Grinding Down a Calligraphy Nib

[georgem]

I would like to reduce a 1.1mm Calligraphy nib on a Rotring Art pen to about 0.7mm. Can anyone provide some tips on the best procedure, tools?

 

I'll not be doing this immediately, but have come to think a smaller than "normal" calligraphy nib would be a useful addition.

 

An alternative would be to buy a pen with an already ground down nib. Not sure which way I want to go at this point.

[KayMPurcell]

If you want a Pelikan pen with a customized italic nib, you can go here:

<http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref_txt.htm> Richard Binder will also customize your pen.

 

Disclaimer: no connection with Mr. Binder except as satisfied customer.

Kay.M.Purcell@gmail.com

[einv]

rotring artpen is a cheap enough pen to try grinding yourself.

 

glenn marcus has useful tips in some article, others can post URL.

 

here i will tell you how i do it. get 2000 grit wetdry (3M crp.) paper from your local auto store. note that the paper does NOT have to be any finer than this, and that finer grades will only make your nib fussy regards to paper diet.

 

your nib does not have to have ink for this operation, and in any case it won't matter as you will be grinding the edges, not the face.

 

with even excursions about 3-4 cm in length, grind each side of the nib, feed first facing to the left and then to the right. this is to correct for bias, as if you are irght-handed and have better left eye vision (as is the case usually) you will tend to grind more to the right (which translates to upper edge). do this until desired line width is obtained.

 

note that you do not have to grind the nib feed down, as the company has already done this for you. all you wanna do is reduce the "broadside".

 

next, radius the edges so they don't catch on paper. this can be done with great success using 2000 grit itself, it's how you do it that is important, not how fine the paper is. basically, it helps for this part to hold the 2000 with one hand, the pen in the other, and utilize relative motions of great delicacy. follow through the contours you want smoothened, as though wishing it to be true, and that is all the abrasive action you will need to radius the edges and sharp corners. overdo this part, and you will get a wimpy stub or cursive italic, not the calligraphic nib with which you do proper lettering.

[georgem]

Kay,

 

Thanks. I've sent some of my vintage pens to Richard for repair/restoration; haven't bought new pens from him.

 

Einv,

 

Thanks for the information. I will try it in the future. I plan to get some more Art pens to fill with red ink and, as you say, they're cheap enough that I can afford to get an extra one to risk in the interest of self education.

[Cam]

Viv,

 

Cheers for the description. I happen to have a spare 1.5mm artpen, so I'm going to try out your technique tomorrow!

[Keith with a capital K]

Ditto to what Viv said.