Dip Pen Nib In A Fountain Pen?

[Pickwick]

Whilst browsing ebay there was a fountain pen on offer with a dip pen nib installed. The seller had a small writing sample.

 

This is probably not the first time someone has experimented, and after 65 years of writing letters and my hand writing, although legible, I realised it needed improvement. Looking at forums on handwriting you guys gave me the impetus, in attempting a better script.

 

I have some Esterbrook nibs stamped "School", "Elegant Slant" and "Chancellor".

 

I have a Waltham and the feed can be easily removed. I started with Esterbrook "School" nib, and using the Waltham nib as a template, ground the nib using a Dremel with a grinding wheel attached to the dimensions of the oiginal nib and inserted it. After several adjustments to the feed, I got it working!

 

As I started with the "School" nib which reminded me when I was 8 years old. My Teacher taught an adapted script which was quite elegant, and after practise would allow one to write fairly fast. So I've reverted back to that style, and wanting to give a bit of character to writing, I can now carry my pen when I go out and practise when a convenient moment arises.

 

I haven't stopped there! I have a "Chancellor" in an old Sheaffer Desk fountain Pen, and have an "Elegant Slant" adapted and ready to install in my old Waltham.

 

I hasten to add I will only be experimenting with "clunkers", and explore possibilites with other makes of nibs!

 

Attached are a couple of photos.

 

 

Pickwick

[brunico]

Well done! I was wondering the other day whether my dip nibs could be made to fit onto a Pilot Plumix/Penmanship feed. They can't, but I may cut a flex nib from a coke can and see what happens...

[waterman1924]

Very nice Pickwick, But how do they write?

[AltecGreen]

E.S. Johnson 14k dip pen nib on modern Duofold

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5440802848_ed96909bbc_z.jpg

 

 

 

Modified vintage 14k dip pen nib on a Waterman 100 Year pen

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4667641371_f899f8e068_z.jpg

[Pickwick]

Very nice Pickwick, But how do they write?

 

They write very well. I left the Waltham with the, Esterbrook "School" nib installed overnight, tried it in the morning and it worked. The nice part about it is you can see the ink flowing through the elongated hole in the nib. Comparing the nibs of the Esterbrook "School" and "Elegant", although they didn't appear different, when it came to wring the "Elegant" produced a better line.

 

I would have liked to have attached some writing samples, but I was informed I'd used my quota of mbs.

[Pen Is Mightier]

Writing sampple pics please! Cool modifications by the way. I have done the opposite before put a fp feed into the base of a dip pen holder and put a dip nib into it, it worked well for a bit but I just can't stand scratchy nibs which all my dip nibs are.

[Pickwick]

E.S. Johnson 14k dip pen nib on modern Duofold

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5440802848_ed96909bbc_z.jpg

 

 

 

Modified vintage 14k dip pen nib on a Waterman 100 Year pen

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4667641371_f899f8e068_z.jpg

 

They look a lot more elegant than my old "Clunkers"! You did an excellent job if you modified them yourself them yourself?

 

Appreciate the photos.

 

Pickwick

[waterman1924]

E.S. Johnson 14k dip pen nib on modern Duofold

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5440802848_ed96909bbc_z.jpg

 

 

 

Modified vintage 14k dip pen nib on a Waterman 100 Year pen

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4667641371_f899f8e068_z.jpg

 

Wow, very nice...

[Pickwick]

Writing sampple pics please! Cool modifications by the way. I have done the opposite before put a fp feed into the base of a dip pen holder and put a dip nib into it, it worked well for a bit but I just can't stand scratchy nibs which all my dip nibs are.

 

Here's one sample, using the Esterbrook "Elegant Slant"

[gregamckinney]

When Waterman first started selling holders (aka the non-nib part of the pen in parlance of the day,) they would fit a customer's nib to the Waterman feed and holder.

Since this was near the very beginning of "fountain pens," many of the nibs so fit were dip pen nibs.

 

Regards, greg

[frazzlerazzle]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

[kernando]

I always like seeing the old Waterman packaging that warns people not to pull the pens from their holders.

[Biber]

Wonderful job!

 

I tried it many moons ago with no success, but I only did it on a lark. I could never understand why flexy nibs in a fountain pen are such a specialized and expensive proposition when they are so cheap and readily available as dip pen nibs. As you have shown, conversion is relatively easy.

[jbb]

I use fountain pens with dip nibs all the time. It increases how much writing you can get per dip because of the feed.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4501042254_e77af598a5_o.jpg

[Bo Bo Olson]

Thank you, have Dremel, have pens(as nibs back than) will grind.

More than likely not...but the idea has been planted.

 

The flexi nibs on fountain pens have iridium on them, dip pen nibs not.

Edited May 25, 2011 by Bo Bo Olson

[Mike]

Since this was near the very beginning of "fountain pens," many of the nibs so fit were dip pen nibs.

 

I've come across a somewhat amusing set of instructions from a 1913 Popular Mechanics issue on making your own fountain pen (from a pair of spent 38-72 rifle cartridges...) that uses a "steel pen", i.e. a dip pen nib.

 

I mean, hell, there have been tipped dip pen nibs since (at least) the 1860s, so I imagine the distinction between a "dip nib" and a "fountain pen nib" was, early on, pretty academic.

 

I have a couple gross of old very flexy Spencerian pen points somewhere, and a nice ebonite pen from Noodler's whose factory nib leaves a lot to be desired. And a Dremel. Hmmn...

[Pickwick]

I use fountain pens with dip nibs all the time. It increases how much writing you can get per dip because of the feed.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4501042254_e77af598a5_o.jpg

 

I really like your pens, I must start looking out for ones like those. What type of nibs are you using?

 

Regards,

 

Pickwick

Edited May 25, 2011 by Pickwick

[Pickwick]

Thank you, have Dremel, have pens(as nibs back than) will grind.

More than likely not...but the idea has been planted.

 

The flexi nibs on fountain pens have iridium on them, dip pen nibs not.

 

One thing the dip pen nibs are inexpensive and they seem to be easily replaced. I found grinding them to fit the pen very quick.

 

Regards,

 

Pickwick

[Pickwick]

Since this was near the very beginning of "fountain pens," many of the nibs so fit were dip pen nibs.

 

I've come across a somewhat amusing set of instructions from a 1913 Popular Mechanics issue on making your own fountain pen (from a pair of spent 38-72 rifle cartridges...) that uses a "steel pen", i.e. a dip pen nib.

 

I mean, hell, there have been tipped dip pen nibs since (at least) the 1860s, so I imagine the distinction between a "dip nib" and a "fountain pen nib" was, early on, pretty academic.

 

I have a couple gross of old very flexy Spencerian pen points somewhere, and a nice ebonite pen from Noodler's whose factory nib leaves a lot to be desired. And a Dremel. Hmmn...

 

Realising how simple the Waltham is made, there's no reason why the "Cartridge pen" Shouldn't work. I may well get a Noodler's pen and try different nibs. I have a friend who's a member of a Rifle Association. If the caliber in the Popular Mechanics is not available any longer, there may be an equivalent.

 

Thank's for sharing it,

 

Pickwick

[ticoun]

makes me want to try, but i only have two flex dip pens, so i'd have to buy a box of vintage ones. at least they're inexpensive. i would fit them in the two unused sheaffer nononsense sections i have (i lost the pen itself ).