Jump to content

Seeking Second Opinion Before Trying First Nib Smoothing


vossad01

Recommended Posts

I have identified my first victim: a nib that's scratchiness and poor behavior has annoyed me to the point of my needing to do something about it. It is the stock nib on a Jinhao X750 and I have 2 loose nibs I could swap on if I screw up. Since I have not done this before, I was hoping I could get a second opinion on my diagnosis and treatment before I begin.

 

Part I

 

Symptoms: The tines are usually aligned pretty well. I say usually because if I push slightly down on one tine, there will be an audible click and the tines will be out of alignment. Push back on the other one, another click and they are back to where they started. Even when I look and they appear aligned, I still find scratchiness in some motions; if I click it into the misaligned position, it is definitely worse.

 

Diagnosis: The tines are too close together. This is further supported by needing to apply pressure when writing to get consistent flow.

 

Treatment: Spread the tines to increase ink flow and hopefully eliminate the ability for whatever to catches causing the click. Test by holding at back of pen and seeing if pen weight is sufficient to leave a line on a page (I think that what I have seen in videos).

 

Part II

 

Confirm tine alignment and that the nib is still scratchy (I expect it will be). Then hit with micromesh per Goulet instructions video, checking results frequently. If still wanting to go further, or just want to experiment, hit next with mylar paper.

 

I already have a loupe and all the supplies I mentioned use of above. Does it sound like a good approach? Are there any glaring faults coming from my inexperience?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 3
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • smk

    2

  • vossad01

    2

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

It is great that you are taking a methodical approach with this.

 

Your description of the problem is excellent - the click you hear when you move the tines suggests a problem that is generally ignored during nib smoothing. Often times it is the inside edge of the tine that is left a bit too sharp that causes the scratchiness. The tip of the nib is not entirely static - even on hard-as-a-nail nibs the tines move just a tiny fraction in relation to each other when we write. If the inside edge of the tines is left sharp, it will dig in and cause a feeling of scratchiness.

 

The solution is very clearly described by Richard Binder in his notes from his workshop on nib smoothing. You can find a link to the pdf on this page: Nib Smoothing Kits as 'basic instructions for nib smoothing' (look at section VI).

 

Be careful though - being too aggressive with it can result in the baby-bottom problem.

 

I suggest this as a starting point, the nib might need other work once this is resolved but you'll be surprised how much this helps (if it indeed is the problem).

 

- Salman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahh, Thank you! Thank you!

 

I read through the guide you linked and managed to get some 2000 Grit sandpaper locally this morning. After just a small number of passes there is a marked improvement with the scratchy strokes, so it seems that was definitely a factor. It still needs work, but I do not think I have the time to give this the attention and focus it needs yet this weekend so it will have to wait.

 

Thanks again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...