Fountain Pen Nib Sizes Explained: EF, F, M, B, BB & Stub
Which fountain pen nib size should you choose? Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad and Double Broad may look like a simple progression from thin to thick, but nib size is only part of the story. The brand, ink, paper, ink flow, tipping shape and even the way you hold your pen can change the line you see on the page.
When I first entered the fountain pen hobby, choosing a nib was relatively simple. Many brands offered only three basic options. Today, it is not unusual to see a fountain pen offered with ten, fifteen or even more nib choices once different widths, soft nibs, flex nibs, stubs and specialty grinds are included.
So we decided it was time to make a proper guide.
For this article, I sat down with Meltem Hazarhun, Galen Leather's nib meister, who professionally tunes and grinds fountain pen nibs. Rather than simply listing nib sizes, we wanted to explain how they behave in real use: why two Fine nibs may not write exactly the same, why Japanese nibs are often finer than European ones, how paper and ink change apparent line width, and what Meltem looks for when helping someone choose a nib.
You can also explore our fountain pen nibs and custom nib grinds, JoWo fountain pen nibs and full fountain pen collection.
Quick Guide: Which Fountain Pen Nib Size Should I Choose?
| Writing Style / Use | Meltem's Starting Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Small handwriting | Fine |
| Very small handwriting | Extra Fine |
| Large handwriting | Broad |
| First fountain pen | Medium |
| One pen for almost everything | Medium |
| Fast note-taking | Fine |
| Long writing sessions | Medium |
| Small planner | Extra Fine or Fine |
| Detailed drawing | Extra Fine |
| General sketching | Fine |
| Signatures | Stub |
| Sheen, shading or shimmer | Broad, Double Broad or Stub |
| Absorbent office paper | Extra Fine or Fine |
| Tomoe River and similar paper | Almost any nib size |
These are starting points rather than fixed rules. The best nib is the one that suits your handwriting, paper, ink and writing habits.
What Do EF, F, M, B and BB Mean?
The letters engraved on a fountain pen nib describe its approximate writing width. UEF means Ultra Extra Fine, EF means Extra Fine, F means Fine, M means Medium, B means Broad and BB means Double Broad.
You can loosely compare the idea to mechanical pencil leads such as 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 mm. The important difference is that fountain pen nib labels are not universal millimeter standards. A Fine nib from one manufacturer does not necessarily make exactly the same line as a Fine nib from another.
Why Can Two Nibs Marked Fine Write Differently?
At the end of a fountain pen nib is a very small piece of extremely hard material called the tipping. This is welded to the nib and then shaped, cut, polished and adjusted. Small differences in this manufacturing process can change the final contact surface.
That means even two nibs from the same manufacturer and marked with the same width can have slightly different geometry. In Meltem's experience, these differences are often too small for most people to notice during ordinary writing, although they can become obvious under magnification.
Meltem's note: Two nibs do not have to look microscopically identical to write equally well. The important question is whether the nib performs properly on paper.
What Actually Determines Line Width?
The line you see on paper is shaped by much more than the letter stamped on the nib. Tipping size and geometry are the starting point, but tine spacing, ink flow, feed design, ink behavior, paper absorbency, writing angle and even writing pressure can all change the final result.
This is why a wet Fine can sometimes appear surprisingly close to a dry Medium, and why the same nib may look broader on an absorbent office paper than on a well-controlled fountain pen paper.
Extra Fine Nibs – EF
Extra Fine nibs are particularly useful for people with very small handwriting, compact planners, technical notes and detailed drawing. They are also practical when you regularly write on paper that was never designed for fountain pens.
Because an EF usually lays down less ink, it can reduce feathering and bleed-through on absorbent paper. The trade-off is that ink effects such as shading and sheen are often less obvious, and the small contact surface can make paper texture easier to feel.
EF nibs also have a reputation for being scratchy, but Meltem considers this an oversimplification. A properly aligned EF can be very smooth. It may simply communicate more feedback from the paper than a wider nib.
Fine Nibs – F
Fine is one of the most versatile nib sizes. It works well for everyday handwriting, office notes, journaling, smaller handwriting and long periods of writing where you do not want to put too much ink on the page.
For someone accustomed to a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil, Fine can be a useful conceptual starting point, although the actual fountain pen line will vary with brand, ink and paper.
Meltem also likes Fine for quick notes because it combines good control with relatively fast drying.
Medium Nibs – M
If Meltem knows nothing about a new fountain pen user's handwriting, Medium is her general starting recommendation.
