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My New Sailor Nib Toothy?

KostyaKev

By KostyaKev
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KostyaKev Near Mint

KostyaKev

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Just got a brand new Sailor 1911 Realo in fine. It came out of the box scratchy, but after some random tines aligment (without a loupe... literally random alignments) it got better to be just toothy. I understand that this is a Japanese fine and everything. Should I expect it to get better as I use it for some weeks? Should I get a loupe? Should I send it to a nib master? (really dont want to do that).

Current Task Force:

Sailor Koshu-Inden Petite Blossoms, Sailor 1911L, Sailor Realo, Cross Classic Century, Faber-Castell Ambition, Pilot Cavalier, Lamy Al-star, and an entire insane asylum full of Kawecos I regret buying.

 

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KostyaKev Near Mint

KostyaKev

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The chief problem is going diagnal to upper right. Is this a tine alignment issue? Or a scratchy nib?

Current Task Force:

Sailor Koshu-Inden Petite Blossoms, Sailor 1911L, Sailor Realo, Cross Classic Century, Faber-Castell Ambition, Pilot Cavalier, Lamy Al-star, and an entire insane asylum full of Kawecos I regret buying.

 

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Iollan Dipped Only

Iollan

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Seeing the list of pens in your signature, I assume you're neither new to fountain pens, nor unfamiliar with the pencil-like feedback that Sailor nibs have (which some describe as toothy but is a characteristic of Sailor nibs).

 

Toothi-ness in one stroke direction would most likely be a tine alignment issue. Getting a loupe to help with adjustments would be best if you plan to fix it yourself.

 

Alternatively, you can adjust by 'feel' - which takes some understanding of the mechanics; assuming you're a typical right-handed underwriter (nib pointing NW in relation to the paper), a hazarded guess would be that the left tine (with the nib oriented so that the feed is facing away from you) is lower than the right. Make adjustments in slight increments and you should get there eventually.

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KostyaKev Near Mint

KostyaKev

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Seeing the list of pens in your signature, I assume you're neither new to fountain pens, nor unfamiliar with the pencil-like feedback that Sailor nibs have (which some describe as toothy but is a characteristic of Sailor nibs).

 

Toothi-ness in one stroke direction would most likely be a tine alignment issue. Getting a loupe to help with adjustments would be best if you plan to fix it yourself.

 

Alternatively, you can adjust by 'feel' - which takes some understanding of the mechanics; assuming you're a typical right-handed underwriter (nib pointing NW in relation to the paper), a hazarded guess would be that the left tine (with the nib oriented so that the feed is facing away from you) is lower than the right. Make adjustments in slight increments and you should get there eventually.

I tried your method and it got a little better? Or maybe not? Didn't get worse for sure. I just ordered a loupe from amazon rush, going to arrive in 2 days. Hopefully I can fix it then. In the meantime, could it be that the new pen needs a rinsing, or things like that? I'm using Kon-peki in there right now, didn't seem to make a difference from the Waterman Mysterious Blue that I tested it with.

Current Task Force:

Sailor Koshu-Inden Petite Blossoms, Sailor 1911L, Sailor Realo, Cross Classic Century, Faber-Castell Ambition, Pilot Cavalier, Lamy Al-star, and an entire insane asylum full of Kawecos I regret buying.

 

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Dr.Grace Collectors Item

Dr.Grace

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Many Sailor nibs can indeed be toothy, because they've got a flat spot on the tipping at roughly a 45-degree angle. So when they're held consistently wityh this sweet spot parallel to the paper, they're very smooth. But not everyone holds the pen at that angle, hence it can feel toothy, especially if you swing the pen on descenders and loops. You may not be able to fix this by adjusting the tines. If you're good at smotthing nibs, you could try that, or otherwise send the pen out to someone like Michael Masuyama for smoothing.

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value.--Thomas Paine, "The American Crisis", 1776

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KostyaKev Near Mint

KostyaKev

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Many Sailor nibs can indeed be toothy, because they've got a flat spot on the tipping at roughly a 45-degree angle. So when they're held consistently wityh this sweet spot parallel to the paper, they're very smooth. But not everyone holds the pen at that angle, hence it can feel toothy, especially if you swing the pen on descenders and loops. You may not be able to fix this by adjusting the tines. If you're good at smotthing nibs, you could try that, or otherwise send the pen out to someone like Michael Masuyama for smoothing.

