How to Fix a Scratchy Fountain Pen Nib

Is your nib scratchy, or does it just have some feedback? Drew illustrates the difference between the two, and covers the basics of scratchy nib repair in this quick and basic troubleshooting walkthrough.

IS YOUR PEN WRITING INCONSISTENTLY? CLICK HERE!
IS YOUR OEN NOT WRITING AT ALL? CLICK HERE!

U.S. BASED NIB TECHNICIANS:

LINKS TO PRODUCTS FEATURED:

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro & Disclaimer
1:23 Feedback vs Scratchiness
2:00 What causes a scratchy nib?
3:03 Ways to fix a scratchy nib
4:58 Additional repair suggestions

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[JefferyHall-cttr]

Hi Drew: Thanks for the very clear and effective presentation! I really like the giant nib! Gives a clear visual impression of what's going on when things aren't aligned properly.

[evanbasnaw]

I had a Pineider shipped out and it just wouldn't write out of the box. Goulet took it back and worked their magic. If it's not working from the start, definitely check with the seller. Goulet has excellent customer service.

Now, if you have an old Safari that's lost its cap retention because it's been in your pocket continuously for 3 years and happens to bend a tine because it's uncapped itself in your pants, these techniques work well for getting it back working again.

Or if you've dropped your Jinhao on the tile church floor while taking sermon notes, and now need to fix it, you might just end up with something that writes better than it did when you got it. :)

[randy-]

Great explanation and visual aids. I've "studied" Brian's videos on misalignment (etc) and yours (and SBRE Brown's and Matt Armstrong's ... ) almost since the beginning. Sketches and hand "models" help, but this new prop is wonderful. Also, I hadn't thought about the possible mismatching of curvatures of the nib and the feed contributing. Well done!

[eleanor.shadow]

My husband's pen was scratchy all of a sudden and he had no idea why. I looked through the magnifying lenses and there was bits of paper trapped in it! After a wash it was perfect again. It'll happen again (he's an artist and draws on watercolour paper a lot) but now we know what to do when it does :)

[LaurenceWillis]

Great use of the props to show the tipping!

[sharlenezuhlke]

Great job Drew. The props are well done and helpful.😊

[kaivynweissinger]

I love the creative intros, very funny, lots of personality! And I've been having trouble looking in the right place to find a nib technician to help me with some pens, so I really appreciate the links to those on top on the info about scratchy nibs!!

[Volkmannx]

Very helpful, thank you!
Nice scrollwork on the demo nib.

[abcreatewithme]

Yes reach out with issues the goulet team is amazing ! Ethan recently helped me figure out and fix an issue ! Great communication upbeat calm attitude and follow up email! Great job with customer care ❤

[mustafacavli]

Everyone in Turkey is sullen. It's nice to see a smiling face. Also, the topic is very important.

[EdoDoe]

A very informative video, Drew! (The visual aids were really helpful.)

[WhereWhoMe]

As always, thank you for the informative video, and the backing. One of the many reasons why you are my go-to shop for pens. I had a little giggle when I saw the giant pen nib, but at the same time wasn't surprised that you have such a well made prop to illustrate the possible cause of a scratchy nib. Hopefully I won't need to use the information in this video, but it is a good resource to have, just in case.

[Hydraarill]

Thanks, that helped. Had a scratchy new pen. The feed was misaligned. It's working much better now.

[mellow-jello]

Thanks for bringing up nib issues. All the more reason to acquire pens that can interchange nibs. All else fails, put in the pristine replacement, and you have a new pen for a fraction of the price.

[traceybartlam]

Interesting video. I think what I thought was scratchy is just lots of feedback. It’s not as smooth as another brand of pen so will avoid in future however without being able to try a nib first it’s difficult to say if a different model of that brand brand would be good! I need to find a physical store !!

[LucyLu_meztli]

Oh my gosh, I loooove the huge nib to explain tines alignment!

[XGenKaneShiroX]

My Pilot 823 has some serious problems. The barrel on the 823 near the grip section is cracked, which leads to ink leaking out excessively, therefore getting into my hand. Recently, the nib on my Pilot 823 has been scratchy, along with skipping way too much.

[Glychd]

Thanks! Helped me diagnose and fix an italic nib PFM II :D

[mellow-jello]

Worse nib scenario that I encountered, I left the cap off a vintage FP from the store, and brought it home with a scratchy nib. Had it tuned by a nib meister in the end, now it writes smooth.

[ssoohoo]

Love the giant nib used for demonstration, lol