By wearing down every portion of the nib on the lapping paper, you’re smoothing it out to remove that scratchy feeling. It looks like some of the results of the testing were expected and some were surprising. Furthermore, these only represent a fraction of the threads that can be found when a search for nib smoothing is conducted. The finer grades are safer to use, I agree with you about that. Why are they usually in solid gold? The nib can write well on any surface, whether smooth or scratchy with no skipping between lines. This will smooth out the top, bottom, and sides of your nib which tend to get pretty sharp over time as you write. When I started smoothing, I found that I did a lot of smoothing for little impact. Anyone have a link to a a page that describes how best to accomplish the smoothing when I get the proper materials? Our STUB nib has a point size 1.1 mm. Finish when the desired, regular shape is achieved. Nib Smoothing. This unit is a 3-in-1 package within one purchase. Why does this happen? Orders made after 4pm on Friday will be dispatched the following Monday (except UK bank holidays). Also, if you take the time to get familiar with Giovanni's reputation, you'll see that his intentions have never been anything more than to assist his fellow penatics. Patience is the key :), Orders made before 4pm Monday-Friday will generally be dispatched on the same day. Examine the nib with a powerful loupe. Read More What Nib Sizes Are Usually Available? Finish off by tracing circles and figure 8s, very lightly, over the 0.3 micron sheet. Move slowly and avoid repetitive movements that will create a flat spot (bad!). Used by many nibmeisters, Micro-Mesh is an incredibly fine abrasive paper that will help to smooth out the tip of a scratchy nib. I'm always looking for more information. Feeders are usually made of plastic. When the proper shape is obtained, proceed with the polishing of the iridium. By the Mad Dutchman Use the non-shiny side. This sheet is approximately 7cm x 6cm and therefore has plenty of surface to use for many fountain pen nibs so will last for a long time. Make your final touches with.3 Micron very light if you want extra smoothness. Copyright © 2004-2021 The Fountain Pen Network Capillary action draws a liquid to the narrowest part of the slit. This will evidence any imperfections in the iridium. the tines are not adjusted properly. A 2-pack set of 5.5 inch by 4.5 inch mylar nib smoothing sheets in 2 different grits - .3 micron is light blue and 1.0 micron is pink. An ideal slit is tapered from the breather hole to the tip: If the iridium is uneven, dull or mis-shapen, start the smoothing operation. Where is the best place to get such materials? If your nib feels consistent (not scratchy at any particular point) but simply has more feedback than you would like, then it's time to break out the 1-micron Mylar paper. The small point of the nib, doesn’t catch on the fibers of the paper. The key is not to exercise too much pressure. Different types of nibs vary in their purpose, shape and size, as well as the material from which they are made. A flat spot may give the impression of smooth writing, but in fact provides a very characterless writing experience, akin to using a paint brush! Smoothing a nib is not easy to do when you first start and it can take time and practice to get it to work write, but you’ll be surprised what this little sheet of paper can do to the nib you are avoiding because of it’s over the top feedback. It's easy! It takes a very light touch. required. If you have caught the sharp edge or corner against the abrasive, it should have gone away. This one works for me. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>. Start with the second-largest mylar grade (5 micron – grey) and gradually work down to the finest grade (0.3 micron – white). Nib and Writing Performance The pen comes with a medium nib, made of stainless steel which makes the pen durable from accidental damages and also gives you fine writing on paper. Just my $0.02, but I would not start with 5 micron mylar. • When smoothing a nib on these abrasives, do figure 8’s, and also roll the nib side to side, and up and down. Does the nib scratch? You also want to avoid twisting the pen because the tines should be in touch with a paper at times, otherwise, the ink won’t flow. And maybe exchange a note or two and have a pleasant little discussion on the topic... BTW, I don't sell the stuff, and don't offer any pen services for sale, so no clash of interest there... Sure, or at least I hope he's making money on the kits, Glenn. Soft and flexible nibs are highly position sensitive, providing a less smooth writing experience when compared to hard or standard nibs. What I can't post is the pictures! Start with the second-largest mylar grade (5 micron – grey) and gradually work down to the finest grade (0.3 micron – white). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>, Are yours posted? You definitely will have a few problems with that. I know because I trained them. A related question: I have a Parker "51" with a great juicy nib -the only problem is that frequently bits of paper get caught in the iridium point. Plus, using super smooth paper is also a must with this Leonardt nib. The principles may be simple (aligning the tips, rounding and deburring edges and sharp points that would otherwise dig into the paper), but much patient practice is necessary to become truly adept. So if you’re using a fine nib, extra-fine nib, and things like that, you would like smooth paper. These sheets are perfect for final passes when smoothing your nibs. Patience is the key :)\u003c\/p\u003e"}, Check out our February Special Offers! -paper to test the nib on! A couple of inches. Note that the color of a nib does not necessarily indicate whether it is made from gold or steel. Besides checking the condition of our nib and perhaps perform some adjustment upon receiving our pen, finding out what ink and paper works with our new pen is also a part of the new pen journey. A flat spot may give the impression of smooth writing, but in fact provides a very characterless writing experience, akin to using a paint brush! Smoothing the nib is an extremely delicate and sensitive process, requiring a gentle touch and the use of crocus or emery paper. Since nib smoothing isn't a craft shrouded in secrecy, and we can all benefit from some insights, would you please care to share the whole leaflet? QUALITIES. To correct them try a short, very light pass on the mylar in the direction in which the roughness was felt or, and sometimes this is even more effective, in a