Re-Tipping/grinding Nibs

[TheDarkFaery]

Is it possible to turn a fine nib into a broad? If so how much would it cost and where could it be done?

[playtime]

I suspect possible - though the leap from F to B might be a bridge too far.

 

a number of choices:

greg minuskin

pendleton brown

mike masuyama

deb kinney

john mottishaw

[Ron Z]

The nib has to be retipped to add iridium to take it from a fine to a broad.

 

Greg Minuskin and John Mottishaw are the two best known techs to retip the nibs and then grind to the appropriate size. Greg's turn around is faster, John has a months long queue, but has been in the business longer. I've been satisfied with the work from both of them.

[shuuemura]

Goldnibs.com can also do retipping as well. watch_art recently posted about his experience getting them to retip nibs, and he was extremely satisfied with their work and price.

[pajaro]

Depending on the nib, it might be cheaper and simpler to buy a broad nib, unless you like rolling rocks uphill.

[TXKat]

Is it easier to try to find a dip pen nib in italic rather than having one ground italic? (May be a stupid question. My ignorance is showing.) And if it can be done, what type of nib would one start with?

[BookCat]

I did this very thing today. I received a Hero 616 from ebay, but found the nib too fine and scratchy for my tastes, so I took out the micromesh, mylar, loupes, strong reading specs, and went to work. Keeping a close eye on the tipping, checking regularly with two different strengths of lighted loupe (x10, x20) and testing regularly on both good paper and mediocre paper, I started with 2400 grit micromesh, moving through to 4000 and 12000, regularly checking and testing. I finished on 1.0 micron mylar and also flossed the nib with brass shim.

 

If I found any writing movement which caused significant scratch, I went back to the 4000 grit micromesh and gently smoothed through the motion which caused the scratch, ensuring to use a rotating motion of the nib. Tested again. If too much drag or feedback, I took it to the 12000 micromesh or the mylar.

 

Some tipping material was lost, but not all. And I have a nice nib now, a smooth broad.

 

I would only do such extensive 'smoothing' on a cheap pen. Had it been at all expensive, I would have returned it. I wouldn't have bought an expensive pen from ebay anyway, but from a shop where it could be tested. About £50 would be my max for an online purchase, and that would be from a place with a good returns policy.

 

But cheap pens are fun for nib-tuning/regrinding practise. (I have two £1 pens I turned into cursive italics, smooth but without any tipping).

Edited July 31, 2014 by BookCat

[lahlahlaw]

Is it easier to try to find a dip pen nib in italic rather than having one ground italic? (May be a stupid question. My ignorance is showing.) And if it can be done, what type of nib would one start with?

IMO steel nibs are better because you can go really thin to get maximum variation. With gold, you have to be careful not to grind away too much tipping.

[View from the Loft]

Is it easier to try to find a dip pen nib in italic rather than having one ground italic? (May be a stupid question. My ignorance is showing.) And if it can be done, what type of nib would one start with?

 

Talk to your preferred nib technician about what you want from the finished nib, and be guided by them as to what the starting nib should be. It can be done with steel nibs or gold nibs, and no doubt with palladium nibs as well. It is the tipping that is changed, not the nib.

 

My preference is for broad italic nibs, so we start from the broadest nib we can obtain. My finest stub was ground from a medium nib, and is a pen that I use for margin notes (but I really must get around to putting a bit more of an edge on it).

[TXKat]

At the moment, I have no preferred nib technician as I've never had anything done to a nib, but this is great information. I do have one broad nib pen that might be a good choice. I don't care much for the way it currently writes. Too big and boring!

 

Thanks for the info! All of it. Very informative.

[View from the Loft]

I think you would enjoy watching a nib technician at work. They are often found at pen shows, sometimes several of them. In my experience they, along with repairers and dealers enjoy talking to pen users, and will share knowledge generously.

[BookCat]

There are some great vids on youtube dealing with nib tuning. I recommend those from SBRE Brown.