Nib Tuning 101 - How to Troubleshoot and Fix your Nib*

Demonstration of troubleshooting and fine tuning nibs.
Instagram: / theloveofpens
Jinhao #5 Nibs- amzn.to/3rdoxZ8
Pilot E95S- amzn.to/3r4EIIj
Lamy 2000 - amzn.to/3RkinRv
Jewelers Loop - amzn.to/3EDgRmc
Microscope - amzn.to/3PAPwGn
Feeler Gauge - amzn.to/3PgF6LF
Sandpaper- amzn.to/3sL7KwO
00:00 Introduction
04:37 Good Nib Examples
06:20 Too Little Ink Flow
07:36 Flossing Tines
12:05 Spreading Tines
15:18 Polishing
18:51 Narrowing Tine Spacing
20:38 Aligning Tines
22:50 Nib Hot Swap
24:27 Polishing
26:43 Baby’s Bottom
27:41 Wrap Up
*Do at your own risk. These steps have helped me improve the performance of many nibs but if done improperly they could damage your pen. I recommend practicing on nibs that you are ok scraping. If you aren’t comfortable with the process I recommend reaching out to a paid professional.

[@seeyoufloating]

Probably the best video I have found so far on nib adjustment, thank you for sharing!

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thank you so much!

[@manuelsalazar3938]

It's nice to see more people using microscope instead of loupe, it's a lot easier to work with and sometimes even cheaper, you really don't need a pro-grade microscope 😎 When working with micromesh/sandpaper you have to take into account that unless you work in a (let's say) spherical way, you're flattening the tipping material and somewhat turning it into a stub, that's why that should be the very last resource in my opinion. Good video and very well explained 👍

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thank you! You are absolutely right about polishing in one direction. I’ll only do a few strokes that way if there’s a burr that needs to be removed. Otherwise you are changing the shape of the tipping material.

[@jls3220]

Great video. Very simple to follow and very comprehensive! ❤❤❤

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thank you!

[@jimf.625]

Great information. Step by step explanation was perfect.

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thank you!

[@LANCSKID]

Great video! Excellent advice throughout. There is something very satisfying regarding the transformation of a dry and scratchy nib with hard starts and skips into one that writes smoothly and delivers good ink flow, or reducing a gusher. Patience is everything. Adjust and try, and keep repeating until satisfactory result. Don’t overwork any of the three stages. I personally like to use the feeler gauges, but make sure they are clean … when new, they come with a light oil coating which you don’t want deposited between the tines! Yes, all best practised on cheaper pens, for sure. 🖌👍✒️

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thank you! And good tip about removing the oil on the feeler gauges 👍

[@tiffanynguyen4411]

This was super helpful, thank you! I watched this video while adjusting my own pen.

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thanks!

[@carmenspangenberg5088]

Excellent explanation. Thank you!

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thank you!

[@onedayornever]

superb video! Thank you

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thank you!

[@bhushanm3481]

Nice n informative

[@fortheloveofpens]

Thank you!

[@martyfrank3548]

Thanks for the video help.. Im new to working with fountains (for art) and if my pen were pooling like that first nib you tuned it would be disasterous for me.. how would you then address this pooling at the end of your lines? Thanks

[@fortheloveofpens]

You may want to try narrowing the gap between the tines. This is done by either pinching them together or using the crisscrossing method I showed. You could also simply try a smaller size nib (example go from a Medium to a Fine).

[@Commoncurates]

What's the best way to get the oils off of the feeler gauge? Mine came very oiled between each shim

[@fortheloveofpens]

That’s to help allow the shims to slide over each other. The oil is safe for stainless steel so I never removed it from mine, but I suppose you could wipe it off with some paper towel.

[@nrs6956]

How often are these adjustments necessary? Thank you.

[@fortheloveofpens]

Typically I find it most useful when first getting a pen, but proceed with caution because you are likely to void warranty. Besides that, you may see tines spreading over time if you write with a heavy hand. Also you may need nib adjustments if something happens that bends the tines or nicks the polish on the tip.

[@rupertwu2662]

I guess my Pilot 743 nib has the problem of body bottom which causes skid from time to time. This situation persists after regular using the pen for 3 months. Any ideas to fix this problems. Thanks.

[@fortheloveofpens]

Considering the cost of the pen, I’d suggest reaching out to a nib expert first. Tuning yourself could cause more issues. If you feel confident you can do light strokes with the pen inked on sand paper starting with the pen at a low angle and swooping up to 90degrees. This should flatten the tipping material. Then switch to figure 8s to finish off the polish.

