How to fix "railroad track" writing

[eric.zamir]

I have a wonderful pen with a nice broad nib and good flow, BUT when I press or write a long line, I get "railroad track" syndrome. What can I do to fix that?

[BillTheEditor]

What is "railroad track" syndrome?

 

Or you could skip the diagnostics and guesswork and get rid of the problem, simply by sending the pen to me.

[FarmBoy]

I have a wonderful pen with a nice broad nib and good flow, BUT when I press or write a long line, I get "railroad track" syndrome. What can I do to fix that?

 

Eric,

 

I'm going to guess you mean that after some distance, you get two fine lines with a gap instead of a broad line. This can usually be traced back to inadequate ink flow. Essentially the ability to deliver ink to the paper is outstripped by the demand and the film between the tines breaks and ends the capillary action causing the ink that is delivered to run down the tine forming two distinct lines.

 

Not sure how or if you can fix it without playing with the pen. Someone else may help on this part.

 

Todd

 

[Armchop]

:meow:

Hi Eric

in terms of Physics Farmboy is correct.

Capilliary action on a pen nib depends on the narrowness of the gap between the tines. There is a maximum gap before capilliary action fails and the gap just becomes a big crack.

The minimum width depends upon the viscosity of the ink which is why pens write with varying charactersitics according to what ink is being used. This is why fountain pen users with several pens find they need to note which ink goes best with particular pens or nibs.

 

Therefore:

i) When you are writing try not to press so hard to reduce the splitting of the tines

ii) if you are not actually pressing hard anyway you may have a very soft nib

iii) use a more viscous ink if you particulary wish to use that pen.

 

(Physics notes: surface tension also comes into it but this is the general idea. No need to elongate this thread with a bout of brains).

 

I get this "railroad writing" with my (changed to right pen) Namiki Falcon (must stop doing posts while drinking) with B nib and Skrip Red. trying to practice using it properly.

 

Armchop

Edited September 4, 2007 by Armchop

[andyk]

Hi,

 

Armchop said what I was going to only far more eloqueantly (is that how its spelt?, note don't use big words you can't spell).

 

I had this problem, but found changing to a smoother flowing ink (Waterman Florida Blue works well for me) and not pressing so hard cured the problem.

 

Andy

Edited August 30, 2007 by andyk

[Col]

eloqueantly (is that how its spelt?, note don't use big words you can't spell).

Andy, if you're using Internet Explorer, you can click on the Spellcheck button in the top right of the composition window. It links to a download site for a small programme called ieSpell. Once installed, next time you click on the button it will open the programme.

 

Alternatively, you could simply compose in a text editor (or copy and paste your composition here into one), spell check it there, and then paste it back across.

 

HTH

 

 

[Lloyd]

My Pilot 743's FA (Flex) nib does this "railroad tracks" behavior when ink demand is high with both Noodlers RedBlack and PR Chocolat. However, Pilot BlueBlack & a mix of Pilot Blue/Levenger Cobalt/Noodler Black works fine. Also, I find some paper to be worse than others.

[CharlieB]

This is a good question for Richard Binder. I think the answer has to do with the ratio of the size of the channel in the feed to the size of the point of the nib where it hits the paper. The fact that you are using a broad nib may mean that you're dumping ink onto the paper faster than the feed is able to resupply it. I believe the fix is to modify the feed to increase the channel, but don't try it until Richard responds.

[StickMan]

eloqueantly (is that how its spelt?, note don't use big words you can't spell).

Andy, if you're using Internet Explorer, you can click on the Spellcheck button in the top right of the composition window. It links to a download site for a small programme called ieSpell. Once installed, next time you click on the button it will open the programme.

 

Alternatively, you could simply compose in a text editor (or copy and paste your composition here into one), spell check it there, and then paste it back across.

 

HTH

 

Or you could use Firefox which supports extensions which do this.

[Armchop]

:meow:

Thanks AndyK. I rarely get called eloquent. Succinct a lot. But not eloquent!

Armchop

[Splicer]

(Physics notes: surface tension also comes into it but this is the general idea. No need to elongate this thread with a bout of brains).

 

Is surface tension related to viscosity? I've been wondering this lately.