Author Topic: Hairline tails advice.  (Read 1056 times)

Offline Daniel Mastrofski

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Hairline tails advice.
« on: March 31, 2017, 06:48:41 PM »
Looking for some sound advice on achieving hairline tails with broad nib.
I am no longer a beginner with broad nib work but this one is phasing me.
My hunches are telling me this may be an ink problem.

I am currently using higgins eternal.  On all of my broad nibs (speedball, mitchell & brause)
i am having a hard time getting hairlines on my tails such as "t" or "h".  The desired effect is shown in my attached exemplars.
After dipping i do lay a few strokes on a scratch paper to get rid of any blobs but still to no avail.
I've noticed the less ink loaded on the nib the better the nib performs a tail.
I am well-versed in using the corner of the nib to get a hairline...so, i don't think it's so much in the technique but in the ink.
Gum arabic needed here?

Just wondering if anyone can make any suggestions here.  Wasn't sure if my ink needs a few drops of water
or something else?  any advice is appreciated! 
« Last Edit: March 31, 2017, 08:05:13 PM by Daniel Mastrofski »
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Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Hairline tails advice.
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2017, 03:49:31 PM »
Honestly, the first one looks to me like they went back in with a pointed pen for the extended thins.

I haven't used Higgins Eternal for quite some time but I recall it was a bit watery anyway, right? More so than say a sumi ink. I would try gum arabic and see if that helps. It can make it more viscid so it may just slide a bit better.

Also, when I have had a broad nib not pull thins, I've barely skimmed it with a low grade sand paper and it often does the trick. If it doesn't it's usually because my nib is just worn.  :)
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Offline AndyT

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Re: Hairline tails advice.
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2017, 04:44:53 PM »
A quill with the slit cut off-centre (to the left seen from above, if you are right handed) will work nicely.  You might try grinding down the left side of a steel nib in an attempt to simulate this - I wouldn't expect it to be a resounding success, though.  It may be that an Automatic Pen would work since it is, after all, a mutated ruling pen.

I've had middling success with this sort of thing with reeds, but there's no question of persuading one to flow for hairlines indefinitely, with or without an reservoir - whereas a quill will definitely do this for you.  If you want to stick with steel nibs Erica is probably right about doing the hairlines with a pointed pen - that was certainly the prescribed method in late 19th century textbooks.  Jackson, by the way, is not known for using steel pens.