Bent vintage nib

[CS388]

Hello all.

I had a 1950s Montblanc 254 for years, ended up giving to a friend for her birthday. We're in close contact, so I see it often and it occasionally comes back for a lube or a clean etc.
It recently it took a nose-dive off a table and landed on the nib. I said I'd have a look at it and have just collected it, I'm wondering if I should tackle it myself, or send it to a specialist?
I realise that I am asking an impossible question here - we none of us really know each others skills, or lack of them etc etc - but I'd be grateful for other members input here. Would you send it off, or is it a simple tweak/bend etc. How would you go about it? etc etc.

Pictures follow, the first showing the nib as it was (Lovely photography by Michael Estig), then some low quality phone snaps by me, which hopefully show the damage clearly.

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af351/shoulderhead/3_zpsc22029e1.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af351/shoulderhead/254bent_zpsab71dcf9.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af351/shoulderhead/254b2_zpsbdcae8cc.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af351/shoulderhead/254b3_zps78010591.jpg

Any advice, suggestions, comments welcomed.
Thanks, CS

[jar]

I'd send it off.

[CS388]

I'd send it off.

Thanks, Jar. The more I look at it, the more I'm inclined to agree with you.

[Jeph]

I'd send it off. me too

[Ernst Bitterman]

Me too. It will need dismounting to be put back into the proper shape.

[Brisboy]

I'd send it away.

[Hawk]

Expert help is needed.

[CS388]

Thanks for all your replies.

Yes, I have decided to put in the hands of experts. Have contacted John Sorowka and awaiting reply.

Thanks again to all, much appreciated.

[Brisboy]

It's always easier to spend someone else's money. :p Good decision I reckon.

[Jon Szanto]

It's always easier to spend someone else's money. :p Good decision I reckon.

Penny wise is pound foolish.

[Chi Town]

My Opinion; I would send it to Mont Blanc as they will not only handle the damaged nib, but also some incidentals for your money....

Of course you know what they say about opinions, as they are compared to !@#$%^ and everyone has one, ha, ha, ha, So the Bottom line? Go with what your Heart is telling you what to do........

[jar]

My Opinion; I would send it to Mont Blanc as they will not only handle the damaged nib, but also some incidentals for your money....

Of course you know what they say about opinions, as they are compared to !@#$%^ and everyone has one, ha, ha, ha, So the Bottom line? Go with what your Heart is telling you what to do........

Generally MB is not the best repair option when dealing with older fountain pens. Often they do not have the parts and they are not known for repairing instead of replacing.

[CS388]

Thanks for the suggestion, Chi Town, but I'm sticking with the original plan.

However, I've had no response from John. Yet. Maybe he's snowed under with work, or maybe the (old) e-mail address I have for him is obsolete, or etc etc.

Would anybody have a vaild e-mail address, or other contact details for him?
I'll give it a while, but may have to make enquiries elsewhere, if no responses emerge.

Don't know where this would be, yet.
But, as Jar points out, it wouldn't be a return to Montblanc. The pen is from the 1950s and I can't imagine MB having the parts they would need, to make it good.
I hesitate to call this job a simple repair - but, in the right hands, it could be repaired with no replacement of parts.

Thanks to all, again, for your replies and thoughts.

[View from the Loft]

PM sent

[tandaina]

Yeah I wouldn't send it to Montblanc, I'd find a good nibmeister. I believe Greg Minuskin also works on bend and damaged nibs and seems to have a good track record with them.

[CS388]

Thanks, tandiana. Yes, I've heard excellent reports of Greg's work - seen pictures, too. A real skill at work.

But I'd like to keep it as local as possible, so that means UK based people, first.
Also, turns out I had a very old e-mail address for John, so will try again with a more recent address (thanks, View)

Thanks to all, for your interest. I will update any results.

[CS388]

Many months later, I finally resurrect this thread with an update - nothing went to plan.

I never got a reply from John.
I've had this pen to bits many times. One Saturday night (after a long week and a healthy dose of vodka) I was fiddling with the nib and I pulled the kink out of it, using my fingers and thumbs. It didn't look too bad, so I did a bit more "straightening", using my finger/thumb-nails and a wooden toothpick.
Unbelievably, it worked. The pen now writes beautifully. Gave it back to it's owner, she was delighted and it has gone back to being her daily user.

Nowthen, I should add that I am not advocating this as a course of action for us all to take. (Although, the vodka part was fun)
And I should also add that it is not a perfect job. This nib was always a beautiful and smooth writer. It still is, but has a slight scratch on certain strokes. I've told my friend that it still needs to be sent off for a full 100% repair, but it's very usable in the interim. I filled pages of A4 when I was testing it, and remembered what a joy it is to write with these 25x wing nibs. In my opinion, one of Montblanc's finest nibs.

And I feel I can now call myself a fully qualified nibschiester.

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af351/shoulderhead/254BBstraight_zps0d142d2c.jpg

Thanks again to all for contributing to this thread.
Enjoy.

[Scrawler]

I wish I had seen this thread when it was new. The correct way to straighten that kind of nib is to tape the nib to a steel bar, which is held in a vice, then use a wooden peg to gently burnish it back to shape. You can use a drill bit and a wooden spoon.

[CS388]

I wish I had seen this thread when it was new. The correct way to straighten that kind of nib is to tape the nib to a steel bar, which is held in a vice, then use a wooden peg to gently burnish it back to shape. You can use a drill bit and a wooden spoon.

Thanks, Scrawler. Nice method.

That's not too far from how it happened, in the end. Albeit in a more ham-fisted way.
The main reshaping was done using the toothpick to burnish it back into shape on the flat surface of my desk (hardwood).
The nib was very malleable and my main fear was that I'd go too far. In the end, I think I could have gone further, hence the slight scratchiness.
If I ever get it back, I'll give your method a go - but that may not happen for a long time - present owner is very happy with it and missed it, while it was gone.

