Recent Posts

1

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Re: Cursive is back

« Last post by Erica McPhee on Today at 06:34:05 PM »

Great article and great news! I feel bad for Steve Graham - his grandma doesn’t write him anything. LOL … my generation was born in the late 60s/ early 70s, we still write in cursive (as do our parents) and we are just old enough to start having grandchildren. So definitely not old enough to have a grandchild old enough to be a college professor. He knows not what he speaks. 

2

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Re: Family History

« Last post by Erica McPhee on Today at 06:26:41 PM »

Oh I LOVE this! I am definitely going to do this. Thank you Ken! Also, what a fascinating history you have there. As a knitter I can only imagine what it would be like spending my days reeling yarn! Also, to be pregnant at the time of marriage in that day and age must have been quite the scandal! I can’t wait to get started on this! 

P.S. Funny tidbit from my family - my grandparents grew up in Bath, Maine. My husband’s grandparents did as well. His grandfather confessed to me one day that in high school, he “had the hots” for my grandmother, who he described as the prettiest and smartest girl in their class. But he said, sadly did not favor him. I thought how strange - that I (her granddaughter) would end up marrying his grandson. And that I would not have come to be if she had returned his feelings! Almost like our families were destined to be intertwined.

3

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Re: Family History

« Last post by Ken Fraser on Today at 10:20:24 AM »

This is a fabulous idea Ken. I am only at the beginnings of my search. But writing like this might actually be a great way to keep the names in my head.

Thanks, Darrin. Good luck with your research.

4

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Re: Family History

« Last post by darrin1200 on Today at 08:15:32 AM »

This is a fabulous idea Ken. I am only at the beginnings of my search. But writing like this might actually be a great way to keep the names in my head.

5

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Family History

« Last post by Ken Fraser on Today at 06:18:18 AM »

In the 1970s I became interested in tracing our family histories. I completed my researching ; myself back to 1798 and in my wife's case back to 1840 and could find no records earlier than that. I then spent 1979 compiling a joint family tree. This took a long time because I was working on it spasmodically between working commissions. As all my basic information was gathered in around 20 notebooks, I then decided to write it out in a form of family history and did this in 1980. I'd like to recommend this as a marvelous subject for handwriting and this is the purpose of this post

I read somewhere that long lines of handwriting can be difficult to read as you go from one line to the next  down the page so
I used a simple format of two columns to a page which seemed to work quite well. I started from the top of the tree and worked my way down to my children following the path of direct ancestors. I added dates where known and occupation information. I included all siblings with dates of birth.

There are no such things as genealogical police and you can make a family history as detailed or as simple as you want My children are now grown adults with children of their own, and they value this history book as an historical document which is a very personal legacy having been handwritten. Obviously, this isn't calligraphy, but written at a reasonable speed in my normal handwriting at the time. At an x height of 3mm it's around 40 pages long and this is a typical page.. It took me a long time to produce but it was very much a labour of love. I can think of no better use of handwriting and I know that, being personal it will be around with descendants long after I've gone.

 

6

Tools & Supplies / Re: Rusty nib

« Last post by Mark T on November 30, 2023, 01:04:38 PM »

@AnasaziWrites

Thank you so much for all of that. Very much appreciate your time and knowledge.
I can't tell you how much I am enjoying looking and buying nibs from 'ebay' at the moment, but I know that will stop, or slow down at least, in the near future. At present I am buying because the deals are their, and I'm learning, but I know that 'nice, quality' nibs are not going to be sold for pennies, but still, fun is fun.
Thanks once again.

7

Tools & Supplies / Re: Rusty nib

« Last post by Erica McPhee on November 30, 2023, 11:00:20 AM »

Thanks so much @AnasaziWrites . What a rabbit hole. 

8

Tools & Supplies / Re: Rusty nib

« Last post by AnasaziWrites on November 30, 2023, 10:13:55 AM »

A short while ago I bought several nibs from ebay. The advert said - 'Vintage Hinks, Wells & Co No. 3 Broad Stainless Steel Nib'. On reciept of the nibs I very quickly had a look at the nibs and had to put them away for a week or so before really looking at them.
The point of the post is this: On closer inspection I have noticed that the nib in question has rust on the outside left side (just below the word London) and also on the inside at the same level. The rust doesn't appear to have eaten through the metal.
I'm under the impression that stainless steel doesn't rust, so how is the nib rusty.

@Mark T
There are many kinds of stainless steel, and some do rust. The higher the chromium content, the less it's likely to rust. And no, I have no idea the amount of chromium in these nibs.

 I have no interest in debating with the seller as it is a nib costing a couple of £'s, but I do have an interest in learning about the nib. In adverts I have seen, when it states gold nib, am I correct in thinking that it is only the point to the back of the tines which are gold?, or is it actually the whole nib - likewise when it says stainless etc. I'm guessing that a brass stated nib is fully brass.

Almost all dip  pen nibs that are said to be gold are gold plated. One interesting exception can be found in this old thread. I've been looking for one of these for ten years and have only found one other, and it was a straight nib, not oblique.
https://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=6007.msg72822#msg72822
There are many 14K gold fountain pen nibs though. If solid gold it will be stated on the nib (say, like 14K).

Also, is there anything to put on a nib to stop it rusting, other than to make sure the nib is totally dry once cleaned, and in point of the above mentioned nib, is there anything to stop it rusting more.
I'd appreciate an education if possible. Thank you.

After you dry the nib, you could put WD-40 or any machine oil on it, but you would then have to clean that off before using it again. Too much work. I would think you would wear out the nib before any significant rust developed and just toss it when it no longer performs well.

9

Tools & Supplies / Re: Rusty nib

« Last post by AnasaziWrites on November 30, 2023, 09:47:20 AM »

I knew there was something else I wanted to ask -

Older nibs by way of antique/vintage never been used before. (early turn of 20th century/mid century 40's/50's)
Should they be treated the same way as 'new' nibs dating from 2000's as in - stick in a spud, spittal, lighter flash past, alcohol, white vinegar prior to dipping in the inkwell?
I'm tending to think probably not, but I would much rather be safe than sorry.

@Mark T 
Yes, prepare all nibs of any age before using.

10

Tools & Supplies / Re: Rusty nib

« Last post by Erica McPhee on November 30, 2023, 01:06:22 AM »

I believe so but maybe @AnasaziWrites has different opinions. I have many vintage nibs and they still need to be treated. They make mention of having to prepare the nib in the old journals of the late 1800’s early 1900s. So I think so…