What Can Be Done About A Singing Nib?

[fireofspring]

The M nib on my Pilot Decimo is lovely in every way...except for the soft but insistent squeaking it produces. It worsens with increased pressure, but even with very minimal pressure, there is a noticeable singing. Maybe I'm just over-sensitive, but I don't think I could stand using it where I have an audience, which kind of limits the usefulness of the capless design if I can't whip it out in a meeting. Is there anything I can do to stop the singing/squeaking?

[deepak23]

I like my pens singing! A change in paper may sometimes help...

[catbert]

Changing ink and/or paper may help. I get more squeak with drier inks on smoother paper.

[Ron Z]

Nibs vibrate as you write, set up by the movement of the nib over the fibers of the paper. Nibs "sing" when you write because the frequency of the vibration generated as you write is at or close to the resonant frequency of the nib.

 

The nib may be a little rough so it tends to grab the paper and vibrate more. Smoothing the nib properly may help.

 

Another way to stop the singing is to change the resonant frequency of the nib, or to dampen the vibration. The resonant frequency depends on the set with relation to the feed (where the feed is positioned under the nib) and/or length of the nib. Often resetting the nib and feed, changing where the feed sits under the nib, and how far both are set into the section just a little will do the trick. If that isn't possible (as on many modern pens) you can often stop it by setting the feed tighter against the nib. This can dampen the vibration more, and stop the resonance.

[Paddler]

I had the singing problem with a Pelikan M200. The vocalizations were a benefit at a bank desk; people gave me extra room. I changed the ink and the singing went away.

[New_Falcon]

Nibs vibrate as you write, set up by the movement of the nib over the fibers of the paper. Nibs "sing" when you write because the frequency of the vibration generated as you write is at or close to the resonant frequency of the nib.

 

The nib may be a little rough so it tends to grab the paper and vibrate more. Smoothing the nib properly may help.

 

Another way to stop the singing is to change the resonant frequency of the nib, or to dampen the vibration. The resonant frequency depends on the set with relation to the feed (where the feed is positioned under the nib) and/or length of the nib. Often resetting the nib and feed, changing where the feed sits under the nib, and how far both are set into the section just a little will do the trick. If that isn't possible (as on many modern pens) you can often stop it by setting the feed tighter against the nib. This can dampen the vibration more, and stop the resonance.

 

 

What a great reply. Thanks for taking the time to share some of your knowledge.

[the_gasman]

I have a Conway Stewart 28 that sings to me -- I quite like it, so I sing back to it (we're good friends).

 

David.

[Ron Z]

I have a Conway Stewart 28 that sings to me -- I quite like it, so I sing back to it (we're good friends).

 

David.

 

Get three more, and you can form a quartet. But like violins, the tough part is getting them to do it in tune.

[fireofspring]

Nibs vibrate as you write, set up by the movement of the nib over the fibers of the paper. Nibs "sing" when you write because the frequency of the vibration generated as you write is at or close to the resonant frequency of the nib.

 

The nib may be a little rough so it tends to grab the paper and vibrate more. Smoothing the nib properly may help.

 

Another way to stop the singing is to change the resonant frequency of the nib, or to dampen the vibration. The resonant frequency depends on the set with relation to the feed (where the feed is positioned under the nib) and/or length of the nib. Often resetting the nib and feed, changing where the feed sits under the nib, and how far both are set into the section just a little will do the trick. If that isn't possible (as on many modern pens) you can often stop it by setting the feed tighter against the nib. This can dampen the vibration more, and stop the resonance.

 

Changing ink and/or paper may help. I get more squeak with drier inks on smoother paper.

Thanks for the great tips, guys! I'll have a go at adjusting the set of the feed, and if that doesn't work, try some different inks.

[Bo Bo Olson]

You pay lots more for a French singing straight razor....and then it will fade with use.....sigh....so I grew a beard instead of buying the very best straight razor in the world.

 

Ink, paper or use.

[pankaj]

I guess certain nibs start singing from the womb. My Cross Apogee was factory born singer. I think all Apogee nibs of a batch had the same note. I got the nib done by some nib expert, and now no more singing ( or squeaking ? ).

[the_gasman]

 

Get three more, and you can form a quartet. But like violins, the tough part is getting them to do it in tune.

