--- title: "Japanese vs Western Nib Sizes: Why a Japanese F Is Finer" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/japanese-vs-western-nib-sizes/" description: "Why Japanese nibs write finer: Pilot, Sailor and Platinum against LAMY, Pelikan and Kaweco, with measured line widths, the kanji reason and which size to buy." category: "Pens" type: "Fountain pen" published: 2026-10-21 updated: 2026-10-21 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 12 products: - name: "Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen (black, gold trim)" brand: "Pilot" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Resin body and cap, gold-plated or rhodium-plated trim, 14k gold nib" released: "1992" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America" model: "FKKN-12SR (Custom 74 fountain pen)" mpn: "FKKN-12SR-BF" gtin: "4902505572791" url: "https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000223" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-custom-74/" - name: "Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen (Capless, FC-18SR)" brand: "Pilot" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Painted brass barrel, stainless-steel head, steel clip (per Pilot Japan, Black Matte); 18k gold nib" released: "1963" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America" model: "FC-18SR" mpn: "FC-18SR-BMF" gtin: "4902505422386" url: "https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000118" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-vanishing-point/" - name: "Sailor Pro Gear Slim Fountain Pen" brand: "Sailor" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "PMMA resin cap, barrel and end pieces; gold-tone or rhodium trim; 14k gold nib (US) or 21k gold nib (Japan)" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Kure, Hiroshima, Japan; majority-owned by PLUS Corporation since May 2022" model: "Professional Gear Slim (Japan: Pro Gear Slim 21, 11-2151)" url: "https://sailor.co.jp/product/11-2151/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-pro-gear-slim/" - name: "Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim)" brand: "Platinum" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Resin body and cap, gold-plated trim, 14k gold nib" released: "2011" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Platinum Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" model: "PNB-15000 (3776 Century, gold trim)" url: "https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/products/fountain-pen/1464/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/platinum-3776-century/" - name: "LAMY safari Fountain Pen" brand: "LAMY" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "ASA plastic body, steel nib" released: "1980" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (part of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.)" model: "safari Füllhalter" url: "https://www.lamy.com/de-de/p/lamy-safari-fullhalter/54912096764248" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/lamy-safari/" - name: "Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen (Black, gold-plated trim)" brand: "Pelikan" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "Resin body and cap, 24-carat gold-plated clip and rings, gold-plated stainless steel nib" released: "1985" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023" model: "M200" url: "https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/writing/elegance/classic/classic-200-schwarz.html" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-m200/" - name: "Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain Pen" brand: "Kaweco" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "ABS plastic body with octagonal cap, gold-plated steel nib" released: "1911" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" model: "CLASSIC SPORT Füllhalter" mpn: "10000000" gtin: "4250278600013" url: "https://www.kaweco-pen.com/Kaweco-CLASSIC-SPORT-Fuellhalter-Schwarz/99000001/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kaweco-sport/" --- # Japanese vs Western Nib Sizes: Why a Japanese F Is Finer > Japanese nibs are graded finer, so a Pilot, Sailor or Platinum fine writes about like a German extra fine. Goldspot measured a Platinum fine at 0.28 mm against 0.40 mm for a Pelikan fine, and a Pilot Custom 74 medium at 0.44 mm, about a German fine. Goulet says the gap is biggest at EF and F. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/japanese-vs-western-nib-sizes/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-21 - Updated: 2026-10-21 ![Seven capped fountain pens drawn to scale, split into Japanese and German makers and labelled with nib grades](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/japanese-vs-western-nib-sizes-16x9.png) *Three Japanese and three German makers' pens to one scale (1 mm = 1.3 px), with two measured fine lines.