Bent Nibs? Intentional?

[chunya]

Hi,

 

I picked up a small collection of 10 pens all from the same person, but what struck me was the fact that each has a bit of a beaky nib, although they write perfectly. Unfortunately the original owner is no longer with us and the seller couldn't shed any light. trying to figure out 'why', the options I came up with were:

1: the original owner bought pens with damaged nibs and had them repaired.

2: the original owner was just incredibly unlucky with all of his pens.

3: he had all the nibs intentionally remodelled ... but why?

I've attached photos of only a couple, and possibly the beakiness doesn't show up too well..... using side-on shots they generally seem 'fine' the beakiness or wavy nature is more prominent when looking at the face of the nibs, but not so easy to capture in a photo.

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

[Chrissy]

Maybe he was a heavy handed writer, and always pressed down too hard?

[chunya]

Hi Chrissy,

 

That was an option that didn't occur to me ... heavy handedness ... certainly a possibility.

 

Hope you had a great trip!

[Ron Z]

Sheaffers often (usually on some models) are turned up a bit at the end of the nib, so no surprise on an Imperial or Targa. Other nibs though? I would expect a heavy handed person who tried to flex a nib that isn't supposed to flex.... or perhaps they tried to copy the Sheaffer "Waverly" nib (upturned) nib design on their other pens.

[penrivers]

Sheaffers often (usually on some models) are turned up a bit at the end of the nib, so no surprise on an Imperial or Targa. Other nibs though? I would expect a heavy handed person who tried to flex a nib that isn't supposed to flex.... or perhaps they tried to copy the Sheaffer "Waverly" nib (upturned) nib design on their other pens.

Yep. They are turned up(some of them). I let them in peace think is a Factory issue.

[Ernst Bitterman]

That inlaid point looks like someone tried to "fix" the factory upsweep on it. The other ones are a mystery-- they're extremely consistent, so whoever was vandalizing them seems to have really been good at it.

 

...you don't suppose they were trying for a Waverley effect with the feed upper-most, do you?

[peterg]

Bending the end of the nib changes the size of the feed channel, so altering the flow of ink to the tip.

[Venemo]

Seeing that pretty Sheaffer nib abused like that... it breaks my heart.

 

Maybe the owner liked fine lines and wrote with the backside of all his nibs. Obviously they didn't work so well that way so he thought pressing harder would make them write better.

 

Or maybe simply he dropped all the pens once and then tried to bend back the damaged nibs (and failed).

[Ron Z]

Bending the end of the nib changes the size of the feed channel, so altering the flow of ink to the tip.

 

Slit, not feed channel. There is a channel, or channels, in the feed under the nib. That can be adjusted back down though, while preserving the advantages of the Waverly nib. It does make a difference in the way that a pen writes.

[Vintagepens]

Please, everyone, avoid using the term "Waverly" indiscriminately, when "turned-up" or "upswept" will do.

Background here: http://vintagepensblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/what-is-waverley-nib.html

[Chrissy]

Hi Chrissy,

 

That was an option that didn't occur to me ... heavy handedness ... certainly a possibility.

 

Hope you had a great trip!

 

Yes I did thank you. it's such a shame to have to come back to the UK though