This Is How I Tune My Nibs

[PlayerX]

I was reading about how some people write on cardboard to smooth down their nibs, I thought that I can do it faster, so I took a hole saw, removed the cutting part and mounted a piece of cardboard to the hole saw chuck, I then ran the drill braced against my leg using my thumb to run the drill and to hold it vertical.

 

The way I ground the nib is by having the cardboard spin away from the nib at the maximum speed that will still allow the ink to flow onto the cardboard and then to act as if I was writing something on the rotating cardboard in order to create a similar effect to months of writing in a matter of minutes.

 

So far I have run these pens through it

Platinum Preppy 0.5mm

Lamy Vista 1.1 Stub

Noodler's Konrad Demonstrator

 

Pictures:

 

The parts

http://imageshack.us/a/img9/9013/img20121010212256.jpg

 

Mounted on top

http://imageshack.us/a/img840/9856/img20121010212231.jpg

 

The bolt holding the cardboard on the chuck

http://imageshack.us/a/img836/5158/img20121010212229.jpg

 

Mounted on the drill

http://imageshack.us/a/img842/6636/img20121010212156.jpg

 

After a session of "tuning"

http://imageshack.us/a/img141/9345/img20121010212152.jpg

[goldiesdad]

How did it work ... Interesting idea and since you did it to 3 pens I assume it works like a champ ...

 

Great idea just watch out hitting the bit ....

[stefanv]

Does it fling ink?

[de_pen_dent]

Dang. And I thought I was being bold by taking a blade to my tines. Now we need someone using a chainsaw

[Uncle Red]

1) Be careful or you'll overpolish the nib or remove the tipping material.

2) Wouldn't a Dremel tool be easier?

[framebaer]

Sorry to say,

 

But this is a very ill advised method of smoothing a nib.

[kalali]

Interesting approach but I personally find doing figure 8 strokes a bit more effective in making sure the nib works in all practical directions. This approach may be good for the initial "coarse" tuning of a freshly ground nib.

Edited October 11, 2012 by kalali

[OcalaFlGuy]

I would buy a $5 ticket to see Richard Binder's and Ron Zorn's faces when they read this thread.

 

:roflmho:

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[ashbridg]

The way I ground the nib is by having the cardboard spin away from the nib at the maximum speed that will still allow the ink to flow onto the cardboard and then to act as if I was writing something on the rotating cardboard in order to create a similar effect to months of writing in a matter of minutes.

This is why I don't like to buy pens on eBay.

[JonSzanto]

I would buy a $5 ticket to see Richard Binder's and Ron Zorn's faces when they read this thread.

The view might be obscured by the facepalming...

[andybiotic]

The reasons for why we "write" figure 8s are because 1, so we can feel where the rough spots are and tune them specifically and 2, so that the final tuned result will be adapted to your specific writing style, your figure 8s.

 

But I assume this is similar to a sand belt the nib meisters may use as well. But I wouldn't try it without a certain degree of experience, and I think this method (with sandpaper, not cardboard) is for a great degree of nib modifications (eg make it from a medium to a fine etc) instead of fine tuning....

Edited October 11, 2012 by andybiotic

[Freddy]

Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Muldoon..this is exceptionally fascinatin'.... .~ Toody ~

 

Fred

and it ain't yellow.... .

And I still want a Waldorf Salad..

[scribblescrabble]

I would buy a $5 ticket to see Richard Binder's and Ron Zorn's faces when they read this thread.

 

:roflmho:

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

I might pay more than the $5!!!!

 

I can't imagine that the drill-cardboard procedure would produce the desired results. I'm betting large flat spots are now on those nibs. They may write OK for the owner, but it's doubtful they'll write at all for anyone else.

 

ScribbleScrabble

[rochester21]

I don`t want to be mean as the others; i think this is a method that could work well on cheap pens with scratchy or low-quality nibs- like some chinese pens. The problem with using this technique may be the fact that, as others said it before me, it could permanently damage the tipping on the nib. So on a good pen, with a quality nib, it`s best to use a "manual" procedure, should you feel the need to smooth out the nib. Also, you might consider buying a 60-100x(12 usd from ebay) magnification tool in order to see how the nib look like before and after.

Edited October 11, 2012 by rochester21

[ethernautrix]

Hm. Interesting. I probably would have used sandpaper.

 

But that's me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know that would have ruined the nib! But -- what if it didn't?

[mhosea]

I know that would have ruined the nib! But -- what if it didn't?

 

That's actually a fascinating hypothetical. Possible responses are limitless. The most practical one that comes to mind is "Then you will still have found a way not to smooth a nib."

[PlayerX]

I'm betting large flat spots are now on those nibs. They may write OK for the owner, but it's doubtful they'll write at all for anyone else.

 

ScribbleScrabble

 

Actually I keep the nib moving while I'm smoothing it down, basically writing on it while it's rotating which pretty much makes the pens I use write much better.

 

My thinking is that letting the total distance traveled on the cardboard do the work and not speed or pressure, it's basically the same thing as writing a lot.

 

I tried using some rhodia paper as the sanding surface with a 3000 RPM rotary cutter for my first try on a cheap preppy pen and it made one angle smooth but the rest scratchy due to too much speed and ink being flung around.

My second attempt is to use a much lower speed drill with cardboard which absorbed the flung ink and gave me enough time to feel the friction and move the nib.

 

And yes I know the professional nib meisters have better methods and tools but this works for me, my 3 pens that I cardboard grinded now write very smooth.

 

Or in other words.

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/181/367/closeenough.png

[Richard]

I've seen worse ways of going about this. But not many. And not much worse.

[jkingrph]

Sometimes speed is not the answer! I could see this approach for a quick initial touch, but not for a complete work over. Sometimes it's better to sneak up on the end result than to try and run into it head on, a slow approach allows better fine tuning.

[OcalaFlGuy]

The reasons for why we "write" figure 8s are because 1, so we can feel where the rough spots are and tune them specifically and 2, so that the final tuned result will be adapted to your specific writing style, your figure 8s.

 

 

Mike Masuyama has said that smoothing doing figure 8's can Cause babybottoming.

 

Circles and regular letters with perhaps a hair more emphasis in the direction of needed smoothing, just not the 8s. (Note this is smoothing with some sort of abrasive even the not the best idea paper bag, NOT doing figure 8's say testing a nib on paper.)

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL