Probably Obvious Question...

[senzen]

So I eventually realized my old Pelikan M400 had my least smooth nib, by far, while I remember it used to be smooth... It was more like dragging a rough piece of metal on paper, and Clairefontaine at that, with clear resistance and a sound reminiscent of nails on a blackboard, while even my cheap Mujis and Lamys glide... I remembered I had some micro mesh or whatever it's called, can't remember what I got it for, and decided to give it a go... That sort of idea usually ends in tears for me, but this time the nib clearly improved and is smooth again. I didn't use the micro mesh much, just did some "8" figures.

 

So the question is: why did it get "draggy" over time? It's not exactly that the nib felt rougher, but it would sort of cling on to paper. What is it that the mesh removes?

[Bo Bo Olson]

Drag....I normally buy old, old used pens and many sat in drawers for a generation or two, developing micro-corrosion on the 'iridium' or iridium rust.

Drag is that clingy feeling....if it feels like a pencil, that's toothy...that some want...or enough of the time to have a pen so.

 

You didn't say if you bought that pen new in the '80's or the 90's. If you used it weekly or when you stopped.

It could have been just waiting for a couple months of being ignored....for it to say I'm a bit old.

 

My old pens tend to stay good and smooth which is were I want them...I seldom want a pen 'butter smooth'. ...have a couple of course....but I got hand fulls of them.

 

Figure 8's can be dangerous if you do them too much Ol'Griz (RIP) said too much causes baby bottom.

While rotating the nib constantly, circles left and right....squiggles left and right and up and down....some 5-6 seconds could be enough. I use even less when on the rougher side of the beauty stick. That gets rid of drag, brings it back to good and smooth.

 

Making it butter smooth requires a Loupe, and lots of little bits of polish at it...and then going to lapping sheets.

 

I have a beauty stick in my drawer and I guess now, I don't think if a pen seems to have a touch of drag....I just touch it up on the smoothest side for a few seconds. Too lazy to work hard at it....it ain't often.

Edited November 18, 2016 by Bo Bo Olson