Medium nibs offer a useful balance between smoothness, ink expression and practicality. They are also among the most widely available nib grades across fountain pen brands.
The broader contact surface can make a Medium feel more forgiving than a very fine nib, while still being practical enough for ordinary daily writing.
If Meltem had to recommend one general-purpose nib to a new user: Medium.
Broad and Double Broad Nibs – B & BB
Broad and Double Broad nibs are where fountain pen ink begins to show much more of its character. Because they put more ink on the page, shading, sheen, shimmer and subtle color differences become easier to see.
They work particularly well for people with larger handwriting and for users who enjoy ink as much as the pen itself.
“The broader the nib, the more of the ink's character you can see.” — Meltem
Meltem's own favorite standard round nib, if she had to choose only one, would be a Broad.
What Is a Stub Nib?
A normal Broad nib has a rounded contact shape and produces relatively similar horizontal and vertical line widths. A Stub is shaped differently: downstrokes are broader while horizontal strokes are thinner.
The result is natural line variation and a more calligraphic appearance, even during ordinary handwriting.
A 1.1 mm Stub can absolutely be used every day. The main limitation is handwriting size. If your letters are very small, the broader strokes can close the internal spaces of letters and reduce legibility.
We will explore Stub, Italic, Architect, Oblique, Needlepoint and other specialty shapes in our separate Fountain Pen Nib Grinds Explained guide.
Japanese vs European Fountain Pen Nibs
One of the most useful generalizations in fountain pens is that Japanese nibs usually write finer than European nibs carrying the same letter designation.
A Japanese Fine will often be close to a European Extra Fine, while a Japanese Medium may sit near a European Fine. But these are practical comparisons, not universal rules.
At the broader end of the scale, comparisons become even less reliable because manufacturers may use very different tipping shapes. Some European Broad and Double Broad nibs can have a flatter, slightly Stub-like character, while others retain a rounder tipping geometry.
Some Brand Characteristics Meltem Notices
In Meltem's experience, Sailor nibs tend to write fine and have a more rigid, pencil-like feedback. Pilot nibs generally feel balanced, smooth and consistent. Pelikan nibs often write broader than many other manufacturers carrying the same nominal size.
These are general tendencies rather than guarantees for every pen ever produced.
Meltem's Experience With Pilot Nibs
One observation stood out during our conversation:
“I personally haven't encountered a problematic Pilot nib straight out of the box.”
This is Meltem's own professional experience rather than a claim that defective Pilot nibs cannot exist, but it illustrates how noticeable differences in consistency can be between manufacturers.
Paper Can Change How Wide Your Nib Looks
The same fountain pen, nib and ink can make visibly different lines on different papers. This happens because the surface treatment and absorbency of the paper determine how quickly the ink travels into and across the fibers.
On absorbent paper, ink can spread sideways, making the line appear broader and causing feathering. On good fountain pen paper, the ink remains closer to the surface, keeping lines controlled and allowing effects such as shading and sheen to appear.
If you want to explore this further, see our guides to Tomoe River Paper, Cosmo Air Light Paper and our fountain pen friendly notebooks guide.
A simple experiment is to take one pen and one ink and write the same sentence on several papers. You may see changes in line width, drying time, saturation, shading, sheen and even the amount of feedback you feel through the nib.
As Meltem puts it, changing paper and ink can sometimes alter the writing experience more dramatically than changing the pen itself.
Wet Nib vs Broad Nib
A Broad nib describes the physical size and geometry of the tipping. A wet nib describes how much ink reaches the paper. They are related, but they are not the same thing.
A very wet EF can sometimes approach the appearance of a drier Fine, while a dry Medium may not look dramatically broader than a wet Fine. Meltem would not normally expect an EF to jump two full grades and behave like a Medium, but a one-grade visual overlap can certainly happen.
What Makes a Nib Wet or Dry?
Ink flow depends on the relationship between the tines, slit, feed, ink channels, nib-to-feed contact and the ink itself. If the tines are too tightly closed, the nib may become excessively dry or fail to write. If the gap is too large, the flow can become uncontrolled and the capillary system may eventually stop working correctly.
The goal is not maximum ink flow. It is controlled ink flow.
How Ink Changes Nib Performance
Two inks can make the same nib feel surprisingly different. A wetter ink can make the line appear broader and darker, while a drier ink may make the nib feel more controlled and produce a narrower-looking line.
This becomes particularly noticeable in EF and Fine nibs because small changes in flow represent a larger proportion of the final line width.
