Nib Vise

[hari317]

I am often asked how I set nibs and feeds into tight sections. Or how I set a nib and feed really deep in the section to control the nib exposed length. Like fitting a 35mm nib in a 69t section really deep. I made a short video describing my method. 

 

hope it is useful. 

[toelyn]

Brilliant! Thanks Hari.

[WalterC]

Thanks for showing us this technique, Hari.

[Paul-in-SF]

Very useful visual tutorial. I am fairly new at these things, so may I ask why it is important to seat the nib and feed that deeply? Were they not stable at the "before" depth? Thanks.

[Ron Z]

Mixed feelings about this.  I know that Sheaffer used a nib press to set nibs in pens, but the nib holder had a specific shape to fit the nib and feed.  I was hoping to snag one when the service center closed, but missed out on it. The vise in the video is a drill press vise - which can be tightened quite tight.  May I suggest thicker rubber, like fuel line hose?  That would give more cushioning.

 

 I can see that the technique works well on flat feeds, but many are not with others.   I would like to see what happens with a round Sheaffer feed, which can be a bit fragile (never pull one out).  I would not use it for setting a modern plastic feed with the thin collector fins, like a modern Prelude/NN/Connaisseur feed, a Pelikan feed, or plastic Montblanc feed.  In those cases, fingers and a grippy pad are best - and sometimes even avoiding the fins all together is necessary because the fins distort so easily.

 

Paul -  There is a more or less standard depth set, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Modern nibs are of course stopped by the closed end of the section.  Vintage varies, and some people liked their nibs set in farther.  Always check to verify that the tip of the nib will clear the end of the inner cap.  Some are shorter than others, so you have to check so make sure that the nib won't hit.  It can ruin your day very quickly if the nib isn't set deep enough.  I use a nib gauge that I made, but two chop sticks side by side work too.

[Seney724]

Excellent!!

Thanks Hari!

[hari317]

5 hours ago, Ron Z said:

Mixed feelings about this.  I know that Sheaffer used a nib press to set nibs in pens, but the nib holder had a specific shape to fit the nib and feed.  I was hoping to snag one when the service center closed, but missed out on it. The vise in the video is a drill press vise - which can be tightened quite tight.  May I suggest thicker rubber, like fuel line hose?  That would give more cushioning.

 

 I can see that the technique works well on flat feeds, but many are not with others.   I would like to see what happens with a round Sheaffer feed, which can be a bit fragile (never pull one out).  I would not use it for setting a modern plastic feed with the thin collector fins, like a modern Prelude/NN/Connaisseur feed, a Pelikan feed, or plastic Montblanc feed.  In those cases, fingers and a grippy pad are best - and sometimes even avoiding the fins all together is necessary because the fins distort so easily.

 

Paul -  There is a more or less standard depth set, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Modern nibs are of course stopped by the closed end of the section.  Vintage varies, and some people liked their nibs set in farther.  Always check to verify that the tip of the nib will clear the end of the inner cap.  Some are shorter than others, so you have to check so make sure that the nib won't hit.  It can ruin your day very quickly if the nib isn't set deep enough.  I use a nib gauge that I made, but two chop sticks side by side work too.

 This is for the general public: The nib vise is to be used only when your bare fingers are not enough. In 90% of cases bare fingers are enough. Especially with montblanc pelikan etc fingers and a gripping pad are quite enough. 
 

with a vise or any mechanical device it’s very important to develop the feel. You really don’t need to crank it down tight. Within 1/8 turn of contact the part can be sufficiently snug. 
  
The nib vise is to be used when the nib feed won’t clear the inner cap despite being set in the original location in the section and bare hands just won’t do it. Only for such situations. 
 

as a matter of fact I have a huge stash of finned Sheaffer ebonite feeds to use with my eyedropper pens. Proper gripping on the vise gives me excellent results. 
 

I have been using the Parker method of using Bernard pliers to grip for several years now. But that approach needs one hand to hold the pliers and apply gripping force. Only the second hand is free for gentle mallet action. One has to maintain verticality that is quite critical. I find this vise with machined full depth jaws works very well. Even with Sheaffer feeds that I have to install in tight new sections. And you have both hands available. One to support the section the other to tap it in. 
 

I missed out buying the nib vise sold by the legendary Aurthur Twydle. This is my locally sourced replacement. Of course this can be refined further by having matching dies made if one is so inclined. 
 

A technique that works for one may not work for all. So for the general public, pls use heat, caution, employ common sense and patience. Good luck. 

[hari317]

7 hours ago, vinodhmjhuman said:

Brilliant! Thanks Hari.

Thanks

7 hours ago, WalterC said:

Thanks for showing us this technique, Hari.

Thanks 

6 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

Very useful visual tutorial. I am fairly new at these things, so may I ask why it is important to seat the nib and feed that deeply? Were they not stable at the "before" depth? Thanks.

Thanks. In all cases one has to set the nib to an exposed length which will clear the inner cap. Else the nib will be crushed by the cap as you cap the pen. On some pens the inner cap is small. In many pens the interference fit requires a good amount of pressure to set the nib in the correct depth. 

4 hours ago, Seney724 said:

Excellent!!

Thanks Hari!

Thanks. 

[cvk]

13 hours ago, hari317 said:

I am often asked how I set nibs and feeds into tight sections. Or how I set a nib and feed really deep in the section to control the nib exposed length. Like fitting a 35mm nib in a 69t section really deep. I made a short video describing my method. 

 

hope it is useful. 

great video. I was hoping to hear your voice though Very informative. Thanks! 

[hari317]

39 minutes ago, cvk said:

great video. I was hoping to hear your voice though Very informative. Thanks! 

😀 thanks!

[K Singh]

Excellent Sir 👍. I don't know how I missed this post earlier today. Learned something new again from you 🙏

[es9]

I have found the padded parallel pliers (say that five times fast) that Dale sells over at Pentooling for this exact purpose to be fantastic. It’s not that fingers don’t work; it’s that *my* fingers don’t work because I have the fine-motor skills of a gorilla.