Quill you help me?

[Estefa]

Something different.  I managed a quill in steel pen holder.  I need more practice on cutting the quill.

I need to know for broad pen cut, how do you bring the two tines together.  After splitting it, it doesn't seem to come back together.
Help please!?

Put them in water for some time 😉. Half an hour at least should do!

[InkyFingers]

@Estefa  Thank you.   It did the job.  the nib needed to be left dried afterward?  I left it to dry overnight, else it is too soft.  After using saliva to wipe the nib, it writes very nicely.

Just one more predicament, how to obtain hairlines for broad edge italics and Gothics?  Do I need a slanted writing platform or does it has to do with the cut?

Thank you so much for your help!

[jeanwilson]

One way to get a hairline with a broad edge is to twist up onto the corner of the nib.
As you do that, the ink will keep flowing in a very fine line.
This is also how you make the *fishtail* serifs.

With a Pilot Parallel pen - you can start a fine line by writing with the corner.
I've never tried to start a fine line with a regular dip pen.
I've only been writing a broad stroke and then rock up on the corner to finish with a hairline.
An easy stroke to practice this maneuver is crossing the t.
Go across and then rock up on the corner and make a flourish.

[InkyFingers]

@Estefa When the nib dries up, the two tines pulls apart again.  My guess is that I need not split it too long.  As in Foster's manual, 1/4" (2.5mm) should suffice as the slit length for pointed pen.  But for broad edged?

@jeanwilson Thank you.  I am trying to use a quill as the only everyday writing tool in the future.  As you can see my predicament, I need to learn how to cut a quill for both broad pen and pointed pen.  Foster manual is useful.  The use of the edge of the pen is very useful, I have made some use of it; Thanks.  However, I am still not able to achieve a clean hairline with the full on-edge, except when the ink is about to used up on the quill.  Perhaps it has to do with how much ink is on the nib?  I do have the Wolffgang Fugger manual.  I will look further on how to cut and achieve this.  However, it is in Deutch, I have to resort to lots of translation and decipher from the illustrations.

[InkyFingers]

I left the nibs overnight and this is how it wrote.  Broad edge cut and pointed.  Please excuse my experimental writing.  I still need to learn how to use it well.


Cutting one of John Tressler's Northern Turkey flight wing for a quill... I managed four quill nibs.  These are exceptionally well aged, and thick feathers.
Slitting the quill is easy.  It doesn't seem to flare open the tines.  I am using a Joseph Rodgers Quill Cutter.  It writes fairly well.  These is no flex or springy with these.

I will need to order some goose feather perhaps?