Ron, if you had heard me sing you wouldn't be encouraging me, but the nib you might enjoy!

 

David.

[ink-syringe]

I have an Omas nib that is unusual (long and thin) and is slightly bent down so it hits the paper in such a way that you are almost writing on the tippy top of the nib. (Omas VS, which is a reversible flex nib)

 

I had no idea, in all my years using fountain pens, that a nib could sing so LOUDLY, but this Omas vibrates so strongly in the audio range that people look at me funny if I use the pen in public. It drives me crazy.

 

I have another of the same pen (Omas reversible, this one a 361) and it makes a lot of noise too but it is pleasant and not squeaky.

 

The VS sings like a tuning fork. Never seen anything like it. I have a lot of noisy nibs and a couple that sing (Pelikan) gently, but this Omas is genuinely squeaky. I love the pen. I don't know what to do about it. If I hold the pen artificially low it stops so I feel like if I could somehow change the angle at which the pen hits the page all would be good.

 

Crazy pens. One side is rigid, one side is flex so you can imagine the nib has no shoulders and is long an thin so the friction really sends the tines into a steady vibration.

[fireofspring]

I have an Omas nib that is unusual (long and thin) and is slightly bent down so it hits the paper in such a way that you are almost writing on the tippy top of the nib. (Omas VS, which is a reversible flex nib)

 

I had no idea, in all my years using fountain pens, that a nib could sing so LOUDLY, but this Omas vibrates so strongly in the audio range that people look at me funny if I use the pen in public. It drives me crazy.

 

I have another of the same pen (Omas reversible, this one a 361) and it makes a lot of noise too but it is pleasant and not squeaky.

 

The VS sings like a tuning fork. Never seen anything like it. I have a lot of noisy nibs and a couple that sing (Pelikan) gently, but this Omas is genuinely squeaky. I love the pen. I don't know what to do about it. If I hold the pen artificially low it stops so I feel like if I could somehow change the angle at which the pen hits the page all would be good.

 

Crazy pens. One side is rigid, one side is flex so you can imagine the nib has no shoulders and is long an thin so the friction really sends the tines into a steady vibration.

 

My squeaky nib is from a Pilot Decimo. Like your Omas nib, it's also very long and thin, with almost no shoulders to speak of. I wonder if nibs of that shape are just more likely to squeak.

[ink-syringe]

Indeed. If you think of the physics of it. As a music nerd it totally makes sense to me. Looking at at the Decimo I can imagine the nib is long and slender, though I have not seen one in person.

 

I hope you get it worked out. If it is anything like my Omas VS I know now, how over the top the squeaking can get. I would not have believed it before owning such a pen.

 

 

 

My squeaky nib is from a Pilot Decimo. Like your Omas nib, it's also very long and thin, with almost no shoulders to speak of. I wonder if nibs of that shape are just more likely to squeak.

[tinta]

I have had a few "singing" two-tine Sailor music (MS) nibs.

Appropriate you might say.

 

However, these nibs drove me nuts.

Maybe it was the type of ink I used, maybe the paper, but still they rasped on. This was particularly annoying because my ears (though old) seem to be attuned to very high registers. (My good wife blows a dog's whistle from the downstairs & I say: "Yes Dear" from upstairs).

 

It's just feedback, I was told by one B/M store's owner. These nibs were new, essentially smooth writers, with their tines well aligned,...but the noise.

Luckily I came to the conclusion that these Sailor MS nibs lacked enough line-width-variation to keep them.

One nib went to Mr. Masuyama to be ground into a 0.6 round-nose CI, the other I sent to Mr Mottishaw to stub to a 0.8.

Now they are quiet & I'm happy.

Edited August 9, 2015 by tinta

[ehemem]

 

Get three more, and you can form a quartet. But like violins, the tough part is getting them to do it in tune.

 

I was going to suggest voice lessons or opera training...

[nigelg]

I suggest you enter it for the X-factor. Simon Cowell will soon stop it singing. .

[Starguard]

Interesting, I have a regular VP that sings as well, so far with both Noodler's Apache Sunset and Tsuki-Yo, but both have been on the same paper. It's not loud, but was a bit of a surprise the first time I used it! I'll try some different paper and see if that helps!

[tinta]

Wonder if Aurora Black (or Blue) some of the wettest inks would stop the music.