My Nib Skips Constantly When Write On Smooth Paper

[butchixanhdo]

Hi,

 

Have you ever experienced the same issue: my nib just cannot write on smooth paper (clairefontaine) ?

 

It's a extra fine extra flessibile nib in my Omas Milord pen. It has no issue writing on photocopy papers, cheap notebooks, but it performs very badly to the point that I cannot use it on clairefontaine notebook. Sometime it wrote well on one page of the notebook but then skipped like almost every single stroke on the next page of the same notebook (but when i tested it on other paper at the same time, it did not skip). So I guess that the problem is not because of the feed since at the same time it can write perfectly on other paper, but i am not sure.

Too bad that I forgot to brought it to the LA pen show last sunday to have it checked.

 

Please let me know if you ever had the same issue and how you fixed it.

 

Thanks

[Sandy1]

 

Hi,

 

Try holding the pen at a different angle to the page until you find the smoothest writing experience, then using an ink other than Black, draw a large page-size spiral. The result should be a line of uniform width and tone (light to dark.)

 

If that cannot be done, it might be that your nib has 'baby bottom'. ref http://richardspens.com/?gloss=B

 

If so, it needs to be buffed away to form a planar writing pad - the sweet spot. ref http://richardspens.com/?refp=ttp/sweetspot

 

Bye,

S1

__

See also 'Ditching Clairefontaine...' https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/196985-ditching-clairefontaine/?p=1996903

Edited February 18, 2015 by Sandy1

[sidthecat]

Clairefontaine is pretty smooth. I've found problems with laid papers and somewhat dry writers. I might suggest a cheap magnifier just to see the state of your nib.

[butchixanhdo]

thanks for the reply, could you guys recommend a good magnifier? I am really mad with my pen now. I bought some clairefontaine notebooks for college but cannot use it at all.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

This FP Geeks thread takes a closer look at loupes : http://fpgeeks.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-8920.html

 

I have a 17X handheld loupe that is 'good enough' for taking a very close look at a nib, but I would not recommend it if one is spending much time working on a nib - 10X seems better for longer spells.

 

If your pen is new, please contact the Vendor for a repair/replacement - certainly before doing anything to the nib that could void the warranty. Have some photos / scans of written samples to show and tell. An OMAS Milord is too nice a pen for one to endure any sort of irritation or performance limitation.

 

Bye,

S1

[Bo Bo Olson]

Pay the price for good coated top quality glass...it's a once in a life time buy....then.

It performs better..10X don't just = 10 X when you compare the coatings and quality of glass; just like a good or a cheap binocular.

 

Old old saying, I'm too poor to buy cheap. In buy cheap is to buy again.

@$35 for a good loupe...good to look at hall marks, stamps and coins, a heirloom .

[tryphon]

It may actually be an ink related problem. Try a free flowing ink and see if that solves your problem. If the nib is fine on most papers, I do not think that it needs any smoothing: it does not have a baby-bottom problem. In any event and contrary to what many new "experts" claim, a baby bottom nib does not necessarily need grinding or reshaping of the iridium! Read more about adjusting nibs in my article:

 

http://www.newpentrace.net/articleGA04.html

[rwilsonedn]

You might also check to see if you have an issue with oils from your hand getting on the paper. Sometimes when you have a very smooth nib and a very smooth paper surface, a little oil will sit on the surface of the paper instead of sinking in, and will repel the bit of ink on the tip of the nib so that it never reaches the paper. Try either covering your writing paper with another sheet so your hand always rests on the other sheet, never on the writing surface.

ron

[torstar]

I've had severe drying issues with Clairfontaine (sp??) paper over the years.

 

I attribute it to medium nibs and saturated inks that simply don't work with this paper.

 

So I've learned to adjust and not kick against it.

[butchixanhdo]

THank you for your helps. Here is a little update.

 

The inks I use are Diamine Dalamere Green, Diamine Green Black, Diamine Amazing Amethys. All have the same problem with the Milord's nibs.

 

I tried the same inks with my noodler ahab and it never skips on any kind of paper I have.

 

The milord, however, though writes perfectly and awesomely on Original Crown Mill Laid Paper and cheap photocopy papers, cheap school notebooks, skips just a little on rhodia, skips rather often on Apica Premium, and CANNOT write on Clairefontaine. I mean it literally cannot write on clairefontaine at all; it skips on every single stroke!

