Cursive Italic on JoWo Broad

July 11, 2019

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If you’re unsure where to start on your custom-nib journey, a Cursive Italic can be a great first (or second, or third, or fourth…) grind! The broader the tipping size you start out with, the more line-width variation you’ll be able to see. That means that the down strokes will be broader, making them more distinct from the narrow cross-strokes. Cursive Italic grinds do require some getting used to, though; they can’t be rotated while writing.

This Cursive Italic grind was done on a Broad JoWo nib on a beautiful Newton Pens body. The ink is Waterman Serenity Blue.

July 1, 2019

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From the Workshop

Needlepoint Nib Grind

July 1, 2019

gena salorino

From the Workshop

Needlepoint nibs (sometimes called an “Accountant’s Point”) are definitely not for everyone! By definition they are very, very, very fine, and the trade-off is this: they aren’t so smooth. But what you lose in smoothness, you gain in precision, detail, and the ability to make a hairline-thin mark.

Although best suited for an experienced fountain pen user, needlepoint nibs are great for journaling, drawing, and small writing. I’ve heard from some mathematicians and scientists that they’re also great for notations.

This Needlepoint was done on a Bock #8 Fine Titanium nib.

June 23, 2019

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From the Workshop

Cursive Italic on a Sailor Nib

June 23, 2019

gena salorino

From the Workshop

Today I had the honor of grinding a Sailor 1911 14k Medium nib to a Cursive Italic. Sailor nibs are a joy to work on; the consistency of the craftsmanship with which they are made is fantastic. They rarely need tuning out of the box. Not to mention, they look beautiful!

While a Cursive Italic grind on a Medium nib won’t give you as dramatic an example of line-width variation compared to a Broad nib (or larger!), it can be a more useful grind—not too enormous or wet-writing. This allows the pen to offer an exciting flourish while remaining useful for daily tasks like journaling, to-do lists, or other not-huge-sized writing projects.

Questions about getting a Cursive Italic grind of your own? Send me an email!