How Much Can You Write With A Bare Dip Pen?

[dcwaites]

One of the questions often asked is "How much can you write with a dip pen?".

Often this is phrased as "I can only write a word or two, then I have to dip again."

 

Here are a couple of examples of writing with dip pens.

In each case, the nib was dipped, and then I wrote on a piece of A5 paper till the ink ran out. The quotes are from pages 148 and 150 of "The Missing Ink".

 

The first example is an Eagle Brand E10 Falcon nib, dipped in Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue ink.

 

 

 

This is the nib, undipped

 

 

and this is the nib, with the amount of ink a normal dip puts on it.

 

(more to come...)

OK, dinner's over

 

This second example is a plain #6 Jinhao nib, held in a normal dip pen holder

 

 

 

This is the Jinhao nib, undipped,

 

 

and this is it, dipped in Monteverde Horizon Blue

 

 

 

In each case, the only preparation is the creation and maintenance of a patina on the nib. Between inks, I just rinse the nib in water and shake dry. I never wipe it, as that removes the patina and you have to start again.

 

You can create a patina by simply dipping a new nib into ink, and writing, and letting the residue dry on the nib. When you are only using one ink (as traditional clerks and school children would have) there is no need to rinse between uses. I only rinse because I often change inks, and don't want to carry the remains of one ink into a different bottle.

 

You can also create a patina by rubbing a bit of spit over the nib, letting it dry, then rinsing in water, or dipping in certain inks like Noodler's Kung Te-Cheng, letting it dry a little, then rinsing off.

 

It is the patina (also known as a thin layer of gunge) on the nib that lets it hold enough ink to write several lines at a time.

Edited June 18, 2017 by dcwaites

[Tinjapan]

Ah, never had the problem of just being able to write a word or two but never have been able to write that much with just one dip. Thanks for the info!

[pajaro]

When I was in grade school I had to something like that with a bare dip pen, a dip pen without a feed. I didn't know any better, and hadn't used a fountain pen. Move left hand up to the inkwell in the upper right corner of the desk, dip it, write a bit, move pen back to upper right corner, dip it, write a bit . . . ad infinitum. I learned two things, at least. One, I have a distaste for dip pens. Two, I was unhappy with right handed people who made everything just for themselves.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi DC, et al,

 

Yes. Your "patina" observations definitely make sense and jive with my own personal experience. Being a neat-nik about my stuff, I used to make sure I wiped off my nibs after each use when I first started doing this - so they wouldn't corrode. I discovered your "patina" observations by accident.

 

One other option I discovered are reservoir nibs; these are nibs that have a tab and slot piece of sheet metal attached to the underside of the nib that forms a "pocket" that collects a pool of ink when dipped.

 

That said, the only dip nibs I really still use anymore are G-nibs; whenever I want to take another pitiful attempt at calligraphy or flex writing.

 

- Anthony

Edited June 18, 2017 by ParkerDuofold

[Owsley]

I was researching dip pens yesterday - I don't have one yet. John Neal Bookseller has an N204 Ink Cage Reservoir + Nib that you can order in several combinations for $6.50. The Brause Rose nib looks appealing. They also have a Retro styled thick oblique holder for $17 that also looks good.

[ac12]

I'm interested in how your Jin Hao nib wrote. I tried similar with a Goulet nib, and had terrible results. The nib would write VERY WET for a few words, then quickly run out of ink. It could not control the ink flow. Though I did not try your method of letting the ink dry on the nib. I normally clean my dip pen nibs with water, then a final clean with rubbing alcohol.

[ParkerDuofold]

I was researching dip pens yesterday - I don't have one yet. John Neal Bookseller has an N204 Ink Cage Reservoir + Nib that you can order in several combinations for $6.50. The Brause Rose nib looks appealing. They also have a Retro styled thick oblique holder for $17 that also looks good.

Hi Owsley,

 

I would definitely give those "ink cage" nibs a try... a good reservoir nib can really make dip pen use enjoyable.

 

- Anthony

[ac12]

I was researching dip pens yesterday - I don't have one yet. John Neal Bookseller has an N204 Ink Cage Reservoir + Nib that you can order in several combinations for $6.50. The Brause Rose nib looks appealing. They also have a Retro styled thick oblique holder for $17 that also looks good.

 

I think there will be a Posse called this coming Sun (June 25).

Send me a reminder PM on Fri or Sat to pack some of my dip pen stuff and oblique holders for you to look at and try.

I found that for the type of writing that I do, I don't need a reservoir. IMHO, a reservoir just makes cleaning the nib when you are done more difficult.

 

I think there is a Speedball oblique in the Box of Goodness (BoG) just waiting for you to take it home.

Remind me to bring a couple nibs for you to play with.

Edited June 19, 2017 by ac12

[amberleadavis]

So KTC is a good patina ink?

[Mr. Pink]

It depends a lot on the ink used. Some inks I can get several lines. Othe inks I'm lucky to get one.

[ac12]

And if you start flexing the nib, you will write less.

 

One thing that I noticed is that, once I started writing with a dip pen for a while, the dipping just became part of the writing process, and it does not bother me. So except for the Goulet #6, which is NOT a dip pen nib, all my dip pen nibs let me write enough on a dip that I am not bothered by dipping.

[ENewton]

ac12, I also think of dipping as part of the process and would be interested in taking a look at the "dip pen stuff." One of these days, I would like to discover a flexible nib that actually flexes with as little pressure as I am ready to apply.

[sidthecat]

I can get through a shortish paragraph with my Mabie Todd #3, but it's a very pretty paragraph.

[dcwaites]

So KTC is a good patina ink?

 

 

Dipped in KTC, written dry, rinsed. Daiso Sumi ink does just as good a job.

The KTC is dry on the pen, and doesn't go back into solution, so if you use a lighter colour ink, like a turquoise, you don't suddenly get a turquoise with 50 Shades of KTC.*

 

 

 

*OMG that book has a lot to answer for...

[ac12]

Interesting how the KTC sticks to the nib.

 

EN

There are some scary soft/flexy dip pen nibs. I don't use them, cuz they are too soft for me at my skill (or lack of skill) level.

[Tinjapan]

I have vintage gold dip pens with tines an inch or longer. They are like trying to write with a down feather.

[Owsley]

 

I think there will be a Posse called this coming Sun (June 25).

Send me a reminder PM on Fri or Sat to pack some of my dip pen stuff and oblique holders for you to look at and try.

I found that for the type of writing that I do, I don't need a reservoir. IMHO, a reservoir just makes cleaning the nib when you are done more difficult.

 

I think there is a Speedball oblique in the Box of Goodness (BoG) just waiting for you to take it home.

Remind me to bring a couple nibs for you to play with.

I'll do that maybe the following week. I won't be able to make it on the 25th.