Utilizing the same historically proven processes specifically catered to each individual nib’s design, Speedball takes painstaking measures to ensure that each of these nibs meets even the most discerning standards.
A Series
Patented in 1913 and introduced two years later, the A-Series nib is where it all started for Speedball. Its unique multi-purpose design allows artists to create a variety of strokes with just a flip of the pen.
- Hold the A-Series nib perpendicular to the base line, keeping the “shoe” of the pen nib flat on the paper’s surface. This produces a uniform stroke in any direction with squared beginnings and endings.
- Hold the A-Series nib at an angle to achieve either diamond-shaped beginning and ending stroke or a square finish on a diagonal stroke.
- Turn the A-Series nib on its back to use the broad, flat end of the pen to produce either lettering with thicks and thins or to create the serifs on lettering of uniform width.
Available in (6) nib widths, the A-Series nib is ideal for any Gothic or Monoline lettering style that has lines of uniform width with a squared finish. Suitable for use with any straight/classic style penholder.
B Series
The B-Series nib made its debut in the 2nd edition of The Speedball Textbook®, in 1916. Like the A-Series, the B-Series has a bent end to form a “shoe” that can easily produce a uniform width line. Unlike its counterpart, the Speedball B-Series nib has a rounded finish that makes it ideal for creating sans serif letters without thick and thin lines.
Available in (8) nib widths, the B-Series is perfect for creating a variety of monoline lettering, drawn letters (e.g. Versals) and “built-up” letters, such as the Double Stroke Poster Roman. Suitable for use with any straight/classic style penholder.
C Series
The third addition to the Speedball series of pen nibs, the C-Series, was introduced in 1918 in the 4th edition of The Speedball Textbook. This series features a traditional broad edge nib with a great degree of flexibility. Our most popular of the three broad edge offerings, the C-Series nib is meant to be held at a constant angle throughout the creation of any traditional calligraphic alphabet (with minor variations needed, depending upon the lettering style). This consistent angle gives the lettering artist the desired thick and thin strokes usually associated with broad edge calligraphy, such as Roman, Carolingian, Uncial, Italic, Gothicized Italic, Blackletter or Neuland.
Available in (6) nib widths in the original C-Series design, or (5) nib widths in the left-handed C-Series variation and suitable for use with any straight/classic style penholder.
