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Two nibs that are finer than fine: FPnibs XXF, Platinum UEF

I love a good fine nib, I really do.

Several reasons spring to mind: most importantly, you can write smaller, more legibly — great when scribbling on printouts, for example. They also tend to perform better on inferior paper, because they lay down less link. Which also means they last longer on a single fill. But to me what’s most compelling perhaps is that it takes real skill to make a fine nib that doesn’t feel like you’re dragging a needle across the page.

Which is why I have so many finer-nibbed pens in my collection. Yet the diversity of what manufacturers call “fine” is astounding: from the huge firehouse of the Pelikan M1000, to the much more petite and drier lines of Pilots and other Eastern brands like TWSBI.

What this means is that you can’t be sure what you’re getting just from the designation, and of course then you have to throw in the individual variation between nibs, and the effects of ink and paper. In other words, it’s a crapshoot.

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Every one of these nibs is at least a fine. Life’s a box of chocolates.

However. There’s absolutely zero ambiguity about these two nibs. I mean, anything called “Extra Extra Fine” or “Ultra Extra Fine” is pretty unequivocal, right?

The XXF here is fitted to my Kaweco Al Sport and loaded with Noodler’s Tiananmen, writing on Rhodia.

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Not the prettiest nib, but it works!

It was ground for me by Pablo at FPnibs.com, which I’ve talked about here previously. He used a Kaweco EF as a base. Including the source nib and shipping, it cost me about 20 quid.

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The business end.

And, as you can see, it is very, very fine. A little scratchy — it rewards a light touch — but honestly it’s very usable indeed.

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Can I just say, I love this ink?

For comparison, this UEF is a factory model on the Platinum 3776, which I have in the translucent Bourgogne red.

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Yep, that’s a needlepoint.

Here it’s loaded with Organics Studio Arsenic Grey, which is a new ink for me, and it’s giving me some hard starts here, even when protected under the Slip ‘n’ Seal cap. I say that because I’ve used this UEF extensively and it’s never given me any problems with other inks.

And I can say hand on heart that it’s smooth and capable even when scribbling fast. You don’t have to baby it or save it for special occasions. Which you may be tempted to do: there are precious few pens available from the factory even in conventional EF nowadays, so to have a UEF available from Platinum for about 70 quid is pretty sensational.

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Yep, those are standard Rhodia dots!

So, two great options for needle-lovers in Europe. Pablo will also grind TWSBI nibs, so for example an XXF Eco could be yours for 50 quid or so. He even does an XXXF, if you’re feeling adventurous. And I have to say, this low-cost, modular approach to nib grinding appeals to me much more than buying a 300 quid pen and sending it off to a nibmeister for irreversible alteration. That seems risky.

If you want to stick with OEM, Sailor still offers a UEF-equivalent called the Saibi-Togi, but it’s considerably more expensive (and by some accounts higher maintenance). If you’re happy to have a nib that’s slightly wider, of course you can buy a perfectly standard EF from Sailor, Pilot or Platinum, and be satisfied.

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It was all going so well until the Arsenic Grey blobbed and poisoned things…

8 Comments

  1. exquisitecorpse2016

    It’s a skill to use finer nibs. If its a firm nib, I am okay. But its the flexible nibs I have a harder time with.
    When I used the osmiroid 65, my favourites were the inter medium-fine and the fine/medium hard nibs. 🙂

    • Anthony

      I have had a couple of the Pilot Fine-medium – it’s just the right width I found for daily use. You’re right that the flex nibs take skill. I have two FA nibs and they reward practice.

      • exquisitecorpse2016

        The exception is the Dollar brand Qalam 717. That nib is specifically for Arabic and Urdu calligraphy. But it takes pressure for line variation. Its not a flexible nib or it would be destroyed. 🙂

  2. rupertarzeian

    For years, I have been a Medium nib person and it is only recently that I have got into Fine nibs. My current particular favourites are Cleo Skribent”s Fine steel nib and Kaweco”s Extra Fine. I have not tried UEF or EEF yet but it worth remembering that turning the pen over for reverse writing often gives you a useful one grade finer.

    • Anthony

      Good tip, indeed! My tastes have gravitated to finer nibs over the past couple of years, too.

  3. The Economical Penster

    I used to think I had small handwriting — until I got into this hobby and learned otherwise! The legibility of your handwriting at micro scale is impressive. 🙂

  4. David

    There is a good chance your factory fresh Platinum nib may need some minor tine alignment right out of the box. Be sure to use a loupe or hand magnifier to inspect your work. The Platinum 3776 Century is a great pen for the money. I see they are going for $72 each on Amazon as I write this. My favorite is the Bourgogne version.

    • Anthony

      I’ve been lucky: three Platinums, all perfect out of the box. But I agree that a loupe is a worthy investment. My Belomo was a bargain.

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