direction 180º opposite to the one in which the roughness was felt. You think you've found the perfect pen at a show, estate sale or antique store. Nib Smoothing Workshop Notes Page 5 of 10 IV. Cheapo paper, good paper (useful to see how it performs on both) First - cleaning: I guess it's kind of a no-brainer that old, used FPs may need some cleaning to work well, but the reality is that even brand new, high end expensive FPs may also need some cleaning in order to work well (may have debris from production or oils etc in the nib/feed assembly). Ideally you will need a 30X loupe, a 10X loupe is the absolute minimum required. When the nib and the feeder do not properly fit one another, several problems occur. Why does this happen? Far too abrasive for a novice nib smoother. http://s26.postimg.org/fp30mhy6x/signature.jpg In punta di penna..... A related question: I have a Parker "51" with a great juicy nib -the only problem is that frequently bits of paper get caught in the iridium point. For orders under £25, you have the choice at checkout of: Royal Mail 2nd Class - £1.99 (3-5 working days), Royal Mail 1st Class - £2.99 (1-2 working days), Outside UK Delivery- Estimated 3-5 days to Europe; 5-7 working days elsewhere, Orders over £20 - Royal Mail Airmail £3.99, Orders over £20 - Royal Mail Tracked & Insured £7.50. STUB. The nib behaves weird. It's best to use a smooth paper for this, but that's up to you. Bleedthrough and Showthrough . Page 1 of 2 - Paper-Bag Nib Smoothing - posted in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop: I tried the paper-bag method of nib-smoothing last night, to remove the plating on a new nib and improve the flow. However, those who ordered the kit before we included the instructions are welcome to email me and I will send them the instructions and.. Leonardt 300: A very smooth nib, another great choice for writing and making quick drawings. Posted by u/[deleted] 3 years ago. This 6"x3" sheet of 12,000 grit Micro-Mesh will be enough to last you years, and will help you save those nibs that made you want to throw your pens away! I certainly am very interested to compare my notes with your insights. I'd like to take the tooth out of a couple nibs. This sheet is approximately 7cm x 6cm and therefore has plenty of surface to use for many fountain pen nibs so will last for a long time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Smoothing a nib is not easy to do when you first start and it can take time and practice to get it to work write, but you’ll be surprised what this little sheet of paper can do to the nib you are avoiding because of it’s over the top feedback.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Several things can be causing a nib to be writing badly and this paper will not improve flow, perhaps check some online videos giving instructions on how to do it before committing your nib to the paper. I've just found that for a new person learning, one doesn't always know what to look for and how to use very little effort to get the smoothing you want. If the plating is silver in color, and the material under it is as well, how do I tell when it's gone? Could you post the sheet here as well? I'd like to take the tooth out of a couple nibs. Navigator Colour Documents Paper Ultra Smooth (120gsm) HP Premium Choice 100gsm. I'd be interested in reading anyone's. Smooth paper allows your nib to glide easily across, making it much easier to produce even lines. The color is good. Move slowly and avoid repetitive movements that will create a flat spot (bad!). And you could read my article if you wanted to know how to go about it as well, the one cited by Claes. His entire tool catalog, at excellent prices, gives testimony to that. A misaligned nib is the most obvious cause for scratchiness, so check this first with a magnifying glass as this micro mesh may be the wrong tool for the job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Making changes to your nib with this paper will certainly void your pen’s warranty, so be sure you are happy to do this or only use a pen which is no longer under it’s new pen warranty before starting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e When you a removing tipping material, you can get to the point where you have removed TOO much and the nib will no longer write well, so you need to do any work on it with this paper slowly and with only a small amount of pressure, stopping often to check progress. By posting it here, I wouldn't expect Giovanni to sell anything less, actually, the opposite would likely be the case, if you ask me. {"id":3605670035533,"title":"Micro Mesh Nib Tuning Paper","handle":"micro-mesh-nib-tuning-paper","description":"\u003cp\u003eMicromesh is a very mildly abrasive sand paper or emery paper (12000 or 15000 grit) which can be used by nib tuners to smooth the tip of a scratchy nib. The defining characteristic of a stub nib is its shape. Fix Scratchy Nibs; WARNING: The following repair advice can easily mess up your favorite nib if you aren't careful and experienced. Just make sure your nib angle isn’t too high otherwise the pointed tip will catch on the paper sending splatters of ink everywhere. Add 5-10 sets of vertical and horizontal lines. After all, it can only wet the appetites of people . Smoothing a nib is not easy to do when you first start and it can take time and practice to get it to work write, but you’ll be surprised what this little sheet of paper can do to the nib you are avoiding because of it’s over the top feedback. - We are shipping orders as normal, Diamine x Niche Pens Alexandrite Fountain Pen Ink, Noodler's Heart of Darkness Bulletproof Ink (4.5oz), Organics Studio Ink Element Series - Nitrogen Royal Blue, Noodler's Triple Tail Flex Fountain Pen - Clear Demonstrator, Colorverse Nebula Tomoe River Notebook - White. The secret is to know when to stop! We will notify you when this product becomes available. Although the nib … What is the difference between hard, soft, and flexible nibs? I don't know the man and have never dealt with him positively or negatively so I have was making no judgement about him personally. I send a comprehensive instruction sheet with my nib smoothing kits! What is a fountain pen nib? amin, Please "Like" if you found this useful or interesting, it helps YouTube decide it's worth a watch and suggest it to others. There's a couple of other resources available as well: You might also try these threads for additional information... https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...indpost&p=40775, https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...findpost&p=5492.