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Nib Viewing. Whats Your 'tool' ?

Pen Nut

By Pen Nut
in Repair Q&A

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  1. 1. Nib grinders. What do you use to view the nib?

    • Loupe. Non Illuminated
      67
    • Loupe. Illuminated
      37
    • Illuminated stereo head magnifier
      6
    • USB Microscope
      6
    • Stereo microscope
      8
    • Standard 'one eye' microscope
      2
    • Hand Held Magnifying Glass
      5
    • Desk Mounted Large Surface Glass
      2
    • Other. Please state.
      9

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Pen Nut Donor Pen

Pen Nut

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Ok then as I venture into the dark world of nib grinding (always feel 'grinding' sounds too harsh) under instruction and guidance of our very own JS Oxonian I was wondering what others use to view the nib at the various stages of inspection/grinding.

 

I have a couple of loupes, one is illuminated with led's, and also a very old brass instrument which I believe is a stitch counter both of which have served me well and was now going to upgrade to something a bit more substantial.

 

Did try a tool inspection microscope but feel I would have to implement some form of holding device to steady the pen whilst viewing. This also lack illumination which I feel is a requirement.

 

My next intended purchase will probably be a usb microscope as I feel I do need to get a bit more up close and also want to catalogue pictures of nibs as I re-profile them for future reference.

 

So nib choppers whats yer magnifying tool / tools ?

 

PS. I appreciated more than one tool will be used so please tick all the ones you use.

Edited by Pen Nut

A wise man once said    " the best revenge is wealth "   but a wiser man answered back    " the best revenge is happiness "

 

The true definition of madness - Doing the same thing everyday and expecting different results......

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PDW Vintage

PDW

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A stereo magnifier sounds interesting - I've just realised that when I look at a nib through my loupe I'm seeing a 2D view and trying to extrapolate to what is happening to the surfaces of a 3D object, a procedure which might not give the complete picture. Hhhmmmmm ...

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watch_art Museum Piece

watch_art

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I have a 10x loupe that I use for final inspection. Mostly I just work with the pen between me and a small desk lamp so I can put the nib in silhouette to look at it. If it's a very fine nib I'll use loupes, but mostly I just look at it like that and adjust and write and look and adjust and all that.

fpn_1432247667__cropped-20150427_0641231 http://www.penturners.org/forum/signaturepics/sigpic14481_1.gif http://mob984.photobucket.com/albums/ae327/VintagePen/vanness.jpg?t=1321916122

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777 Antique

777

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Me, I use a small variety. :)

 

I have a 10x and 20x loupe. Naturally, the 10x gets used a lot, and the 20x not so often.

 

I also have a pair of non-illuminated optivisors. Those are very handy for hands-free magnification. Disregarding how stupid one looks with them on, they are fabulous tools.

 

I use my naked eye quite often actually. Perhaps because I'm young, have better than 20/20 vision, and because I can. But I honestly find my eye alone to be most convenient, most of the time. Too often I find that getting up close with the nib actually inhibits you from grinding nicely, because you can't get a good picture of the whole thing. It's like trying to walk around your house with binoculars on! :)

 

 

Good luck with the nib grinding. I am looking forward to seeing some writing samples. *hint hint*...

Need a pen repaired or a nib re-ground? I'd love to help you out.

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Colossians 3:17 - And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

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mhosea Collectors Item

mhosea

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I have some loupes, all cheap, and a silly little handheld microscope that is frustrating to use, but I discovered that a 16.8mm 3-element telescope eyepiece that I had laying around (one of the least useful to me of the several telescope eyepieces I have) gives very sharp high-magnification views when I use it as a loupe by flipping it around and looking through the barrel.

I know my id is "mhosea", but you can call me Mike. It's an old Unix thing.

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mhosea Collectors Item

mhosea

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I use my naked eye quite often actually. Perhaps because I'm young, have better than 20/20 vision, and because I can.

