Super Fine Grit Sandpaper For A Scratchy Nib?

[MTHALL720]

I have no clue at all what I am doing. I have a medium nib pilot metro which I find a bit scratchy. What I mean is I want as little feedback as possible when I write. Silky smooth like a hockey puck on ice.

If I took 800 grit or finer and gently rubbed the nib over it could I either damage it, or would I just be wasting my time even?

 

Thanks very much.

[FarmBoy]

You want to be in the 1000s for grit size finishing in the 10000 range.

 

Search MicroMesh or Diamond Lapping Paper

[mhguda]

I have good results with 1500 and 2000 sandpaper.

[rwilsonedn]

There are several things you want to look into before you take any abrasive to your nib. And if it turns out that you do need an abrasive, the preferred material is usually micromesh graded in the thousands, unless you are intending to completely reshape the tip. To start, check out this topic. And yes, you would probably make the nib worse with fine sandpaper, and possibly make it unrepairable.

ron

[Komboloi]

And don't bust out any sort of abrasive until you are sure the tines are aligned properly.

[Ron Z]

1500 and 2000 grit wet or dry sandpaper are for fast removal of iridium. They are far too coarse for polishing the surface of the iridium. Once you've shaped the nib with the coarse 2000 grit, you need to use 12000 micro mesh, and then a 0.3 micron polishing film.

 

If you look at the surface of the nib after using the 2000, and then the polishing film you will see that there is a dramatic difference between the two. You'll also feel a dramatic difference. You don't think that the pros would spend money on the stuff if they could get away without it and still produce a quality finished product do you?

[MTHALL720]

I appreciate all the input.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Over the years, I've read how many folks cheap out for a couple of dollars and ruin a nib or pen.

If one buys micro-mesh and polishing film, first one has more time to look at how to do it.

 

Do find an old cheap pen to practice with....Richard Binder in one of his nib smoothing packages sends two cheap enough to destroy while learning pens.

 

What is gone is gone.....and to get it back costs @ $80.... and a long, long wait.

[ac12]

 

 

And don't bust out any sort of abrasive until you are sure the tines are aligned properly.

 

+1

 

In my limited experience, I found that 90+% of the time that I have a scratchy nib, the tines are out of alignment.

Align the tines, and usually that fixes the problem.

 

 

To the OP,

 

Smoothness is dependent on FOUR variables (the pen/nib, the ink, the paper, you the writer), not just the nib.

All four variables have to be in sync to have a smooth writing experience. And the pen has several sub-variables; tipping, tip size, tip profile, ink flow, etc. I can change any one variable and turn a smooth writer into a scratchy writer.

[beanbag]

Once you've shaped the nib with the coarse 2000 grit, you need to use 12000 micro mesh, and then a 0.3 micron polishing film.

 

I've always ended my nib polishing with the 12000 micromesh. I like it because of it's padded / flexible nature, so it give an all-around smoothing without flat-spotting anything. What does the 0.3 um polishing film get you?

[Ron Z]

A smother nib. It is a step finer, so gives an even smoother surface. It is possible to induce baby bottom with micro mesh, but not with the polishing film placed on top of a pad of paper.

[redbike]

To the OP, this is a helpful resource for your problem.

 

Richard Binder's Nib Smoothing Workshop Notes

[pajaro]

I have sometimes used the 2000 sandpaper to make a medium finer. Then the micromesh, etc.. The 2000 paper is more for grinding down. Even then I find a manual craft file is faster. It depends upon how impatient you are. Not everyone is given great patience.

[viju]

The 0.3 micron mylar sheet look innocuous. But you should rotate the nib in all directions while using it. Other wise you will end up with a nib which has a flat bottom which will be unforgiving to any position to your pen holding position.