Can We Get Serious About Cracking This Retipping Nut?

[Johnny Appleseed]

OldGriz recently discussed a few nibs he got back from Nathan. From what I understand, Nathan was quite talented at the whole retipping process. I say was and not is because as I understand it, he said he will never do retips again. I'm willing to read between the lines and take it to mean it is a pain in anatomy when someone else is willing to do it for you.

 

Nathan is an odd duck, and I would not assume the pain in the anatomy is the only factor. He has also gotten a lot of flack from collectors for some of his retips and other projects (he really got a lot of flack when he retipped a Lancaster nib - one of around 12 known to exist - into a Music nib). He is pretty busy, and a bit obsessive, with his ink business. Also the re-tips he is talking about are not normal fixing-a-tine retips, but truly original and different designs - enormous stubs, harpoon nibs, etc. They may involve more than the typical amount of work.

 

And Nathan is an opinionated maverick. He does his own thing. I would not presume to understand all his reasons, nor read too much between the lines - what he wrote between the lines is probably upside down, and in invisible ink.

 

John

[antonio ilmonaco]

Hello,

 

Attaching a new tip is not that complicated, and the welder equipment not that expensive nor complicated (remember, pens had tipped nibs in the 20s when no semiconductor technology was available).

The real problems are 1) finding suitable tipping material in reasonable quantities (i.e. less than a $1000 order) and 2) finding slitting saws that will withstand cutting the very hard alloy (most HSS ones are not up to the task)

 

All the best,

Antonio

[Gerry]

Well, y'all could consider a combined order for the minimum number of tipping balls. Expensive, yes, but if spread over 10 or so participants might be affordable.

 

Regards,

 

Gerry

[wheezur]

Hello,

 

I have performed a few experiments. So far I am able to attach successfully a bead of stainless steel to a nib.

Now I need real tipping material and slitting saw, to begin practicing on a few junk nibs.

Anyone knows where I might find these?

 

Thanks,

Antonio

 

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/9808/retip.jpg

For a slitting saw, would something like this work for you?

http://www.mtixtl.com/mt-4highspeeddiamondcut-offsawwithviseand5pcs4diamondblades.aspx

Something with a blade more or less like this is likely what is used to cut the slits in the nib in the first place. The hard part, I think, with a re-tip is that the nib slit is already cut, so you need to cut along the same line.

 

Sigma-Aldrich chemicals sells small quantities of platinum-iridium alloy wire (no idea if this is hard enough?)as well as pure iridium wire. (google sigma-aldrich and search their site.) (I wonder if pure iridium is hard enough? Alloys are often harder or tougher than the metals that go into them.) You could have the only real iridium tipped fp nibs around. It won't be cheap . . .

[ggssiso]

Hello,

 

Attaching a new tip is not that complicated, and the welder equipment not that expensive nor complicated (remember, pens had tipped nibs in the 20s when no semiconductor technology was available).

The real problems are 1) finding suitable tipping material in reasonable quantities (i.e. less than a $1000 order) and 2) finding slitting saws that will withstand cutting the very hard alloy (most HSS ones are not up to the task)

 

All the best,

Antonio

Hi,have been giving this some thought:-

1. Is the tipping material in spherical form?

2. Have the sphere sliced in half.

3. Silver or gold solder each half onto each tyne.

4. Smooth & shape nib to desired specification.

5. Should tipping material be in wire form this would be more desirable

Platinum is available in wire form of various gages.

As mentioned previously tipping has been around before the new technologies were available.

Best of luck

George.

[Garageboy]

 

 

Nathan is an odd duck, and I would not assume the pain in the anatomy is the only factor. He has also gotten a lot of flack from collectors for some of his retips and other projects (he really got a lot of flack when he retipped a Lancaster nib - one of around 12 known to exist - into a Music nib). He is pretty busy, and a bit obsessive, with his ink business. Also the re-tips he is talking about are not normal fixing-a-tine retips, but truly original and different designs - enormous stubs, harpoon nibs, etc. They may involve more than the typical amount of work.

 

 

John

What's a Lancaster nib?

[FarmBoy]

 

 

Nathan is an odd duck, and I would not assume the pain in the anatomy is the only factor. He has also gotten a lot of flack from collectors for some of his retips and other projects (he really got a lot of flack when he retipped a Lancaster nib - one of around 12 known to exist - into a Music nib). He is pretty busy, and a bit obsessive, with his ink business. Also the re-tips he is talking about are not normal fixing-a-tine retips, but truly original and different designs - enormous stubs, harpoon nibs, etc. They may involve more than the typical amount of work.

 

 

John

What's a Lancaster nib?

One of the dirty dozen.

[SamCapote]

I have a Sunstone Spot Welder, and have used it for battery packs. I have that process down pat, and have spot welded thousands of packs with it. Knowing what I know, moving to the precision and details about the metals and precision needed for tipping, following the videos that Altec has posted of their use of the beads is not as simple as it may sound. You could do it, but you would be best to get trained by the few people who know all the tricks.

[dallasjarrell]

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/65161525830366689/

[FarmBoy]

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/65161525830366689/

This 'method' has been discussed.

 

I'll stick with Greg and John and I'm willing to bet I have more nibs-in-need than most.

 

FarmBoy