the metal writing point of a fountain pen. Usually made of gold but sometimes gold-plated or plain steel. Usually tipped with iridium or another hard metal. Some early dip pens had glass nibs.

See oblique nib.

One of several names for fine nibs used by bookkeepers. Also called "posting" nibs."

a gauge on top of the nib controls the degree of flexibility.

The softer the gold, the thinner the metal is, the longer the tines of the nib, the flatter the shoulders of the nib - the more flexible a nib is - say: upon pressure, the slit of the nib opens wider which allows more variation of the thickness of the lines written.
Important to have a "memory" - an elastic flexible nib alway returns to its original position. Without memory, the nib is simply bent and ruined.
18 K nibs are softer in the gold, but the 14 K nibs are more elastic with more memory.
Superflex and flex nibs would always be 14 K nibs.

The process of shaping the iridium tip on a stone or a wheel. Tips are 1. polished into shape on a rough and rockhard stone or wheel, then polished on finer and finest stones.

Gold being too "soft" and susceptible to wear for continued writing, nibs need to be "tipped" with a more durable material. Although other metals were also used, iridium has become the common term to refer to all tipping material. Most Iridium for vintage pens was mined in Russia. "

the opposite of flexible in a nib - one that is rigid. Manifold nibs were popular for bookeeping and pressing through multiple copies.

A true music nib has 3 tines and 2 vent holes and is used for writing music notes.

A nib ground at a left or right angle for those who hold the pen at an angle. Obliques are usually associated with broad or stub nibs.

The cut, through tip and nib up to the venthole of the nib - the ink is drawn through this slit onwards to the tip, from where is is drawn onto the paper, upon contact with the paper surface.

Bent tines and body of the nib can be brought back into shape. Sometimes called "burnishing" of a nib. "

a nib that has a blunt end and produces a wide line on downstrokes and a narrow one on cross-strokes. Stubs were made in fine, medium and broad widths. They are similar to calligraphy nibs and have become popular among vintage pen users.

Left and right parts of the nib divided by the nib slit are the tines of the nib.
Long tines create a more felxible nib. Short tines are more rigid.

Gold nib with a 2 color effect - usually achieved by partly masking the nib and subsequent platinum or Rhodium plating.

Hole in the nib which allows air to displace ink in the bladder or barrel. Also could be on the feed instead of the nib.

14k gold "generic" nib - not usually or necessarily produced by or for the pens manufacturer. "

Broad, Double Broad, Triple Broad

Fine, Extrafine

Balltype shaped Iridium tips, KF, KM, KB ecc.

Medium tip

A tip, shaped like a pan, that flatly meets the paper. Pan nib styles are found with steel dip pens, but e.g. Pelikan as well did offer offer the S nib - Scheibenfeder (= disc) - similar in design the the pan nib.

Flat and sharp cut of the nib, for calligraphic writing,

Also called German silver, this non-precious alloy was used in making trim for some vintage fountain pens. Resembles silver but, unlike silver is tarnish resistant.

A pen or pencil with no markings to indicate the manufacturer. Many minor makers did not put their company's name on their products. These are most often cheap instruments, but some are of surprisingly high quality.

New Old Stock - items that remained in stores unsold & in stock. They are as they were shipped from the factory. While MIB (mint in box) items may have been purchased & never used, NOS were never even purchased.

a twist-piston filler by Conklin introduced in 1931. Early models were round, but later pens were faceted. Nozacs came in several sizes and colors including a herringbone pattern. Some had "word guages," markings on the barrel that supposedly told the writer how many words were left in the ink supply. This was an early sac-less pen, and the name Nozak was a takeoff on " no sac.""

nickel plated trim