Nib help needed

[Savager]

Hello all!

I joined this wonderful group a while back and have been hiding in the shadows absorbing as much knowledge as possible. Now I have a nib problem that I’m hoping someone can shed some light on.
One of my favorite everyday user pens is an Esterbrook LJ with a 9668 nib (the nib was NOS in the box when I received it). I use it at work primarily for jotting notes in a cheap spiral notebook and on copy paper. On a fresh sheet of paper it writes quite nicely – very smooth with a line on the finer side of medium. The problem occurs after I’ve handled the paper a bit, held the paper down while writing, slid it around on my desk etc. – I then get skipping. I’ve verified that the oils from my hands get on the paper and cause this. The odd part is that this is the ONLY nib that has this problem – I’ve got another Esterbrook J with a 9556 nib that writes over these areas perfectly, as do all of my other pens. I have definitely narrowed the issue down to this nib as I’ve swapped it between pens, and tried different inks. I’ve looked at the nib under an 8X loupe and the alignment and gap look great. This is a very irritating problem with my favorite pen/nib combination! Anyone ever had this problem? Any ideas on a solution?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[mhosea]

Have not noticed that kind of a difference, but I don't doubt that differences in wetness, contact area, and smoothness can lead to it. The simple solution is a piece of acetate (cut from an overhead transparency, perhaps) to rest your hand on as you write. Not sure how to monkey with the nib to fix it unless you want to change something else about it.

[Savager]

mhosea - Not a bad idea to find something to rest my hand on. I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm left-handed..

[mhosea]

I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm left-handed..

No, probably not! :)

Like I said, I'm not sure how to attack the problem at the nib. What I'd probably do with one of my pens is go through my regular adjustment and smoothing process, aligning the tines in both dimensions, reducing Baby's Bottom if it looks like there is any, and then smooth it. In other words, I'd run it through the mill once, and then it really should come out like all the others. But treatments have side effects, generally. If you really like the nib as is, something important could be lost in the process.

[ferrini]

I'm also lefty. Curse the Gods of Fountain pens or why couldn't we be writing in Hebrew? I haven't had the exact problem you have but I have had a minor feed problem on some pens and I took to using a brass shim to gently and very minimally widen the tines to increase feed. That has helped me several times. I've also over time tried to morph from a typical left handed over writer to now a side writer en route to an under writer to get maximum flex on the downstrokes. That is a very slow work in progress but it's helped. The problem is just the habit of writing so long one way is hard to change but possible. Good luck

[Savager]

ferrini - Thanks for the response. I may try spreading the tines a touch as it does seem to lay ink down on the fine side of medium. You may be right, maybe a touch more feed is the solution.

[Giovanni Abrate]

I'm also lefty. Curse the Gods of Fountain pens or why couldn't we be writing in Hebrew? I haven't had the exact problem you have but I have had a minor feed problem on some pens and I took to using a brass shim to gently and very minimally widen the tines to increase feed. That has helped me several times. I've also over time tried to morph from a typical left handed over writer to now a side writer en route to an under writer to get maximum flex on the downstrokes. That is a very slow work in progress but it's helped. The problem is just the habit of writing so long one way is hard to change but possible. Good luck
Rather than a brass shim, you can make one out of acetate. It's just as effective and it cannot damage the nib or the feed. Brass can. This article may be of interest:
http://www.newpentrace.net/articleGA04.html

[Giovanni Abrate]

Have not noticed that kind of a difference, but I don't doubt that differences in wetness, contact area, and smoothness can lead to it. The simple solution is a piece of acetate (cut from an overhead transparency, perhaps) to rest your hand on as you write. Not sure how to monkey with the nib to fix it unless you want to change something else about it.

Even better, use a blotting paper, like we did back when the fountain pen was king!!!

[ferrini]

You're welcome. Always worth a try.
Lefties should get a tax credit for putting up with right handed world.
Gary

[ferrini]

Yeah, acetate works great. I should have mentioned that but since the hope was a bit more feed, I was thinking brass would get a little flow easily. I only rub it a few times, check it and NEVER use thick stuff... .002 is the largest size I ever use.
amazon has a set of shims of varying thicknesses for very little and acetate easy enough to get.
thanks for pointing out what I omitted.
Gary