Magnetic Dip Pen Nibs

[corgicoupe]

I carelessly put five or six dip pen nibs on a desk shelf next to a magnet. Yep, they stuck together when I took them off the shelf. I recalled an old engineering school trick and held each nib with needle nose pliers and passed them in and out of the back end of a soldering gun loop [not the hot end] several times while pulling the trigger. That demagnetized them.

[AAAndrew]

An interesting solution. I have a magnetic block on my desk for short-term storing nibs I use often and don't have on a holder. I've not encountered a problem with them being magnetized, but if I did, it's good to know.

 

Thanks

Andrew

[Astronymus]

I heard these are also a good solution. Hadn't the need for one so far though.

[corgicoupe]

Same idea. I think alternating current in a loop provides both positive and negative.

[Corona688]

Those little plastic things have no batteries and can't apply an AC field. It applies an equal and opposite field, is how it works. Meaning, you have to hold the piece in the right orientation for it to work. And 'right' may not be easy to figure out for anything it didn't magnetize in the first place.

Edited November 26, 2018 by Corona688

[BrassRatt]

Ummm ... so maybe it's obvious to somebody, but why do you not want magnetized pens (er, nibs)?

[Corona688]

They'll stick to each other. More of a problem for dip pens, which change nibs very frequently.

Edited November 27, 2018 by Corona688

[Astronymus]

Those little plastic things have no batteries and can't apply an AC field. It applies an equal and opposite field, is how it works. Meaning, you have to hold the piece in the right orientation for it to work. And 'right' may not be easy to figure out for anything it didn't magnetize in the first place.

True. But not everyone has the neccessary machinery in the house. Or has the need for it..

[Corona688]

True. But not everyone has the neccessary machinery in the house. Or has the need for it..

Well, sure. My only point was, it may not be helpful for demagnetizing these nibs.

[rwilsonedn]

They'll stick to each other. More of a problem for dip pens, which change nibs very frequently.

 

Why would you be changing nibs so frequently on a dip pen? Unless you are writing a novel or something, I would expect one nib to last for months, even if you don't dress the tip from time to time.

[Corona688]

Why would you be changing nibs so frequently on a dip pen?

Changing nibs is so easy with a penholder, it can just be part of your habit, like removing a pen lid.

 

True, I only need one nib to write a page of text. I might want several for calligraphy, and a bunch more for art. Not to mention, the sharpest nibs are really inconvenient to stuff in a bag while 'armed'.

[pajaro]

If you want to magnetize or demagnetize something, there are blocks that you put the item through one opening to magnetize and through another to demagnetize. I have used this thing for screwdrivers. I have played around with other items as well. Slow pace of life in the boondocks.