{"id":16622,"date":"2026-03-27T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/?p=16622"},"modified":"2026-03-26T22:18:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T02:18:18","slug":"stub-italic-grinds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/stub-italic-grinds\/","title":{"rendered":"The Stub-Italic Grind Family"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Stub. Italic. Smooth italic. Cursive italic. Smooth cursive italic. Formal italic. Sharp italic. Daily italic. Crisp italic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are all variations of the nib modification that reduces the top-to-bottom width of the nib tipping to produce narrower cross strokes. There are probably even more names for grinds in this spectrum of nib modification that I’ve either forgotten or have never heard of. You need to ensure you are writing with the nib properly positioned against the paper \u2014 how forgiving the nib is depends on the properties you request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: This post focuses on the standard stub-italic grind spectrum, purposely omitting the oblique variations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

By now, you should know I love oblique nibs. I always used to order cursive italic left foot obliques because I thought that was crispy without being too sharp. Recently, however, I found out I was ordering the wrong thing. Cursive italic is, apparently, on the smoother end of the scale. So, I set out to learn what the “real” order is for grinds that are part of the stub-italic grind family. I reached out to a bunch of nibmeisters, including Damien Alomar (All in the Nib<\/a>), JJ Lax<\/a>, Matthew Chen<\/a>, and Thomas Ang<\/a>, and read through several nibmeisters ‘ websites and nib grind descriptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I’ve learned is that there isn’t a universal answer. With \u2014 perhaps \u2014 the exception of stub grinds, every nibmeister seems to have a different interpretation of each grind and where on the spectrum it belongs. There is a general consensus that stub nibs are the smoothest and most forgiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how should you order\/request the grind you want? What I’ve found works best is to describe how you want it to perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vocabulary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To make explanations easier, allow me to define a few terms that will let me be less wordy. These are NOT industry standards; they are just the terms I’m going to use for explanations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Horizontal nib modification(s)<\/strong>: The full spectrum of stub-italic nib grinds, from the roundest to the sharpest corners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twist<\/strong>: Turning a pen around the z-axis when writing. This means rotating the pen in your hand so the top of the nib is facing in toward your body or out away from it. The ideal nib twist for horizontal nib modifications is 0\u00b0. -90\u00b0 is facing completely to the left, 90\u00b0 is facing completely to the right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vertical narrowing<\/strong>: Removing nib tipping material from the bottom (side that faces the feed) and\/or top<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smooth and Forgiving<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are new to horizontal nib modifications, or if you twist your pen while writing, this is probably the best option for you. The corners are rounded, and the vertical narrowing is minimal, giving a smooth writing experience and requiring the least amount of precision when it comes to twist angle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because there is vertical narrowing, you can see some line variation, although it will be more pronounced the wider the nib is (B, BB, 1.5, etc.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Requesting a stub is a good place to start. At most, the grind will require a bit of fine-tuning at the end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crisp but Comfortable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Around the middle of the spectrum, you end up with more noticeable vertical narrowing and sharper corners. This results in thinner cross strokes and more evident line variation. The sacrifice is sensitivity; you must be more precise with the twist angle. Depending on the nibmeister and nib material, you may find that there is more feedback with this stage of horizontal nib modification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can likely request a cursive italic grind as a starting point. Specify if you want it to lean to the smooth side or the sharp side of the spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharp and Precise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The sharp end of the horizontal nib modification spectrum is practically a spectrum unto itself. There is less consensus about the “order” of grinds at this end of the spectrum. However, there are some universal truths. These grinds have the most vertical narrowing and sharpest corners which give you the best line variation at any nib width. That said, you must maintain an ideal twist angle at all times both to write and to avoid catching or tearing the paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pen users seem to either love or hate these grinds, with very little in between. I love them, especially since they work well on smaller nib widths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for a nib at the sharp end of the spectrum, I’m willing to bet you love the exaggerated difference between down and cross strokes. My starting point for these is to ask for a sharp italic that’s just round enough to not catch the paper. It hasn’t failed me yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

