Modern and vintage nibs + accessories purchasing/usage guide

>>> Modern nibs <<<

>Japanese nibs
Pretty much only G pens with very little varieties. Significantly higher QC compared to western manufactures. Very little chance for you to receive a bad nib out of the box. beginners should start here.
Price is significantly lower when buying from Japan especially at higher quantities.

SN: The following is grouped by pen type then manufacturer

-- G pens --
>Nikko
Probably the most recommended nib. A good starter nib with medium flexibility, extremely smooth and long lasting thanks to its chrome plating
>Zebra
Similar to the Nikko G Nib, but a little more flexible and sharper. It will produce a finer line than the Nikko G with thicker swells. Same sturdy quality and plating.
>Tachikawa
Most obscure of the three G pens and the most flexible nib among them. Will produce a hairline similar to the Zebra but requires less pressure to create shades. Sturdy and chrome plated.

SN: Titanium plated versions of the G pens exist with the intention of making the nibs more long lasting. The different plating results in a stiffer nib and they are not worth buying imo

-- Varieties --
The only other non G pen nibs are the following:

>Tachikawa school nib (T-5)
A Softer and smaller nib that'll make a slightly bolder line compared to the G pens.
>Tachikawa Maru nib (T-99)
A crowquill mapping nib. super-fine point that produces strong and crisp hairlines. Limited flexibility but can create line variations.
>Nikko Nihon-Moji nib (T-600)
A spoon nib with a flattened bowl point. Intended as a mono-line nib more for lettering work as it's very stiff.

>Western nibs
Very large variety and selection of styles and nib shapes. They're perhaps easier for most people to obtain cheaply and readily. Biggest downside is the constant QA issues that plague most manufacturers. When purchasing it is commonly recommended to buy at least 3 since it's quite likely that one will come bad out of the box.

SN: the following is grouped by manufacturer then pen type. Due to the large variety of nibs only popular recommendations or ones that I think are worthwhile are listed

-- Gillotts --
>290
Produces exceptional hairlines, Useful for retouching and detailing work created by larger pens. A very sharp nib, it'll easily catch and performs more optimally on very smooth surfaces.
>170
Moderately flexible nib that is much finer than the Gillott 303 or 404. Although it is less flexible than the 303.
>303
Good flexibility - not too stiff, not too flexible. Very thin hairlines and good swells. Very sharp and is best used on smooth papers.
>404
Stiffer and less sharp than the Gillott 303 and Gillott 170, performing well on surfaces both smooth and textured. Thicker hairlines.
>659
A crowquill nib, It is more sturdy than other small nibs and less flexible. Can be used to write on somewhat textured paper. Smaller and less flexible than the Hunt 108.
>1950
Think of this as a Gillot 170 but will fit into a standard holder. A true drawing nib it's very sharp and stiff.

-- Hunt --
>22B
Very similar to the Gillott 303 except it is is less sharp, and it has more stiffness, so it can handle textured papers much easier.
>56
Comparable to Gillott 404 in stiffness and width of hairlines.
>102
Most popular modern crowquill pen
 >107
 A finer and stiffer version of the 102
 >108
 A less fine but more flexible version of the 102

-- Brause --
>EF66
A very small nib, it is very flexible and can product excellent thin lines as well as thick strokes for it's size. Exceptional for very small writing.
>Steno
A very large nib, that's moderately flexible. It has high flow and a rather broad point so it works best with thicker inks.
>Rose
Modeled on a vintage nib design. Incredibly flexible But not delicate like some of the other nibs made from thinner rolled steel like the Principle.

-- Hiro --
>700
A small and smooth nib that performs well even on textured paper. It's hairlines are thicker then the Gillott 303 or 170, but in return it is easier to control and considerably more flexible.
-- Honorable mentions --
> Hink and Wells 2067EF
Medium flex with a large ink capacity and an incredibly smooth tip. Suitable for all pointed pen styles. Similar to the Brause 66EF, but much stiffer.
>Leonardt Principal EF
Extra-fine and very flexible, the Principal produces exceptional hairlines and excellent swells. Arguably the best nib modern manufacturing can produce.

>>>Vintage Nibs<<<
Significantly higher quality compared to modern nibs. I have never gotten a bad nib from a brand name vintage nib box, rather the biggest issue here would be rusting and finding a good price. The prices for popular vintage nibs have come down since their all time high in roughly 2015~16 but gross boxes have become scarcer to obtain. With a huge variety and no samplers it is difficult to determine what nibs will be right for you so careful research should be done. For example Esterbrook alone made over 700 different Nº* of pen nibs (although quite a few were just the same nibs with a different stamp).

In general any nib that was a part of the companies Arts and Drafts series can be considered excellent typically being extra fine, extra elastic points. Nibs labelled as "Collage" or "University" also tended to be extra fine flexible more often then not. "School" nibs tend to be fine with medium flex. Do take note however as not all extra fines and fines are made equal, with some being finer than others.

SN: For this section, although specific nibs will be listed, I've opted to detail more on the pitfalls of each specific brand and what to look out for as a basis for your own research due to sheer number of what I'd consider "good" nibs

-- Esterbrook --
Of this list of reputed makers, Esterbrooks are probably the most readily available, cheapest and most documented maker.

https://theesterbrookproject.com/SITE%20DOCS/NIB%20LIST.html
The above link is a rather thorough documentation of all Esterbrook nibs you'll probably encounter. Only the most rarest nibs are not pictured on that list.

Popular nibs include the A1, 128, 914(Charles Schultz nib), 956 and the Arts and Draft series (No.35*).
Esterbrooks school pens are also pretty good and include the slant writing, modified slant, natural slant and vertical writer nibs
Plenty of other excellent nibs and it's very difficult to go wrong with buying Esterbrooks due to the documentation provided and their consistently high manufacturing quality throughout all their life and only saw a QC drop in their last years.
Price wise, older hand ground Esterbrook will fetch higher then their stamped groove counterparts.

>What to look out for
Towards the end of Esterbrook companies life, manufacturing quality declined significantly. These poor quality nibs are rather easy to identify if they come in box. Look out for the black Spanish text "REGISTERED TRADE MARK - MARCA REGISTRADA" on the side of the box as seen here:
http://www.whiteapplemultimedia.com/Comparison.jpg

-- Gillotts --
During their heyday Gillots made what are unanimously agreed to be the best nibs ever to be produced. Today, vintage Gillots nibs commands a premium price above all other nib makers.

Popular nibs include the Principality, 604EF, 404, 303, 170 + other vintage versions of their modern counterparts
Other nibs that were advertised as drawing pens include the 601EF, 1000, 431, C179

I'd personally discourage you from buying vintage Gillotts nibs as their prices are pretty ludicrous.

>>What to look out for
Stamped grooves on Gillotts nibs marked their period of steep decline. All their hand ground nibs are excellent.

-- Spencerian & Co --
The Spencerian line was made by Perry & Sons
Good nibs are stamped "England" rather then "Made in England"

Popular nibs: No.1, No.5 school, No.48 (a superior clone of the 914)