Sheaffer Triumph Nib Regrinding

September 10, 2006

For once, I'm not trying to beg for help - I seem to have managed this one on my own, so I guess I'm just bragging. Maybe it will be useful for someone, though.

I picked up a Sheaffer Touchdown in a batch of pens on eBay recently (still not quite sure what type it is - any suggestions on that would be good). It seemed to be working perfectly, and in good condition generally, apart from one thing. The nib had been snipped off to make a left hand oblique, and it hadn't been done well. The tines weren't even the same lengths.

I considered what to do with it. I could probably sell it on in the condition it was in, for someone else to deal with the nib (and probably still make more than I paid for the batch). I could also try to get hold of a replacement nib. Or, I could try regrinding it myself. I decided that if it was going to be sold on for someone else to replace the nib, or I was going to replace it - either way, the current nib was pretty much worthless. Nothing left to lose. I like that - time to play and learn!

Anyway, the results - I'm pretty happy...

http://static.flickr.com/88/239353862_982c6267c2_m.jpg

Bottom of Nib

http://static.flickr.com/86/239359280_716cacb69a_m.jpg

Top of Nib

http://static.flickr.com/93/239359285_036422b984.jpg

From the Side

OK, now I'll admit to the tools. I used a knife sharpening stone (cheap one from a chinese supermarket), a nail file, and the nail file on my Swiss Army Knife. And no expertise at all. Fine grit sandpaper would probably have been much better, but I just went for being impatient and using what I had lying around.

Anyway, all worked out amazingly well, and it now writes almost as well as any pen I have. The line is a little on the dry side, but it's smooth, rarely skips (ok, a little when going really fast), and it even manages to still look pretty good.

The trick seems to be working slowly - gold is soft stuff, so just one or two strokes at a time will make a difference. Take it slowly, and keep trying it out. I kept the pen inked, which made a bit of a mess of the sharpening block and nail file, but might have helped lubricate things, and meant I could try it out every time I made a change.

If it skipped when rocked a little over to the left, I took a little more off the left side, and I just let it work to a sharp point at the top at first, and worried about removing that afterwards.

http://static.flickr.com/94/239365418_54282a01a9_m.jpg

Test Scribbles

I think it's probably easier to do this sort of stuff with a decent gold nib than with a poor quality steel one. It's probably not a good thing to try, but if you get the chance to have a go with a nib that's scrap otherwise, why not?

I expected