I am quite horrible at smoothing nibs.... not going to try that... I guess I'll try to change my way of holding pens, if the tines turn out to be aligned.

Current Task Force:

Sailor Koshu-Inden Petite Blossoms, Sailor 1911L, Sailor Realo, Cross Classic Century, Faber-Castell Ambition, Pilot Cavalier, Lamy Al-star, and an entire insane asylum full of Kawecos I regret buying.

 

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Iollan Dipped Only

Iollan

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Considering that you (OP) has other Sailors (as per your signature), the writing angle is probably not the issue, or you'd be having the same experience with the other sailors.

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Calabria Collectors Item

Calabria

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Many Sailor nibs can indeed be toothy, because they've got a flat spot on the tipping at roughly a 45-degree angle. So when they're held consistently wityh this sweet spot parallel to the paper, they're very smooth. But not everyone holds the pen at that angle, hence it can feel toothy, especially if you swing the pen on descenders and loops. You may not be able to fix this by adjusting the tines. If you're good at smotthing nibs, you could try that, or otherwise send the pen out to someone like Michael Masuyama for smoothing.

My Sailor F nibs have a pencil-like feel. I like that a lot. I'm not a fan of "buttery" smooth (ball-shaped) tips.

 

I would be very careful trying to adjust a Sailor nib myself. I've ruined at least two nibs trying to be clever (they were steel Pelikans, so replaceable.) In my opinion, the only person I'd let touch a Sailor nib is Mike, who has worked on many Sailors.

"If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live."

– Lin Yu-T'ang

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KostyaKev Near Mint

KostyaKev

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My Sailor F nibs have a pencil-like feel. I like that a lot. I'm not a fan of "buttery" smooth (ball-shaped) tips.

 

I would be very careful trying to adjust a Sailor nib myself. I've ruined at least two nibs trying to be clever (they were steel Pelikans, so replaceable.) In my opinion, the only person I'd let touch a Sailor nib is Mike, who has worked on many Sailors.

Mine is more synonymous to, quoting someone else "like writing with a chicken claw". Like I said it really doesn't scratch but there's so much drag from the tooth. It also is a dry writer; I'm using kon-peki and it's not feeling great.

Used my loupe to check alignment and there seems to be no problems. I might send it in the a local B&M's technician and if there's nothing he can do (he told me he can't do everything when it comes to sailors), I'll just buy a progear with M and put the nib into my realo.

Cant. Deal, Any...more...

Edited by KostyaKev

Current Task Force:

Sailor Koshu-Inden Petite Blossoms, Sailor 1911L, Sailor Realo, Cross Classic Century, Faber-Castell Ambition, Pilot Cavalier, Lamy Al-star, and an entire insane asylum full of Kawecos I regret buying.

 

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Dr.Grace Collectors Item

Dr.Grace

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Mine is more synonymous to, quoting someone else "like writing with a chicken claw". Like I said it really doesn't scratch but there's so much drag from the tooth. It also is a dry writer; I'm using kon-peki and it's not feeling great.

Used my loupe to check alignment and there seems to be no problems. I might send it in the a local B&M's technician and if there's nothing he can do (he told me he can't do everything when it comes to sailors), I'll just buy a progear with M and put the nib into my realo.

Cant. Deal, Any...more...

 

It's clearly a candidate for adjustment, at the very least. I'd send it off to Michael Masuyama.

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value.--Thomas Paine, "The American Crisis", 1776

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BlueJ Extremely Rare

BlueJ

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Some Sailor FPs write dry out of the box (my two did) so it could be an ink flow issue, not tine alignment. Either way I'd send it to a professional for adjustment. It's too nice a pen to risk damaging it. I also would not suggest a nib exchange, as their nibs AFAIK are not set in a way as to be user-replaceable. And to get another 21K Sailor nib, you'd have to decommission another equally good Sailor.

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bone215 Extremely Rare

bone215

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Are you expecting the pen to write the way you want it to or is the pen expecting you to write the way the pen wants?

Be Happy, work at it. Namaste

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