[@rupertwu2662]

Thank you for your prompt reply. I live in Hong Kong and that it is hard to find a nib expert here. I think I will follow your instruction and try it myself. Anyway, wish me good luck!@@fortheloveofpens

[@fortheloveofpens]

@@rupertwu2662 happy to help, hope it goes well! The key is to go slowly 🤞🤞

[@jantjejansen]

Have some Pilot pens that are so smooth, no sound or any resistance when writing. No mather how I polish some other pens to perfection they never become as smooth as those Pilots. Even tried with metal polish on different cloths (microfiber and lens cleaning cloths). What's the secret to make a fountain pen as smooth that you don't even feel like it toutch the paper anymore? How to make slight baby bottoms on purpose to remove the sharp edge from the center of the nib where the tines touch?

[@fortheloveofpens]

It’s an art form to get the nib exactly as smooth as you want. Most likely Pilot uses a combination of different abrasives starting rough and working toward finer grits. But their exact process is a secrete. I’ve never intentionally caused baby’s bottom. I suppose you could spread the tines and then polish the tipping material. But if you have burs between the tines, you can likely get them out by flossing with brass shims and then polishing the tip.

[@jantjejansen]

​@@fortheloveofpens Thanks.. Stumbled across this video v=oPmaKu2N858 addressing the issue at 7:45.. Running the center of the nibb over the edge of a 2000 gritt sandpaper has made my pen already a lot smoother. It was not caused by a burr but the inner of nib between the tines being too sharp 🙂

[@fortheloveofpens]

@@jantjejansen The technique he shows is pretty risky, and could easily cause misaligned tines - resulting in possibly needing to remove excess material. But if done carefully it would smooth the tipping material around the slit.

[@stathkon]

Hello. I would like to share an annoying fact. I notice that nany of my nibs that i already tuned, write smoothly and pleasant but next morning i hear a sound on paper. I wouldn't say it scratchy but a very bad sound. So i tune them again. Do you have an explanation? I feel very disappointed if i have to tune the nibs over and over again

[@fortheloveofpens]

Likely what’s going on is called elastic deformation. The nib’s material has a memory and eventually wants to return to the original state. If the tines still look aligned and the flow is ok, I would just focus on polishing the tipping material. That will be a more permanent fix.

[@stathkon]

@@fortheloveofpensah ok. So i quess that's a common to other users thing. i do polish it. So you suggest that i must keep polishing several times when i notice that happens?

[@fortheloveofpens]

@@stathkon unless you are writing with a heavy hand, the tines shouldn’t move much. I recommend checking alignment when you notice the scratchiness. If everything looks ok, then slowly polish until it feels good to you

[@stathkon]

@@fortheloveofpens ok. I understand. So do you think it's normal to happen many times? I forgot to tell you that i have many pens and i usually don't use one specifically for more than one day continuesly.

[@fortheloveofpens]

@@stathkon if you tune it according to how I show, I wouldn’t say that’s normal. I think a few things could be happening. You could be writing with a heavy hand, forcing the tines to spread. Or you may be changing the angle that you’re writing at. If this is the case, rotating the nib as you polish will help.

[@nikossiotas]

I am not a nib master, but in my humble opinion, i think the way you are trying to fix them is wrong, and causes different problems. You should widen the tines straight doing left right moves not bent them, and you should narrow them by pushing and keeping the tines straight not overlapping them.

[@fortheloveofpens]

I appreciate the feedback! I note bending the tines as an alternative to flossing and mention that it is a more risky method. For narrowing the tines I’m curious how you push them together? I’ve tried holding at the shoulders and pushing, but this tends to just cause the tines to rotate. I suppose you could also just pinch near the tip, but I’ve found this to be less controlled.

[@7_v610]

Seems like some Metals Plasticity is “happening” here (my research expertise). 😮

[@fortheloveofpens]

Absolutely! The elastic properties are something I’m considering exploring in a future video

[@7_v610]

@@fortheloveofpens as you can understand, I would not considering taking the risk to control plastic deformation with my hands at that almost-“micro”-scale level. In my opinion, and without judging anyone (here), you do very well you suggest that for pricey, or not-inexpensive, pens, people should refer to an expert. As I said, myself I would not be attempting to tune the plastic displacement (relative or not) of my nib’s tines, expecting a perfect concluding symmetry in the end. Very-very risky! Of course, that is applicable to me; other people may have the tools to attempt some tuning practices, with confidence, themselves, and anticipate a good outcome. I appreciate you put all these elements to the table, and as always, thanks for sharing another very informative video, in my opinion, Sir!

[@fortheloveofpens]

@@7_v610 thank you! I agree it is very risky, and doubly so doing it over a camera. Hence using very cheap nibs for this video.

[@7_v610]

@@fortheloveofpens definitely!