1. Home
  2. Fountain Pens
  3. Italic Nib Fountain Pens

Italic Nib Fountain Pens

Scribo Feel Fountain Pen in Blu Sospeso - Limited Edition Scribo Feel Fountain Pen in Blu Sospeso - Limited Edition
From $835
FEEFP46PL1811
Scribo Flow Fountain Pen in Memoria with Platinum Trim Scribo Flow Fountain Pen in Memoria with Platinum Trim
From $960
FLOFP05PL1811
Benu Euphoria Fountain Pen in Ballet Benu Euphoria Fountain Pen in Ballet
$194
BENU-05216850M
Benu Tribute Fountain Pen in Matisse Benu Tribute Fountain Pen in Matisse
$260
BENU-2622860Stub1.5
Visconti Homo Sapiens Fountain Pen in Dark Sapphire Visconti Homo Sapiens Fountain Pen in Dark Sapphire
$1,276
$1,595

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

KP15-51-FP-M
Conklin Toledo Fountain Pen in Golden Evergreen Whisper with Chrome Trim - Limited Edition Conklin Toledo Fountain Pen in Golden Evergreen Whisper with Chrome Trim - Limited Edition
$180
$225

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

CK10009-ST
Visconti Homo Sapiens Nebula Fountain Pen in Eagle - Limited Edition Visconti Homo Sapiens Nebula Fountain Pen in Eagle - Limited Edition
$1,436
$1,795

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

KP15-53-FP-S
Monteverde Innova Fountain Pen in 2026 Cloud Dancer in Chrome Trim - Limited Edition Monteverde Innova Fountain Pen in 2026 Cloud Dancer in Chrome Trim - Limited Edition
$60
$75

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

MV44559-ST
Scribo Feel Fountain Pen in Laguna Limited Edition Scribo Feel Fountain Pen in Laguna Limited Edition
From $835
FEEFP45YG1811
Benu Euphoria Fountain Pen in Steamboat Master Benu Euphoria Fountain Pen in Steamboat Master
$280
BENU-0527550-Stub1.5
Visconti Medici Palazzo Fountain Pen in Pitti with Rose Gold Trim Visconti Medici Palazzo Fountain Pen in Pitti with Rose Gold Trim
$956
$1,195

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

KP17-40-06-FP-S
Scribo Piuma Fountain Pen in Pop (Bright Blue) Scribo Piuma Fountain Pen in Pop (Bright Blue)
From $620
PIUFP16PL1803
Scribo Piuma Fountain Pen in Art (Fluorescent Yellow) Scribo Piuma Fountain Pen in Art (Fluorescent Yellow)
From $620
PIUFP17PL1803
Visconti Homo Sapiens Fountain Pen in Carbon Abyssus Visconti Homo Sapiens Fountain Pen in Carbon Abyssus
$2,885.75
$3,395

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

KP15-46-FP-S
Monteverde Innova Fountain Pen in Matte Carbon with Rosegold Trim Monteverde Innova Fountain Pen in Matte Carbon with Rosegold Trim
$68
$85

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

MV47036
Conklin Toledo Fountain Pen in USA 250th Anniversary - Limited Edition Conklin Toledo Fountain Pen in USA 250th Anniversary - Limited Edition
$180
$225

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

CK10019-ST
Scribo Flow Fountain Pen in Evoluzione with Ruthenium Trim Scribo Flow Fountain Pen in Evoluzione with Ruthenium Trim
From $960
FLOFP07RT1811
Visconti Homo Sapiens Nebula Fountain Pen in Orion - Limited Edition Visconti Homo Sapiens Nebula Fountain Pen in Orion - Limited Edition
$1,436
$1,795

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

KP15-54-FP-S
Visconti Homo Sapiens Fountain Pen in Legacy Celluloid - Limited Edition Visconti Homo Sapiens Fountain Pen in Legacy Celluloid - Limited Edition
$1,756
$2,195

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

KP15-60-FP-S
Kaweco Calligraphy Fountain Pen in Classic Black - 1.9 Nib Kaweco Calligraphy Fountain Pen in Classic Black - 1.9 Nib
$35
10000810
J. Herbin Caroube de Chypre Ink & Pilot Parallel 4-Pen Set J. Herbin Caroube de Chypre Ink & Pilot Parallel 4-Pen Set
$79.95
$100

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

CAROUB-PARALLELSET
Conklin Toledo Fountain Pen in Tidal Pool - Limited Edition Conklin Toledo Fountain Pen in Tidal Pool - Limited Edition
$180
$225

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

CK16139-ST
Monteverde Innova Fountain Pen in Matte Carbon with Gunmetal Trim Monteverde Innova Fountain Pen in Matte Carbon with Gunmetal Trim
$68
$85

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

MV47026
Monteverde USA Ritma Fountain Pen in Matte Carbon Monteverde USA Ritma Fountain Pen in Matte Carbon
$60
$75

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

MV45566
Benu Tribute Pop Art Capsule Fountain Pen in Pop! Benu Tribute Pop Art Capsule Fountain Pen in Pop!
$220
BENU-2623750-F
Visconti Van Gogh Fountain Pen in Dreaming Starry Night - Limited Edition Visconti Van Gogh Fountain Pen in Dreaming Starry Night - Limited Edition
$5,596
$6,995

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

KP61-01-FP-EF
Montegrappa Year of the Dragon Juma Fountain Pen in Royal Purple Montegrappa Year of the Dragon Juma Fountain Pen in Royal Purple
From $1,050
ISYDN12L
TWSBI Eco Fountain Pen in Black Marble with Bronze TWSBI Eco Fountain Pen in Black Marble with Bronze
$58.99
M7441270
Montegrappa Year of the Dragon Juma Fountain Pen in Mamba Green Montegrappa Year of the Dragon Juma Fountain Pen in Mamba Green
From $810
ISYDN1IG
Visconti Divinia Fountain Pen in Matte Bordeaux Visconti Divinia Fountain Pen in Matte Bordeaux
$876
$1,095

The comparison price is the item MSRP and may not necessarily be the price at which the product is or was offered for sale.

