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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T V W Z

Glossar Letter N

Nib
Feder
Pennino
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.
Nib : reverse oblique
See oblique nib.
Nib: Accounting nib = manifold nib
Durchschreibefeder
One of several names for fine nibs used by bookkeepers. Also called "posting" nibs."
Nib: adjustable nib
a gauge on top of the nib controls the degree of flexibility.
Nib: Body
Feder: Körper
pennino: corpo
Nib: Flexible Nib
Flexible Feder
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.
Nib: Grinding
Federn Schleifen, Federschliff
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.
Nib: iridium point
Pennino: punta iridio
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. "
Nib: Manifold = accounting nib
Durchschreibefeder
Manifold
the opposite of flexible in a nib - one that is rigid. Manifold nibs were popular for bookeeping and pressing through multiple copies.
Nib: music nib
Feder: Musikfeder
pennino: pennino da musica
A true music nib has 3 tines and 2 vent holes and is used for writing music notes.
Nib: Oblique
Oblik
Pennino: Obbliquo
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.
Nib: slit
Federschlitz
Fessura del pennino
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.
Nib: Straightening
Federn richten
Bent tines and body of the nib can be brought back into shape. Sometimes called "burnishing" of a nib. "
Nib: Stub
Stub
Stub
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.
Nib: Tines
Federschenkel
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.
Nib: two tone nib
Feder, Zweifarbige Feder
Pennino a due colori
Gold nib with a 2 color effect - usually achieved by partly masking the nib and subsequent platinum or Rhodium plating.
Nib: vent hole
Luftloch
foro del pennino
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.
Nib: Warranted nib
14k gold "generic" nib - not usually or necessarily produced by or for the pens manufacturer. "
Nibsizes:
Federstärken:
Nibsizes: B, BB, BBB
Federstärken: B, BB, BBB
Broad, Double Broad, Triple Broad
Nibsizes: F, EF
Federstärken: F, EF
Fine, Extrafine
Nibsizes: K Ballpoint tips
Federstärken: K = Kugelspitzfeder
Balltype shaped Iridium tips, KF, KM, KB ecc.
Nibsizes: M
Federstärken: M
Medium tip
Nibsizes: Pan Nib or Flat Tip
Pfannenfeder
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.
Nibsizes: Stub
Federstärken: Stub
Flat and sharp cut of the nib, for calligraphic writing,
nickel silver
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.
No-name
No-name
No-name
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.
NOS
MINT
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.
Nozac
Nozac
Nozac
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.""
NPT
nickel plated trim