Removing Baby's Bottom from an Expensive Pen

[@no_handle_required]

I finally got my micro mesh into today, same as you have, and I just tried it so I can say I did. Surprisingly, I just fixed two pens, both vintage, and they are now both wet, smooth, and amazing. Thanks to your guidance sir.

[@sbrebrown]

Glad this was helpful!

[@kamicokrolock]

Thank you so much for this. I've been struggling with one of my pens that is apparently notorious for having nibs that suffer with baby's bottom. I thought I'd have to swap out the nib (new nib is under $30) but I just did this with a nail buffer of all things (had it on hand and it's basically a block of 4 to 6 finely grit buffing surfaces) and the pen writes BEAUTIFULLY now.

[@mat8650]

After several years , yesterday I finally tried to fix the nib of my Montblanc starwalker pen which wrote really crappy and had starting and skipping problems since I bought it. Therefor I never made very much use of this pen and it was a waste of money. Thanks to your video I managed to fix the nib and I really love how it is performing right now! I just used the most soft sandpaper I could find. No more skipping or starting problems. It was either trying and take the risk or never using the pen. Lucky for me it was a winner! Great vid

[@GlennHigley]

Excellent demonstration, Stephen. Thank you for giving me the confidence to deal with the dreaded "Baby's Bottom" issue on my own. Nibmeisters beware!

[@SaraHagen-oz4lv]

Thanks a lot, Stephen! I just got the Narwhal out of the bin wherein I tossed it yesterday with great disappointment because it didn't write one word without skipping. I followed your instructions with my nail file (which has 4 different sides and one to polish) and now I have got a very pleasant, smooth and wet writing fountain pen. Lucky me!

[@MrCabimero]

Sir-I just wanted to say thank you. I have a Moonman M800 with a bock nib that I love but it was making me crazy because it would skip every time I started to write. Once I started it was fine. The thought of sending it to a nibmeister was not pleasing- it’s a cheap pen ! It seemed like it had baby bottom using a loupe. So I took the plunge, did what you said and now it is perfect . I would dare say it is now the nicest writing nib in my small collection. It took all of 10 minutes to do. Thank you!!

[@steelblue1]

This sure beats waiting six months or paying twice as much to get under three months turnaround for nib work here in the US - ugh. Great video, thanks!

[@sbrebrown]

I'm glad this useful for you!

[@prasadkolluri4877]

Did this recently on a brand new Pelikan M800 broad nib and typical of Pelikan and typical of broad nibs, it had a starting problem thanks to the baby bottom problem. I can report that after the whole exercise, the pen has redeemed itself. There is a difference in my approach through - I used 12000 grit throughout the process. The reason I did it is while the process is going to be significantly slower and more laborious, at no point of the process is the pen going to lose it's smoothness. Arguably, it took be 15 to 20 times of redoing the infinity symbols and the 8s, at times with decent pressure applied, but I don't regret the amount of time it took and the amount of effort it took, purely because as the material is being taken off slowly, I am always assured for a smoother finish and I am no way damaging the nib. The harsher grits, especially those lower than 4000 can be harsh and can roughen up the nib surface taking out a good amount of material with it - at times more than what's needed. It is exactly for this reason that I went with 12000 and the result is fantastic - Smooth and a wet writer that every Pelikan usually is.

[@haluter]

Can't believe I just watched a 14 minute video on a Saturday evening of a guy fixing a scratchy nib, I really need to find an outdoors hobby.

[@haluter]

+sbrebrown Can't argue with that :) I do actually have a scratchy Lamy, guess I'll order a Micro-Mesh pack and have a go at fixing it.

[@steventrosiek2623]

sbrebrown Haha. Good one

[@michaelrubenstein9705]

Hilarious.

[@Sgt_MoDog_USMC]

@@sbrebrown LOL!!!!! :)

[@gregorythomashalsey4801]

Cow tipping recommended night work?

[@JohnAceti]

Great video. But how do you tell the difference between Baby's Bottom and a poor feed. My nib skips with up-strokes and short dashes but not as bad as yours nor does it appear under mag to have BB. But after several paragraphs the skipping gets more frequent suggesting a feed problem. Thoughts?

[@sbrebrown]

I think it can be both: checking a nib with a loupe should reveal baby's bottoms, though.

