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Anyone Else Have A Pet Peave About Loud Writing Pens?


Tseg

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In my short time of collecting I've come agross some loud writing pens, either a scratchy sound, or worse for me, a singing nib. In all situations I've landed on a nib adjustment that makes the sounds all but go away and end up with a much smoother writer. While it may not be true, to me a loud writing nib means something ain't right, even if the line going down on paper looks good. In fact, in hind sight, when I compare the lines from the nibs that had "issues' before and after my corrections, invariably they look about the same, just the pens feel much better to write with. Anyone else hateful towards loud writing pens?

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Not hateful, although of course one person's singing may be another's nice feedback. I enjoy some pens which run smoothly and silently, and others which offer a slight skritch which to me may be slight feedback or just sounds evocatively mediaeval. I do not like scratch, which may be to what you are referring as "issues" and which I too will attempt to adjust out. Distinguishing skritch from scratch is a whole other area of subjective decisions. :)

 

Right now I have pens inked with both characteristics, silky as well as slightly skritchy, and that is not getting into softness or like things.

X

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Distinguishing skritch from scratch is a whole other area of subjective decisions. :)

 

 

Understanding this is on the path to enlightenment. I'm still at the base silky smooth level of understanding.

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I can't say I agree. I rather enjoy the sound of a louder than average nib. It's the same sort of cathartic sound as steel singing across a stone as I'm bringing the edge of my tool back to perfection. I find it calms my soul. But, no one of sound mind has accused me of being remotely normal.

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Tooth, feedback and connect with the page please! Maybe it's just a phase.

Add lightness and simplicate.

 

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You pay a good bit more $$$$ for a French Singing Razor over a muted one. Only a couple razor smiths in the world can make and grind one to sing.

 

Pay more for a Singing Sword also (there is an American swordsmith** that makes one).....and unfortunately, after a short time of 'Singing in the air, it too will stop singing. So Prince Valiant's, singing sword, was brand new, or living off it's past reputation.

The Razor will also loose it's tune by and by.

 

I think I've only one singing nib...and then it stopped...

But then again most of mine are old and someone else heard them if any.

 

100% cotton paper being so soft and clingy should stop the singing until the echo dies for good in the distant hills.

 

***It could be Lee. I was so stupid not to buy a silent Viking sword of his at some E400 at a major museum exhibition of the Vikings in Spire.

....I had in mind to buy a $400 dollar perfectly balanced German Long practice Sword, made by an American company..........didn't do that either. :headsmack:

Don't want to chop limbs if one 'misses'..... :yikes: Even a real dulled one will cause major damage...the round bladed practice sword can only break bones. :wacko:

One is supposed to practice quite a while before one ever crosses swords, they are not foils.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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My M1000 in fine sings. Took me by surprise when I first got it. It’s not scritchy or scratchy at all (actually very smooth), but has a resonant tone when writing with it. I’ve come to treasure this nib and love it now. I guess, to each their own!

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My M1000 in fine sings. Took me by surprise when I first got it. It’s not scritchy or scratchy at all (actually very smooth), but has a resonant tone when writing with it. I’ve come to treasure this nib and love it now. I guess, to each their own!

 

Ahhh yes, my singing M1000 nib was driving me crazy. It is now neither scritchy, scratchy or singy, but the nib does have a nice ripple on the metal from where it got bent on the edge of the table while seeking a cure.

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Cure for singing is time....the metal will fatigue so it no longer does so.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Some of my nibs - especially the dip nibs, make a bit of noise in use but I’m not really sensitive to it. I’ve lived my life in somewhat noisy rooms so I can put up with some scratching.

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Scratches, skritches, sings, silent - as long as it writes well I don't care!

 

Well, if it sings punk while I'm trying to write lyrical poetry, or opera while I'm trying to write punk... then we might have a problem!

Hi, I'm Mat


:)

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Scratches, skritches, sings, silent - as long as it writes well I don't care!

 

Well, if it sings punk while I'm trying to write lyrical poetry, or opera while I'm trying to write punk... then we might have a problem!

 

Ha! When my pens sing it is usually Bauhaus, which is ok for Lamy 2000, but not my others.

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I have silent, softly purring, singing, and creaking nibs and I like all of them for their character. Basically, all the nibs voicing up are vintage and come with a lot of character. Sometimes I wish the creaking nibs would chat a little less while writing but, oh well, I wouldn't change a hair on them because they are perfectly tuned flexible nibs. I actually enjoy that so many of my vintage pens have an individual personality and may even talk to me. :)

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Singing nibs can usually be traced to nib smoothness and/or the set of the nib and feed. The singing appears when the vibrations set up by the motion of the nib across the paper hit the resonant frequency of the nib. Sometimes its because the nib is not smoothed properly, or because the paper is rough. But the set of the feed against the nib makes a difference. Changing the position of the nib in relation to the feed (i.e. farther forward or back), or setting the feed tighter against the nib can dampen the vibrations or change the resonance of the nib enough that the singing stops.

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100 of the little darlings actually working? Music to a teacher's ears.

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Visit Main Street Pens
A full service pen shop providing professional, thoughtful vintage pen repair...

Please use email, not a PM for repair and pen purchase inquiries.

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