Author Topic: WM roundhand nibs - again...  (Read 814 times)

Offline arherbgm

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WM roundhand nibs - again...
« on: March 18, 2017, 11:28:00 AM »
HEEEELP! :o  Purchased my first Wm Mitchell nibs & many reserviors from JNB and like many others am having HUGE trouble.  I've read previous thread from a while back and tried everything:  hot water; flame; spit; alcohol; Windex w. ammonia; toothpaste; dipping; brush loading; Sumi ink; Higgins Eternal; adjusting reservoir placement; tightening and loosening reservior.  What's left?!

Have tried without reservoir and the nib works, but runs out of ink so quickly.  And so...figured the problem is predominantly the reservoir.  Once I occasionally get the ink starting to flow, I think I could form a love affair with these WM nibs (I've used only Speedball for years).  If I touch a blob of ink on the paper and drag it, the ink flows --- as soon as I lift up and start again, no luck.  It works somewhat if I sort of stab (well, it's more of a dull jab) the paper the ink starts, but inconsistently.  And it's sloppy, of course.

I don't post/reply often.  All you out there in pen & ink land are, truly, the best.  I've learned so much from this Forum.  ANY suggestions, ideas quite welcome.  And thank you in advance.

Arlen Herb


Offline Salman Khattak

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Re: WM roundhand nibs - again...
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2017, 02:20:44 PM »
Arlen - these nibs can be a bit finicky to get going but work really well once you get started.

Your reservoir might be squeezing the tines together and restricting ink flow if it is on too tightly. Also, the tip of the reservoir should be barely touching the nib and should be a little more than 1 mm from the tip.

Higgins Eternal is a good ink to use with these nibs and should not give you trouble. Sumi ink might be problematic depending on which one you are using and whether it needs to be thinned.

Can you share a picture of the nib with the reservoir?

- Salman
« Last Edit: March 19, 2017, 08:54:12 PM by SMK »
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Offline KrzysiekS

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Re: WM roundhand nibs - again...
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2017, 02:02:59 AM »
I personally do not place reservoir so close to nib edge, in my case it results with ink blobs on paper.

Here is my setup.


It allowed me to write this much with single dip of William Mitchen No. 1 Roundhand nib. I do not have any calligraphy ink. This was written with Pelikan 4001 Blue Black.


One thing to notice:
I never touch reservoir with my fingers. I use tweezers place it the nib (my tweezers go through holes on resevoir). If I need to change nib, I hold it through a tissue. At the end of practice I clean each dip nib with rubbing alcohol.

ps. I'm a lazy man, I prefer to practice with Pilot Parallel :-)
« Last Edit: March 19, 2017, 02:04:46 AM by KrzysiekS »