Zebra G Nibs -- Dip Pen Review 

Before use: scrub the oil off from the store, I burn it off with a match In use: use thick india ink Load up by dipping untill halfway up the well unload the nib by stroking the upper side on the inkbottle, not the bottom side Never: dip directly in your jar of ink, use a second smaller flask, reason: the pen will gather amounts of paper fiber and it will contaminate the ink After use: rinse with warm water, store upright and let it airdry for 2 days

add some sugar and water to the ink im sure it'll taste better

*licks ink* it’s alright _doesn’t taste like grape though :(_

Reminded me of my school days in art class when we had to create a complete piece using nothing but a dip pen and different coloured inks.....result was VERY messy and hands that were covered in ink for the rest of the lessons. Great fun though!

"That oil has to come off" "Dry the nib after cleaning" "Thats fountain pen ink, gotta use india ink" - these are all examples of advice I was gonna give, but then I realized your results were really damn good so what the hell do I know. Just keep doing whatever works I guess. Bye. Goodbye. goodbye

I was like whaaaaaat? When you tasted the ink. Haha 2:03

The reason the titanium nibs cost more, besides being made out of a more expensive metal, is because when they rust it forms a protective layer to prevent further corrosion and the rust isnt as flaky and gritty as normal steel rust

Man I love how real you are like you don't worry what people will think about you when you talk and I love how you think about things it's so nice

Im a really big fan of how these turn out!! I love the line textures in this piece specifically!

For the past few days I've had your videos queued up as I go to sleep. This is the kind of content I desperately want more of! Thank you for this review. Getting a few of these nibs soon, haven't drawn with dip pens in years.

Hey peter, just stopped by to say- your work and your channel really has inspired me. I love the vibes from this channel and your artwork is truly wonderful! Thank you so much for creating such quality content. Have a great day!

I went out and bought some sketch books and I ordered some fountain pens because of you. You make it look fun. Cheers!

I love this doodle Peter! It reminds me a bit of my grandmother's old couch... Have a nice day!

this is probably one of the first times ive watched your videos without the intension of drawing along or drawing the same thing or trying to practice through replication. i dunno it just seems super refreshing. but yeah i do like to practice my art by going along with you art. its cool cuz when ever im stuck i can just look up and see what ever shape or piece of detail i see. its really funny cuz the end product never looks anything like the inspiration

"It tastes alright" chaotic evil

You can use those little descant packs from packaging they put in shoes ,luggage to keep moisture out. A stick of chalk and even keeping them in a box filled with rice slows the rusting down. Thanks for sharing your talent and your soothing voice.

G nibs with ink cages are available. The cages act as reservoirs to hold more ink. They're a bit pricier and harder to clean, but they're neat. But you can get much more drawing time with a non-reservoir nib if you use a more viscous ink (if you want to use fountain pen ink, you can, but you may need to add some gum arabic to thicken it) and remove the protective oils from the nib first with dish soap, alcohol, passing it through a flame briefly, etc.

Peter. Thank you, I really feel like your vids are worth the time and effort you put into them.

Beautiful lines Peter! I love how the drawing turned out.

Can we pretty please have some vlogs, they don't have to be daily I just really want to see more of your life as well as your art

I love every. Single. Video. Drawing. Podcast... EVERYTHING! You make. I just really wanted you to know that. You're works are a staple in my daily life. So thank you and stay well. You are very loved.

I love watching you draw, very relaxing.

Found your account recently and I’m loving all your vids!

Wow! It's been ages since I've seen someone show up G-Pens on RU-vid. They truly are great for drawing manga Edit: there's three types of nibs - the G Pen which you're using, the "Maru" nib which you described which is done for small line work and the Kabura pen which doesn't flex as much as the G.

I dip new nibs into boiling or near-boiling water for 30-60 seconds to remove the shellac that manufacturer's add to keep them sparkly and shiny in the store. Don't let water or ink (or saliva) sit on the nib after using and cleaning (and licking) it, although some nibs will occasionally rust anyway. Finally, ink is ideally sipped from a crystal ink snifter after several swirls around the glass and an appreciative whiff.