I hope these descriptions and ordering starting points have been helpful, especially for those of you who are new to horizontal nib modifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the most important thing is to talk to your nibmeister. You can describe the way you want the nib to write as a starting point, but it’s still good to ask questions. Reach out before requesting a modification by mail. Better yet, go to a pen show or nibmeister event to get the modification done in person if at all possible. You can also see if a local pen friend has a nib with the modification you’re interested in so you can write with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t have a way to test a nib grind first, consider purchasing a pre-ground Jowo nib from a nibmeister. Then, if you don’t like it, you can sell it to another pen person rather than being stuck with a pen that doesn’t write the way you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Do you like horizontal nib modifications? If so, which is your favorite? If not, what do you prefer instead? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for reading to the end, I hope you enjoyed my post. Make sure to subscribe to my blog<\/a> or follow me on Instagram<\/a> so you don\u2019t miss any posts. I generally post at least once a week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Smooth, cursive, formal, sharp, crisp. There are many names for the nib grinds that are part of the stub-italic family. I’m breaking them down to make them easier to understand.<\/p>\n

Keep ReadingThe Stub-Italic Grind Family<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16624,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[335],"class_list":["post-16622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fountain-pens","tag-nibs","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stubItalic-featured.jpg?fit=288%2C288&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Z77k-4k6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7647,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/comparing-grinds\/","url_meta":{"origin":16622,"position":0},"title":"Comparing Common Nib Grinds","author":"Rachel","date":"June 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I've learned not everyone is aware of the differences in the way nib grinds write. So, I decided to compare the different \"common\" nib grinds I have.","rel":"","context":"In "Fountain Pens"","block_context":{"text":"Fountain Pens","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/fountain-pens\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Architect perfect angle, tipping fully in contact with paper","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/20220601_210918.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/20220601_210918.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/20220601_210918.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/20220601_210918.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/20220601_210918.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1864,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/fp201-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":16622,"position":1},"title":"Fountain Pen 201: Nib Customization","author":"Rachel","date":"August 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome back to Fountain Pen 201. This issue I cover nib customizations, from the simple to the complex.","rel":"","context":"In "Fountain Pens"","block_context":{"text":"Fountain Pens","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/fountain-pens\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8066,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/2022-dc-pen-show-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":16622,"position":2},"title":"2022 DC Pen Show, Part 5","author":"Rachel","date":"August 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"My fifth of 7? posts about the 2022 DC Pen Show. 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Really just a chance to extol the virtues of a couple of nibmeisters.","rel":"","context":"In "Fountain Pens"","block_context":{"text":"Fountain Pens","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/fountain-pens\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Skull nib installed in Gravitas Skull pen","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/20210815_195536.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/20210815_195536.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/20210815_195536.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/20210815_195536.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13481,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/2024-nib-overviews\/","url_meta":{"origin":16622,"position":4},"title":"Pen Show Nibs Overviews","author":"Rachel","date":"August 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"As promised, I give you a post dedicated to the five modified nibs I bought at the DC Pen Show this year.","rel":"","context":"In "Fountain Pens"","block_context":{"text":"Fountain Pens","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/fountain-pens\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"top view of the reverse chimera double stack","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240815_193659.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240815_193659.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240815_193659.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240815_193659.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240815_193659.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6869,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/fp-tag-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":16622,"position":5},"title":"The Fountain Pen Tag Round 2 – Nibs","author":"Rachel","date":"March 11, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I had so much fun with the Fountain Pen Tag round 1 that I decided to adapt round 2 as well, only this time I'm focusing on nibs!","rel":"","context":"In "Fountain Pens"","block_context":{"text":"Fountain Pens","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/fountain-pens\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spencerian Nib","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/nib1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/nib1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/nib1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/nib1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16622"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16630,"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16622\/revisions\/16630"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}