Pezhead12554
Member
Jinhao Nibs
Has anybody used these nibs? Are they any good or do you get what you pay for?? What thread are they??
Has anybody used these nibs? Are they any good or do you get what you pay for?? What thread are they??
Jinhao nibs
- Thread starter Pezhead12554
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I've owned several Jinhao pens. The nibs are fine (the ones I've used were #6 mediums from the x450 series). They're nothing special, but with a little bit of TLC (aligning tines, setting tine spacing with some brass shim stock, a bit of polishing on 12000 micro mesh and even finer mylars), they can be made into perfectly serviceable writers.
I find that a JoWo or Bock is virtually always superior after the same tuning and polishing.
I find that a JoWo or Bock is virtually always superior after the same tuning and polishing.
duncsuss
Member
When I want to practise nib tuning and smoothing, Jinhao are great - cheap enough that it doesn't hurt when I screw it up completely, and good enough that there is normally a decent writing experience when I'm done.
Pezhead12554
Member
Thanks for the information. What is nib turning and smoothing? I am new to fountain pens. I have turned kit pens for years, but I am intrigued with kitless pens.
Tuning a nib is primarily about getting the right spacing between tines, and making sure the tines are aligned properly. It's not terribly difficult to improve a nib that's kinda scratchy (which is more often than not due to tine misalignment), or a bit dry (usually tine spacing). The best investment I made for tuning my nibs was a 10x loupe from Goulet pen company.
Smoothing or polishing is conceptually the same thing as sanding. In about 99% of cases, you would start with a very careful and brief bit of polishing on 12,000 grit micromesh, then move to 1.0 micron mylar, and finish up with 0.3 micron mylar. It can make a noticeable difference in how smooth the writing experience is with a nib.
Smoothing or polishing is conceptually the same thing as sanding. In about 99% of cases, you would start with a very careful and brief bit of polishing on 12,000 grit micromesh, then move to 1.0 micron mylar, and finish up with 0.3 micron mylar. It can make a noticeable difference in how smooth the writing experience is with a nib.
Scriptitans
Member
(Sorry, I maid direct message first)
As mentioned later for smoothing and turning, but other things too. Jinhao nibs seem fine to me, but I have a soft spot for flexible nibs. So, in addition to polishing, and considering the price, I use them to make nibs more flexible and learn more about this aspect of metallurgy used in fountain pens.
duncsuss
Member
As BHuij said, tuning (not quite the same as turning) is adjusting the nib to glide smoothly over the paper and leave a nice line of ink.
One of the best introductions is by Richard Binder: Nib Tuning For Beginners gives some important advice on dangers to avoid, and a PDF download of his guide that is a handout at all the workshops he teaches. (He does a few a year, when he attends pen shows around the country.)
Indy-Pen-Dance sell THIS KIT with the supplies that Richard uses. (They have a version that includes a couple of practice pens too.)
Richard recommends a 10X loupe - more powerful is harder to use, less powerful and you don't really see enough detail. At his suggestion, I bought the Belomo 10X Triplet (they changed the product name since I bought mine, now they call it Trilomo 10X Triplet and there are two styles - the monoblock and the "black egg". You can probably get them through eBay or Amazon as well as the Belomo online store.
Pezhead12554
Member
Thanks for the information. I see I have a lot to learn about fountain pens.
Just another optional rabbit hole. I know plenty of people who just buy one (or turn one) and then write with it. That sums up the first ~10 years of how I approached the fountain pen hobby.