The Brown Paper Bag Trick

[Wheatflower]

I've been experimenting with my newly-obtained collection of Serwex pens. Some of them have had slightly scratchy nibs, so I've been writing on some brown paper bag paper. This has smoothed them out quite a bit, but now I am wondering if it is possible to go too far with this, and harm the nib. I'd like to get my nibs as smooth as I can without going overboard, but I'm hoping that the bag paper is of such a fine "grit" that it really can't damage anything. Am I right or wrong?

[Paddler]

I would say that it is possible to go too far. If the paper has enough grit to round off the scratchy places, it has enough grit to keep going. A 10X to 15X loupe will show you if you are beginning to grind too much of the tipping off.

[stuartk]

I was told by a nibmeister that the only thing that the brown paper bag trick does is clog the slit with brown paper fibers.

[wallylynn]

If the nib is scratchy, first be 100% sure the tines are aligned. Other wise you'll wind up with baby-bottom.

[AndrewThomas]

I would say that it is possible to go too far. If the paper has enough grit to round off the scratchy places, it has enough grit to keep going. A 10X to 15X loupe will show you if you are beginning to grind too much of the tipping off.

 

While I'm no expert at all and have frankly never tried the brown bag trick, this sounds very logical.

[rwilsonedn]

I've never heard an authoritative view of just what the BPB trick does. Does the cheap brown paper act as an abrasive? Does it act like a strop, smoothing irregularities in the tip rather than removing them? Does it realign the tines by gradually averaging out the work applied to each tine during the circular pattern you are writing? Does it simply add cellulose fibers to any sharp spots or to the gap between the tines, creating a little wet mop upon which the nib glides (temporarily)? Or is the effect entirely that of a placebo? It would be fascinating to read about some hard data from a well-designed experiment.

ron

[penmanila]

at some risk, i've reground (not just smoothened) some of my nibs with positive results (at least to me), and for the final polishing, i use an ordinary two-sided nail buffer (not sandpapery, but more like fabric) that you can buy in a cosmetics shop. one side is much finer than the other, so i start with the one and end with the other for that glassine finish.

[penrivers]

2 or 3 years ago surely I would had done it, actually after to much reading in FPN,...never.

[pokermind]

... if it is possible to go too far with this... Am I right or wrong?

some folks claim the brown paper bag trick is a myth, while others swear by it. I guess, as with anything else, it's possible to go to far with this, but in my opinion, given the relative hardness difference between tipping material and paper, you would have to be polishing you nib for so long that your great great grandchildren will have passed away by the time you notice any problem.

[Paddler]

I was told by a nibmeister that the only thing that the brown paper bag trick does is clog the slit with brown paper fibers.

It depends on the bag. You need paper that was sized with clay. The clay particles are abrasive. Other papers can be sized with the same stuff. This is why your mother would rap you on the head with her thimble if she caught you cutting paper with her good dressmaker's shears. Some papers would dull the shears in short order. Which papers? To tell, you have to mash a bit of the paper up in some water and then look at the liquid with a microscope.

[shahrincamille]

I do not really use a brown paper bag, but rather the brown paper envelope that my monthly subscription of National Geographic magazine comes wrapped in.

 

Seems to do the trick . Go slow and easy.

 

 

 

Shahrin

[Bo Bo Olson]

I was told by a nibmeister that the only thing that the brown paper bag trick does is clog the slit with brown paper fibers.

 

 

Wrong. I buy used old pens....vintage, that have been sitting around in a desk for a decade or generation. There is micro-corrosion on the iridium, a good brown paper bag or a good cardboard box or a mirror or flat piece of glass will smooth that out. Those are the least abrasive way to do so. Remember what is ground away is gone.

Yes there are nibs that need micro-mesh. I have a nib on a P-75 that won't come around on a brown paper bag.

I bought some micro mesh, a month or so ago for it. As soon as I find the spare time, I'll smooth it with something more dangerous than a brown paper bag.

 

In WW2, folks had to resharpen their blue blade razor blades in a glass or on the mirror. It returns an edge like a Steel.

 

Do not use CHEAP paper bags. I can not help it that the folks who grew up in the plastic bag era can not tell with one feel the difference between a good and Cheap :bonk: paper bags.