KP18-14-FP-M
Scribo Feel Fountain Pen in Nova Stella with Rose Gold Trim - Limited Edition Scribo Feel Fountain Pen in Nova Stella with Rose Gold Trim - Limited Edition
From $835
FEEFP50RG1811
Scribo Feel Fountain Pen in Nova Stella with Platinum Trim - Limited Edition Scribo Feel Fountain Pen in Nova Stella with Platinum Trim - Limited Edition
From $835
FEEFP49PL1811
  • ←
  • →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a stub or italic nib, and what does it do to your writing? +
A stub or italic nib is a nib whose tip is ground flat and wide rather than rounded, so it writes a thick downstroke and a thin cross-stroke. That contrast, called line variation, gives ordinary handwriting a calligraphic look with no special skill required.
What is the difference between a stub nib and an italic nib? +
The difference between a stub nib and an italic nib is the shape of the tip's corners. A stub has rounded corners, so it writes smoothly and keeps up with a fast everyday hand while still showing line variation. An italic has crisp, sharp corners that give the most dramatic variation, but it also has a smaller sweet spot, more feedback, and less tolerance for a careless angle. A cursive italic falls between the two, crisper than a stub yet more forgiving than a true italic, and much of the selection here is stub-ground, the same grind featured across our stub nib fountain pens.
Which stub or italic nib width should you choose? +
You should choose a stub or italic width based on how much line variation you want and how large your handwriting is. A 1.1mm nib gives noticeable variation while staying controllable, which makes it the usual first step. A 1.5mm nib is the balance most journaling and everyday writers settle on, while 1.9mm and wider is bold and leans toward calligraphy. Just note that a wide nib over small handwriting fills in the loops of your letters, so match the width to your hand and not only to the look you want.
Do you need a gold nib, or does a steel stub nib write just as well? +
No, you do not need a gold nib to get an excellent stub or italic. Steel stubs from TWSBI, Lamy, and Jowo write cleanly and hold their edge, so gold is a preference rather than a requirement. A gold nib is softer and can feel more responsive under writing pressure, but on a stub grind the shape of the tip usually matters more to how it writes than the metal does.
Are stub and italic nibs good for everyday writing? +
Yes, stubs and cursive italics are genuinely good for everyday writing, and true italics less so. A stub keeps up with fast notes and still shows variation, which is why a 1.1mm stub is a common first step beyond a round nib. Any flat-ground nib does have a smaller sweet spot than a round one and is less forgiving if you roll or rotate the pen, so it rewards a steady hold. If you would rather start with a fully rounded everyday nib, the broader fountain pens collection covers those too.
How do you write with a stub or italic nib? +
To write with a stub or italic nib, keep both tines flat on the paper and hold a consistent angle so the full width of the tip stays in contact. Let the nib glide without pressure, since these grinds create variation from the tip's shape, not from pushing down. Writing a little larger than usual helps the thick-and-thin contrast show and keeps a wider nib from filling in small letters.
Do stub and italic nibs need special paper or ink? +
Stub and italic nibs do not strictly need special paper or ink, but they write best on fountain-pen-friendly paper because they lay down more ink than round nibs. Paper like Rhodia, Clairefontaine, and Tomoe River resists the feathering and bleed-through a wet, wide nib can cause. A slightly drier ink helps as well, though most inks behave fine on good paper.
Are stub and italic nibs good for calligraphy? +
Stub and italic nibs are a good choice for casual, everyday calligraphy and hand-lettering, and a wider grind like 1.5mm or 1.9mm gives the boldest strokes. They are not the same as a dedicated dip or broad-edge calligraphy pen, which has sharper edges and allows easier ink changes for serious lettering work. For pointed-pen or broad-edge calligraphy proper, our calligraphy pens are the better starting point.
Can you put a stub or italic nib on a fountain pen you already own? +
Yes, in many cases you can add a stub or italic nib to a fountain pen you already own, which is why about half of this collection is standalone replacement nibs. Lamy steel nibs slip on and off across the Safari, AL-Star, Vista, and Joy, and a Jowo #6 unit screws or friction-fits into any pen built for a #6 nib. Check that the nib matches your pen's size and fitting before you buy, since swapping can void a manufacturer warranty and a stub unit sometimes needs light tuning.
Can left-handed writers use a stub or italic nib? +
Yes, left-handed writers can use a stub or italic nib, though it takes more adjustment than it does for right-handed writers. Because many lefties push the nib rather than pull it, and the pen often sits at a different angle, the thick and thin strokes can land in unexpected places or feel scratchy. A custom left-oblique grind is the known fix, reshaping the tip to match a left-hand angle. An underwriter, or a hand that keeps the paper squared off, tends to have an easier time than a hooked overwriter.