Why are some nibs smoother than other nibs?
A great question – many people seek smooth nibs, whereas others like nibs with a little feedback. The tipping on the end of the tines are finely polished – the more polished they are, the smoother the writing experience tends to be. Nibs that offer feedback feel a little more ‘toothy’ than smooth nibs, because they are not as polished.
There is the risk of over polishing tipping material, which results in syndrome known as Baby’s Bottom. When this happens, the tipping material is polished so much that the shape of the tip pulls away from the page, hampering the ink’s capillary action and thus, the ink’s flow. A properly polished nib should not have this issue.
Either way, a very smooth nib can be just as enjoyable as a nib with a little feedback, and vice versa.
