Black nibs

[wheezur]

When I worked in Manufacturing and we needed a steel part in black (collars, bushings, screws, etc.) the steel was sent to a metal treating plant for a black oxide treatment which is a metallurgical process. The steel parts were then beautiful black steel when they returned from the treatment plant with a black corrosion resistant finish that did not wear off (and also had increased durability depending on the usage of the part). My Lamy Safari nib looks very much like the black oxide steel I used to work with for years......in fact, I am certain of it!

 

What is Black Oxide?

 

Black oxide is the conversion coating formed by a chemical reaction with the iron in the metal to form an integral protective surface. (Contrasted to an applied coating which bonds to the metal but does not react chemically.) A black oxide conversion coating is applied to ferrous alloys when oxidizing salts react with the iron to form magnetite (Fe304), the black oxide of iron.

 

Similar results can be obtained on non-ferrous metals which oxidize under suitable conditions to form black oxides. Black oxide coatings are offered under a variety of trade names including Black Magic®, Black Penetrate®, Black Passivation, Gun Bluing and others. While some can be applied at room temperature, most are applied at elevated temperatures.

 

All the benefits of black oxide are only available from the "hot" oxidizing process.

 

Where is black oxide regularly used?

 

Black oxide conversion coatings are widely used in the machine tool, automotive, appliance and general metal forming industries. Screw machine parts, forgings and stampings are commonly black oxide coated.

 

 

 

I also found this "do it yourself" black oxide kit here: http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/black.htm

 

It's been a long time since I worked in coatings (and not that much, I mostly worked around people who did coatings and learned a bit by osmosis) but my recollection is that black oxide (Fe3O4)has very nearly the same volume as the iron it replaces (the molecules pack differently). Normal "rust" (Fe2O3) has a much larger volume than iron, which is why it flakes off rather easily. These are durable coatings (black oxide) and if forced to guess, I would guess that black nibs are black oxide.

[tutelman]

The Japanese pen manufacturer, Platinum, also made a black nibbed pen, the Stealth (PTR 5000B).

[JakobS]

My Lamy Safari nib looks very much like the black oxide steel I used to work with for years......in fact, I am certain of it!

 

According to the Lamy website, when they describe the nib on the Safari, they describe it as a Chromium plated nib, since Lamy is changing all the nibs on almost all the Safaris to uncoated stainless steel, this description now is only found with the black variation, here: http://www.lamy.com/eng/b2c/safari/017

Edited March 24, 2010 by JakobS