In my last nib post, I showed a Kissaki 5-layer nib. It is named after the point of a katana, a Samurai’s sword. I didn’t want to get too technical by using other terms for specific sword styles, so I stuck with “kissaki”.
Currently, I’m making 2, 3, 4, and 5-layer styles. I think it is possible to go to 6, but there has to be a point of diminishing returns, and 5 (for me) is almost there. I can’t consider this a daily writing nib, but other people may disagree.
This writing sample photo is a visual explanation of why I make something as outlandish as the Kissaki 5-layer.
The paper is from a Rhodia notebook, with the typical dot grid. You can see the range of line widths that the Kissaki offers, depending on the angle of the nib against the paper. I judge the top line to be the equivalent of a European medium nib. I don’t remember what the actual measurement for the bottom example is, but if I describe line three as broad, then the lowest is probably BBB.
Nuts, right?
Yeah, but worth it.
Creating these is fun, if time consuming. People who have bought them seem to really enjoy the experience, even if there is a bit of a learning curve. Sometimes I forget that I know how to get the most out of them because I’m the guy who made it and tested it obsessively.
Engaging in a craft like this, in a community that is diverse and passionate, means so much to me.
Do you have a passion that drives you, too?