For very fine nibs, Meltem generally recommends starting with straightforward, well-behaved fountain pen inks whose flow is predictable. Highly saturated sheen inks and shimmer inks introduce more variables.
Can You Use Shimmer Ink in an EF Nib?
Yes, but it may not be the easiest combination. Shimmer particles can move through fine nib systems, but they can also interrupt flow more easily, especially if ink is allowed to dry inside the nib and feed.
If shimmer is one of the main reasons you enjoy fountain pen ink, Meltem generally prefers Broad, Double Broad or Stub nibs because the larger ink flow also makes the shimmer much easier to see.
Sheen, Shading and Shimmer
These three effects are often grouped together, but they are different. Sheen is a reflective secondary color that appears when certain inks dry in a concentrated layer. Shading is the variation between lighter and darker areas of the same written stroke. Shimmer comes from reflective particles physically suspended in the ink.
Broad, Double Broad and Stub nibs tend to display all three more dramatically simply because they place more ink across a larger area.
Choosing a Nib for Ordinary Office Paper
If you cannot control the paper you use, nib selection becomes more important. Cheap or highly absorbent paper is more likely to feather, bleed through and make the line appear wider.
For unpredictable office paper, Meltem generally starts with Extra Fine or Fine. On better quality office paper, Fine or Medium may work perfectly well.
Choosing a Nib for Tomoe River and Fountain Pen Paper
Good fountain pen paper gives you much more freedom. On Tomoe River and similar papers, you can use everything from EF to BB and Stub without the uncontrolled spreading common on poor-quality paper.
This is also where wider nibs become especially enjoyable because the paper allows ink properties to remain visible instead of simply absorbing them.
How to Choose a Nib for Your Handwriting
If your handwriting is small, Fine is a practical starting point, with EF reserved for especially compact writing. Larger handwriting is often better balanced by Medium, Broad or even Double Broad nibs.
For quick notes, Fine or Medium generally works well because drying times remain manageable. For small planners, EF and Fine are useful because they fit easily inside narrow boxes. For sketching, Fine gives a versatile line while EF is excellent for very small details.
For signatures and decorative writing, Meltem likes Stub nibs because the natural line variation adds character without requiring formal calligraphy technique.
What About Left-Handed Writers?
There is no single nib size for left-handed users. The most important question is whether the writer's hand travels over freshly written lines.
If it does, a Fine or EF nib combined with a relatively dry or fast-drying ink can reduce smearing. An underwriter whose hand remains below the writing line may comfortably use much broader and wetter nibs.
Handedness alone should never decide the nib.
Your Writing Angle Matters
A person who holds the pen very steeply may find an extremely fine nib less forgiving, especially if they also apply pressure. A larger, rounder tipping surface can sometimes feel more comfortable.
A very low writing angle can also change which part of the tipping touches the page. This becomes especially important with specialty nib shapes such as Italic, Architect and Oblique.
Never Press a Fountain Pen Like a Ballpoint
A fountain pen should write primarily under its own weight. Excessive pressure can push the tines beyond their intended range and permanently deform the nib.
This is particularly important with gold nibs that feel springy. A springy nib is not necessarily a flex nib. If it was not designed to flex, forcing the tines apart can leave them permanently spread or disturb the relationship between the nib and feed.
Gold vs Steel Fountain Pen Nibs
One of the oldest assumptions in the fountain pen world is that a gold nib must be better than a steel nib. Meltem strongly disagrees.
“A badly adjusted gold nib can become an ordeal. A well-adjusted steel nib can write better than many gold nibs.”
Gold can give certain nib designs a pleasant springy feeling, but material alone does not determine smoothness, wetness or writing quality. The part actually touching the paper is the tipping material, while tuning, tine alignment, feed design and flow all play major roles.
Modern tipping is an extremely hard alloy. Although fountain pen users often call it “iridium,” it should not be assumed to be pure iridium.
We explore this terminology in more detail in What Does Iridium Point Germany Really Mean?.
14K vs 18K vs 21K Nibs
A higher gold content does not automatically make a nib smoother, softer or more flexible. The alloy, thickness, shoulder shape, tine length and overall engineering of the nib matter enormously.
This is why a 14K nib can be designed as a true flex nib while an 18K or 21K nib may remain relatively rigid.
Springy, Soft and Flex Are Not the Same Thing
A springy nib gives slightly under normal writing pressure and feels bouncy, but major line variation is not its purpose. A soft nib yields more easily and gives a cushioned feeling under normal writing pressure. A true flex nib is specifically designed so that its tines separate under controlled pressure and then reliably return to their original position.
