Thread: Polishing a fountain pen nib?

I'm fairly sure that I can use my hones to smooth-up a fountain pen nib, but I've got a couple of questions and was looking to see if anyone has tried this.

First off: Will the ink seep into a Coti or a Charnley? My sense is that it won't, but there would still be ink on the hone that would require cleaning. My guess is that I would simply lap the hone and remove the ink much as I would a set of pencil lines.

Next: Charnely? Coti? I've got others to choose from too, a DT, BBW, Tam, a black Arky and a Wash*ita. If I could I'd polish the nibs on the slurry stone and do tight rolling circles.

Why wouldn't you just flush the nib and feed thouroughly before polishing? I would think that whichever stone you believe is the least abrasive would be the way to go, assuming you don't want to use micro-mesh or polishing film.

Originally Posted by Bill S

Why wouldn't you just flush the nib and feed thouroughly before polishing? I would think that whichever stone you believe is the least abrasive would be the way to go, assuming you don't want to use micro-mesh or polishing film.

I was hoping to "write-test" during polishing. I've polished a nib before, but I used 2000 mesh on a mousepad, and used the ink to lubricate the mesh.

Stones may be a bit too abrasive to polish the nib. What exactly are you trying to do to it? I use micromesh for all my nibs and some other lapping type film things which are all pretty high grit. Even if the ink did seep into the stone it won't affect your future honing. However, if you were going to go that route, best thing would be to do it dry or with water as your only lubricant. When you are ready to test your work dip test the pen. If no, keep rinse the nib and keep going. Simple as that.

I just want to smooth up a nib and figured I could polish it on one of my coti slurry stones. Then the floodgate of questions burst.

Fountain pen nibs are delicate, precision-made items. I would not volunteer to be the first guy to try polishing one on a stone. Maybe if I had a cheap one I didn't mind ruining, say the equivalent of a $5 ebay blade.... If that's the case, go ahead. Please report back.

Originally Posted by MarkinLondon

I just want to smooth up a nib and figured I could polish it on one of my coti slurry stones. Then the floodgate of questions burst.

Trying to figure out what results you're looking for so as to better help you obtain those results. I'm not familiar with calling it polishing a nib for starters. With that, I wonder if you're trying to make it shiny. Or, would you want to smooth it out? Does it seem to be catching paper somewhere here or there or just not writing as it should? Could be a bent tine, could be a number of things. Or, it could be that it just needs to be adjusted for your style of writing.

I did it on my Montblanc 149: I used Micromesh 12000 grit and made some 8's until I got the result I was looking for. Use very light pressure and constantly looking through a mignifier.
I changed a square nib into a rounded point.

I have just two thoughts here. First, if it's a quality pen it shouldn't need work to improve it. I used to have a Mont-blanc Meister-stuck and the thing wrote so smooth you couldn't even feel the paper. Personally I think a good fountain pen should have a tad of scratchiness to it to resemble writing with a quill pen but that's just my thing of course.

I've smoothed out a few nibs on a lapped Spyderco UF. It works great. UFs are very fine and very slow, so I'd recommend a stone that was similar. I don't have any of those hones you have, except a coticule, so all I can tell you is to pick out your finest, slowest stone. Arks and I think forest stones have a reputation for being really slow and glassy, so they might be best.

I alway s leave the ink in the pen when doing this to get a better idea of how it will feel, and provide lubrication. Use a really light touch, and be careful not to cause any flat spots with sharp edges.