The Standard Starting Point
Speedball is the long-established, widely available choice for an affordable oblique holder. It shares the same hourglass-shaped plastic body as Speedball's straight holder, with an offset brass flange built specifically for slanted scripts — the construction includes an offset design for nibs to be placed to create lettering styles that feature a slant, ideal for copperplate and Spencerian scripts. It's a dependable, no-frills tool: not the most refined oblique holder available, but a genuinely functional and affordable way to start pointed-pen calligraphy correctly rather than fighting a straight holder.
Honest Note:
Who is it For?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUSTIONS (FAQ)
Will this fit my Brause or Nikko nibs?
Yes — the offset flange accepts standard pointed pen nibs across most major brands.
Is this suitable for left-handed calligraphers?
No — this holder is right-handed configuration only. Left-handed calligraphers should consider an adjustable holder such as Tom's Studio instead.
Do I need an oblique holder for all calligraphy?
No — only for pointed pen scripts like copperplate and Spencerian. Broad-edge scripts (italic, blackletter) use a straight holder instead.