18K Emperor nib skip problems

[Woodpenman]

Anyone having problems with the 18K gold nib on the Emperor Limited
Fountain pen? I have a poor writing and skipping problem.
This is a new pen. Used both the ink supplied with pen and some Private Reserve. Pen will not write when moved to the side as in draw a circle and parts of it do not print.

Should a fountain pen write if held by the end as a pivot, and let the weight of the pen supply the downward force (and an Emperor is heavy) then drag it across a paper? These do not.

 

[Scott]

Hi Peter,

I did not get the limited edition of the Emperor, so I'll have to speak in general terms. Have you done anything to break in your nib? I usually break in the nib before I ever write with a new fountain pen. I do this by scribbling on a piece of very fine sandpaper - usually 600 grit. A brown paper bag will also do, you just have to scribble longer. I usually do about five minutes on the sandpaper, trying to smooth the end of the nib.

If this doesn't help I would thoroughly flush the nib and feed with fresh water, and then examine it closely with a magnifying glass to see if there is any debris or any irregularitied in the feed. The nib, being gold, should have a pretty good amount of flex in it. You may want to gently (very gently) press the nib into a piece of paper to make sure it flexes and is not hung up anywhere.

If you still have problems, then I would contact Craft Supplies about a replacement. You have paid too much money to not be able to write with your pen! And please let us know how this turns out for you!

Scott.

 

[TomServo]

I've had similar problem with gold plated steel nibs; one solution is to bend the metal of the nib slightly (very slightly) away from the plastic feed mechanism. You want to bend it by pushing it down with the 'shield' up. I would definitely hesistate to do this with a gold nib, though. What it does is bend the 'cut' apart slightly to feed more ink.

 

[Borg_B_Borg]

Be careful. It doesn't take that long for an overzealous novice to overgrind the tip of an expensive nib on a piece of 600 grit sandpaper. Also, speaking from experience, 600 grit leaves a very rough finish that feels scratchy. I recommend using a minimum of 4000 grit, and actually prefer an 8000 grit Japanese water stone. The difference between that obtained on 600 grit vs. 8000 grit is very discernable to someone experienced with using fountain pens. 600 leaves it scratchy, whereas 8000 grit leaves it smooth, assuming both are ground to the same correct geometry.

Also, when grinding nibs, there is a compromise between nib geometry that promotes skip-free writing vs. one that promotes smooth writing, in particular as it relates to the inner edges of the tip. Rounded inner edges (to make them shaped like the crack of a human butt []) will give smooth writing at the risk of poor ink flow, whereas sharp, square edges promote good ink flow but will be scratchy. So there is a compromise between the two geometries.

Steve

Originally posted by Scott
<br />Hi Peter,

I usually break in the nib before I ever write with a new fountain pen. I do this by scribbling on a piece of very fine sandpaper - usually 600 grit. A brown paper bag will also do, you just have to scribble longer. I usually do about five minutes on the sandpaper, trying to smooth the end of the nib.

Scott.

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