Fine, Medium or Broad? Choosing the Right Fountain Pen Nib

Because apparently, choosing the colour of your pen isn't enough. Now you have to decide how fat its writing is going to be.

If you've ever bought a fountain pen, you'll know that the world of pens is full of decisions.

Wood or resin? Blue or black? Rollerball or fountain pen? Gold trim or silver trim?

And just when you think you've made enough decisions to last you until retirement, somebody asks you whether you'd like a fine, medium or broad nib.

Wonderful. Another thing to worry about.

But here's the good news: choosing the right fountain pen nib isn't particularly complicated once you understand what the different sizes actually do. And getting it right can make the difference between a pen you absolutely love and one that makes you wonder why you didn't just buy a biro from the supermarket.

Let's have a look.

First things first: what exactly is a nib?

The nib is the metal writing point at the end of a fountain pen. It's the bit that touches the paper and delivers the ink, rather like a very sophisticated liquid-delivery system.

Except, unlike most liquid-delivery systems, you can buy one with gold trim and put it in your shirt pocket to look important.

Nib sizes generally describe the width of the line the pen produces. The three most common choices are:

• Fine (F): Thin, precise lines.

• Medium (M): A comfortable, all-round writing line.

• Broad (B): Thick, bold lines that make a statement.

Simple, isn't it?

Well, mostly. There's a catch.

Nib sizes aren't perfectly standardised between manufacturers. One company's medium might write more like another company's broad, and a Japanese fine nib can be noticeably finer than a European fine nib.

In other words, the letter stamped on the nib is a useful guide, not a legally binding promise.

1. The Fine nib: for people who actually have things to write

A fine nib is ideal if you write small, squeeze lots of words onto a page, or need your handwriting to fit into spaces designed by somebody who clearly hates handwriting.

Think diaries, notebooks, planners, forms and those irritating little boxes where you're expected to write your entire address.

A fine nib produces a relatively narrow line, which means you can fit more writing into a smaller space without everything merging into one enormous ink-based disaster.

Why choose a fine nib?

• Excellent for small handwriting.

• Useful for detailed notes and everyday writing.

• Often a good choice for people who use finer-lined paper.

• Can be more forgiving on paper that allows ink to spread.

That last point is worth knowing. Some paper absorbs ink quickly, causing the lines to spread or feather. A finer nib can help reduce the effect, although the ink and paper matter too.

The downside?

Depending on the nib, ink and paper combination, a fine nib can feel a little scratchier than a broader nib. The narrower contact point makes smoothness and alignment particularly noticeable.

And if you enjoy watching ink flow beautifully across the page, a fine nib might not deliver quite the same visual drama as its broader cousins.

Still, if your handwriting resembles a particularly determined spider crawling across the page, a fine nib might be exactly what you need.

2. The Medium nib: the sensible middle child

Medium is probably the safest starting point if you're buying your first fountain pen and have absolutely no idea what you're doing.

It gives you a clear, comfortable line without taking over the entire page. Your handwriting remains readable, your words have a little character, and you don't need an A3 notebook to write a shopping list.

Medium nibs are popular for everyday writing because they offer a useful balance between line width, ink flow and legibility.

Why choose a medium nib?

• A good all-rounder for everyday writing.

• Suitable for letters, journals and general note-taking.

• Shows off ink colour more clearly than many fine nibs.

• Often feels smooth and comfortable when properly adjusted.

A medium nib is also a good choice if you want your handwriting to look a little more substantial without going completely overboard.

Imagine writing a birthday card. With a fine nib, your message might look neat and restrained. With a medium nib, it can look warm and expressive.

With a broad nib, you might manage the words Happy Birthday before running out of room for the actual birthday message.

The downside?

Medium nibs use more ink than comparable fine nibs in many circumstances, and they need a little more space. If you write very small, or use narrow-ruled paper, your letters can start crowding each other.

But for most people? Medium is a very sensible place to start.

Which, admittedly, isn't the most exciting thing you can say about a nib. Nobody ever wrote a thrilling adventure novel about being sensible.

3. The Broad nib: because subtlety is overrated

Now we're getting somewhere.

A broad nib lays down a wider line, making your handwriting more prominent and allowing ink colours and shading to show off.

If you've ever seen a fountain pen produce a beautifully rich line of ink that makes ordinary handwriting look almost artistic, there's a good chance a broader nib was involved.

Broad nibs can be wonderful for expressive writing, signatures, headings, invitations and handwritten letters where you want the words to have a bit of presence.

Why choose a broad nib?

• Bold, confident writing.

• Excellent for displaying interesting ink colours.

• Can make larger handwriting look particularly attractive.

• Lovely for headings, signatures and more expressive writing styles.

