What Happens During The Break-In Period With Nibs?

[Bluey]

Hi

I'm here doing a little journaling with my Pilot Falcon and wishing for it to break in where it will change from being stiff to hopefully having at least a tiny little bit of softness to it. i've been informed on this forum and I've frequently read about people mentioning about how nibs break in, but I'm having a hard time getting my head around the concept.

 

Surely it's more a case of people getting acclimatised to how the pen writes, or is there some physical transformation that takes place in the nib over time?

 

If it exists, can anyone shed some light on what this physical mechanism of "breaking in" actually is?

 

 

[ac12]

Sorry but your nib will likely NOT get softer.

And if you are pressing the pen that hard, you are pressing TOO hard.

 

IMHO 'breaking in' is your hand getting used to the characteristics of the pen and nib, and learning how to write with the pen.

 

Example1, a Parker 51 has a hooded nib, where you only see the very tip of the nib. This has the unfortunate problem of providing very little visual reference to the rotational angle of the pen and nib. So many times a new 51 user will end up trying to write on the side of the nib, until they figure out how to hold the pen so that the nib is flat on the paper. So the pen is not broken in, the user is getting used to a characteristic of the pen.

 

Example2, if you never wrote with a really smooth pen, it is your hand getting used to how a smooth pen feels, and learning to write with it.

 

Example3, getting used to a different size nib. I am a XF/F nib writer, when I first wrote with a B nib pen, I had trouble, because the ink line was soo much wider than my XF/F nibs, that the loops were all closed in. So I had to adjust and write larger, until I could write legibly with that FAT nib. I really never adjusted, as I rarely use a B nib.

Edited April 22, 2016 by ac12

[SteveE]

I'm with ac12 on this one. The nib really does not "break in" - unless you are pressing far to hard on it and spring it. The tipping material of today's nibs is very hard material, and writing with it will not show any visible (even with a high-power loupe) wear during your natural lifetime.

 

In the simplest explanation, you are merely getting used to using your pen. As you write with it, you naturally rotate the pen and/or hold it at different angles to the paper. Once you find the spot where the pen is most pleasant for you to write with it, you stop experimenting and consider the pen to be "broken in." Really, the pen has taught you how to use it. It just feels the other way around.

 

Also, many new pens are very dry writers from the factory. The ongoing flow of ink along the feed channels washes out any remaining manufacturing lubricants, debris or skin oils from production and assembly . Once the oils are gone, the ink flow will become wetter. A wetter nib writes more smoothly, hence you may feel, again, that it has broken in. Another unexpected effect may be that by writing with the nib, the nib may become seated differently in its collar or in the section. If, in this process, it becomes just a small bit farther away from the feed, this may cause more ink to flow - again making the nib write more smoothly and feel like it has broken in.

 

So, in summary, the nib is not changing. Everything else is.

[Bluey]

Thanks guys. That's how I imagined it to be.

 

 

 

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

I very much agree with prior posts.

 

There is a bit of lag time with a new pen, when the last of the manufacturing residue is removed, the material of the pen becomes used to being wet with ink and the mini-micro wiggles of parts shifting into place that only happens after the pen is used for a while. That is one reason I decline to adjust a new pen, unless it has an obvious flaw, less than a week after being in use.

 

I sample a new pen on a toothy paper with an ink of low lubricity that has shading potential so that I can feel the nib's sweet spot, then determine how to grasp the pen, and see the flow and line quality. I might need to change my writing mechanics a bit, but I reckon that any pen should be compatible, though perhaps not at its best, with a brisk light hand.

 

As I have yet to enjoy the pleasure of the Pilot Falcon, I speculate that such a nib may initially need you to adjust to it, and only then you can explore the potential of that nib.

 

Bye,

S1

[Bo Bo Olson]

If you have only used nails and the modern Semi-Nail,a soft nib will be different, just as if you were to buy a semi-vintage or vintage 'true' regular flex.

Soft is from what I read somewhat mushy. I don't have A Falcon nor any other 'soft' nib. I do have many 'true' regular flex. There is more spring to that nib, an easier ride than nail-semi-nail. A soft nib will also give you a softer ride as you write.

 

Some folks say they 'break in' a nib in some weeks or 6 weeks of writing in they 'wear' it into their way of miss-holding the pen. Unless they use a very, very rough paper I don't think that is going to happen that fast.

(many folks hold a pen like a ball point...others do the weirdest things with their grip)

 

In the old days where one wrote 8 hours a day, every day; it took some 7-10 years to wear out a nib. So I don't see a month as doing much wearing in....even if ham fisted.

 

I buy a lot of old 'cheap' pens (well not as cheap as I use to buy but still not that big a difference absolute quality. Even cheaper second tier pens had fairly good nibs)...'vintage' and they had been used for ages, and they write just fine, I don't have to adjust my Hand, nor 're-break in' my nib.