Peter, If you want to extend your drawing time, you can modify the pen holders by drilling them out and adding a pen feed. The fins will hold more ink, allowing for more draw time. 😊 edit: as for the rusted speed ball nibs, they were not fully dry when you put them away. The design, though good for holding a respectable amount of ink, also traps allot of water when you clean them.

Watching this about 4 years later as about to start using a nib pen...had a look at you channel - think there might be well-needed humour in this ole art life thing and subscribed.

Love your drawings and love your reviews. Great work!

I really love how this turned out 😍

We had to draw with dip pens in school and I hated it and never touched one again. But watching you makes me want to try it again! Love your videos!

I don't know how much your trying to be funny but you're very entertaining, and of course one heck of a artist. Thanks!

Nice video peter! G pens are mainly used for drawing not so much for writing. In fact many manga artists use G pens to either get in small details in their work or they outright only use G pens when inking their work. Its very interesting, though if you ever receive the school-manga version of the G pen, then be wary of it as ink tends to not flow good through it.

Loved this one especially! Inspiring.

Impressive, pretty drawing Peter. Those are difficult pens to draw with. I used to draw calligraphy. Then I ditched those for the thin line ones. I still recall that scratching sound on the paper you meantioned. Hats off to you powning these pens fella. ❤😎

Yeeeey another dip pen attempt from Peter! I always enjoy watching these kinds of videos xD Most companies coat their nibs in some kind of oil before they ship em off. Use rubbing alcohol on the nib before you use it and you'll notice the ink will hold in the reservoir better. Another, kinda iffy, way you can prep it is by using a lighter on the nib for a tiny amount of time. Only do this when you first use them as too much heat can make the metal weak. For cleaning, use a dry paper towel to get excess ink off and finish it with some rubbing alcohol

I'm sure people have said this before but your art would make amazing tattoos!

I bought this set after your review and LOVE it. Paired with J. Herbin India/Chinese Ink (J. Herbin Encres de Chine) and the results were wonderful. I tested the nibs against other inks but found this J. Herbin India Ink was the best match - allowed for light lines without skipping and thicker lines without over-saturating. Just wanted to share in case it might be helpful!

When I dip, I dip and back swipe the nib. I never have issues this way. Now, it is a habit ingrained enough to no longer think about the dip and swipe. You can add a small spring to the underside and it lasts longer. Angle to the page is important to not snag the paper. Love your art. Nice to see you using one of my fav nibs for drawing and calligraphy style penmanship. Cleaning the nib with toothpaste or a diluted Windex from the point to just up to just short of the “G”. Then rinse and dry off without crushing the nib. Not touching it with fingers is a good idea. The natural oil from our hands affects the flow too. Cleaning usually is just dipping in clean water and light wipe. Again if needed. Love, love, love my Zebra G. Glad it behaved well for you. That means another revisit on it’s use in the future, eh?

This made me laugh so many times! You are hysterical to listen to :) As for the drawing… absolutely fascinating!

Shows the level of mastery of the old school comic book artists and illustrators who drew beautifully with dip pens and brush.

Used as tutorial representing what not to do with not used nibs. Very useful and informative vodeo.

Beautiful doodling!

Zebra and Nikko are my fav pen/nib types. Almost never use anything other than them now.

I'm super late on this video but I've been doing calligraphy for over 2 years and the best 2 ways to prep your nibs before use is to either 1) insert it into a potato or 2) clean with lemon juice and wipe off access with a damp cloth. The acid in both items is strong enough to rid of the chemical coating used to prolong the shelf life of a nib. For after care use, instead of using water to clean the nib, use either the Bombay or Speedball pen cleaner. I love this drawing that you created with the Zebra G.

who eles just loves this guy he is so out there and i love it even his art it awesome an unique 😁

I put one of these in a Noodler's Ahab! I had to heat set the feed with the G nib in, which wasn't too tough, and I have this weird flow thing where I need to hold the pen roughly horizontal to get a reasonable ink flow rate -- you definitely don't need to use the 'razor trick' they tell you to do with the Jinhaos -- but it's really satisfying to draw with and write with, and the pen has so much personality with the lines it puts down. It's really not even that difficult, just align the feed right (the horizontal bit in the nib lines up to about the first horizontal line in the feed), put the nib and feed straight into the section thing -- there's a cutout in mine where the nib goes but I'm not sure if the older Ahabs have that -- and then dip that in hot water until there's no space between the nib and the feed. Thing's amazing, especially since the Ahab's filling mechanism holds so much ink.

