Pocket pen nib types

Nibs are some of the most distinctive design features of any fountain pen – they are the part we connect with the most because they are our gateway to the writing experience. Although pocket pens were small they nearly all came with gold nibs and have a reputation for being excellent writers. 

Here I have gathered some very hastily taken and collected images (apologies for the terrible quality) to illustrate some of the nibs used on different pen ranges through the ages.

Pilot “Elite” pens

The Elite Short (S) was and still is the most distinctive and popular pocket pen, possibly in history. Although the range has been trimmed down as that style of pen became less popular, they are still produced and loved today. 

Fingernail	Dart	Inlaid
1968-77? 14k round & 18k oval This is the classic Ellite nib, which ran through the 1970s and 80s. They feature a fully enclosed feed which is best accessed by removing the feed retainer and then pulling the nib to get access to the front of the feed – then pushing that nab into the section.	?1972-78 ?[*73-78]  14k round & 18k oval They tried this different shape for a few years in the 1970s. These are easy to disassemble because the feed is exposed and can be pushed back into the section.	1979-Modern This was the final iteration of the Elite and it the shape used now.  These nibs can be pulled forwards and are both crimped along the sides and glued with a tacky rosin based sealant at the back of the nib.

Other Pilot pens

Pilot is quite well known as a company that makes a huge number of products and is constantly redesigning and releasing new pens. So, although we know Pilot for its Elite/E95S pens, not every pocket pen that Pilot made over the years was in their “Elite” range. Many are just marked “Pilot” and were clearly not Elites while others were made specifically for companies, either branded merchandise or as promotional goods.

Point hooded	PIL-OT (up/down) hooded	PIL-OT (horizontal) hooded	Steel	Combined Nib+Collar
1966-68 Short	1969-70? Mach5 & others	1970-76? PILOT marked pens	steel-nibbed cheap pens	1978-79 Volex & Young Rex?

These pens can all be dismantled very easily by removing the feed retainer and pushing the feed back into the section.

Sailor nibs

Here are as many different variants of Sailor’s Mini nibs as I can find in my collection. The names are just my own for now – I’ll work out something that makes more sense later! 

mk1	Semi-hooded	Bird’s wing
1963-66? This is the nib from the mk1 Mini which seems to have come is a few subtle variants but all of then have a wide square end to the section and slight cut-in sides.	1964-?? This is a very basic, semi-hooded nib shape	1975-87? This seems to be an updated version of the mk1 nib with a longer nib and deeper cut-in sides.
Fingernail	Beak	Inlaid
1965-?? This seems to be Sailor’s equivalent of the Pilot fingernail … I wonder which came first?	1966-68? One of my favourite nibs, for its smooth lines and subtle curves. Very similar to the shape of the Pilot Volex.	1972-74? This is one of the later shapes – very similar to the Pilot Elite arrow nibs