Some people ask themselves this question when buying a fountain pen, because the springs are usually made of one of two materials. 

Recently, titanium nibs have increasingly entered the market, but nibs made of stainless steel or alloyed gold remain the undisputed most commonly used nibs in fountain pens.

But which feathers are better? Do gold nibs—in addition to their visual advantages, as they give a pen holder a very special touch—also offer an advantage when writing? Or is it enough to use steel springs, which are, on average, cheaper?

Gold was ahead for a long time – because of its durability

Fountain pen purists tend to give a clear answer to the question. For them, gold is the material of choice – primarily for historical reasons. For a long time, gold nibs were the ultimate because gold was clearly superior to other materials.

This is due to the properties of the precious metal. Gold is extremely durable. Even acidic liquids do not really attack the material. At a time when iron gall ink was still widely used for writing, such a durable material was needed for the nibs. If steel had been used, the springs would have become rusty over time and might even have developed small holes. Of course that wasn’t intentional.

Stainless steel has long been on a par with gold alloys

There are now numerous other inks that are much less aggressive. And materials science has also developed further. Gold is no longer the only material that promises a long-lasting, good writing experience. Nevertheless, a large proportion of the high-quality feathers are still made from gold.

But steel has gained strong market share and is now in many ways equal to gold when it comes to springs. There have long been stainless steel alloys that no longer rust and continue to do their job even after years of intensive writing.

So does it ultimately no longer matter whether you use a gold nib or a steel nib?

Gold nibs offer a soft writing experience

Yes and no.

Of course, gold still has the positive properties that it has always had. Feathers made of alloyed gold are extremely high quality and durable. 

Gold is also a very flexible material and ensures extremely soft writing. Anyone who owns several fountain pens with different nibs will confirm that a gold nib is superior to a steel nib of the same quality when it comes to writing experience.

And of course, a gold nib on a high-quality fountain pen also looks good – from a purely visual point of view.

But gold feathers are also more expensive. If your budget is limited, you automatically look towards steel springs. We use these as standard for our elegant fountain pens. And don’t worry: they also offer a writing experience that is truly impressive.

When it comes to writing, it’s all about the tip

Writing is done – and this is important for answering the question about gold or steel or even titanium – regardless of the material of the nib but with the nib anyway. And it is not made of gold or steel or titanium, but usually of a platinum-containing nickel alloy or iridium.

Why? 

Because at the top it is important to have the hardest possible material that is protected against abrasion. Even steel wouldn’t be hard enough in the long run and would wear out quite quickly on paper. Not to mention the easily malleable and softer gold.

The spring strength counts even more than the material

While all the pondering over the question of “gold or steel” sometimes ignores the fact that other criteria are also important when writing. 

Especially the nib strength: There is a world of difference between fine F nibs and extra wide BB nibs when writing. F nibs are suitable for delicate writers who want to write letters or other longer texts, for example. Wide or extra-wide springs are not recommended for this. They are signature feathers.

A good compromise is M nibs, which are medium-width and ensure clean typefaces.

In our blog post “ Feather knowledge from A to XF: Which nib is the right one for the fountain pen ” we describe in detail what different nib strengths there are and what applications they are suitable for.

Clean cutting and regular care ensure comfortable writing

Whether a nib writes cleanly and pleasantly or not also depends on its cut. If it is not sanded cleanly, it will scratch when you write – regardless of the material. It can also happen that the two halves of a nib are not exactly the same length – which also results in scratching when writing.

And of course gold and steel nibs require equal care. If the fountain pens are not cleaned regularly, ink residue can build up, which affects the writing experience.

Gold nibs are interesting for those who write a lot

But back to the original question: gold or steel. Both spring types are ideal for most applications. However, those who write a lot are interested in a nib that writes a little softer – and this is usually the case with gold nibs.

Anyone who likes to experiment with different inks should also choose a gold nib. These are less vulnerable. As we have already written, iron gall inks attack the material of the nib. Steel nibs can suffer from them, but gold nibs are more durable.

Conclusion

Nowadays, gold nibs and steel nibs are almost equal in many respects when it comes to their writing quality. Gold nibs particularly shine because they are softer to write because gold is less hard than steel. 

The writing experience is better – and a gold nib on a high-quality fountain pen is of course more visually appealing than a classic steel nib. 

However, manufacturers are working diligently to make stainless steel springs better and better. And there is no question: they too are already achieving very good results in practice. 

Gold or steel: Ultimately it is a bit a question of personal taste. But those who can afford it still choose gold for the writing experience.