Very nice drawing. Unfortunately I left my dip pens in Asia when I left to return back to my home country. Now looking at which brands I can get posted back home. Great video.

I like this, idk for some reason this piece seems much more cartoony than usual... *thank you peter, very cool*

I started with Fountain pens around the age of 10. Then I found a quill pen for sale at a civil war museum. Cheap thing, but I LOVED it. Used it until the quill finally cracked. It never had a metal nib, so it was bound to happen eventually. Got another one and it was crappier. Tried to make my own, only got one to semi work. Eventually I moved to dip pens. I'm still a quill pen person at heart though.

Loved the drawing. You should clean the new nibs with a cloth a bit of rubbing alcohol and clean the dry ink with water after you finish drawing with them. The nickle plating will prevent any rust. Also its always better to remove the nib from the holder, sometimes water or ink gets in the nib holding area and promote rust in the nib. I keep all my used nibs separated from the new ones in a similar plastic storage box and wrapped in a piece of paper towel.

The ink tends to stick better if you burn the nib tip for one or two seconds. They come packaged with an oil that keeps them from rusting and it doesn’t play well with ink. Might make your life easier next time XD. I’ve been waiting for you to use this tool for so long and I wasn’t disappointed!

Your voice is calming like an asmr video

You should really try using india ink for dip-pens, Peter. This ink you've been using is better for fountain pens as it is much thinner and doesn't stick to the insides of it. Dip-pens are mostly used with india ink as it is much thicker and sticks to the nib better. Love, xx

This week I made a discovery, that Brause has a Fountain Pen that fits the Zebra G without modification, along with their own awesome nibs. They now sell it on Amazon in the US/Canadian link. :)

I like when the ink railroads the design is amazing

The titanium is titanium nitride coating and it is used for lubricity so the pen gluides better at least that’s what it’s for on cutting tools is for lubricity

Other youtubers I watch while walking around, eating lunch, lying in bed. With your videos I always make a nice cup of tea and sit down in an armchair. Maybe that says something.

I'm not sure why but I think this is my very favoritest drawing of yours.

I love your art style

I am thinking of trying one of these nibby ink dip pens for my channel! Are there some easier than others? Btw Love watching your doodle art :)

Enjoyed watching your doodling! Was shocked to see you put ink in your month. Should the ink be organic?

i watched this on your twitch but i’ll watch it again💙💙

I just want to sit and drink tea, create art and learn from Peter. 😍💕

This dude is a legend

If you have a Jinhao x450 or x750 you can put the Zebra G in their feed, it's not ideal but if you think it's hard to use it as a dip pen it's an option.

i saw two mistakes with the whole setup that ended up making the nib hold very little ink. the first is that you actually have to remove the oil coating from the nib by using a lighter and quickly running the nib over it a couple times. alcohol also works but i always end up poking myself accidentally so i just use the lighter since its easier. the second thing is that the ink you used is pretty runny, i recommend a slightly thicker/ regular ink since the nib holds more and you have more control over your lines

This ink is very cheap(cheaper inks often are dry) , and it is for fountain pens. Deep pens are intended to be used with thicker inks. This will fix running out of ink issue while thicker inks can damage, clog, discolor and do such unpleasant things with your fountain pen, so use each with their inks

Idk about washing but a handmade kitchen knife I had I would dry immediately after washing. I do store my tools and all steel with those packets you get with shoes and about anything else to keep moisture out.

Peter you're my hero

Back at it agian.