Depending on the design, a flex nib may move from an EF or Fine line to Broad, Double Broad or even wider.
The important rule is simple: never try to force a normal springy nib into behaving like a flex nib.
Tipping Material: The Tiny Part That Changes Everything
The tipping is the small, extremely hard material welded to the end of the nib. Its final geometry strongly affects line width, smoothness, feedback, writing angle tolerance and line variation.
An EF generally has a smaller contact geometry than a Broad or Double Broad. But the tipping can also be deliberately reshaped by a nib meister into an Italic, Architect, Oblique, Needlepoint or other specialty grind.
Can a Fountain Pen Nib Be Too Smooth?
Yes. Smoothness is desirable, but incorrect polishing can cause problems.
One well-known example is baby's bottom, where the inner edges of the tipping are rounded in such a way that the ink channel no longer reaches the paper efficiently at normal writing pressure.
The nib may feel extremely smooth but hard-start, skip or fail to write on the first stroke. It may begin writing only after additional pressure is applied.
The solution is not simply more polishing. The tipping geometry must be corrected.
Feedback vs Scratchiness
Feedback and scratchiness are not the same thing.
Meltem compares feedback to the controlled sensation of a graphite pencil moving over paper. You can feel and hear the surface, but the nib does not catch.
Scratchiness is different: the nib digs into or catches the paper and creates an unpleasant cutting sensation. Misaligned tines, damaged tipping or an incorrect grind can all cause this.
Brands such as Sailor intentionally produce noticeable feedback. That is part of the writing character rather than a defect.
Feedback is not the same as scratchiness.
Should You Adjust a New Nib Immediately?
No. If a new nib does not feel right, Meltem recommends flushing the pen first, then trying a different known ink and another paper. Only after eliminating those variables should you assume that the nib itself requires intervention.
A loupe can be useful, but Meltem also warns against searching for microscopic imperfections in a nib that already writes perfectly well. The performance on paper matters more than achieving visually perfect symmetry under magnification.
Does a Fountain Pen Nib Break In to Your Hand?
With modern fountain pens, this is largely a myth. Modern tipping alloys are extremely hard and resist normal writing wear, so a modern nib should not significantly reshape itself around your handwriting.
If a nib becomes noticeably wetter because someone consistently writes with heavy pressure, the tines may actually be moving out of adjustment rather than harmlessly “breaking in.”
Vintage nibs can behave differently, which may be one reason this idea remains so common.
Should You Use Micromesh on Your Own Nib?
Only if you understand the problem you are trying to correct.
One of the most common mistakes is polishing a nib whose real problem is tine misalignment. Micromesh removes tipping material permanently, so incorrect use can turn a simple adjustment into a much larger problem.
Minor polishing can be learned, but manually spreading or closing the tines is considerably more risky.
When Should You Contact a Nib Meister?
If you have cleaned the pen, changed the ink, changed the paper and still have hard starts, skipping, scratchiness or abnormal flow, it is time to have the nib professionally inspected.
What Do #5, #6 and #8 Fountain Pen Nibs Mean?
This is a completely different measurement from EF, F, M and B.
EF, F, M and B describe writing width. Numbers such as #5, #6 and #8 describe the physical nib and feed size family.
In common JoWo systems, for example, a #6 nib is designed around a larger feed family than a #5 nib. These numbers should never be interpreted as writing widths.
You can see examples in our JoWo fountain pen nib collection.
Not every manufacturer uses this numbering system. Pilot and other brands have their own nib-size families, so their numbers should not be interpreted as direct JoWo equivalents.
Nib Color Does Not Tell You What the Nib Is Made Of
A gold-colored nib is not necessarily made of gold. Steel nibs can be plated or coated in gold tone, rose gold, black, ruthenium-style finishes, PVD coatings and iridescent finishes.
The underlying nib material should always be checked in the manufacturer's specifications rather than judged by color alone.
What Does the Feed Do?
The feed sits below the nib and controls how ink moves from the reservoir toward the nib slit while also helping manage the exchange of air into the pen.
Common feed materials include injection-molded plastics and ebonite. Ebonite is particularly useful in some high-flow and flex systems, but an ebonite feed is not automatically superior. The nib, feed, channels and overall adjustment have to work together.
What Is the Breather Hole?
The opening frequently seen near the end of the nib slit is commonly called the breather hole. It should not be thought of simply as the hole through which ink flows.
Modern fountain pen ink delivery depends primarily on the relationship between the feed, ink channels, nib slit and capillary action.
