Fountain Pens Become Scratchy When My Arm Is Extended

[Divergent_Integral]

Hi all,

 

the past few months I've been really active in trying to improve my handwriting. Unfortunately, in school I was never taught the 'proper' way to hold my pen. Consequently, I had developed somewhat of a 'chimpanzee grip'. Switching to the ordinary tripod grip has been difficult but largely successful.

 

I say largely, because there seems to be a residual problem. When I write with my lower and upper arm in a V shape, held close to my body, and my wrist bent over the bottom edge of my desk, all is well. Then I can write without pressure and as smoothly as the nib will allow. But if I somewhat extend my arm, in order to assume a more normal writing position (with lower and upper arm at roughly right angles), all my fountain pen nibs become significantly drier and scratchier. The effect persists even if I am very careful to align the nib properly against the page. It does become a bit less if I lower the writing angle, but this quickly becomes uncomfortable for me. Also, in the first position the writing angle doesn't seem to influence the sensation of smoothness all that much.

 

I'm trying to figure out what is happening here. It seems as if the nibs are quite forgiving when I hold my arm in the V shape, but develop a rather narrow sweet spot with my arm in a normal position. Any ideas for diagnosis and/or improvement would be much appreciated.

Edited July 5, 2018 by Divergent_Integral

[graystranger]

I would guess that the angle of the pen with the paper is changing when you reposition your arm. Probably the pen is being held at a higher angle.

 

I suggest you sit upright as straight as you can and even lean over the surface, with the edge of the desk close to your body. I don't think you will get comfortable writing with your wrist bent over the edge of your desk. That sounds quite uncomfortable for anything but brief writing.

 

Without seeing you write (like a video or comparative photos) it is very hard to visualize what might be going on. However, I think the key is that the pen/nib angle is changing with your position change. That is the only thing that I can imagine that would alter how smooth or wet the nib is on the paper.

 

One thought, create a slight ramp for your writing surface, just a few degrees elevation of the surface might make a difference. I'm interested in seeing the other replies you'll get from this posting.

[Divergent_Integral]

Hi graystranger,

 

thanks for your reply; much appreciated! Creating a slanted writing surface, for which I used an adjustable bookstand, seems to have done the trick as far as diagnosing the problem is concerned. Made it much easier to see what was happening.

 

Despite careful attempts at aligning the nib properly, I seem to have a tendency, difficult to get rid of I'm afraid, to rotate the nib, about its long axis, downward to my right (I'm right-handed).

 

I think that getting rid of this rotating tendency is basically down to lots of practice. Or would an oblique nib be helpful, in your opinion?

[graystranger]

Hi Divergent_Integral,

 

I don't know much about oblique nibs or using them, one might help you. I think practice on holding the pen will be the best. I was thinking about how you hold the pen and your arm angle last night while I was writing. I angle the paper/notebook almost parallel to the edge of the desk and my forearm and upper arm make a sharp angle. That is comfortable for me and how I have written for many years. Some pens require me to pay more attention to the angle of rotation in my hand than others do. Broader nibs seem to be more forgiving then the finer nibs. Except for stubs, they have to lay flat on the paper and I cannot write as fast with them or I'll rotate the pen too much.

 

Glad that angling the writing surface has helped you.