 

I remember such abilities. <sigh> Now, as I type this I am wearing prescription "computer" glasses and there is a stronger pair of off-the-shelf reading glasses on my desk. BTW, if you don't require any correction at all normally, you might find that a pair of +1 diopter reading glasses would be relaxing for viewing anything within arm's reach.

I know my id is "mhosea", but you can call me Mike. It's an old Unix thing.

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777 Antique

777

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I use a nail buffer, then I take a macro shot with my Canon P&S so that I can see what I've done.

 

Now that is something unique and different. :) Not sure if I could manage it, but it sounds cool anyway.

Need a pen repaired or a nib re-ground? I'd love to help you out.

FPN%252520banner.jpg

Colossians 3:17 - And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

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Pen Nut Donor Pen

Pen Nut

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Otoscope ! Now there is something I had not considered before :thumbup:

A wise man once said    " the best revenge is wealth "   but a wiser man answered back    " the best revenge is happiness "

 

The true definition of madness - Doing the same thing everyday and expecting different results......

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Pen Nut Donor Pen

Pen Nut

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Get the feeling that a microscope may be 'overkill' for nib work. Nice to have though :thumbup:

A wise man once said    " the best revenge is wealth "   but a wiser man answered back    " the best revenge is happiness "

 

The true definition of madness - Doing the same thing everyday and expecting different results......

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nickapos Rare

nickapos

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My next intended purchase will probably be a usb microscope as I feel I do need to get a bit more up close and also want to catalogue pictures of nibs as I re-profile them for future reference.

 

So nib choppers whats yer magnifying tool / tools ?[/b]

 

PS. I appreciated more than one tool will be used so please tick all the ones you use.

 

Even though I am not a nib grinder, I have one of these usb microscopes I got from China some time ago to use as a stereoscope.

I use it when I want to check any microscopic details in my pens (nib alignment etc)

I should mention that it was quite cheap and you can use it to take pictures and record video, although I am not sure if the video is of the best possible quality.

Nick Apostolakis

Msc in IT, University of Glasgow

GPG ID: 0xBDF1848D

e-mail: nickapos@oncrete.gr

Web Site: http://nick.oncrete.gr

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kps Extremely Rare

kps

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Although I didn't get them for pens, I have a clip-on Optivisor (and some clones that are nearly as good), and a second-hand low-power (6–25×) stereo microscope. Also a printer's loupe, and a set of those rectangular hand-held microscopes (30× and 100×). If I were a pro (or find a pair as cheap as my microscope) I might go for proper surgical loupes.

“As we leave the Moon at Taurus-Littrow, we leave as we came, and God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind.” – Gene Cernan, 14 December 1972

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P.A.R. Vintage

P.A.R.

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I have a 10x loupe that I use for final inspection. Mostly I just work with the pen between me and a small desk lamp so I can put the nib in silhouette to look at it. If it's a very fine nib I'll use loupes, but mostly I just look at it like that and adjust and write and look and adjust and all that.

+1

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wastelanded Collectors Item

wastelanded

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No loupe in the house at present, so I use a 50mm f2 Nikkor lens backwards.

"I was cut off from the world. There was no one to confuse or torment me, and I was forced to become original." - Franz Joseph Haydn 1732 - 1809
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Pen Nut Donor Pen

Pen Nut

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No loupe in the house at present, so I use a 50mm f2 Nikkor lens backwards.

 

Interesting to hear what people use to view their nibs. I think the otoscope and reversed lens are joint first for items I would not have considered.

 

Keep them coming please.

A wise man once said    " the best revenge is wealth "   but a wiser man answered back    " the best revenge is happiness "

 

The true definition of madness - Doing the same thing everyday and expecting different results......

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wastelanded Collectors Item

wastelanded

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I only thought of it because that's how I'd look at 35mm negatives and slides back in days of yore.

"I was cut off from the world. There was no one to confuse or torment me, and I was forced to become original." - Franz Joseph Haydn 1732 - 1809
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