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen (black, gold trim) | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America) | Japan | Japan | Resin body and cap, gold-plated or rhodium-plated trim, 14k gold nib | 1992 | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen (Capless, FC-18SR) | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America) | Japan | Japan | Painted brass barrel, stainless-steel head, steel clip (per Pilot Japan, Black Matte); 18k gold nib | 1963 | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Sailor Pro Gear Slim Fountain Pen | Sailor (by The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Kure, Hiroshima, Japan; majority-owned by PLUS Corporation since May 2022) | Japan | Japan | PMMA resin cap, barrel and end pieces; gold-tone or rhodium trim; 14k gold nib (US) or 21k gold nib (Japan) | – | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim) | Platinum (by Platinum Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Japan | Resin body and cap, gold-plated trim, 14k gold nib | 2011 | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | LAMY safari Fountain Pen | LAMY (by C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (part of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.)) | Germany | Germany | ASA plastic body, steel nib | 1980 | $$$: $20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen (Black, gold-plated trim) | Pelikan (by Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023) | Germany | Germany | Resin body and cap, 24-carat gold-plated clip and rings, gold-plated stainless steel nib | 1985 | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain Pen | Kaweco | Germany | Germany | ABS plastic body with octagonal cap, gold-plated steel nib | 1911 | $$$: $20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen (black, gold trim)): Japan. Per retailer listings: Makkura gives Japan as the origin, and eBay item specifics from sellers in Japan list Japan as the country of origin. Pilot's Japanese web catalog and press release don't state it; the 2022 anniversary edition's cap ring is engraved JAPAN. Source: https://papeterie-makkura.fr/en/fountain-pens-pens/349-pilot-custom-74-fountain-pen.html - Made in (Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen (Capless, FC-18SR)): Japan. Unsharpen gives Japan as the country of origin. Pilot's Japanese catalog page for FC-18SR-BMF (read in full on October 20, 2026) doesn't state a country. The Japan With Love listing cited earlier no longer loads, and Larry Post's page doesn't state an origin. Source: https://unsharpen.com/pen/pilot-vanishing-point/ - Made in (Sailor Pro Gear Slim Fountain Pen): Japan. Goldspot's Celestial Outflow listing says "Made in Japan" and that the 14k nib is crafted in Hiroshima. Sailor's Japanese history page says its Hiroshima factory in Kure gained a new building mainly for fountain pen production; its product pages don't print a country of manufacture. Source: https://www.goldspot.com/products/sailor-pro-gear-slim-fountain-pen-in-celestial-outflow-14k-gold-nib - Made in (Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim)): Japan. Unsharpen's review says the band reads "Platinum #3776 Century Made in Japan". Platinum's own English pages don't state it in the sources we found. Source: https://unsharpen.com/pen/platinum-3776-century-fountain-pen/ - Made in (LAMY safari Fountain Pen): Germany. LAMY's own product listing (India storefront) gives Germany as the country of origin and names C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg, as the manufacturer, and also says made in Germany. LAMY's German page names no country. Source: https://www.lamy.com/en-in/p/lamy-safari-fountain-pen - Made in (Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen (Black, gold-plated trim)): Germany. Pelikan's German product page for the Classic 200 Schwarz says "Gefertigt und montiert in Deutschland" (made and assembled in Germany) and "Qualität, made in Germany". Source: https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/writing/elegance/classic/classic-200-schwarz.html - Made in (Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain Pen): Germany. Kaweco's German product page labels the Classic Sport "100% Made in Germany" and says all nibs and the pen itself are made in Germany; its series page says Classic Sport pens are produced and assembled in Germany. Cornelissen says hand assembled in Germany, and Milligram says designed and made in Germany. Source: https://www.kaweco-pen.com/en/Series/CLASSIC-SPORT/ ## Key takeaways - Goldspot measured a Platinum fine at 0.28 mm and a Pelikan M205 fine at 0.40 mm, so the Japanese line was 30% narrower. - In one Goldspot test of three Japanese gold mediums, the Pilot Custom 74 wrote 0.44 mm, the Platinum #3776 0.39 mm and the Sailor 1911 0.36 mm. - Goulet Pens says Japanese EF and F nibs run a full size finer than Western ones, while M and B fall closer in line. - Goldspot says a LAMY EF writes more like a JoWo or Bock F, so LAMY runs broad even among German nibs. - None of the 6 makers publishes a line width in millimetres for EF to B; every figure here was measured by a retailer. ## Why does a Japanese F write finer than a German F? **Because Japan's three nib makers grade their nibs finer, for writing Japanese characters.