Messages

31

Tools & Supplies / Re: Oblique pen for Brause EF66 nib

« on: August 04, 2015, 09:36:20 AM »

Almost any pen holder will fit a brause EF66, if it's an oblique simply adjust it. I have a video on my YouTube Channel, just go to YouTube and search for Yoke Pen Co.  There is no need for a "special" pen holder. Also I don't recommend the Blackwell, the design can lead to deforming the nib and cause the tines to splay apart.


But if you TRULY want one that fits it, I made the one below...lol

32

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Can't get a proper grip! Help!

« on: August 04, 2015, 09:27:34 AM »

Hi Evelyn,

The traditional grip is usually associated with whole arm movement writing and thus the need for the hand to be off the table and balanced on the ring and pinky finger. The reason it is uncomfortable is your muscle memory is not trained that way and you have not written like that for all of your life.

I deal with grip questions from people all the time. I always simply suggest, if you want to accomplish whole arm movement, then you will need to retrain your grip and this will take time to build your muscles and create memory in the muscles. If you just enjoy writing, do it in whatever position is comfortable provided it works for the style. The main concern is to lightly grip your pen holder and then hold it in a position that is comfortable. My opinion.

33

Tools & Supplies / Re: Professional Nib Flange Adjusting Pliers

« on: July 18, 2015, 08:10:54 AM »

I had a machinist make me a 1/8" diameter piece of hardened and smooth steel rod for the crowquill forming. That is the only additional tool I have for all flanges I make.

Thanks so much Chris.
Think I should be able to find a drill bit of ⅛" dia, if not will get one machined. 

Oh yeah, sorry a drill bit shank is completely fine, that is what I did at first. The only reason I had a rod machined is so it was long, hard, smooth and also no sharp edges since I do this repetitively over and over. Many of the things I do are overkill, but I have income from this to offset the costs and I have to look at long term use. Also the fact I'm a little Obsessive-compulsive plays into it, lol.

34

Tools & Supplies / Re: Professional Nib Flange Adjusting Pliers

« on: July 17, 2015, 03:47:05 PM »

Well, common types of brass are soft, but they are subject to a phenomenon known as work hardening (actually, it's the copper which is affected).  As the phrase suggests cold manipulation of the metal causes it to harden, and it will eventually display a tendency to tear along bend lines.  There will also be a deterioration in ductility over a long period of time due to oxidisation.  If the flange is detachable the softness can be restored by heating and allowing it to cool slowly - the same process as annealing steel.

How much all this matters is open to debate.  So long as the flange is treated reasonably gently it ought to be good for many adjustments.

Very well stated. The brass I use is a 260 alloy 1/2 hard ASTM B3, which is subject to work hardening. And your last statement sums it all up, lifespan will depend on MANY factors, but brass is very forgiving overall.

35

Tools & Supplies / Re: Professional Nib Flange Adjusting Pliers

« on: July 17, 2015, 03:40:16 PM »

Follow up question: is there a limit to how many times you can adjust a standard flange before it eventually gets bent out of shape? Will the round pliers help lengthen that timeframe?

Andy answered the technical end of this very well. The lifetime will depend on how the bending is accomplished. Is it a gentle arc or a steep angle? By using the pliers and only adjusting the gentle arc, the brass should under normal circumstances last well beyond our lifetimes. The best policy is to adjust it to a nib you like and try to keep it at that shape as long as possible. Of course if your nib tastes change, by all means reshape it to the new nib. You just want to minimize the reshaping of the brass as much as possible.

Can I say my pliers will make your pen flange last longer? Yes and no. By that I mean if you are skilled with small hand tools you can accomplish the same thing these pliers do with standard round nose pliers with the pointed ends. The purpose of my designing the pliers for our use was to minimize damage caused by those which don't have detail oriented abilities with small hand tools. It simplifies the process and makes it much easier and quicker. It also makes forming a new nib flange quick and simple as well.

36

Tools & Supplies / Re: Professional Nib Flange Adjusting Pliers

« on: July 17, 2015, 03:33:20 PM »

HI Chris,
A little technical question if it's ok.

The Bail making pliers are 3mm and 5mm dia rounds.  Is there a reason why they need to be of 2 sizes? 

As I could not get Bail pliers here I made my own with 2 drill bits and a bit of tape, using 3 and 5 mm bits. 
I'm a little OCD about info and details  and since all nibs I have, fit into the 3mm round why can't both rounds be 3mm?

Do you use just these pliers to make the Bullock flanges too?  Or do you have some additional jigs for them? Specially to form the circle for the Crowquill.

Once I get these pliers, I will try to make the bullock flange too   As of now, using my home-made pliers, the curves don't match at all.
Just have to figure out how to weld the nut to the flange. 