Your drawing skills are amazing

Titanium is heat anodized to achieve certain colors such as gold, blue, and purple. The same can be done for aluminum and steel.

Also you can a brush instead dipping your nib in the ink. It holds more ink and it saves your time a lot.

Peter the pens come covered in an oil, you have to clean it with rubbing alcohol or a lgihtet also does the trick the reason it didnt hold a lot of ink is due to the ink not sticking to the oil

Beautiful drawing, radiant ink!

FINALLY, i've been doodling with this kind of dip pen for a long time, now it's your turnnnnn

I got the titanium version. It's wonderful :3

You can burn the oil coating off with a light flame, you just have to leave it in for about 2 seconds and the ink stays on for so much longer

As someone else said, you never just stick a nib in and start using it. You notice the ink isn't sticking to the nib at all, it just wants to roll off it. You have to CLEAN the nib first, THEN the ink will adhere to the nib and give you much more line work. This goes back to the 1800's and everyone knew this. Its in all the "how to" correspondence books from the early 20's. You hit the nib with a flame for a a microsecond and the oil burns off. Hit it too long and the nib will collapse under pressure. You can also just suck on the nib in your to do the same thing. Or, clean it first with alcohol to wipe the oil off or soap and water. Dip pens are a whole WORLD of amazing nibs for many purposes. I have a huge collection of nibs from the 20's and later. The modern versions of some of these nibs just don't match the quality of vintage nibs, though, I gotta say, that Hunt still makes kick ass nibs with beautiful flex.

You need a more viscous ink for that, like Deleter Ink or India Ink. Also, you need to get the oil off the tip of the nib with either alcohol on a paper towel, putting it over fire for 5 seconds, or hot water for a few seconds.

dear Mr peter... i have been doing lots of 'doodles' i say doodles because im really not sure what they are. you have really inspired me to draw more and to draw what ever i feel like. i would really love to show you my drawings. i have scanned them into my PC. i don't know if you will even see this but hey its worth a try. thank you for being such an inspiration.

My experience is that Dip pen nips get surface rust, even the ones I haven't used yet, it don't affect the useage of them, so it is more visual.

Every time I dip my nibs into the ink 🖋 I use a Second small sheet of paper put some lines on it like one or two then go back to my drawing and ink it so no drops are on it hope this helps you 🥰🙏🏼

That ink color is LOVELY, I love it! Please tell me the brand of the ink, and color number.

Amazing purple draw...

Gotta hold your pen more upright lol. Helps the ink to flow downward so you don’t run out so quick

does peter do commision work? if so where can i find hes rate

I want that doodle as a tattoo

Peter tasting the ink reminds me of my grandpa who will taste oil to see if it needs to be changed

i guess it really depends on what the nib is made out of if its made of stainless steel i would assume you should wash with light detergent and pat dry making sure that you dont leave any any any water on the nib what ever metal doesnt oxadize into rust thats the one to go with cause rust sucks

Hi Peter, How long did it take you to draw this picture?

You forgot to burn or clean off the machining oils. Nibs have a thin layer of oil to prevent rust. You need to dip them in alcohol or run them over a match or candle for a second. That's why it won't hold much ink, the oil lets the ink run off instead of clinging to the metal

He wasn't kidding about trying it

What is the difference between the normal zebra nib and the titanium one?

How often were you dipping during this drawing?

Best bet might be to stuff the nib into a Jinhao X750 or X450 fountain pen. It even comes with a converter :). Works great for me. Actually I got a Zebra G in a X750 for my sister-in-law for Christmas, but please don't tell her.

with the rust I think that you should use a dry paper towel and be sure to put the lid on properly and you should be ok

I have the same holder but my nib is soo wobbly, did i get a defective holder or something?

lmao, that type of paper is make for tracing, you place it on another paper and copy the image, its usually really thin and breaks easily so not many people actually use them and I have to say this is the first time I see someone use it for Dip Pen drawing hahaha. Also, amazing commentary and interesting drawing as always, keep gping Peter :D

This really inspired me to break out my dip pens again