** Goulet Pens, a US pen shop, says Japanese EF and F nibs from Pilot, Platinum and Sailor tend to run a full size finer than their Western counterparts, and puts that down to the characters used in Japanese. Pilot's own Japanese nib guide recommends its EF for people who write small characters, for example in a planner (手帳). Pelikan, from the other side, recommends EF or F for small writing and Asian characters. There is no shared standard. Each maker sets its own grades, and none of the six makers here publishes a line width in millimetres for EF to B. Our [nib sizes explained](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/fountain-pen-nib-sizes-explained/) guide covers the letters themselves; this one compares the two traditions. ## How wide are Japanese and German nibs, measured? **Goldspot, a US retailer, measured a Platinum fine at 0.28 mm and a Pelikan fine at 0.40 mm.** Its other tests put Japanese mediums between 0.36 and 0.55 mm. | Maker and pen | EF | F | M | B | Source test | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pilot [Vanishing Point](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-vanishing-point/) (18k) | 0.25 | 0.40 | 0.55 | 0.60 | Calipers, Rhodia, 2023 | | Pilot [Custom 74](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-custom-74/) (14k) | – | – | 0.44 | – | Three-way test, 2022 | | Platinum [#3776 Century](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/platinum-3776-century/) (14k) | – | – | 0.39 | – | Three-way test, 2022 | | Platinum, model not named | – | 0.28 | – | – | Aside in the Pelikan test, 2021 | | Sailor 1911 Standard (14k) | – | – | 0.36–0.45 | – | Two tests, 2021 and 2022 | | Pelikan M205 (steel) | 0.32 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.57 | Rhodia, 2021 | | JoWo No. 6 (German steel) | 0.30 | 0.35 | 0.50 | 0.55 | Calipers | | [Kaweco Sport](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kaweco-sport/) (steel) | ~0.3 | ~0.4 | ~0.5 | ~0.7 | Gauge, less precise | All widths are in mm and come from Goldspot articles; inks, papers and tools differ between them. The Sailor medium measured 0.36 mm in one article and 0.45 mm in another. Pelikan's M205 shares the nib sizes of the [Pelikan M200](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-m200/). ![Dot plot of measured fountain pen line widths by nib grade for Pilot, Platinum, Sailor, Pelikan, JoWo and Kaweco](https://stationerytimes.com/images/japanese-vs-western-nib-sizes-widths.svg) *Every measured width on one millimetre axis; Japanese pens in red, German in blue.* ## Is the gap the same at every size? **No: it is widest at EF and F and narrows at M and B.** Goulet says Japanese mediums and broads fall more in line with other brands. Goldspot's numbers mostly agree. Its Pilot Vanishing Point extra fine, at 0.25 mm, was finer than every Western EF it measured, but the same pen's fine matched the Pelikan fine at 0.40 mm. Its Vanishing Point medium, at 0.55 mm, was a little wider than the Pelikan medium. ## Do Pilot, Sailor and Platinum differ from each other? **Yes: Goldspot found Sailor and Platinum the finest of the three and Pilot the widest.** In its January 2022 test of three 14k gold medium nibs, the Pilot Custom 74 wrote 0.44 mm, the Platinum #3776 Century 0.39 mm and the Sailor 1911 Standard 0.36 mm. Goldspot adds that the Custom 74's medium writes the same line as a JoWo steel fine. Our pick, the [Sailor Pro Gear Slim](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-pro-gear-slim/), is a flat-ended Sailor with a 14k nib on US models; Goldspot didn't measure its line width. ## Do LAMY, Pelikan and Kaweco run the same? **No: LAMY runs broad even for a German brand.** Goldspot says the [LAMY safari](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/lamy-safari/)'s EF writes more like a JoWo or Bock F, a size thicker than most Pilot, Sailor or Platinum pens and thicker than many European brands. Pelikan and Kaweco sit close to JoWo's steel nibs in Goldspot's measurements: about 0.3 mm for EF and 0.5 mm for M. Goulet notes that JoWo and Bock supply nibs to many brands, so a German "F" on a smaller brand's pen is often one of theirs. ## Which size should you buy when switching? **Go one size broader when moving from a German pen to a Japanese one, and one size finer the other way.