Tachikawa G-pen nib The engraving reads: TACHIKAWA SUPER10R --No3 These nibs are a product of Zebra, one of the two major brands. 10 unused nibs are available, with free shipping. These were popular nibs, even appearing in the "4 Recommended Popular Pen Nibs for Penmanship" ranking. G-pens are: * Capable of creating expressive lines with varying thickness, suitable for Japanese characters, as well as English and symbols. * I've heard that penmanship teachers use them to write Reisho (Clerical script) and Tensho (Seal script) works. * They are the easiest nibs to use for varying line thickness and can create the thickest lines among all nibs. Some practice is needed to control the line thickness as desired. They are also suitable for manga characters and effect lines. The varying line thickness (thick lines for strong pressure, thin lines for light pressure) can be achieved by adjusting the nib angle and pressure. ◆ About Pen Nib Manufacturers ◆ * Lion Pen Nibs were manufactured by LION, a manufacturer of office equipment, but they are no longer produced. * The manufacturing and sale of pen nibs ceased in 1996 (Heisei 8), over 20 years ago, and it is a brand of nibs that will eventually disappear. Currently, the Japanese pen nib brands available are Tachikawa, Nikko, and Zebra. The Nikko brand was taken over by Tachikawa, so there are only two manufacturing companies: Tachikawa and Zebra. There are also claims that older nibs have better performance. * During the period of rapid economic growth around 1985, the number of dip pens manufactured was 1 million gross (1 gross = 144 pieces), an astronomical figure. * However, the use of dip pens has shifted to ballpoint pens in government offices and banks with the trend of the times. Regarding pen nibs: * In the past, many pen nibs were manufactured, and there were many workers, including skilled craftsmen. * It seems that they still use the manufacturing machines from that time. * The number of workers has drastically decreased, and many of the skilled workers who manufactured during the mass production era are no longer around. * I've heard that some people say that the older ones are better, but please take it as a reference. Also, chrome-colored nibs are less prone to deterioration and are said to still have the same performance as they did back then. Tachikawa, the current major pen nib manufacturer, is a trusted brand and one of my favorite nibs.