialty grinds available for a small uncharge. In addition to Franklin-Christoph’s own excellent in-house nib grinds, you can opt for work done by Japanese nib crafter Yukio Nagahara. I chose Nagahara needlepoint nibs for both of the pens shown here. I haven’t inked these pens up yet, but you can expect these pens (and these nibs) will get a full write-up sooner rather than later.

Catch Up on the Rest of My Baltimore Pen Show Adventures

You can read my full recap of the 2022 Baltimore Pen Show here, and you can also view additional show photos on my Instagram, including in the Stories where the pics and running commentary are saved to the highlights. I got home late last night, so I’m still getting settled, but you can expect the blog to resume a normal schedule this week.

Finally, T.G.S. Curated Shop orders are no longer delayed and will ship within the typical 2-3 business days. All orders placed during my absence started shipping out LATE last night and will continue through the weekend. Many thanks for all your support!