Can This Cause A Scratchy Nib?

[stefanv]

I have a Pelikan Polar Lights, which I really like, but I find the nib to be somewhat scratchy. I've checked for alignment (using a 20x loupe), and the tines are perfectly aligned. There are also no obvious "corners" anywhere on the nib (even when viewed with a 50x inspection microscope). The one thing I did notice is that the nib, when viewed from the tip, looks like the left side of the picture below. I'm pretty sure that the tines are actually touching at the bottom.

 

Size of gap and offset while writing GREATLY exaggerated!

 

What I'm wondering is whether the tines assume the configuration shown in the right hand picture when I write with the pen? If the tines are indeed touching, then the slightest pressure would offset one tine, and it would "stick" that way, at least for a while.

 

I've already spoken to Abi Weeks at Chartpak, and she's going to replace the nib for me at no charge, so I'm not looking to fix this. I'm just curious whether that sort of thing can cause scratchiness. Any nibmeisters care to chime in?

Edited October 1, 2012 by stefanv

[bphollin]

Brian Gray has an excellent essay on nib tuning and tine alignment. See http://edisonpen.com/page.cfm/IPGnibs2 You may wish to scroll down to the italicized text about halfway down the page.

[stefanv]

Thanks. Yeah, I've seen Brian's page, but it doesn't address this particular issue, other than the brief comment, "If the tines are touching on the bottom, but not the top, this is not usually desirable." But it doesn't say what effect this will have.

[NedC]

Probably, especially if you use much pressure, which you might have to with a nib like that because that could also cause some flow issues.

[georges zaslavsky]

send your pen top mike masumaya, he'll fix it. you don't need to apply too much on the nib when writing with your pen

[TimGirdler]

 

 

I have a Pelikan Polar Lights, which I really like, but I find the nib to be somewhat scratchy. I've checked for alignment (using a 20x loupe), and the tines are perfectly aligned. There are also no obvious "corners" anywhere on the nib (even when viewed with a 50x inspection microscope). The one thing I did notice is that the nib, when viewed from the tip, looks like the left side of the picture below. I'm pretty sure that the tines are actually touching at the bottom.

Size of gap and offset while writing GREATLY exaggerated!

What I'm wondering is whether the tines assume the configuration shown in the right hand picture when I write with the pen? If the tines are indeed touching, then the slightest pressure would offset one tine, and it would "stick" that way, at least for a while.

I've already spoken to Abi Weeks at Chartpak, and she's going to replace the nib for me at no charge, so I'm not looking to fix this. I'm just curious whether that sort of thing can cause scratchiness. Any nibmeisters care to chime in?

I have to say that I don't know whether the right side of the picture is a result of writing with the left side in what is referred to as a "Grand Canyon."

A properly tuned nib with have neither a "Grand Canyon" or a reversed Grand Canyon.

The reason this is important deals with capillary action. A properly-tuned nib will have the inner corners of the nib (by the slit) rounded (but not enough to make "baby's bottom"). Also, the nib should have a good "writing pad" (not to be confused with a foot). Generally, the ink flows down the slit to the tip and flows through the bottom of the nib (because that's where the paper is and capillary action draws the ink to the paper...if there's no baby's bottom). Once it goes out the bottom of the nib, it flows lubricating the nib along the writing pad (this is why even properly tuned XF nibs, for instance, feel more toothy--there's less area to lubricate).

With a slit pinching itself at the bottom, I don't think the capillary action is going to help the nib glide across the paper (like an ice skate glides on water over top of the ice). So, it is possible that it feels scratchy because it is not being properly lubricated. With insufficient lubrication, certain strokes--and perhaps all of them--will be scratchy. I would suspect that if the bottom of the slit is indeed touching, the nib itself is starved for ink in general.

I know you said you were replacing the nib However, there is no guarantee that the new nib won't need tuning either.

Tim

[psfred]

One thing that will definitely make a nib scratchy is to have a sharp corner on the nib slit at the bottom edge. It must be VERY slightly rounded off. Not ground higher than the part that touches the paper, but not sharp. If it is, it will scratch horribly.

 

The slit should also be vertical and parallel, with both sides the same size (although Sheaffer seemed to have a hard time with the latter over several decades).

 

I suspect you are quite correct in your assumption that pressure on the nib is causing an edge to catch and scratch. One tine is twisted, I suspect.

 

Also, as mentioned, the only time you NEED pressure on a fountain pen is when you are using a flexible nib and want a wide line. Otherwise, the great joy of fountain pens is that you DON'T have to press down to get them to write.

 

If the pen will not write properly by drawing it across the paper under only it's own weight, you need to fix the nib problems. Pressure on a fine nib will almost always make it scratchy, as you will be driving the tips into the paper.

 

Peter

[Fountainer]

Can we dive deeper in to this subject? I have done this V-shaped gap in my daily pen like shown in the picture, when i saw this being done in some video. But the Edison method (behind the link of Bphollin) prefers the gap open from the bottom and closed from upside, so it's more like /\-shaped. Of course the third and probably most common way is to make it exactly parallel: II. Nothing wrong with that. I'm open to believe anything, but just give me reasons. Is this all about smoothness of the pen rather than ink flow?

 

The reason i made the V-shape was because i had hard starting issues and had to spread the slit somehow but i didn't want the pen to become too wet writer. So i decided to make the V to form a pond of ink in the tip, but close the down side in hope of dry writing.

 

The Edison method is interesting too. I'd like to try it but i would need to take another pen for the project as i'm not going to twist an expensive gold nib back and forth. I would be also interested of reducing the drop left in the end of each stroke, if possible. I wonder does this tip slit configuration affect in it or not. Maybe the /\-slit would spend all the excess ink in the beginning and keep dryer in the end. The capillary action works from wider to smaller gap, right? Could this like lift some of the ink up from the paper in the end? Probably not because the feed pushes more ink all the time... Who knows. I think i should go trying.

 

Twisting tines like this can also affect on how the nib rests on the feed. So be aware of all the changes if you want to try too. The V-shape is more prone to pick up fibers from the paper i guess. Ok, that's all i can think of for now.

[dneal]

My experience is that it's about ink flow. A V shape is smooth, but dry. A /\ shape is wet, but doesn't give any precision. Down strokes will be consistent, but rounded strokes like "e" or "d" will be inconsistent - delivering too much ink and filling in the circles or unintentionally altering line width. A /\ shape can be easier to smooth, since the angle of the inside of the tine is already not 90* from the writing surface.

 

A parallel || shape delivers ink with the most precision, but is prone to scratchiness even when not misaligned. The inner edge needs to be slightly ground/polished to eliminate that (which is what drawing figure 8's usually does).

 

I think the reason people end up with a V or /\ is due to opening or closing the gap by applying pulling or pushing pressure on the wings of the nib, which (in the case of spreading the tines) is the "correct" way (as opposed to using a razor blade). Inadvertently creating a V or /\ is easy to do, but should be corrected as part of the adjustment.