Nib Polishing

[Uncial]

I have a nib I want to polish. It's not rough or scratchy, I would just like to polish it very slightly to take a tiny bit of the 'tooth' out of it. Should I be using lapping film rather than micro-mesh, and what grades should I be looking at?

Thanks

[tryphon]

Use an old copper penny. Seriously. Rub the nib across the columns of Lincoln's memorial. Do it lightly. It removes any small burrs and does NOT damage the nib like micromesh can. It is an old trick of the trade and it really works.

Edited October 31, 2015 by tryphon

[Chrissy]

How interesting. Would a UK penny work too?

[vorpal]

How interesting. Would a UK penny work too?

Only if you can find one with the Lincoln Memorial on it.

[tryphon]

No, you need a US cent with the Lincoln Memorial.

[Uncial]

Anyone want to send me a US cent?

[Pendel]

I have not had much luck with the penny trick, or with a brown bag trick...

 

If you get a 12000 grit micromesh, you can use it fairly safely to polish the tipping if your intent is to keep things fairly round. Because micromesh is mounted on foam it will "wrap around" the object you are sanding, even with fairly little pressure, and will round things somewhat.

 

If your tipping is stubby or italic, I would go with a lapping film of 0.05-0.1 micron grade, mounted on an old credit card (via double-sided tape) or some other such stiff surface. That way you can smooth the tip without rounding it off too much.

 

:-)

[vorpal]

Anyone want to send me a US cent?

Sure. I can do that if you really really want one.

[Uncial]

If the offer is serious, then pm me!

[vorpal]

Done!

[lurcho]

No, you need a US cent with the Lincoln Memorial.

 

Couldn't I use a British penny by rubbing the nib over Her Majesty's crown?

 

Or is that treason?

[Randal6393]

Well, maybe not treason. But certainly lese-majeste.

[dcwaites]

Use one of the three-section nail buffing pads, with black (coarse), white (medium) and grey (12,000 extra fine) sections.

Available in many cosmetic sections in pharmacies/department stores for about $10.

 

http://image.dhgate.com/albu_267635610_00-1.0x0/ab015-20pcs-lot-nail-art-3-way-buffer-file.jpg

[bobje]

I tune into a discussion of nib polishing, listen to an Italian lecture an Irish guy about the use of an American penny as a tool, and get a lesson in sovereign law. A rich classroom, this forum on fountain pens.

[tryphon]

Use one of the three-section nail buffing pads, with black (coarse), white (medium) and grey (12,000 extra fine) sections.

Available in many cosmetic sections in pharmacies/department stores for about $10.

 

http://image.dhgate.com/albu_267635610_00-1.0x0/ab015-20pcs-lot-nail-art-3-way-buffer-file.jpg

In my experience, dealing with repairs (I was the distributor for Platinum and I am the distributor for Aurora in Canada and for Signum, Marlen, Columbus, Nettuno, Linea, FILCAO and Magna Carta for North America, I have seen way too many nibs ruined by using these strips, when all they needed was tine alignment and perhaps a penny rub. I have been collecting and repairing pens for almost 40 years, I have seen thousands of nibs. Before trying to change the shape of a nib pellet, please read some basic nib adjusting advice, like the article I wrote (link)

http://www.newpentrace.net/articleGA04.html

[tryphon]

I tune into a discussion of nib polishing, listen to an Italian lecture an Irish guy about the use of an American penny as a tool, and get a lesson in sovereign law. A rich classroom, this forum on fountain pens.

LOL!!!

[dcwaites]

In my experience, dealing with repairs (I was the distributor for Platinum and I am the distributor for Aurora in Canada and for Signum, Marlen, Columbus, Nettuno, Linea, FILCAO and Magna Carta for North America, I have seen way too many nibs ruined by using these strips, when all they needed was tine alignment and perhaps a penny rub. I have been collecting and repairing pens for almost 40 years, I have seen thousands of nibs. Before trying to change the shape of a nib pellet, please read some basic nib adjusting advice, like the article I wrote (link)

http://www.newpentrace.net/articleGA04.html

 

The only reason I included it was that I saw in a video that Richard Binder had one on his workbench.

The grey side is the same grit as the finest of the micro-mesh pads.

I have one, and have used it to touch up a couple of less than smooth nibs, like my Platinum 3776 Fine. A few strokes on the grey (finest) side turned it from a pen that annoyed me a little to one that is butter smooth.

 

I agree that the other side, with the coarse and medium grits are usually too aggressive unless you really need to remove enough to cure baby bottom or similar.

[bobje]

Giovanni, for the penny rub process you describe, is it advisable to use a penny from 1981 or older, which contains high copper content? I read that the nib acquires a bit of copper as a lubricant as a result of the process.

[tryphon]

Bob, you are correct in that the older copper pennies are supposed to work better. In truth, I use the post-1981 pennies and they work fine for me. It's worth a try: not a miracle cure, but it has improved many nibs and the risk of damaging them is almost zero.

[Amberjack]

Now this is a useful thread....and the price (.01) is right!

 

Thanks!

 

Jack