Once again, thanks for the great video and the pliers. 

Happy Happy bending time
-Prasad

There is no reason for the 5mm end other than a common size mandrel size for manufacture. My guess is it's jewelry related. The size needed for a Bullock style is 1/8" which is smaller and I so small that if I did a 3mm / 1/8" size pliers it wouldn't be substantial enough to last. So I opted to leave the 5mm size and jst worry about 95% of the flanges in the world. Chances are if you have a bullock, you never need to adjust the shape anyways.

I had a machinist make me a 1/8" diameter piece of hardened and smooth steel rod for the crowquill forming. That is the only additional tool I have for all flanges I make.

37

Tools & Supplies / Professional Nib Flange Adjusting Pliers

« on: July 16, 2015, 03:23:21 PM »

I've finished and received my new line of flange adjusting pliers for oblique pen flanges. You can get all the details and see them on my website at

http://www.yokepencompany.com/products/pliers

I also made an instructional YouTube Video on using them below, hope they help, I'm very happy with the results!

38

Favorite Resources / Re: Zaner-Bloser Penmanship Collection (Inc Business Educator Issues)

« on: June 30, 2015, 02:36:49 PM »

Here's another great link of all kinds of different scanned materials...

https://archive.org/search.php?query=Penmanship

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Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Nib to Paper Angle

« on: June 30, 2015, 02:30:16 PM »

Just adding to what others stated, there is no proper nib to paper angle. The flatter the nib gets to the paper, the more you will write on the side of the tines and your hairlines won't be possible. In my personal opinion, you want it as vertical to the paper surface as you find comfortable without the nib grabbing or catching on the paper (which isn't vertical at all, but I hope you understand what I mean). This will produce more variance between hairlines and swells. Attaching an image below of several penman, showing the different angles they all write at.

Traditionally, it was considered best to have an angle similar to Bob Hurford, Ron Tate and Nick D'Aquanno as in the image below for OP. But as you can see M.P. Brian G. Walker does amazing OP and has a steeper angle.

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Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Why do people use oblique nib holders?

« on: June 30, 2015, 02:21:20 PM »

The oblique pen was developed so that the swells could be wider and also refined edges to the strokes, as Ken stated. Both Spencerian and English Round-hand were developed using a straight holder and it is totally acceptable to use a straight holder. The oblique simply aids in putting the nib center axis in line with the slant of the lettering. You can use either a straight or oblique for either hand, but there is a noticeable difference in the lettering.

See the image below from one of the first known patents of an oblique pen holder, it visually explains it and you can also see the difference in the two letters, each one made with a different style pen. 

41

Tools & Supplies / Re: Peerless Oblique Holders

« on: June 30, 2015, 02:09:04 PM »

Hello guys, I wish to buy my first oblique holder and I have a very serious but newbie question, can the peerless oblique hoder's flange be adjusted to fit every nib that you wish to insert?

Every nib, no, but 99% of the nibs in the world. Keep in mind that the more you bend brass the softer it gets at the points where you bend it. Over time, this results in the brass failing, so it is best to limit the number of times you reshape the brass flange. Also ANY pen holder with a metal flange can be bent and shaped to a particular nib.

Right now, and this is the first time I have announced it, I am having a line of pliers manufactured specifically for nib flange adjustments. They will be similar to some pliers you can buy, but there will be small tolerance differences to make them specifically purposed for nib flanges. I'm expecting the cost to be around $9.99 each providing I have the import taxes calculated correctly. One of the pliers will allow the nib flange to be reshaped with less stress on specific points on the flange. The stress will be spread over the entire surface of the nib flange, which will help with prolonging the life of the brass.

Here is a short video I made for adjusting your oblique.

42

Tools & Supplies / Re: Mystery Nib

« on: June 12, 2015, 11:15:39 AM »

Never seen that one, but I believe the Spencerian 22 that most people are familiar with was a 22J or 22M. My salesman sample from Spencerian includes a 22J which is a broad point, but a thin broad point.

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Tools & Supplies / Re: Vintage Blanzy 2552

« on: June 05, 2015, 02:00:07 PM »

I have like 10 boxes, again if you still can't find any, happy to help.

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Tools & Supplies / Visual Oblique Reference Image

« on: May 26, 2015, 12:15:02 AM »

I've been meaning to do this for some time now. A visual comparison of all major brand Oblique Pen Holders, made to compliment my Oblique Holder Reference Chart below. Hopefully will help those interested in getting started with the oblique. Feel free to share.

Imperial Chart

Metric Chart

High Res Version of Below Image

45

Tools & Supplies / Re: Yoke Pen Giveaway

« on: May 12, 2015, 07:37:29 AM »

Thank You all so much  Beautiful Script Mike and you are very welcome!! Enjoy it!