[@dimitriosgreek1458]

I dont know but my MB 146 does the same. I've tried different inks and although Diamine Mediterranean Blue flows a bit better, I still have the first line skipping and after writing 3-5 lines the flow gets absolutely horrible. Once it is pressed a bit harder or let it sit for 10 sec it writes again. I flushed it, worked tines and the space between nib and feed with a 35mm film piece, but still the same. Thanks for your video. I just ordered some micro mesh pads and give it a shot

[@ChristieNel]

I have used this method on my fancy Cross that had flow problems and now it's amazing. Never had an issue since.

[@jakesilver1569]

Great video! I just sprung for some micro mesh pads and now my Kaweco Sport is actually useful. I spent more on the pads than the pen though. Hmmm...

[@Angelus11280]

Sir I have a question for you, if I may. I own a Cartier Diabolo fountain pen which is by far the worst pen i bought. The issues with the feed is hard start, not consisting line, very rough to write with and inkage issue. Writing is horrible. The store I bought it from went bankrupt. Do you repair pens? If so can you please advise me on the cost. If not can you please guide me in the right direction where I may get that repaired? I am from New York City. Thank You

[@sbrebrown]

I can have a look at it; why don't you send me a quick message through my website's contact form? so sbrebrown.com.

[@GatesMcCrary]

Stephen, thank you the tutorial. Went through this video while working on a Pelikan and it was exactly what was needed to fix the issue.

[@sbrebrown]

+GHub99 I'm glad this was helpful!

[@shiitakestick]

why cant we look through the loupe too ????? sure woulda liked to SEE the process !!!

[@ger1g0]

Mr. Brown, thanks for uploading a plethora of great videos this weekend to feed my ever increasing appetite for more fountain pen related videos. Question:- how do you correct a nib that does not write in a certain direction? My Pilot VP nib will skip on the upstroke. Checking the nib with a loupe, it does not seem to have baby's bottom. Is it because the nib is misaligned or that the nib slit is too tight? Thanks again for your amazing videos.

[@chiyanlau479]

+sbrebrown Hey there! Could u tell me what pen (not dip pen or nib) is affordable for writing copperplate? I recently bought a noodler's ahab. However, i can only write small letters with no higher than 5mm in my English homework book. The Ahab with large maximum tine opening is useless because of my small letters. Could u suggest an affordable pen that have proper proportionality between thick line and my letter size? I REALLY NEED YOUR ADVISE!!!

[@sbrebrown]

A vintage Waterman with a 14k flex nib?

[@Tom_-]

My Custom 74 has this, I think. It's a Fine-Medium, super smooth and with poor ink flow, really exaggerates shading. Works better if I press hard. Have a cheap loupe and some 12000 grit so I may try a long method so I have less chance of damaging it. Tried smoothing a scratchy Chinese nib once on a paper bag, but that went terribly.

[@ameliabuns4058]

This is so old but how did it go! How many times did you have to draw on the 12000

[@joseguadalupegarcia1837]

Is there a chance to fix a medium nib size that writes like a broad one and make it write fine?

[@ameliabuns4058]

Yeah but if it's an expensive pen it's really risky/not adviced

[@williamfigueras9754]

where can i order some of the micromesh?

[@sbrebrown]

Andersonpens.

[@williamfigueras9754]

Thnx. Have you done any videos on mark twain fountain pens?

[@sbrebrown]

+William Figueras No, I haven't.

[@armandoamores6305]

Hi, I have an Esterbrook but section is scratched. How do you suggest to fix?

[@sbrebrown]

+Armando Amores I don't know, scratches are hard to fix.

[@judismith3454]

+sbrebrown, thanks for the video. I have a Custom 742 with an FA nib using the 70 converter. When I first got it, I was perplexed and very disappointed that this pen would skip so badly and was so hard to start. I had to hold it virtually upright to get it to write. I was thinking that I had wasted my money on this pen when I searched various fora found many similar complaints. But I just had a feeling that something was off with the nib. I would get plenty of adequate ink flow, once I got the pen started. I watched this video. The symptoms seem to fit exactly what I was experiencing. I took the leap and adjusted the nib: I didn't have much to lose. I only used 12000 grit polishing cloth - that was all I had on hand. After a few minutes working on the pen, it now writes almost flawlessly. Though I think I still have a little work to do. In my current experience, it is true that the feed of the Custom 742 cannot keep up with a lot of extreme flexing of the FA nib. But that is understandable; that's not what it was designed for. After adjusting the nib, it now performs very well as a (semi) flex pen. Thanks again for all of the good information. You saved this pen from the trash heap.

[@sbrebrown]

you're welcome+

[@ameliabuns4058]

Be careful specially with that low grit stuff (5000 and below!) Just 3 figure 8s can remove a very visablr part of the nib tipping. Specially on a small nib it's deadly

[@robinmosenfelder6226]

Thank you for these ! I have found them to be very useful.