I notice that your method has no mention of vodka?
While I doubt that it enhanced my physical dexterity, I wonder if it lent me the courage to forge ahead?

Enjoy.

[Scrawler]

I wish I had seen this thread when it was new. The correct way to straighten that kind of nib is to tape the nib to a steel bar, which is held in a vice, then use a wooden peg to gently burnish it back to shape. You can use a drill bit and a wooden spoon.

Thanks, Scrawler. Nice method.

That's not too far from how it happened, in the end. Albeit in a more ham-fisted way.
The main reshaping was done using the toothpick to burnish it back into shape on the flat surface of my desk (hardwood).
The nib was very malleable and my main fear was that I'd go too far. In the end, I think I could have gone further, hence the slight scratchiness.
If I ever get it back, I'll give your method a go - but that may not happen for a long time - present owner is very happy with it and missed it, while it was gone.

I notice that your method has no mention of vodka?
While I doubt that it enhanced my physical dexterity, I wonder if it lent me the courage to forge ahead?

Enjoy.

No vodka used to be involved in pipe cleaning. The drill bit or steel bar is like an anvil, which you cannot press past. The burnishing bar must be softer than the gold of the nib, but less ductile and less malleable. You can use a copper bar to finish off the point, if you are careful. This only works well with unplated gold nibs of 14K or higher. Gold should always be burnished back into shape, never just bent. Tape can be used to apply pressure to the nib. It is actually quite easy to do this, but I cant really describe the moves, it is the kind of thing I can only demonstrate.

[Hawk]

Please explain. Is the vodka straight up, mixed? It is not my favorite beverage, can one substitute?
Scrawler, your subsequent post was excellent. It explained why one should do the repair the way you explained. Too often one gets a way of doing things without the reasoning behind it. Thanks again.

[CS388]

Please explain. Is the vodka straight up, mixed? It is not my favorite beverage, can one substitute?


Ha ha. Yes, I would think you could substitute your favourite beverage - as long as it's Saturday night and all other tasks are complete.

Enjoy!

[Scrawler]

Please explain. Is the vodka straight up, mixed? It is not my favorite beverage, can one substitute?
Scrawler, your subsequent post was excellent. It explained why one should do the repair the way you explained. Too often one gets a way of doing things without the reasoning behind it. Thanks again.

If I am having a drink it would be either whisky or 7 hop IPA. I don't need Dutch courage and vodka is a solvent I used to use to use it to clean my pipes.

[grandmia]

Please explain. Is the vodka straight up, mixed? It is not my favorite beverage, can one substitute?


Ha ha. Yes, I would think you could substitute your favourite beverage - as long as it's Saturday night and all other tasks are complete.

Enjoy!

That Vodka sounds like a good lubrication for the job. I like to use John Smiths for my lubrication when working with nibs.
http://youtu.be/iY8IWsVqPnM

[Chrissy]

I wish I had seen this thread when it was new. The correct way to straighten that kind of nib is to tape the nib to a steel bar, which is held in a vice, then use a wooden peg to gently burnish it back to shape. You can use a drill bit and a wooden spoon.

The drill bit or steel bar is like an anvil, which you cannot press past. The burnishing bar must be softer than the gold of the nib, but less ductile and less malleable. You can use a copper bar to finish off the point, if you are careful. This only works well with unplated gold nibs of 14K or higher. Gold should always be burnished back into shape, never just bent. Tape can be used to apply pressure to the nib. It is actually quite easy to do this, but I cant really describe the moves, it is the kind of thing I can only demonstrate.
Do you have a You Tube video demonstrating this by any chance?

[ainterne]

A guy called Tyler got me into using thick craft leather to do my nibs. I bought a remnant from Ebay for about $15... It works much better and is soo much cheaper than some of the blocks out there. It does take a bit of working to get the leather right.


Vendor dc_leather (http://www.ebay.com/usr/dc_leather?_trksid=p2047675.l2559)

Brown Latigo Cowhide Leather Remnants

average thickness is 14 oz / 5.6 mm thick
10.5" across the longest center and 5" down the right side
$12.50


Practice on gold nibs. I know it's an expensive way to practice, and believe me, it'll suck if you mess up and ruin one, but it's really the best way. Try to find old junk pens on ebay. No one will buy the ones with bent nibs, so you should be able to grab them for cheap, and if it breaks, no great loss. If you do fix it, you know have a gem at a great price.

Eg...This one is quite expensive...

http://fpgeeks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15131&stc=1




These I found are much cheaper and are very good.


http://fpgeeks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15132&stc=1http://fpgeeks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15133&stc=1http://fpgeeks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15134&stc=1http://fpgeeks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15135&stc=1




You can look here for them...

http://www.penpractice.com/page3.html and search the page for
Nib straightening tools


You might also want to look at the Band Clamp.... I find it very useful.


This is some of what Tyler shared.......

That being said, all of the fancy tools in the world have trouble amounting to one simple tool I use all the time - a leather pad. Using a burnisher (can be as simple as a smooth polished screwdriver, though remember, the polish must be flawless), and a leather pad, for me anyways, does most of the work. The nib block is good for some stuff, and can really help, but a leather pad and burnishing tool will get you started in the right direction, and is about as cheap as you can get.

Burnishing is as simple as this - gold is very soft. It's not hard to bent out of shape. It's trickier, but not harder to bent it back into shape. Steel nibs are basically a lost cause when bent, but gold is so soft, it can usually be saved. Burnishing is just smoothing out the metal by using pressure to bent it back into shape.

Phil...