Scratchy

[vanessayumi]

I've cleaned the pen thoroughly and switched to Waterman ink. And someone smoothed out the nib for me. I still had problems w/ flow and had to run a blade through the feed as demonstrated in this video.

The pen still isn't as smooth as others, but at least it's a bit better now. I think I have to do some more of the brown paper bag to get it to write more comfortably.

 

Thanks for the video link!

Just watched it, very very useful! Thanks!

[vanessayumi]

Yay! :clap1: :roflmho:

I disassembled the pen entirely, and tried to separate the tines, 'cause it was easier than using a blade... My husband did that for me, and I couldn't see much difference, anyway I put it all back together and inked it up, and that's the result:

 

http://www.vanessayumi.com/site/FPN/pilot78g-vanessayumi(5).jpg

 

 

Thanks for the advices, I'm really happy with this pen now !

[watch_art]

I've had a few of these and had to work on the nib and feed of each one to get them writing properly. Had two broads, and one of them looked like the nib had been "smoothed" on a brick!

[vanessayumi]

I've had a few of these and had to work on the nib and feed of each one to get them writing properly. Had two broads, and one of them looked like the nib had been "smoothed" on a brick!

 

hahahahaha :ltcapd:

[myyrkezaan]

Yay! :clap1: :roflmho:

I disassembled the pen entirely, and tried to separate the tines, 'cause it was easier than using a blade... My husband did that for me, and I couldn't see much difference, anyway I put it all back together and inked it up, and that's the result:

 

 

 

Thanks for the advices, I'm really happy with this pen now !

 

So it was originally a japanese medium, what do you think the width is now?

[Pennilessness]

I just bought a Pilot 78G as well, thinking it looks nice and that it is cheap but I also find the nib a bit scratchy... may be I can get someone to smooth it? or do it myself... hey even though I am new to this but I think one should give a try to everything! I am not too concern about ruinning it becuase it was quite cheap...

[Nonsensical]

So it was originally a japanese medium, what do you think the width is now?

Probably a little wider than a Western F, but not much wider. You can separate the tines a little less than was done in that case, which will increase ink flow without making it a gusher.

 

Glad to see that the "surgery" worked! It's wonderfully nice to write with now though, isn't it? :roflmho: Don't get too addicted now...

 

Pennilessness, I've posted pictures above on how to completely disassemble the pen, and how to increase the ink flow. Also, you might want to check if the tines are misaligned:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/187706-five-bad-things-that-happen-with-new-pens/

Edited June 1, 2011 by Nonsensical

[vanessayumi]

Yay! :clap1: :roflmho:

I disassembled the pen entirely, and tried to separate the tines, 'cause it was easier than using a blade... My husband did that for me, and I couldn't see much difference, anyway I put it all back together and inked it up, and that's the result:

 

 

 

Thanks for the advices, I'm really happy with this pen now !

 

So it was originally a japanese medium, what do you think the width is now?

 

Well, I guess it's writing like a Western Medium would. I'm so happy I didn't have to throw it away :clap1:

 

 

So it was originally a japanese medium, what do you think the width is now?

Probably a little wider than a Western F, but not much wider. You can separate the tines a little less than was done in that case, which will increase ink flow without making it a gusher.

 

Glad to see that the "surgery" worked! It's wonderfully nice to write with now though, isn't it? :roflmho: Don't get too addicted now...

 

Pennilessness, I've posted pictures above on how to completely disassemble the pen, and how to increase the ink flow. Also, you might want to check if the tines are misaligned:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/187706-five-bad-things-that-happen-with-new-pens/

 

It's just great now. Everything is alright !

Thanks very much for the advices

 

Pennilessness, mine was terribly scratchy, I just kept doing some "eight" movements for couple of... hours. But it worked

[Scrawler]

My Pilot 78G F...was very dry, and very scratchy when I first got it. I put it through a cleaning regime, pulled the whole thing apart, flossed the tines, made sure the feed channel was deep enough, pulled the tines slightly apart, and filled it up with Noodler's HoD.

 

Not sure which of the above, or if it was the combination that fixed it, but it's VERY smooth now. Love it!

Probably both. I have only had to floss and spread on a couple Chinese pens. I find HoD lubricates really well. I am in the habit of giving away Hero 616 to newbies and I always fill them with HoD because even if the nib is a bit scratchy, it gives decent smoothness.

[Scrawler]

 

 

Pennilessness, mine was terribly scratchy, I just kept doing some "eight" movements for couple of... hours. But it worked

Did you use a highly abrasive brown paper bag?

[vanessayumi]

 

 

Pennilessness, mine was terribly scratchy, I just kept doing some "eight" movements for couple of... hours. But it worked

Did you use a highly abrasive brown paper bag?

 

No, actually I took some copy paper that I thought was a little abrasive and went on. I was afraid of messing the nib up

[Scrawler]

 

 

Pennilessness, mine was terribly scratchy, I just kept doing some "eight" movements for couple of... hours. But it worked

Did you use a highly abrasive brown paper bag?

 

No, actually I took some copy paper that I thought was a little abrasive and went on. I was afraid of messing the nib up

Well it seems to have worked for you. I use sandwich bags and old manilla envelopes.

[vanessayumi]

 

 

Pennilessness, mine was terribly scratchy, I just kept doing some "eight" movements for couple of... hours. But it worked

Did you use a highly abrasive brown paper bag?

 

No, actually I took some copy paper that I thought was a little abrasive and went on. I was afraid of messing the nib up

Well it seems to have worked for you. I use sandwich bags and old manilla envelopes.

 

I'll do that next time to save time, thanks!