Broad nibs can also make certain inks look especially interesting. Some inks produce darker edges, lighter centres or different levels of shading as they dry. A wider line gives these effects more room to appear.

It's rather like the difference between hearing somebody whisper and watching them enter a room wearing a bright red suit.

Both communicate a message. One is simply harder to ignore.

The downside?

Broad nibs use more ink in many cases, need more writing space and can make small handwriting look crowded.

They may also expose the shortcomings of cheap paper rather spectacularly. Feathering, bleed-through and long drying times can become more obvious, particularly with wet-flowing inks.

And if you're left-handed, or tend to drag your hand across freshly written words, drying time deserves some consideration.

A broad nib can be brilliant. Just don't expect it to behave like a fine nib wearing a slightly wider hat.

So, how wide is each nib?

The exact line width depends on the manufacturer, the individual nib and how the pen is used. As a rough guide, you might see something like this:

Nib size	Approximate line width	Best suited to
Fine	0.3–0.5 mm	Small handwriting and detailed notes
Medium	0.5–0.7 mm	General everyday writing
Broad	0.7–1.0 mm or more	Bold writing and expressive lettering

These are illustrative ranges, not universal specifications. Some nibs fall outside them, and the width of the line on the page isn't always the same as the physical width of the nib's tipping material.

The important thing is how the pen actually writes, not what the packaging claims.

Here's the bit the manufacturers don't always make obvious

Nib size isn't the only thing that determines how your pen writes.

Three other factors can make a surprising difference.

The ink

Some fountain pen inks flow more freely than others. A wetter ink can make a nib write a broader-looking line, while a drier ink may produce a more restrained result.

Colour matters, too. Pale inks, dark inks and heavily saturated inks can look quite different even when used with the same nib.

The paper

Paper can make a fine nib look broader if the ink feathers into the fibres. Absorbent paper can also change how the ink spreads and how quickly it dries.

Good fountain pen paper can make an ordinary writing experience feel considerably more luxurious.

Unfortunately, it can also make you suspicious of every notebook you've ever owned.

The nib itself

Two nibs marked with the same size can feel different. The shape, tipping, alignment and ink flow all influence the writing experience.

A properly adjusted fine nib can be beautifully smooth. A poorly adjusted broad nib can feel like you're dragging a shopping trolley with one broken wheel across the page.

The moral? Bigger doesn't automatically mean better, and expensive doesn't automatically mean perfect.

Which nib should you choose?

Here's my advice.

Choose fine if:

• You write small.

• You use diaries, planners or narrow-lined notebooks.

• You want to fit plenty of words onto a page.

• You prefer a precise, understated writing style.

Choose medium if:

• You're buying your first fountain pen.

• You want one pen for most everyday writing.

• You have average-sized handwriting.

• You want a good balance between smoothness and practicality.

Choose broad if:

• You write with larger letters.

• You love expressive handwriting.

• You want ink colours to make more of an impression.

• You enjoy writing letters, headings or impressive signatures.

And if you're still undecided, medium is a reasonable starting point. Just remember that your handwriting, paper and ink might make another size a better fit.

A word about fountain pen snobbery

You'll occasionally encounter people who insist that a fountain pen must have a particular nib size, a particular filling mechanism, a particular ink and probably a particular bloodline stretching back to Victorian times.

Smile politely.

Then buy the pen you actually want.

A fountain pen is supposed to make writing enjoyable. It's not an examination, and nobody is going to confiscate your stationery licence because you prefer a fine nib.

Some people love broad nibs. Others swear by extra-fine nibs. Some people own enough pens to supply a small office and still claim they haven't found the perfect one.

I would never judge.

Well, not out loud.

The Pen Guy's verdict

If you're new to fountain pens, start by thinking about how you write rather than which nib sounds the most impressive.

For small handwriting and compact notes, fine is a strong contender. For general everyday writing, medium is a sensible all-rounder. For bold, expressive lines and colourful inks, broad can be a real pleasure.

And if you have the opportunity to try a pen before buying it, take it. A few lines on paper will tell you far more than staring at a product description for twenty minutes.

At The Pen Guy, I make handmade pens because I believe a pen should be more than something you fish out of a drawer when the cheap biro runs out.

It should feel good in your hand, look beautiful on your desk and make you want to write something.

Even if that something is only a shopping list.

Although, if you've just bought a lovely new fountain pen, I suspect your shopping list is about to become unnecessarily elaborate.

Fancy finding a handmade pen of your own? Have a browse at The Pen Guy and discover a pen that's as individual as the person holding it.

Quick takeaway

Fine for precision. Medium for versatility. Broad for impact.

There's no universally perfect nib size. There's only the one that suits your handwriting, your paper and the way you like to write.

And if anybody tells you that you're using the wrong nib, ask them whether they've finished writing their stationery manifesto yet.

You've got a letter to write.