Editing Fountain pen (section)

===Nib flexibility===
[[Flex nibs|Flexibility]] is a function of several factors. One is the nib material's resilience; another is its thickness. Finally there is the nib's shape, with longer tines offering more flexibility than short tines, while greater curvature increases stiffness.<ref>{{cite web|title=Grading Flex Nibs|url=http://www.vintagepen.net/grading-flex-nibs.html|website=VintagePen|access-date=26 July 2016|archive-date=27 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427121120/http://www.vintagepen.net/grading-flex-nibs.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Contrary to common belief, material alone does not determine a nib's flexibility. Gold alloys of greater purity (18K, or 750/1000 gold) will on average be softer and less springy than alloys of lower purity (14K, or 585/1000 gold), but whatever the alloy its resilience can be altered considerably in manufacture by means of controlled work-hardening.<ref name="www.richardspens.com materials" />

[[Image:Swan nib.jpg|thumb|Mabie Todd Swan flexible 14k nib]]

Fountain pens dating from the first half of the 20th century are more likely to have flexible nibs, suited to the favored handwriting styles of the period (e.g. [[Copperplate script]] and [[Spencerian script]]). By the 1940s, writing preferences had shifted towards stiffer nibs that could withstand the greater pressure required for writing through [[carbon paper]] to create duplicate documents.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Binder|first1=Richard|title=Rethinking The Value of Steel Nibs|url=http://www.richardspens.com/xf/2011/05.htm|website=Richard Binder's Pens|access-date=27 July 2016|archive-date=26 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426190014/http://www.richardspens.com/xf/2011/05.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Furthermore, competition between the major pen brands such as Parker and Waterman, and the introduction of lifetime guarantees, meant that flexible nibs could no longer be supported profitably. In countries where this rivalry was not present to the same degree, such as the UK and Germany, flexible nibs are more common.<ref name="gentleman">{{cite web|title=Fountain Pen Guide|url=https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/fountain-pen-guide/|website=Gentleman's Gazette|date=8 May 2015|access-date=27 July 2016|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112015410/https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/fountain-pen-guide/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nowadays, stiff nibs are the norm as people exchange between fountain pens and other writing modes. These more closely emulate the ballpoint pens most modern writers are experienced with. Despite being rigid and firm, the idea that steel nibs write "horribly" is a misconception.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Binder|first1=Richard|title=To the Point: Steal the Steel|url=http://www.richardspens.com/?page=xf/2011/05.htm|website=Richard Binder's Pens|access-date=26 July 2016|archive-date=20 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820172945/http://www.richardspens.com/?page=xf/2011/05.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> More flexible nibs can be easily damaged if excessive pressure is applied to them. Ideally, a fountain pen's nib glides across the paper using the ink as a lubricant, and writing requires no pressure.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Good quality nibs that have been used appropriately are long lasting, often lasting longer than the lifetime of the original owner. Many vintage pens with decades-old nibs can still be used today.<ref>{{cite web|title=How to Collect and Buy Vintage Fountain Pens|url=http://www.artofmanliness.com/2015/11/19/writing-with-history-how-to-collect-and-buy-vintage-fountain-pens/|website=The Art of Manliness|access-date=27 July 2016|date=19 November 2015|archive-date=12 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312064300/https://www.artofmanliness.com/2015/11/19/writing-with-history-how-to-collect-and-buy-vintage-fountain-pens/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Image:Hero329nibsgal1.JPG|thumb|Hooded nib of a [[The Shanghai Hero Pen Company|Hero]] pen]]
[[Image:Parker 50 (falcon) nib.jpg|thumb|The Integral Nib of a Parker 50 (Falcon)]]