[@OriginalTLab3000]

Is that a Bosch washing machine in the background?

[@sbrebrown]

No, I forgot the brand though :-).

[@qubarnes]

To my eye, the nib is finer after adjusting. Is that accurate?

[@pieemme]

Hello Sbrebrown, I heard you mention that baby bottoms are there because pen manufacturers overpolish the nibs to make them smoother. Well, I rather think that they are made in order for their pens to adjust for each individual's writing mode. The custom grinding we are talking about here is nothing but an accelerated wear which amounts to the nib's adaptation to one's writing mode. By the way, thanks for your videos, I am an addict.

[@sbrebrown]

+pieemme I'm glad you're enjoying the videos!

[@pieemme]

+sbrebrown do you agree with my assumption?

[@sbrebrown]

+pieemme I'm not sure: I don't see the point in selling a pen that won't write so that it can adapt to the user's hand.

[@pieemme]

+sbrebrown maybe it's not quite as bad as that. However if you are left-handed, a perfect grinding from a right hand would not do. A babybottomed nib instead, would offer enough headspace for wearing out the nib to fit.

[@michaelferguson8438]

I don't think so. The Iridium (just the name not material of super hard tipping for pens that have better than a steel ball, even better pens have a mix of Rhodium) is too hard to wear down. Steel ball tipping takes about a year of constant writing on ruff paper to smooth out correctly, that was my experience in High School with Scheaffer School pens. As an AP, Publishing Club, Year Book, Photography I did more writing than most.

[@SriramSubramanianOman]

Is it absolutely necessary to take measures to fix baby bottom nib on my fountain pen? Will regular usage of the pen even off the baby bottom and make the pen usable?

[@sbrebrown]

Regular usage might improve it, over the span of multiple decades.

[@gynae66]

I already tried it and it works... !!! Thank you very much for the tip.

[@williamfigueras9754]

or do you know of anyone who has?

[@stevesurfaro]

Wonderful; proves that sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. I think people make the mistake of not holding the nib the way you write!

[@therealcornkid]

What a beautiful ink!

[@arcangel6]

Stephen, I recently screwed up a Nakaya nib...............NO MORE adjusting for me! :( Hehe It was a mistake that cost me a little under $300 USD to replace the nib (including shipping). I will leave that to the Nibmeisters.

[@muskndusk]

Did you have any tipping material left after all that grinding?

[@Serpenoid123]

1500 grit? isn't that a lot for a nib? I bought 8000 grit

[@ARVash]

+Mansoor Ahmed he said that the 1500 was because of how pronounced the issue. 8000 sounds like it would take a good long while. In other words, to shape a nib you need to work from lower grit to a finer grit, but just to polish 8000 grit is good.

[@invisuu6280]

Hey, thanks a lot for the video. I have a Pelikan nib that will not start. When it starts, it writes perfectly, but after about 30 seconds of not writing, it will have issues with hard starting again. Pressing the nib to paper for 2-3 seconds before writing will make it start up. Does this sound like baby's bottom syndrome to you? I've looked under a loupe and the tines look adjusted perfectly. Do you think this is something that can be solved by running the nib through all these meshes a few times?

[@sbrebrown]

invisuu Yes, maybe it's too dry.

[@invisuu6280]

sbrebrown the thing is that when it does write, it writes very wet. And once it starts up it will really just pour ink. I love it. The not starting part - not so much.

[@Patrick-hc1nm]

Now my Parker Sonnet writes perfectly, so it worked for me and it wasn't even as hard as I initially thought :)

[@thelifeandtimesofjames4273]

best sign off of all time!

[@williamfigueras9754]

would you?

[@sbrebrown]

+William Figueras I don't own one, so it's not going to happen in the mear future.

[@brettthorndike1079]

Helped , Thank you

[@johnmcgregor1186]

I understand tinkering can be part of the fun, but at what point does the expensive pen go back to the expensive pen manufacturer?

[@sbrebrown]

Whenever the user is unwilling or unable to tackle an issue himself, he can send a pen back to the manufacturer.

[@johnmcgregor1186]

Thanks for the reply. I just recently discovered fountain pens and your channel. I have a lot to learn. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@ELECTRONICSANDGADGETS]

Love your channel mate. Just did one myself on the homo sapien magma like the one given to you. Whats your all time favorite pen? kzbin.info

[@Zee1949]

Please get rid of the chant. It’s really annoying and adds nothing to your channel.