 

Now, after closely examining how the milord's nib writes, I realized that when the nib touch the paper, it make the two tines out of alignment. Since the two tine are too closed to each other that they touch each other, when out of alignment, the friction from the touching point prevents the tines from going back to alignment. Is it why the pen skips? I dont know!

 

But if it was the reason, then the pen would skip on any paper. In fact, the problem only happen with clairefontaine and apica.

 

THe feeling when writing on clairefontaine paper is kind of like the paper repel the ink. So maybe it is because of the oil from my hand as some of you said? (my hand is sweaty )

Edited February 20, 2015 by butchixanhdo

[tryphon]

Have you read my article?

[empty]

I use a Clairefontaine notebook as my ink journal. Any pen that even has a slight hint of Baby's Bottoms will skip on it even it it works perfectly with other smooth paper.

[tryphon]

I use a Clairefontaine notebook as my ink journal. Any pen that even has a slight hint of Baby's Bottoms will skip on it even it it works perfectly with other smooth paper.

Most modern pens, even Chinese ones, have their iridium pellet shaped by machine, controlled by a computer. I see very few nibs with a baby bottom problem (and they are usually from India). Most nibs that skip have a tine alignement problem because the tines are moved during the insertion of the nib into the section. To restore proper operation, you need to realign the tineThe article I linked shows you how to do that. I have been doing it since 1968.

[mmg122]

Excellent article on adjusting nibs, Tryphon...and very timely for me. I have a Kaweco Sport Ice that I just picked up and having trouble with hard starts and skipping. After reading your article I was able to adjust the nib and writing great now. Thanks for your help.

[jar]

Dr. it hurts when I do this. Then don't do that!

 

Some nibs just don't like some papers or some inks.

 

It really is that simple.

[tryphon]

mmg122: glad it was helpful! Thanks for your kind words!

[juneping]

i know exactly what you're talking about. it happened to me as well. at first i thought it's the ink...so i changed to a wetter ink. it worked well for like a page then happens again.

i think all my pens got issues when writing on this exact some notepad....i don't think it's the nib nor the ink...it's the paper....

i am kind of miffed...i got the note pad when i was visiting Louvre.....

Edited June 8, 2018 by juneping

[Tseg]

Likewise, I've given up on Rhodia paper because it made too many of my pens behave differently (in a negative way) vs. any other paper I wrote on.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I keep reading butter smooth nibs don't like Rhodia or Clairefontaine Triomphe.

Finally got those two papers this week, the Rhodia is the new 90g. Will have to dig out a butter smooth nib to see, in I prefer the level below that; good and smooth.

The impression I get from reading was the paper is too slick, and the butter smooth nibs slide.

 

Using my MB Virginia Woolf with a fat B nib. It is the normal modern MB nib, 'Springy', good tine bend but only 2X tine spread. Is butter smooth.

 

Checked, Clairefontaine Velote` 90g, same as normal- a tad of resistance. Same with the Rhodia, perhaps a tad less. (haven't got the 80g)

The Clairefontaine Triomphe, has a decided less resistance feel than the other two. Next to none....so can see the reports of sliding.

Edited June 13, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[minddance]

I don't use Rhodia and Clairefontaine. I have them and left alot of pages unused. To me, they are not papers. When the fountain pen and inks were invented, there weren't Rhodia and clairefontaine (?), so why now?

 

Rhodia and Clairefontaine do not have an affinity for inks - and many nibs.

 

In order to use these (papers), I feel the nib has to have a more sure-footed contact with Rhodia and preferably alot wetter. Or else the inks will be 'differentiated' out, leaving on paper only the lighter parts, and appear pale. (I write very lightly, Rhodia does not catch my nib and ink.)

 

For me to write on Rhodia, the ink must be dark, saturated and enthusiastic, the nib must be willing and generous to share ink with Rhodia. The pen must not be miserly/frugal and ink must not stay too close to the nib.

 

Many inks have, inherently, a natural and 'organic' ability to offer tonal variations and nuances. As distance of eyes to paper changes, the amount and intensity of nuances change. I am not after 2-tone (light and dark) and 3-tone (light-dark-sheen) 'shadings'. If it happens, it happens; if it doesn't, I am happy. But most of the time, it happens.

 

I am not anxious to announce to the reader that I wrote with a fountain pen. But those who know will know

 

As for colour correctness, I have never really found a correct manifestation of any ink. I see different under different circumstances and I stopped bothering.

Edited June 21, 2018 by minddance