# Query: Learning to make nibs and feeders.



## sanyalsoumitra (Jan 26, 2014)

I have been pursuing this hobby of pen making for last about eight months and it is captivating. I have made some pens using kits and some kit-less few as well. I follow almost all pens posted here in IAP. Understood that  making a kit-less pen comes in the more advanced pen-making. 

One point however fascinates me, I have not come across any posting of a custom Kit-less where the nib and feeder are made by the same person instead of one set made in the factory. The nib does make up a large part of the final character of the pen and its appeal.



Why is it so difficult that only factories make nibs and feeders ? 

Are there any resources for learning to make nibs and feeders ? Well just a thought. Please could some one guide us?

Best regards
Soumitra


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## Dalecamino (Jan 26, 2014)

I don't know of anywhere we could learn to make them ourselves. I also don't think I could EVER make one with the quality of the factory made nibs & feeds. AND, I could be making a bunch of pens in the time it would take for me to learn the process.


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## watch_art (Jan 26, 2014)

Feeds - yes.  Nibs - not so easy.

Though this might help...
Balling the Ends of Fountain Pens - YouTube

And somebody retipping real nibs - not just dip nibs...
ä¸‡å¹´ç­†ã®é”äººã€€ - ä¹…ä¿å·¥æ¥­æ‰€ - - YouTube

How its Made - Fountain Pens - YouTube


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## skiprat (Jan 26, 2014)

Nobody here can make a ballpoint or rollerball refill either. Somethings are best left to the pros....:biggrin:


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## Ed McDonnell (Jan 26, 2014)

Yet, somehow in the 1800s people were making fountain pen nibs and feeds without having access to micro welders, diamond saws with blades thinner than a human hair and hydralulic presses / dies for punching them out of metal sheet. 

I suppose that today's mass produced nibs are superior to the hand made nibs of the 19th century.  But I've never seen (let alone used) a nib from the 19th century.  Maybe they are vastly superior to today's mass produced nibs, but they would be so insanely expensive that nobody uses anything but mass produced nibs today?  

I wish they would start a new TV series called "How they did it!".  I often wonder how things got made before the 20th century.

Ed


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## Dolphinjon (Jan 26, 2014)

parklandturner said:


> I wish they would start a new TV series called "How they did it!".  I often wonder how things got made before the 20th century.
> 
> Ed



Someone needs to get on this. I would watch the heck out of that show.


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## Paul in OKC (Jan 28, 2014)

skiprat said:


> Nobody here can make a ballpoint or rollerball refill either. Somethings are best left to the pros....:biggrin:



I used to take statements like this as a challenge. "Oh yeah, just watch." Well, after many of those trial and error things, many successful, I have learned that a week and $10 to make a .50 part are just not worth it any more :biggrin:


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