[sannidh]

How quickly pilot lady does the final nib smoothing ! In the last part of the video (please do not refer to this video as an instruction set for smoothing scratchy nibs )

Edited August 23, 2014 by soniknitr

[new2writing]

How quickly pilot lady does the final nib smoothing ! In the last part of the video

Very useful vdo. Got to try some scratchy with sand paper. Thank you.

[sannidh]

Very useful vdo. Got to try some scratchy with sand paper. Thank you.

 

Please do not use the video as an instruction for nib smoothing. One might damage a nib.

Kindly check the below video if it helps:

Edited August 23, 2014 by soniknitr

[Bo Bo Olson]

Doing only figure 8's can lead to baby bottom according to Old Grizz.

 

Writing regularly, turning the tip always, make circles left and right, squiggles left& right, up & down....for a 15 second set. Do 3-4, max 6 sets. Checking in between each set.***

IMO one can do figure 8's for the last couple of three seconds of a set, no more.

 

I took Old Grizz serious in he had repaired pens, and cut my figure 8 time.

 

 

*** good quality brown paper bags are not going to make a nib butter smooth. For that you need micro-mesh.

For good and smooth, the stage under butter smooth, a good quality brown paper bag will do.

One can use 8 sides of a brown paper bag.

I like good and smooth over buttery, in some times I have slick paper.

Edited August 23, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[sannidh]

Doing only figure 8's can lead to baby bottom according to Old Grizz.

 

Writing regularly, turning the tip always, make circles left and right, squiggles left& right, up & down....for a 15 second set. Do 3-4, max 6 sets. Checking in between each set.***

IMO one can do figure 8's for the last couple of three seconds of a set, no more.

 

I took Old Grizz serious in he had repaired pens, and cut my figure 8 time.

 

 

*** good quality brown paper bags are not going to make a nib butter smooth. For that you need micro-mesh.

For good and smooth, the stage under butter smooth, a good quality brown paper bag will do.

One can use 8 sides of a brown paper bag.

I like good and smooth over buttery, in some times I have slick paper.

 

Isn't writing "infinity" or horizontal eight preventing the baby bottom ? - My doubt

 

Micro-Mesh/buff-sticks:

I found the shipping rates to be ostentatiously high for international shipping for micro-mesh/buff-sticks in both Richard's site.

 

That's why I had ordered it from an ebay seller: (Guess US shipping would be much lower, No affiliations-just in case you are looking for the same thing as me)

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FOUNTAIN-PEN-NIB-POLISHING-KIT-EVERYTHING-YOU-NEED-/330863696870

Edited August 24, 2014 by soniknitr

[Bo Bo Olson]

Old Grizz (RIP) was a pen repair guy.

He stated that too much figure 8's lead to baby bottom, and there was no others to gainsay.

I couldn't, in mostly I used the 15 second cycle when doing the brown paper bag. Circles, left&right, squiggles left & right, up&down, and a few figure 8's.

 

I mostly used the full cycle....but had been lazy to use only the figure 8 with out seeing any problems....but mostly I had used the full cycle.

I thought on what Old Grizz a very respected member said, but decided a few seconds of rotating figure 8's in my 15 second set, did no harm and gave the nib a slightly different smoothing stroke.

 

I buy old cheap vintage pens, that have sat in a drawer for a generation or two. Therefore have 'micro-corrosion' or 'iridium' rust. I used the good brown paper bag to get rid of that.

Good and smooth...is all that can be achieved with a good brown paper bag. The brown paper bag is not for grinding your nib narrower or stubbing it.

 

I stress good brown paper bag, in today, most don't know a good paper bag like us old timers who grew up with them. One lad had complained about all the 'hairs' in the nib, in he was using one of those (bad) hairy paper bags.

Some nib grinders complained about the unevenness of paper bags......So? It is to get 'iridium' rust off the nib, nothing else....a bit of smoothing. They are professional and can write off their taxes the professional level of tools.

I'm sure being non-professional I've smoothed to good&smooth many more nibs on a brown paper bag than they have. True one should use the best tools one can afford...but in this case, one has to have experience or be willing to lose a couple of cheap pens learning how.

 

I'm sure that most can tell a good paper bag even if raised in the plastic bowling ball bag era, if only "How Retro".

I'm sure few have seen the true great smooth factory doubled bags of the '70's, but can tell the difference between cheap and better bags. Not the rough ones, but the smoother ones, are the ones to use.

 

Why use brown paper bags. Micro-mesh and buff sticks are expensive, brown paper bags not. Brown paper bags do not grind down a nib. (Unless one really, really over does it for many, many cycles....not the 3-6 I recommend.) What is gone is gone.

 

Yes, I do use Micro-mesh and buff sticks, I found the vast experience of the brown paper bag, allowed me to get into tiny grinding movements of buff sticks, with automatic nib rotation. I did not lose any pens to over grinding.

 

Took me longer than expected on buff sticks and micro-mesh to get buttery smooth, I wanted on a couple of nibs.

On the whole, wanting only good and smooth, I don't go to buff stick and micro mesh unless I do have a problem where six 15 second sets of brown paper bag won't solve.

 

Brown paper bag teaches you the moments needed for butter smooth polishing on buff stick and micro mesh.

 

Being cheap I'll use one of the 8 sides of a paper bag, before going to the buff stick and micro-mesh.

With a brown paper bag, there is no....learn on two cheap throw away pens, as recommended for buff stick & micro-mesh.

Those who need butter smooth -only, can ignore the brown paper bag. Those who have old draggy pens, a nice brown paper bag, and and will get rid of the drag, with out ruining the nib due to inexperience with harsher buff sticks.

Edited August 24, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[william2001]

You can always return it.

-William S. Park