Who Actually Makes Fountain Pen Nibs?
Some major fountain pen companies manufacture their nibs entirely in-house, while others buy nibs or commission them from specialist manufacturers.
In the custom and small-batch pen world, JoWo, Bock and Schmidt are three of the names seen most frequently.
Even when two brands begin with the same manufacturer's nib, the final writing experience can still be different because the pen maker may specify different feeds, finishes, geometries, testing standards and quality-control procedures.
For more on this subject, see our guide to custom fountain pen makers and our fountain pen brands guide, where we look at which companies make their own nibs and which use outside suppliers.
Common Fountain Pen Nib Myths
“Extra Fine nibs are always scratchy.” False. They often transmit more paper texture, but a properly tuned EF can be very smooth.
“Broad nibs are too broad for everyday writing.” False. Many writers use Broad nibs daily. Handwriting size, paper and preference matter more.
“Gold nibs always write better than steel nibs.” False. Tuning and tipping geometry are often more important than the nib material.
“A Japanese Fine is exactly the same as a European Extra Fine.” Not exactly. They are often close, but there is no universal standard.
“Every Fine nib from the same brand writes identically.” False. Manufacturing tolerances exist.
“A wet nib is automatically a broad nib.” False. Flow and nib width are different characteristics.
“The smoother the nib, the better.” False. Incorrect polishing can create hard starts and baby's bottom.
“Feedback means the nib is defective.” False. Feedback can be a deliberate part of the writing experience.
“A modern nib will eventually shape itself to your hand.” Usually false. Modern tipping alloys are extremely resistant to normal writing wear.
Meltem's Three Questions Before Recommending a Nib
If Meltem had to recommend a nib to someone she had never met, she would first ask three questions: How large is your handwriting? At what angle do you hold your pen? What paper do you use most often?
Those three answers often tell her more than simply asking whether someone wants a Fine or Medium.
Meltem's Personal Nib Choices
Professional recommendations and personal taste are not always the same.
For a new user, Meltem's general-purpose recommendation is Medium. If she personally had to choose one standard round nib, however, she would choose Broad.
For fast everyday handwriting she prefers an Italic Medium. It gives her the line variation she enjoys without laying down so much ink that drying time interferes with her writing speed.
When writing purely for pleasure, she goes broader still: Italic Double Broad or Oblique Double Broad.
There is no single “best” fountain pen nib. There is only the nib that best matches what you are trying to do.
FAQs about Fountain Pen Nib Sizes
- A Medium nib is a good general starting point because it offers a comfortable balance of smoothness, ink flow, and everyday usability. If you have very small handwriting or often use absorbent office paper, a Fine nib may be a better choice.
- Both work well for everyday writing. Fine is usually better for smaller handwriting, compact notes, and lower-quality paper, while Medium gives a slightly broader, smoother, and more expressive writing experience.
- Generally, yes. Japanese nibs often write about one grade finer than similarly labeled European nibs. For example, a Japanese Fine may be close to a European Extra Fine, although this is a guideline rather than a universal standard.
- Not necessarily. A well-adjusted steel nib can write better than a poorly adjusted gold nib. Tipping geometry, tine alignment, ink flow, and overall tuning usually have more influence on writing quality than the nib material alone.
- Extra Fine and Fine are the most practical choices for small handwriting. Fine is often the easier all-purpose option, while Extra Fine is useful for very small writing, planner boxes, and detailed notes.
- Broad, Double Broad, and Stub nibs usually show ink effects most clearly because they place more ink on the page. Wider lines make sheen, shading, and shimmer easier to see.
- Yes, but it may be less practical. Shimmer particles can sometimes interrupt flow in very fine nibs, especially if ink is allowed to dry in the feed. Broad, Double Broad, and Stub nibs usually display shimmer more clearly and are easier to manage.
- Nib labels are not universal standards. A Fine nib can appear broader because of manufacturer tolerances, wet ink flow, wider tine spacing, or absorbent paper. The same nib may also write differently when you change ink or paper.
- They describe two different things. A #6 nib refers to the physical size family of the nib and feed system, while 1.1 mm usually describes the approximate writing width of a Stub-style nib.
- Paper does not physically change the nib, but it can change how wide the line appears. Absorbent paper allows ink to spread and may make the line look broader, while fountain-pen-friendly paper keeps the line more controlled and can reveal more shading and sheen.
If you would like to explore nibs further, visit our JoWo fountain pen nibs, custom nibs and grinds and fountain pen collection.
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