Tweaking nibs

[alfredop]

Hi,

 

I have a problem with the two more expensive pen I have: a Lamy 2000 and a MB 146. Both have extrafine nibs, and both give a line width which is too much bigger for my callygraphy. This is probably also due to my writing mode (in particular to the angle between the pens and the sheet) , but if I write a vertical line I obtain a correct (from my point of view) line width, while writing horizontal strokes the line width is larger.

My idea to correct this problem is to regrind the nib, proceeding as in Step 1 (flattening the nib) of Markus web site, in this way I should be able to reduce the contact surface between the nib and the paper. I tried this with some inexpensive pens and the results was good (I also obtained more feedback from the paper, a thing that I like), but before to try with the Lamy (I do not think that I will personally modify the MB) I would like to have some suggestions from the expert of this forum.

So please let me know what you think.

 

Ciao

Genny

[John Cullen]

Is it possible the nib tipping is designed to write with a broader horizontal stroke than vertical stroke?

 

I have pens with nibs like that. It seems that the tipping is not the usual ball tipping but a slightly different design. I do not know enough to tell you if your two pens are of this type.

 

You are very brave to work on expensive pens with little experience. I have smoothed a few cheap nib but I hae never attempted anything with more expensive pens. Good luck. jc

[alfredop]

Is it possible the nib tipping is designed to write with a broader horizontal stroke than vertical stroke?

 

I have pens with nibs like that. It seems that the tipping is not the usual ball tipping but a slightly different design. I do not know enough to tell you if your two pens are of this type.

 

You are very brave to work on expensive pens with little experience. I have smoothed a few cheap nib but I hae never attempted anything with more expensive pens. Good luck. jc

 

Yes, you are right the nib tipping for both pens is not a ball, and this is causing my problems (I can correct this behavior letting the pens to be orthogonally to the sheet, but I'm not able to write in this way).

 

I think that I will risk with the less expensive Lamy, but I would like first to have an opinion on this mode to tweak the nib.

 

Ciao

Genny

[alfredop]

I have tweaked the Lamy 2000 nib and the result seems good to me. I was able to have a finer line width in the horizontal strokes, but I paid this with a nib which is a little bit less smooth, this is not a problem for me since, as already said, I like to have some feedback from the paper (feedback that in my opinion is necessary when writing very small).

 

Ciao

Genny