Lefty Flex Nibs?

[AD43]

I am one myself and I was wondering how to make the line variation come out on the correct strokes, as an over writer I always pull on the opposite stroke so the line fattens on the opposite stroke. Is there anything that I can do?

[smk]

I have seen pictures of over-writers forming their letters upside down. This makes the the shade go in the right place as well as keeps their hands out of the ink. I guess it will take some getting used to but it is worth a try - at least to see if it is easier than learning to write under-handed :-)

 

- Salman

[torstar]

If you are a lefty you don't pay attention to "rules."

 

Do what comes natural, you may create something new that serves mankind (but not the cookbook.)

[sidthecat]

It looks really stupid but sometimes I hold the pen so that I'm dragging the nib instead of pushing it. It works, but it's something I'd tend to do in private.

[Chmara]

As a lefty back at pens with nibs coming up on one year -- I can tell you that I have come to several conjectural propositions that are almost keeping me sane. The first is the statement above by torstar --- BUT -- this makes the problem of good looking consistency a problem.

 

TMeanwhile he second is that searching the net and particularly You-Tube for a "works for me" system, or even hints, is fruitful at times but presents a variety of techniques for lefties that invariably requires rewiring parts of my 77 year old brain to:

 

1. Place the paper that way and ignore reverse slants

2. Switch back and forth between over and underwriting,

3. Switch hands -- tried on me in grade school and started a stutter before it was dropped.

4. Use methods mirroring the right hand -- physiologicaly impossible at the wrist.

5. Turn the paper 90 degrees and relearn to write alphabet sideways allowing you to drag the pen like a righty.

 

Meanwhile I decided to invent my own alphabet letter sets that were clear and consistent -- and came up with some caps that work but have not been able to think through a consistent connected lower case set that I am comfortable with yet. In the capitols I take advantage of underwritten downstrokes as the thicks much of the time, but eliminate some for clarity when needed in closely lettered words. Almost works some of (if not majority) if the time.

 

Members here (special thanks to Honeybadger have helped with equipment and ideas they have tested and solid suggestions, many of which work without pain.

 

BUT -- the biggest things I have learned are to:

 

1. SLOW DOWN. Ball points do not reflect the many years of development and need for ink flow that was able to allow consistency of lettering as humans wrote ideas. Pencils are not permanent. Those both allow speed -- and with a nib pen make for inconsistency and sloppiness. Somewhere in the many calligraphy books I have perused, I came across the idea that calligraphers DRAW letters, where writers just write words. Those with great handwriting, to me, seem to blend both skills. Even DaVinci's hand was legible when held up two a mirror. (LOL)

 

2. Be aware that the speed of the hand is not that of the modern mind -- and typing and flashing letters on TV and movies and advertising all assail our sensibility toward controlling our hand speed for consistency and remaining aware of the pressure we give to the nib for varying line width. In a lefty this is more difficult because we tend while underwriting) to push the nib, more than draw it as a righty does naturally. This developer patience -- not one of my strong suites.

 

3. Tinker with your tools. In my economic "alleged retirement" I have little money for complete pens that may or may not fill my needs. It took me a couple of months to remember that my handwriting with a medium nib always looked crummy, and the thin line of XF nibs left my loops open and legible. That however, made for a little practice needed so I did not push the sharper nib into the paper and splatter a fine list of ink when it popped out of the spot it had penetrated. Making sure my nib was properly tuned and smooth become paramount - as did controlling my pressure on the nib. When working Zebra G Flex nibs it found that this XF practice was invaluable in keeping the page clean and unspotted.

 

4. I am no longer ashamed of using BOTH overwriting and underwriting techniques as needed. It is nowhere written that lefties who have graduated must follow righties rules (see #1.) Just watch for smudging and using a primo ink that dries to your writing speed helps. I have yet to try blotters, but have developed a good breath for slightly blowing on ink I am not sure to trust not smearing.

 

5. I recently received (today) a se of practice books from a kind member -- and hope by tracing, repeat, repeat, repeat, I can set some patterns of consistency of lettering into my hand/eye realization that I can write clearly in what does look a lo0t like practiced Copperplate or Spenserian.

 

6. Once you start -- WRITE AND PRACTICE every day, seven days. Even if a short journal entry, a grocery list or a daily schedule. Use what you are learning EVERY DAY. If it has not been working out consistently -- try a new technique or two -- using it every day if you like the results. Repeating and repeating something that does not work for you just because it was taught that way does nt work for lefties often.

 

7. Do not look for a "Grail Pen" to solve your problem. The pen nib does enter the picture, and modern pens are stiffer with less variable motion when closing the gap between the tines -- but that is not a as great a problem (at least to me) as mastering consistency and the fine look of thick thin done in proportion to the alphabet and writing in use. It, to me, is usually the skill of the writer, not the fine masterful fit and grinding of a pen that allows edibility and beauty.

 

I am sure it will take me months more of following my own advice, trying more new things and tinkering with pens to get where I can be reasonably satisfied with my progress --- and someday know that I will actually be able to use written snail mail again. Otherwise unless I have keyboarded my ideas and words, I remained too embarrassed to show them.

 

With respect ---

Gregg Chmara

The Ink Fingered Curmudgeon

Edited September 20, 2018 by Chmara