Good paper bags are not hairy.

 

 

 

I am not going into the nib grinding business with a brown paper bag. There is micro-mesh for major cases.

I want to smooth out the age off the nib, not make it buttery smooth.

I have used this on some 40-50 old pens, one of the first things I do after getting it to draw ink.

 

In a 15 second set....about 4-6 sets is all you need.

 

Write normal with a filled pen,... Rotate the nib... circles left and right, squiggles up and down, squiggles left and right and figure 8's. Check after each set.

 

I find that 4-6 sets 'smooth' my nib into good smooth use. Then again I chase semi-flex and maxi-semi-flex/'flexi' nibs and am not after smooth as butter of a man with a nail.

 

Nails for buttery might take longer.

 

 

Now I can not help it if that 'nibmeister' has only had hairy cheap brown paper bags.

 

I won't cast aspersions, but I know it works on smoothing old nibs.

 

In I stay far away from new pens... you should be able to smooth them up with a brown paper bag also.

 

I just lucked out, here in Germany and found a new source of brown paper bags. They are scarce over here.

 

Now that I don't have to ration the brown paper bag using both sides and looking for free space, I can run out and buy lots of old used pens again.

Edited June 29, 2012 by Bo Bo Olson

[Wheatflower]

It depends on the bag. You need paper that was sized with clay. The clay particles are abrasive.

 

Ooooh. If that's what's doing it, then it would explain why some people claim it works and some don't. If you tried it on a bag without clay sizing, then you would (quite correctly) conclude it didn't work.

[OcalaFlGuy]

2 and 3 sided manicure sticks are only a couple dollars each and are FAR better for smoothing than the BPB with none of it's negatives. You could also probably do some minor nib Grinding too with the stick that you could't with the BPB.

 

And, No Figure Eights. That can actually Cause a Baby Bottom where there wasn't one already. Small circles and/or letters with a micro-hair more emphasis in pressure in the direction of the scrathiness.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[RNHC]

1. Does the cheap brown paper act as an abrasive?

2. Does it act like a strop, smoothing irregularities in the tip rather than removing them?

3. Does it realign the tines by gradually averaging out the work applied to each tine during the circular pattern you are writing?

4. Does it simply add cellulose fibers to any sharp spots or to the gap between the tines, creating a little wet mop upon which the nib glides (temporarily)?

5. Or is the effect entirely that of a placebo? It would be fascinating to read about some hard data from a well-designed experiment.

ron

 

1. I wasn't sure but from other postings I guess this may be plausible.

2. This seems to be what happens.

3. In combination with this.

4. No, some fibers do get caught in between tines but it's obvious when it happens.

5. No, I can attest that the nib is definitely smoother.

[RNHC]

I think Bo Bo is a grumpy old man and don't see eye to eye with a lot of what he says.

 

BUT, it was his mentioning of brown paper bag trick that helped me to smoothen out my scratchy Lamy 2000 fine nib. So I owe him a gratitude. Bo Bo may say a lot of things but a lot things he say are valueable and helpful (I will reluctantly acknowledge).

[fabrimedeiros]

FIRST of all: You need a loupe to check if the tines are aligned. Or you will ruin the nib tip.

 

Well, in my experience, brown paper is good for final smoothing work. If there are very rough areas, probably brown paper wouldn't help too much. However will not damage too. If you need a final smoothing, brown paper is awesome.

[Bo Bo Olson]

2 and 3 sided manicure sticks are only a couple dollars each and are FAR better for smoothing than the BPB with none of it's negatives. You could also probably do some minor nib Grinding too with the stick that you could't with the BPB.

 

And, No Figure Eights. That can actually Cause a Baby Bottom where there wasn't one already. Small circles and/or letters with a micro-hair more emphasis in pressure in the direction of the scrathiness.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

That's new to me...good to know. But I don't spend all day grinding on a paper bag and there for have been lucky.

The best thing about a brown paper bag is it's cheap. Every dollar saved can be wasted on a pen.

 

Things can be expensive mailed in that they did away with cheap sea mail some 20-30 years ago.

I was going to order $35 dollars worth of stuff from the states, that would have cost $35 to mail.

 

So I save lots of money by flying to the States and getting mailed to me there.