Note on tine alignment and polishing

To tell if your tines are aligned properly, do this. Make a series of
downstrokes from right to left /////. Then make a series of downstrokes
from left to right \\\\\. Compare the two series. Assuming your nib is
not an italic of course, the two series should be of equal darkness and
thickness. If they are not, the darker of the series is being made by
the lower of the out-of-alignment tines, and the lighter or thinner of
the series of lines, by the upper tine.

To align the tines I have found a pair of nail clippers serviceable.
Gently take hold of one of the tines and raise or lower it as required.
Generally it is better to lower the upper tine if you want less ink
flow, and conversely it is better to raise the lower tine if you want
more ink flow. Of course don't grab the tine anywhere near the point,
but further back. And be very cautious and gentle.

When the tines are properly aligned, the two series of lines will be
identical in darkness and thickness.

I have been experimenting recently with polishing some of my scratchy
nibs, but so far have found nothing quite so safe or effective as very
lightly polishing on a copper penny (pre 1982) for 5 or 10 minutes.
Polishing without ink in the pen will go faster, but give less
feedback. Copper is very hard, and you can get a scratchy nib nicely
smooth by LIGHTLY running it over the columns on the obverse of a
Lincoln penny a few hundred times. Zinc pennies don't work so well.

On 24 Dec 2005 14:44:45 -0800, virgiliopoeta typed:

I have been experimenting recently with polishing some of my scratchy
nibs, but so far have found nothing quite so safe or effective as very
lightly polishing on a copper penny (pre 1982) for 5 or 10 minutes.
Polishing without ink in the pen will go faster, but give less
feedback. Copper is very hard, and you can get a scratchy nib nicely
smooth by LIGHTLY running it over the columns on the obverse of a
Lincoln penny a few hundred times. Zinc pennies don't work so well.

Try 3M "Imperial" Lapping Film, available as 1 micron or .03 micron
on a mylar backing. Good stuff.
--
Cordially,

S. Dasara
12/25/2005 12:54:02 AM

Thanks, I will get some of this and try it. So far I've only gone as
high as 12000 grit sandpaper, which seemed to roughen rather than
smooth my test nib, or maybe I should have been using it wet the way
the experts say....

On 25 Dec 2005 18:46:54 -0800, virgiliopoeta typed:

Thanks, I will get some of this and try it. So far I've only gone as
high as 12000 grit sandpaper, which seemed to roughen rather than
smooth my test nib, or maybe I should have been using it wet the way
the experts say....

Always use the lapping film wet, rinse it under the faucet if need
be. The .03 leaves a very smooth finish.
--
Cordially,

S. Dasara
12/26/2005 12:04:48 AM

virgiliopoeta wrote:
To tell if your tines are aligned properly, do
this. Make a series of downstrokes from right to
left /////. Then make a series of downstrokes
from left to right \\\\\. Compare the two series.
...

Why not just examine the nib with a loupe or other magnifier? It's
really not hard to identify misaligned tines by visually examining the
nib under magnification.

To align the tines I have found a pair of nail
clippers serviceable. Gently take hold of one of
the tines and raise or lower it as required...

Are you suggesting that people grab hold of the tine with a nail
clipper? I wouldn't suggest grabbing hold of a tine with anything
metallic. There's simply no need to do that and several good reasons not
to do that--not the least of which is that using a nail clipper or any
other metallic tool to pinch the tine will very likely put tool marks in
the soft metal. One can raise or lower a tine with one's fingers (or
finger nail)... No need to use a metallic implement. -- B