As with every component I select for our products, I test as many variants as I can get my hands on. I'm someone who likes to make decisions based on first hand experience, not what other people say. After an exhaustive search I finally settled on Bock. They are one of the world's oldest and most well known nib manufacturers. In fact, they make nibs for many high-end pen companies you know and love.

1. Nibs are mass produced, but a nib is a precision instrument in itself. It's somewhat common (for ALL fountain pens) that the nib does not perform perfectly out of the box. It's also common for nib to get knocked out of alignment during use. Thus, as a fountain pen owner, you'll need some basic nib tuning skills.
2. Misaligned Tines: Finer nibs are inherently more "scratchy" than broader nibs. They are also more delicate. Typically scratchiness is due to the most common nib problem: misaligned tines. Please see the videos tab for resources. This is the most common issue and one of the easiest to fix.
3. Hard Starting: This describes ink that won't flow easily after the pen sits for a while. This can be caused by a number of different things. Please see the videos tab for resources.
4. Writing Technique: A fountain pen must be held at a specific angle relative to the page to work properly, your technique may require some work. Please see the videos tab for resources
5. Nib Tuning & Custom Grinds: If you are interested in the ultimate writing experience I suggest sending out your nib to have it custom tuned by a professional. Yes, this is a "thing." I recommend Mark Bacas over at www.nibgrinder.com . He's a friend of the shop and one of the best in the business. Mark can tune up a standard nib for writing perfection. He will grind it if needed, and he can perform modifications like italic grinds and the like.