Micro-Mesh Smoother Than Mylar?

[FoszFay]

I have 12,000 grit micro-mesh, and 1.0 and 0.3 micron mylar paper. I find that the micro-mesh gives me a smoother nib...I thought it was meant to be the opposite?

 

What are your experiences?

[beanbag]

If your micro-mesh is the kind that is on a padded backing, then it does more corner rounding instead of flat-spotting.

[dneal]

I have 12,000 grit micro-mesh, and 1.0 and 0.3 micron mylar paper. I find that the micro-mesh gives me a smoother nib...I thought it was meant to be the opposite?

 

What are your experiences?

 

 

Same as yours.

[bardiir]

beanbag is probably right with you using a soft padded micromesh or a micromesh version that is a little giving when you press the nib on it. It will give rounder edges compared to a mylar on a hard surface.

 

Try putting the mylar on a sponge or cloth that is soft so it is softly padded too. Then try again and the mylar should give you a smoother surface.

[FoszFay]

beanbag is probably right with you using a soft padded micromesh or a micromesh version that is a little giving when you press the nib on it. It will give rounder edges compared to a mylar on a hard surface.

 

Try putting the mylar on a sponge or cloth that is soft so it is softly padded too. Then try again and the mylar should give you a smoother surface.

I'm using the micromesh from GouletPens. It doesn't have any foam padding under it.

[bardiir]

The micromesh I got from GouletPens is on some sort of soft fibre-cloth and is easily pushed down 0.1-0.2mm when you put a little bit of pressure on the nib, this makes hell of a difference. I got a sandpaper like paper backed micromesh too and it is basically not usable for nib smoothing, although it has the same grain. The soft padded versions I got pretty recently are perfect, with a bit of pressure you can almost sand all around the tip.

[Ron Z]

 

 

with a bit of pressure you can almost sand all around the tip.

 

Be careful. With the softer backing it's also easy to round the inside corners of the slit and end up with baby bottom as well.

[Jamerelbe]

I purchased both micromesh and mylar from Goulet Pens some time ago, but have only used the micromesh (12,000 grit) thus far.

 

My understanding is that 12,000 grit micromesh is coarser than the mylar paper, so the latter will give a smoother finish. HOWEVER, if you have a nib is a little scratchy and needs smoothing (i.e. you've already checked for alignment etc), the micromesh, being coarser, will 'smooth out' the roughness faster.

 

The finer grit of the mylar paper is better for taking a nib that's already relatively smooth, and smoothing it further. It's usually a 'second step' (and/or a third step) after you're done with micromesh, if you'd like to get an even smoother glide across the page.

 

That might explain why the micromesh seems to do a better job - but if so, it's not a question of micromesh giving you a 'smoother finish', it's a matter of micromesh getting you there *faster*.

[FoszFay]

I purchased both micromesh and mylar from Goulet Pens some time ago, but have only used the micromesh (12,000 grit) thus far.

 

My understanding is that 12,000 grit micromesh is coarser than the mylar paper, so the latter will give a smoother finish. HOWEVER, if you have a nib is a little scratchy and needs smoothing (i.e. you've already checked for alignment etc), the micromesh, being coarser, will 'smooth out' the roughness faster.

 

The finer grit of the mylar paper is better for taking a nib that's already relatively smooth, and smoothing it further. It's usually a 'second step' (and/or a third step) after you're done with micromesh, if you'd like to get an even smoother glide across the page.

 

That might explain why the micromesh seems to do a better job - but if so, it's not a question of micromesh giving you a 'smoother finish', it's a matter of micromesh getting you there *faster*.

I'm able to get a buttery-smooth nib with close to zero resistance off of my micro-mesh. When I go to the .3 micron mylar, it makes it 'rougher', even after only a few seconds.

[dneal]

I'm able to get a buttery-smooth nib with close to zero resistance off of my micro-mesh. When I go to the .3 micron mylar, it makes it 'rougher', even after only a few seconds.

 

Yep.

[Ron Z]

It depends on what grade mylar you are using. The pink is a bit coarser than 12000 micromesh, the white is finer.

[dneal]

The .3 micron mylar (or at least the stuff Richard Binder sold) is white.

 

I agree with Fozy. You can get a smoother nib with the 12000 micro mesh. Use .3 micron mylar after that and it's not as smooth. The difference is minute though, and I've come to prefer the bit of feedback it adds.

[ThyPenMaker]

I would think RonZ is onto something here.

I was doing a little research to find out how my 3 micron diamond hone compared to micromesh. From comparing grit charts it looks as though 12000 micromesh is 2 microns. 0.3 micron should be 6 times more fine that micro mesh 12000. Apparently the method of use can vary these effective grits quite a bit.

[dgreenwood116]

I've had the exact same experience, except i thought i was doing something wrong. My assumption was that the lapping film would have made it even smoother. I get a lot smoother nibs with micromesh. The grey kind from Goulet?

[ThyPenMaker]

Maybe someone in the grit industry would be willing to do a microscope test for us. While they are at it test a brown paper bag. In the woodturning world it's often used as a light sandpaper, no pun intended. I'm surprised I haven't seen it used for fountain pens. Anyone out there writing on brown paper bags with their fountain pens?

[dneal]

Maybe someone in the grit industry would be willing to do a microscope test for us. While they are at it test a brown paper bag. In the woodturning world it's often used as a light sandpaper, no pun intended. I'm surprised I haven't seen it used for fountain pens. Anyone out there writing on brown paper bags with their fountain pens?

 

Brown paper bags are discussed frequently. There is a sticky at the top of this forum with pictures of various materials. Here's a link:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/294703-close-up-photos-of-abrasives-used-on-nibs/

[ThyPenMaker]

 

Brown paper bags are discussed frequently. There is a sticky at the top of this forum with pictures of various materials. Here's a link:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/294703-close-up-photos-of-abrasives-used-on-nibs/

Thanks for the link, I'm subscribed to that one too.

[Christopher Godfrey]

FoszFay, I seem to recollect that Richard Binder taught us to use our mylar sheet and <then> finish off with those buffing pads that look almost as though they belong in some beauty salon (honest!) for your nails -- two grades on one side and the finishing grade in grey on the other. Can you get those thingies in Oz? I am sure that the nice couple who took over the Binder sales (Indy-Pen-Dance) have got them: look under "Fountain pen restoration supplies" and go to page four or five...they are cheap and humble little things; but worth their weight in...whatever!

 

Of course you do your finishing with ink in the pen, don't you? You need the lubricant between nib and mylar film or the buffing stick.

Edited November 8, 2015 by Christopher Godfrey

[Christopher Godfrey]

FoszFay, I have just seen, this morning, a parallel thread called Nib Polishing (or similar) -- you may already have read it? In it, dcwaites, also from NSW, posts a picture of the buffing sticks, so I assume they <are> available in your neck of the woods...

 

Go into the website of one of our great gurus, Richard Binder, to read his notes, if you have not already done so -- RichardsPens, I think.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Christopher Godfrey

[dcwaites]

FoszFay, I have just seen, this morning, a parallel thread called Nib Polishing (or similar) -- you may already have read it? In it, dcwaites, also from NSW, posts a picture of the buffing sticks, so I assume they <are> available in your neck of the woods...

 

Go into the website of one of our great gurus, Richard Binder, to read his notes, if you have not already done so -- RichardsPens, I think.

 

The buffing sticks are available at larger chemists and the like. $10~$12.

Use the black and white sections on your nails and the grey section on your nibs.