Please Estimate The Nib Point Size (F, M, B) Of This Mabie Todd Swan Nib In The Photo

[ptrcao]

F, M or B?

 

Would you say it is oblique or any other characteristics?

 

Is the nib damaged or not, misaligned etc.?

 

Would you buy this if you were after something that didn't need professional attention?

Edited February 11, 2012 by ptrcao

[Malcy]

Possibly fine but looks can be deceiving and if it has flex as many Swans do it could go to BBB. The tines are slightly vertically out of alignment. Easy to sort though and yes it is in good enough condition to buy without pro help providing you don't mind tweaking the tines your self and the rest of the pen is ok.

[ptrcao]

The tines are slightly vertically out of alignment. Easy to sort though...

 

How would you fix this without recourse to a professional? Would it need grinding?

[Malcy]

The tines are slightly vertically out of alignment. Easy to sort though...

 

How would you fix this without recourse to a professional? Would it need grinding?

 

It's just a matter of gently bending them slightly with your thumb nails until they align. A loupe is useful to check alignment. They definitely should not be ground as this would change the nib shape.

[ptrcao]

Some more opinions please?

[Bo Bo Olson]

Looks like an F.

 

I chase only vintage pens. The 'iridium' tip might have some micro-corrosion from sitting around for a generation or two. I use the brown paper bag trick.

I have to do that with 96% of them.

 

Look up the "brown paper bag" trick in the advanced search ...the little wheel next to the green 'look' button.

That is lightly smoothing 'aligned' tines.

It is the least abrasive way. I use four 15 second sets when smoothing, six max.

 

With an aligned tip...only.

 

in 15 second sets, 4-6 max, check after each set.

Rotate the tip as you write with regular pressure, circles left and right, squiggles up and down, left and right and figure 8's.

This will remove the 'scratchy' of ages.

 

IMO you do not want 'butter smooth' on such a vintage nib. Nice and smooth, or a slight tad of tooth is just fine.

 

Do check to see if that is a 'right' foot oblique or not.

[ptrcao]

So neither of you would say that the the misalignment is actually due to wear from the user's particular angle of approach over time? Cause that wouldn't simply be something you could bend back into place...

 

Also, does this have good odds of being flexible?

[ptrcao]

I don't want an oblique and there is no way to tell because the seller claims not to be knowledgeable and won't answer any particulars.

[Malcy]

It is impossible to say with certainty how flexible the nib is, if at all. I have had Swans with this nib shape both very flexible and firm. Only trying it will tell. It doesn't look like an oblique.

 

There is a limited amount that can be worked out from one photo. If you cannot get any information from the seller then you have two choices.

 

1. Take the plunge and buy the pen. Swans of this era sell well, so if it isn't what you want you can sell it on.

2. Move on and buy another pen that you can get more information about. There are plenty of Swans to chose from.

 

[ptrcao]

Can you tell more from the additional info in the original listing?: -

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/300659859047?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

[Go Strangely]

I'm certainly no expert but I do own a few swan leverless pens and what I can say is:

 

Contrary to what the seller says there should be a clip, I'm not sure how easy it would be to find a replacement.

 

As already stated it is impossible to say whether or not the nib will flex until it is in hand, also, whilst difficult to be certain from a photograph, to me the nib looks as if it has been slightly damaged; the left tine appears to have a bend in it, this may be simply a matter of re-aligning but may need the services of an expert.

 

I'm actually a bit surprised at the price this one went for given the small No 2 nib, with possible damage and lack of clip; although having said that the body and cap do seem to be in very fine condition.

 

Paul

[ptrcao]

I'm certainly no expert but I do own a few swan leverless pens and what I can say is:

 

Contrary to what the seller says there should be a clip, I'm not sure how easy it would be to find a replacement.

 

As already stated it is impossible to say whether or not the nib will flex until it is in hand, also, whilst difficult to be certain from a photograph, to me the nib looks as if it has been slightly damaged; the left tine appears to have a bend in it, this may be simply a matter of re-aligning but may need the services of an expert.

 

I'm actually a bit surprised at the price this one went for given the small No 2 nib, with possible damage and lack of clip; although having said that the body and cap do seem to be in very fine condition.

 

Paul

 

I saw that remark about clipless in the description and assumed that there were variants of the pen which were truly clipless. Is this information incorrect or inaccurate?

 

Can anyone with experience or insight please comment on the apparent irregularity of the tines? Just how serious is this and is it easily fixable without recourse to a professional?