 

I think it is as the others have said, finding the sweet spot with out hunting, learning to hold a fountain pen like a fountain pen and not like a ball point, that "breaks in" the pen.

 

Yes, it is possible to develop a 'flat footprint' on a nib....I think most have done some extra work on it to really do that.....'smoothing' wrong.

 

Now, I have a lot of standard and some medium-large pens, that I post. I let the pen decide where it wants to rest. I don't force it to be at 45 degrees right after the big index knuckle, if the posted pen is not too heavy it often rests at 40 degrees a the start of the web of the thumb. If it is real long or heavy it might rest in the pit of my thumb taking the weight off at 35 degrees.

 

I find that when I do not post Large pens....in most are too ill balanced and clunky to post, they sit high in the hand near 45 degrees. (the way I hold a pen...I find them a bit small .

 

I don't have any giant pens like a 149/1000.

 

What you have to do is find out where your pen 'wants' to rest and let it do so.

 

Sometimes the nib tipping geometry is off a little bit right out the box, the pen may need a higher hold(45) than 40 degrees, for the best hold. Or it might be a bit low needing the nib to be held low closer to 35 degrees. I believe that to be rare and would not expect a Japanese pen to have to be held high or low. I wouldn't really worry about it. Don't worry about it.

 

 

I favor letting the pen rest where it will, in to struggle to keep the pen at 45 degrees causes you stress, and you have to hold the pen too hard to keep it up where you want it to be rather than were the pen would rest if you didn't struggle so much. Holding it so hard makes for being Ham Fisted, and easy fatigue from pressing instead of letting the nib glide in the small puddle of ink.

 

 

Pssst.....how to prevent Ham Fisted Barbarians from gouging the Grand Canyon in your desk, and handing back a mangled ski tipped nib.

 

"I just broke in that nib exactly to my hand and it will take a month to break it back in after you have written the eight words you wish to write. Here's a ball point." Always, always carry a ball point...a golden rule.

It's a very fine myth to spread around in the world of Jack Hammered Ball Point Barbarians. Which is more than likely why you think you have to break in your nib....some one who eventually took up fountain pens heard that ... and spread that virus into the web.

[ac12]

The other thing that I do in this so called break in period is that I adjust the nib.

Some pens are too dry or too wet for the ink that I want to use, so I have to adjust the nib to get the ink flow that I want.

If the nib does not write smoothly, the nib may need to be aligned and polished.

So there are things that I do to the nib, to make it behave properly.

Edited April 22, 2016 by ac12

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Á propos of Member act12 very valuable suggestion, I reckon one cannot do better than refer to the comprehensive nib valuation authored by Mr Richard Binder: http://www.richardspens.com/pdf/workshop_notes.pdf

 

I for one am a mere tine teaser, so much prefer to source my pens from those who have the knowledge and skill to get it right from the get go. By no means is that meant to disparage those workers who craft the pens, just that sometimes factory fresh pens need a nudge to reveal their full potential.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited April 22, 2016 by Sandy1

[Sasha Royale]

H

 

Surely it's more a case of people getting acclimatised to how the pen writes,

 

 

I agree. I write with a fairly "soft" touch. Heavier pressure on a nib would be an act of conscious effort. The fountain pen nib is a piece of metal, that is intended to maintain its "texture" and characteristics. Other than the flexibility of thin metal, there are no moving parts to "break-in". Others may disagree, but it is a fountain pen, not a shoe. No break-in period.

 

I believe it is the eventual adjustment of the "nut that holds the pen barrel".

[Bluey]

Some very good points there, all!

Edited April 23, 2016 by Bluey

[Bluey]

Hi,

 

Á propos of Member act12 very valuable suggestion, I reckon one cannot do better than refer to the comprehensive nib valuation authored by Mr Richard Binder: http://www.richardspens.com/pdf/workshop_notes.pdf

 

I for one am a mere tine teaser, so much prefer to source my pens from those who have the knowledge and skill to get it right from the get go. By no means is that meant to disparage those workers who craft the pens, just that sometimes factory fresh pens need a nudge to reveal their full potential.

 

Bye,

S1

Thanks for the link Sandy. A good reference, I think I'll use that in future. Bookmarked

[Bluey]

I agree. I write with a fairly "soft" touch. Heavier pressure on a nib would be an act of conscious effort. The fountain pen nib is a piece of metal, that is intended to maintain its "texture" and characteristics. Other than the flexibility of thin metal, there are no moving parts to "break-in". Others may disagree, but it is a fountain pen, not a shoe. No break-in period.

 

I believe it is the eventual adjustment of the "nut that holds the pen barrel".

Well said!

[kernando]

Wait, so how is it that a Pilot Falcon is stiff and not soft? Is it really a Pilot Falcon? Or is actually soft, not stiff?

[Bluey]

Wait, so how is it that a Pilot Falcon is stiff and not soft? Is it really a Pilot Falcon?

That's a good question that I would like to know myself.

I have no reason to believe that it's a fake Falcon.