Fountain Pen Nib Tuning

We offer free nib tuning on any pen or nib purchased from us. Fountain pen nib tuning ensures your pen is writing properly and has been adjusted to your own personal writing characteristics. If you’ve ever received a fountain pen and not been pleased with its writing qualities, chances are your pen was not properly tuned – or probably not tuned at all.

Fountain pen nib tuning is done by skilled artisans known as nib specialists. At PacificPenWorks, we’re pleased to offer the services of two of the most experienced and well-known nib specialists today, Michael Masuyama and John Mottishaw. Michael and John are dedicated to providing the best possible writing experience with any pen or nib you purchase from us.

Nib Tuning and Nib Customization

Nib tuning is a different process than fountain pen nib customization, which we also offer as an optional service. Nib customization involves regrinding or otherwise altering the nib to achieve a more expressive writing effect on the page. Nib tuning, on the other hand, is focused on the basic writing functionality of the pen.

During the golden age of fountain pens, nib tuning was a routine part of the purchase process. Department and stationery stores would have an on-staff “pen doctor” who would test and tune pens on the spot. We recreate that experience with a guided ordering process. The answers you provide during the check-out process provide Michael and John with all the information they need to personalize the writing experience of each pen for you.

Fountain pen nib tuning is a two-part process. The first consists of testing a fountain pen to ensure basic writing functionality, as well as ensuring that the filling system and all mechanical parts are functioning correctly. The second part involves adjusting ink flow, pressure, and other characteristics to the personal needs of the primary user.

Nib Testing

Nib testing starts with a visual inspection of the entire pen. Even pens from major manufacturers will occasionally arrive from the factory with loose clips, defective caps, and other defects. Usually these can be corrected in the workshop – if not, a new pen is selected for the customer.

Particularly important is checking the filling system. At PacificPenWorks, each pen, whether a cartridge-converter or piston-fill pen, is actually filled with ink during the testing and tuning process. The filling system is checked for leakage and seal integrity. If a piston-filler, the rod is rod or knob is checked for proper function and smoothness of operation and adjusted if necessary.

If all other aspects of the pen are functioning properly, attention moves on to the nib itself. As with the pen body itself, even pens from manufacturers known for a high degree of craftsmanship and exacting quality control can sometimes arrive with improper nib setting, misaligned tines, and other issues. Correcting such issues is a standard part of our nib testing process.

Nib Tuning

Once the basic mechanical integrity and writing functionality of the pen has been assured, attention moves on to personalizing the writing experience for the individual user. Our guided checkout process asks customers for information about desired ink flow, the pressure you use while writing, and the angle at which you hold your pen.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure about your own answers to these questions. If you’re new to fountain pens or just not sure about your own writing preferences, leaving the questionnaire responses at the default setting of Medium should still result in a pen that performs excellently for you.

With this information in hand, our nib specialists are able to carefully tune and adjust the pen’s performance to your individual specifications. As the final step in the process you’ll receive a completed testing sheet, demonstrating the pen’s performance and signed personally by the nib specialist who adjusted your pen.

What If I Want My Nib Untuned?

Some customers, often collectors, prefer to receive their pens and nibs “as is,” without any testing or tuning. The very first step in our guided ordering process allows you to choose this option if you wish, though we advise against it in most circumstances.

If you’re planning to leave your pen untouched in a box as a collectible, then waiving nib tuning is an understandable though usually unnecessary decision – once the nib has been tuned, the pen and nib are thoroughly cleaned and the pen is indistinguishable in appearance from any other new pen.

If you’re planning on actually writing with your pen, however, testing and tuning can only help. If you do decide to waive tuning at the time of purchase and later decide that you would like the pen or nib tuned and adjusted, that then becomes a paid service request, rather than the free service it is at the time of purchase.

For More Information

If you still have questions about the nib tuning process, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Just send an email to info@pacificpenworks.com and we’ll happy to provide you with the information you need to make a fully informed decision on your nib tuning decisions.