** Goldspot's own rule: if your favourite is a Pelikan fine, choose a Pilot medium. The table is our reading of the measurements above, not a maker's chart. | If you like this German nib | Try this Japanese nib | |---|---| | Pelikan or Kaweco EF | Pilot, Sailor or Platinum F | | Pelikan or Kaweco F | Japanese M (Sailor MF is between) | | LAMY EF | Japanese M | | German M | Japanese B | For very small handwriting, the finest choices are Japanese: Platinum's UEF on the #3776 Century and Pilot's EF. Sailor's MF, a grade between F and M, has no direct German equivalent. The same Japanese sizing applies to the inlaid 14k nib of the pocket [Pilot E95S](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-e95s/), sold in EF, F and M. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is a Japanese fine the same as a Western extra fine? Roughly. Goulet Pens says Japanese EF and F nibs run a full size finer than Western ones, and Goldspot measured a Platinum fine at 0.28 mm, finer than a JoWo extra fine at 0.30 mm. ### Why do Japanese fountain pens write thinner? Because they are made for writing Japanese. Goulet Pens says the finer grades come from the characters used in Japanese, and Pilot's own guide recommends its EF for small writing in planners. ### If I like a Pelikan fine, what Pilot size should I buy? A medium. Goldspot gives exactly that advice for the Pilot Vanishing Point, and it measured a Pilot Custom 74 medium at the same width as a JoWo steel fine. ### Which Japanese brand writes the finest? Sailor and Platinum, according to Goldspot. In its three-way test of gold medium nibs, Sailor wrote 0.36 mm, Platinum 0.39 mm and Pilot 0.44 mm. ### Are LAMY nibs broad? Yes, for their label. Goldspot says LAMY writes a size thicker than most Pilot, Sailor or Platinum pens and thicker than many European brands, so a LAMY EF writes like a JoWo or Bock F. ### Do Japanese medium and broad nibs also run finer? Less so. Goulet Pens says Japanese M and B nibs fall more in line with other brands, while Goldspot measured a Pilot Vanishing Point medium at 0.55 mm, a little wider than a Pelikan medium at 0.50 mm. ### Does ink or paper change the line width? Yes. Goulet says ink and paper both affect line width, and so do the writer's angle, pressure and speed. Compare nibs only with the same ink, paper and hand. ## Sources - [Goulet Pens: Japanese vs Western Fountain Pen Nibs (EF and F a full size finer; M and B in line; Japanese characters; JoWo and Bock; read in full)](https://www.gouletpens.com/blogs/fountain-pen-blog/japanese-vs-western-fountain-pen-nibs) - [Goldspot: Platinum 3776 Century vs Pilot Custom 74 vs Sailor 1911 Standard (January 2022; medium nibs 0.44, 0.39 and 0.36 mm; Custom 74 M equals a JoWo F; read in full)](https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/pilot-custom-74-vs-platinum-3776-century-vs-sailor-1911) - [Goldspot: Pelikan Classic 205 nib comparison (June 2021; EF 0.32, F 0.4, M 0.5, B 0.57 mm; Platinum fine 0.28 mm; read in full)](https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/pelikan-classic-205-fountain-pen-nib-comparison) - [Goldspot: Guide to the Pilot Vanishing Point (July 2023; EF 0.25, F 0.40, M 0.55, B 0.60 mm with calipers; Pelikan F = Pilot M; read in full)](https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/guide-to-the-pilot-vanishing-point-capless-fountain-pen) - [Goldspot: Exploring Sailor specialty nibs (February 2021; Sailor medium 0.45 mm, equal to a European fine; read in full)](https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/sailor-specialty-nibs-music-zoom-naginata-togi) - [Goldspot: LAMY safari nib size comparison (LAMY EF writes like a JoWo or Bock F; read in full)](https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/lamy-safari-fountain-pen-nib-size-comparison) - [Goldspot: How to find the right nib for your handwriting style (JoWo No. 6 steel nib measured with calipers)](https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/how-to-find-the-right-nib-for-your-handwriting-style) - [Goldspot: Kaweco Sport nib size comparison (EF to BB)](https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/kaweco-sport-nib-size-comparison) - [パイロット: 万年筆のペン先の種類 (Pilot Japan: nib types; EF for writing small characters, for example in a planner; read in full)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/library/001/pentopList.html) - [セーラー万年筆: プロフィット スタンダード 万年筆 (Sailor Japan: standard nib widths)](https://sailor.co.jp/product/11-1219/) - [プラチナ万年筆: #3776 センチュリー (Platinum Japan: nibs UEF to C)](https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/products/fountain-pen/1464/) - [Pelikan (Germany): Die Wahl der richtigen Feder (EF or F for small writing and Asian characters)](https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/erleben-sie-die-marke/pelikan-passion/die-wahl-die-richtige-feder)