Edited February 12, 2012 by ptrcao

[Scrawler]

It would be nice to see end on and side views of that nib. The photo gives the impression that the right hand tine is depressed and needs gently raising. That nib probably flexes from F-BB or BBB. The shape of the tines on MBS nibs is a good indicator, but you also need to see the cross-section. The shape of the breather hole can also affect the probability of flex.

Edited February 12, 2012 by Scrawler

[ptrcao]

It would be nice to see end on and side views of that nib.

 

I wish I could. What I can do is ask the seller for additional photos. Technically I've won, but if the tines are truly bent, I'm going to take issue with the seller. I don't think you need to be a professional to tell whether or not the tines are bent, and I think if true, not to include this information in the original listing is a pretty major omission... The photo you saw in the original post was only made available after the auction...

Edited February 12, 2012 by ptrcao

[Malcy]

It looks like a Swan SF2, many of which were clipless.

[Scrawler]

It would be nice to see end on and side views of that nib.

 

I wish I could. What I can do is ask the seller for additional photos. Technically I've won, but if the tines are truly bent, I'm going to take issue with the seller. I don't think you need to be a professional to tell whether or not the tines are bent, and I think if true, not to include this information in the original listing is a pretty major omission... The photo you saw in the original post was only made available after the auction...

Straightening out such a minor bend is not really a major problem. You can do it yourself with a thumbnail and a magnifying glass. Many sellers are not in tune with the same niceties, as a user of these pens, would be. A good nib shot is very important to getting the best value and informing the purchaser. Would you not have bought it if you had seen the tine was bent?

[Scrawler]

<....>

I'm actually a bit surprised at the price this one went for given the small No 2 nib, with possible damage and lack of clip; although having said that the body and cap do seem to be in very fine condition.

 

Paul

I was very surprised too. It should not be too difficult to find a better nib for that pen and make it very nice.

[ptrcao]

It would be nice to see end on and side views of that nib.

 

I wish I could. What I can do is ask the seller for additional photos. Technically I've won, but if the tines are truly bent, I'm going to take issue with the seller. I don't think you need to be a professional to tell whether or not the tines are bent, and I think if true, not to include this information in the original listing is a pretty major omission... The photo you saw in the original post was only made available after the auction...

Straightening out such a minor bend is not really a major problem. You can do it yourself with a thumbnail and a magnifying glass. Many sellers are not in tune with the same niceties, as a user of these pens, would be. A good nib shot is very important to getting the best value and informing the purchaser. Would you not have bought it if you had seen the tine was bent?

 

I might have lowered my maximum bid, that's for sure. The seller assures me the omission was an accident and I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt. I don't think I did too badly. But judge for yourself - in direct response to your advice, I have managed to obtain photos which do confirm some misalignment, but it doesn't look disastrously bad. I took a chance and went ahead and bought it.

 

I hope I can straighten it out myself. Can you make any additional comments and observations based on these new photos?

 

1. Is this tine misalignment a simple fix?
   
2. Is it likely flexible?
   
3. And the big question, based on some of your remarks - what was the item's actual worth? What would you have paid for it?
   

Edited February 12, 2012 by ptrcao

[red52ripple]

That's an early thirties Swan Leverless. Of course by that date most pens had clips but the option to buy one without a clip was still commonly exercised. I have a similar pen at the moment that clearly never had a clip. One photo isn't enough to tell the condition of the nib but I would have happily bid on that pen in the virtual certainty that a few seconds of adjustment would straighten it. There's bent, and there's out of alignment and they're not the same thing. This looks like it's simply misaligned.

 

For someone who isn't a pen seller, the guy has given an adequate description. He can only be faulted, I believe, in not giving a side-view of the nib, but most sellers of unrestored pens wouldn't do that either. The price is a shade high for an unrestored pen but not excessive.

 

It's eBay! If you want a pen like this in guaranteed excellent condition, go to a retailer and pay three times as much! Looks to me like you've got a very nice pen that will be a treasure with a little restoration.

 

Regards,

[red52ripple]

 

1. Is this tine misalignment a simple fix?
   
2. Is it likely flexible?
   
3. And the big question, based on some of your remarks - what was the item's actual worth? What would you have paid for it?
   

 

1. Yes

 

2. You can't tell whether a Swan nib will be flexible by looking at it. You have to try it.

 

3. Unrestored - £25 - £28. Restored, £40 - £60 depending on the flexibility of the nib.

 

Regards,