How to Communicate With a Nibmeister.

[sandy101]

It might be worthwhile trying a different paper or ink first. 

 

I've found that my Japanese nibs write much smoother on Japanese paper. Wet inks such as Sailor. Waterman and Caran D'ache also helps. 

 

Apica CD (Premium) Notebooks seem to give my Japanese nibs a smoother ride than other paper. 

 

My medium sailor nibs are "smoother" on this paper than other paper. 

 

If it is a new pen,  a decent flush and writing with it for a couple of weeks might solve your problem without it having to go to a nibmeister. 

 

[A Smug Dill]

3 hours ago, como said:

it's embarrassing to ask for too much details of nib grinding specs while having chicken scratch handwritings.

 

I'm shameless, then, but I suppose I could ‘afford’ to do so as a loudmouthed paying customer in the Western world. 😏 

 

This was what I asked for, when I ordered a EF-nibbed Pelikan from The Nibsmith, a couple of years ago:

Quote

I prefer to write with 'Japanese fine' nibs that leave a 0.3mm line or narrower. I hesitate to buy a Pelikan pen, because their reputation is that even their EF nibs are often broader than other 'Western fine' nibs; however, since you will be customising the nib, I am confident you can make a Pelikan pen work for me.

 

The EF nib shown in the attached images writes close to ideally for me, in that it leaves very crisp, pointy tails on my exit strokes. If you could please grind the nib such that the lines left by horizontal strokes are approximately 0.18mm-0.24mm wide, and the lines left by vertical strokes are approximately 0.28mm-0.34mm wide, that would be fantastic.

 

Some level of pencil-like feedback is important to me; without which I cannot control the pen very well, especially when writing complex Chinese characters in a confined area (say, a 0.5mm square).

 

I also 'reverse-write' with the nib slit facing down towards the page often, with just about any nib I can, to get finer lines out of just about any nib that will allow it without scratching the paper beneath it, so please smooth the top of the nib tipping to make it possible.

 

Please let me know if there is any more information or images I could send you that will help you shape my ideal nib! I'm not sure whether to categorise it as a Stub or a Cursive Italic. If a factory Fine or even broader nib is required as a starting point to do the work, please advise.

and sent images of writing samples, as well as screenshots from a video of me writing to illustrate the angle and orientation I hold a pen, along with the request above.

 

I was (and remain) delighted with the result of Dan Smith's work on that nib. I have no idea what the stock Pelikan M600 EF nib is like, but after having experienced the stock nib on a Pelikan M815, frankly I wasn't that keen to know or experience before paying for remedial nib work (which would end up costing me a helluva lot more than asking for customisation upfront) on the new pen. There was just no way the stock nib would write as subjectively well or suitably as what I described, and I was happy for Dan to eradicate the Pelikan nib's native character, irrespective of whether anyone else would value the altered nib the way I do. I just wanted the pen body in that particular colourway (Vibrant Orange) that none of the Japanese ‘Big Three’ brands were offering, first and foremost; and if I could have mixed-and-matched it with a Sailor nib, I would probably have elected to do so.

[como]

57 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

...This was what I asked for, when I ordered a EF-nibbed Pelikan from The Nibsmith, a couple of years ago:

  Quote

... If you could please grind the nib such that the lines left by horizontal strokes are approximately 0.18mm-0.24mm wide, and the lines left by vertical strokes are approximately 0.28mm-0.34mm wide, that would be fantastic....

😏I think you just killed my aspiration to become a nibmeister 😀

[Mrsnuffles]

I've had the pen for almost a year now, and have tried it with different kinds of paper and ink. I like the way it writes, I just like smoother, wetter nibs even more. With what everyone's been saying, now I'm quite confused about what to do. 😕

Edited March 3, 2021 by Mrsnuffles

[Paul1105]

Hi All

I’m new to FPN and wondered if someone on here might be able to get me some contact details for John Sorowka? I have a pen that I would like some modifications done on and I believe that John is the best person for the job (unless anyone else knows of a decent nibmeister in the UK?). 
Apologies if this isn’t the correct forum or place - still trying to find my way around! 
Thanks all

P

[A Smug Dill]

11 minutes ago, Paul1105 said:

contact details for John Sorowka?

 

 

[essayfaire]

On 3/2/2021 at 4:11 AM, como said:

I think a general direction of wetness, smoothness and width is enough. Unless someone has exquisitely beautiful professional level calligraphy skills, it's embarrassing to ask for too much details of nib grinding specs while having chicken scratch handwritings. It's like asking for a totally custom made set of golf clubs while having a handicap of 36. 😏

Just came to this thread off a link from @ASmugDill so I"m late to the party...BUT

 

if you have a handicap of 36, and enjoy playing golf, taking care of your gear, and using your clubs, shouldn't you have clubs that make you the most comfortable and are the least likely to interfere with your golfing experience?  One that won't give you golf elbow or blisters? There is more to a game than winning it.  I like my pens a certain way because of the experience of using them, not because I am trying to make my letters and figures look a certain way beyond general guidelines for a given task. 

[como]

15 hours ago, essayfaire said:

Just came to this thread off a link from @ASmugDill so I"m late to the party...BUT

 

if you have a handicap of 36, and enjoy playing golf, taking care of your gear, and using your clubs, shouldn't you have clubs that make you the most comfortable and are the least likely to interfere with your golfing experience?  One that won't give you golf elbow or blisters? There is more to a game than winning it.  I like my pens a certain way because of the experience of using them, not because I am trying to make my letters and figures look a certain way beyond general guidelines for a given task. 

@essayfaire I don't think any clubs on the market is going to interfere with one's golfing experience or give golf elbow or blisters. It's usually the player being not good enough, not the clubs. This, by the way, cannot always be said about fountain pens, which can write terribly out of the box.

 

I think that you were referring to a situation of getting the nibmeister to tweak the nib to your usual way of writing. Of course nothing is wrong with that. That's part of a nibmeister's job. I was referring to the scenario (just a scenario, not any specific person) where a person with chicken scratch writing style has high and very specific demands from a nibmeister. Of course some people say "why not", but this would embarrass me. 

 

Ah, I keep forgetting that under the new system the highest possible handicap is 54, not the old 36. I once saw a lady with the most expensive "latest and greatest" Japanese clubs. The way she was hitting, it wouldn't make a difference if they were broomsticks. Of course she didn't care (otherwise she wouldn't have bought them😀).