Grinding broken nibs to stubs - how to start ?

[jrantala]

Hi,

 

first of all this started with a common Parker Vector pen that I got with some other pens almost by an accident; my first impressions were not too good because it seemed to have a badly broken nib:

 

However, I tried it anyway and to my surprise it wasn't just broken but obviously grinded to a quite nice and smooth italic stub:

 

Now, I quite liked that and as I have several (truly) broken nibs on otherwise fairly decent pens I'd like to try to grind them likewise. But my question is, how to start ? I mean, take an example of a nib that has one tip broken off, do I start by cutting the whole nib "square" first (with powertools ?) or do I just start grinding the existing tip away ?

 

I have read some grinding tips recommended here, but they seem to cover the smoothing of a nib rather than grinding a broken nib to a stub. Are there good tips for that available anywhere ?

 

Regards, Jari

[OldGriz]

What you have is a Parker Vector that was either part of a Parker Calligraphy set or sold separately as a Parker Calligraphy pen.

The nib was factory ground by Parker to that configuration...

I have a complete Parker Calligraphy set and a complete Sheaffer Calligraphy set and find the Parker set to have smoother nibs

Both sets have pens with no tipping, just ground steel nibs.

[Paddler]

I have done this a couple of times but I am not an expert.

 

I advise against the use of power tools to even the tine length. Use of a power tool can easily overheat the metal and destroy the temper. You don't have to get the metal hot enough to glow to destroy the temper. A pen will write badly if one tine flexes and the other one doesn't.

 

If one tine is broken off, I would even them with a small file. If hard tipping must come off, a flush-cutting side cutter could be used.

 

If a lot of metal must be ground away, I start with a medium Washita stone and then work through finer stones, ending with a surgical black Arkansas. A nib smoothing kit from Tryphon completes the process.

 

Good luck!

 

Paddler

 

[AndyH]

This may be a stupid question, but can you grind enough off of a nib to produce a stub or italic without re-tipping? It seems to me that the tipping material is always too short in "length" to permit this? I've thought about trying this on some inexpensive pens and getting them re-tipped. There seem to be multiple options for that, but if you're going to have to have it re-tipped anyway, why not leave the whole job to a pro?

 

I'm fairly skilled with jewelry making, but this isn't a task I'd ordinarily attempt for either fun or to save money.

 

Or am I missing something completely?

[jrantala]

OK, I didn't know that the Vectors were made as calligraphy pens as well. No wonder the nib felt very smooth, but I expect that with practice and patience DIY stubs could be as smooth!

 

I understood that the stubs (at least the do-it-yourself ones ?) are made on the base material of the nib (gold alloy or steel), and have no (iridium etc.) tip anymore, is this correct ? Aren't some commercial italic/calligraphy nibs like Osmiroid the same ?

 

Regards, Jari

[Jack7770]

OK, I didn't know that the Vectors were made as calligraphy pens as well. No wonder the nib felt very smooth, but I expect that with practice and patience DIY stubs could be as smooth!

 

I understood that the stubs (at least the do-it-yourself ones ?) are made on the base material of the nib (gold alloy or steel), and have no (iridium etc.) tip anymore, is this correct ? Aren't some commercial italic/calligraphy nibs like Osmiroid the same ?

 

Regards, Jari

 

[Jack7770]

I bought several Parker Vectors with italic nibs when I was stationed in England more years ago than I like to remember. They are excellent writers. In those days, Selfridge's pen counter kept a stock of Parker nibs for the Vector, so it was easy to replace all the bland fine or medium nibs with and good italic. Those days like so much good about Parker are long gone.

[Kelly G]

I had a similar problem a couple of days ago. I was trying to restore a friends old pen, a Sheaffer' Jr lever filler Balance (I'm sure Balance isn't the proper name, but it is Balanced shaped in Green stripe Celluloid) and the nib was missing. I tried, unsuccessfully to source a nib on a junker Jr. off ebay. My only ready option was to replace the nib with my only Jr. nib in the parts box, and the tipping was gone from both tines.

 

So, with some 1500 grit wet/dry paper, my loupe, and a light hand, I started smoothing the nib into a stub. One tine was slightly longer; I placed the nib perpendicular to the paper and sanded the length difference away. Then I began working on the sharp edges of the nib where the tipping had snapped off.

 

After some careful sanding and frequent checking with the loupe, I had a reasonably decent stub nib. I smoothed it on a hard Arkansas razor stone (I need to get the lapping film for final smoothing) and the pens writes well. I could narrow the nib, but I want to check with my friend first, she may like the width.

 

I used the figure eight technique described in several different sources on nib smoothing. I'm sure I could get the nib in better shape with a nib smoothing kit w/lapping film, but this will do for now.

[piembi]

I was doing pretty much the same like Kelly G with already damaged nibs. Broken tines, missing tip - both had been ground down to some stub/italic.

 

They are ok but if I find a replacement nib I will replace them. One has not only suffered from a missing tipping, it had been bent as well. Looks like someone had crushed the tip with pliers. The second one had some iridium left and is now a pleasure to use. Was amazed that it worked out so well. One tine had been broken at the third nib. It needs some nib/feed adjustment to improve the ink flow. It's a vintage Pelikan and I will try to find a replacement for this one as well.

 

Anyway, I am grinding only those nibs that are already beyond repair.....

[bgray]

This may be a stupid question, but can you grind enough off of a nib to produce a stub or italic without re-tipping? It seems to me that the tipping material is always too short in "length" to permit this? I've thought about trying this on some inexpensive pens and getting them re-tipped. There seem to be multiple options for that, but if you're going to have to have it re-tipped anyway, why not leave the whole job to a pro?

 

I'm fairly skilled with jewelry making, but this isn't a task I'd ordinarily attempt for either fun or to save money.

 

Or am I missing something completely?

 

Yes, you can make an italic nib without re-tipping. That's how it's generally done.

 

The only obstacle happens where maybe the nib was already ground, and then you want a different grind....there's only so much iridium to work with.

 

If you want a stub that has already been ground to become an italic, or cursive italic...generally, there will be enough, as long as the original grind didn't take off a whole lot.

 

But, if the pen is a left foot oblique, and you would like to make it right-foot oblique, that would be tough, and might require re-tipping.

 

[Readymade]

This nib grinding tutorial will help:

 

http://www.marcuslink.com/pens/nibs.html

 

[AndyH]

Thanks Brian and Readymade! I may just give that a try if I can find an appropriate candidate.

[artaddict]

Don't use a nail clipper. It will dull it and you'll have to buy another one.