Newbie Nib Repair Advice?

[twigletzone]

So my lovely Sheaffer No Nonsense F finally arrived today - it's writing quite acceptably as is (if a little loudly) but the tines are definitely bent away from the feed, particularly in comparison to the M I've been using since new. Given that I'm a completely new to FP repair and my NoNonsenses have quite a lot of sentimental value to me (and that the non-italic F appears to be about as easy to find as hens' teeth), is this anything I can fix myself or should I send it to someone who knows what they're up to?

 

 

(ETA I'm in the UK, in case anyone wishes to recommend someone).

Edited December 30, 2015 by twigletzone

[Ursus]

You can certainly get the work done in the UK if you want to, but if it writes as it should it may not be necessary. Pictures would help.

 

Best regards

Ursus

 

PS: great Christmas rat!

[twigletzone]

Yes, photos would help, wouldn't they? I must be having one of my "special" days today

 

See below.

 

Christmas rattie is in memory of my beloved pet rats, who alas I had to rehome when I moved somewhere that won't take animals. Fantastic little creatures

 

 

Side view of the F (white barrel) and my older M (red barrel). That's not me holding the F at a wonky angle, there's a noticeable gap between the tines and the end of the feed.

 

 

Top view isn't looking too bad, at least the tines aren't spread.

 

 

Writing comparison - F (top) and M (bottom). Both fairly smooth as you can see, although the F is a hard starter.

[Ursus]

It looks as if the tines have been bend straight, so to say, whereas the feed looks all right. I think that I, personally, would try to bend the tines down a little, one by one with my thumbs. That might ruin the flow, however, and make it necessary.afterwards to pull the shoulders of the nib up a little (while predding down with the thumbs in the middle, right between the tines) in order to lower the pressure between the tines. I have heard of good nib people in England, but I can't remember their names. The safest choice would of cause be to ship it to one of those guys.

 

PS: I'm sorry that you had to let your rats go. They are such funny creatures.

[Ernst Bitterman]

This is the sort of action:

http://dirck.delint.ca/beta/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/drawnib1.jpg

 

Note that this image is taken from a page describing how to amend flow rather than how to re-unite point and feed. You may find your flow goes down. Most NoNonsense (or any other Sheaffer) can tolerate a little of this, and getting the gap under the feed sorted out should help with the starting. The real answer would be to get the point out and work on it without the feed in the way, but that's a tricky prospect on a lot of that breed-- very tight in the section, those points.

[Nanor]

There is supposed to be a gap between the nib and feed about thickness of a sheet of paper, yours is obviously wider than that. You can find numerous video clips on youtube demonstrating how to manipulate nibs, but you also run the risk of doing damage to it. If you don't wish to risk the nib John Sorowka comes highly recommended. He's a Nibmeister based in Oxford, England and I understand he can be contacted through this site under the name "Oxonian"

Edited December 30, 2015 by Nanor

[twigletzone]

Well, I'll have to try a little bit of gentle adjusting myself purely for budget reasons... thank heavens it's only a steel nib. Thanks so much for the help everyone.

[twigletzone]

... I think I know why the original owner abused it. Got the tines straight and it suddenly started writing so wet the line was three-dimensional. Discovered the feed is loose in the section, fiddled about a bit, suddenly it wouldn't write at all. Fiddled about a bit more and it's back to sopping again.

 

This one is clearly temperamental...

[Ursus]

 

The real answer would be to get the point out and work on it without the feed in the way, but that's a tricky prospect on a lot of that breed-- very tight in the section, those points.

 

Well, on this pen there is at least a lot of room for bending the tines down

[twigletzone]

I got in touch with Oxonian in the end, who turns out to have a working No Nonsense F section hanging around and doesn't want overmuch for it

 

Now just to work up the courage to take a Dremel to my nice new Ahab..!

[Ursus]

 

Now just to work up the courage to take a Dremel to my nice new Ahab..!

 

Pulling the nib out a little (leaving the feed in) also enhances the flex somewhat. Good luck with giving it "angel wings", if that's what you plan to do. It does look quite cool.

 

Happy New Year!