One of the stranger looking calligraphy pen nibs, and one which beginners may find a little difficult to adjust to, is the elbow nib which is used when producing Copperplate style. The elbow nib is just one of the options available to calligraphers with an alternative being a modification to the pen holder itself so that an obliquely positioned flange can be added to it. The flange then positions the entire nib at an offset angle relative to the axis of the pen holder.

The reason an offset nib is needed to produce Copperplate comes about because when a right-handed calligrapher uses a pen to write script at the usual slant angle of their letters, there is a dragging effect on the right-hand tine of the nib. This dragging effect causes a ragged edge to appear on the right-hand side of the line. Without some sort of mechanical offset, the calligrapher would have to adjust his/her hand into a very awkward writing position.

An important point to remember when setting the position of the flange on your oblique calligraphy pen is to align the tip of the nib as closely to the centre of your pen holder as you can. You may find that if the nib isn’t aligned properly the pen will feel unbalanced when writing.

There is a  drawback with using an elbow nib and that is that there is no room for adjustment of the pen angle to allow for the variations in each individual’s writing style. On the flip side, the pen should feel equally balanced every time you attach the nib.

Whether you choose an oblique pen holder or an elbow nib, minor adjustments are inevitable before you are going to feel completely comfortable. Practice on a scrap piece of paper until you’re happy with the feel of the pen in your hand, the nib on the paper and the sharpness of the line you have produced.