Heritage Pens Articles
Behind the Nib Series...
Adjusting the Ink Flow on a Nib
Examine your nib and feed under magnification. How wide is the slit at the tip? Is it as wide as the Grand Canyon? A slit that wide will act as a garden hose in depositing ink on paper. A slit that is fully closed will partially or completely restrict the flow of ink. The properly-cut slit is tapered slightly from the heart hole (also called the gulp hole, vent or breather hole) to tip, as shown in the picture. Read full article...
Examine your nib, front and back, under magnification. Other than one side being convex and the other side being concave, what other differences do you note? The front of the nib has the fancy (or not so fancy) engraving, indication of precious metal (if any) and this is where any two-toning typically occurs. Read full article...
Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t ask me how to pick out a fountain pen. The request is much like asking me to pick out a suit for them. I can do it, but in order to steer someone in the right direction, there are a few key questions that need to be answered. Read full article...
Your reservoir. Is it really full or only partly full?
I received the following emails over the past few months. They are representative of many I get regularly from new fountain pen users (and some not so new users). Read full article...
Nib adjustment – Practice, Practice, Practice
We all have to start somewhere and learning to adjust nibs is no different than any other skill. It takes a lot of practice. That being said, I strongly urge those of you who are now selling fountain pens on a regular basis to work on adjustments and even grinding. Do yourself a favor, though. Read full article...
Installing Your New Heritage 18 Karat Gold Nib
Fountain pen nibs can appear mysterious and foreboding but with just a little effort and a little patience you can change a nib yourself. Of course, you will probably want to give all of the parts a good thorough cleaning with clear, lukewarm water at the same time. Read full article...
Luxury is a state of mind
Virtually every category of goods available on the market today includes a subset of similar products whose "luxury" is marked by better-quality components and materials, solid construction, stylish appearance, increased durability, better performance, advanced features and so on. As such, these luxury goods retain or improve the basic functionality for which all items of a given category are originally designed. Read full article...
Heritage Pens at the University of Notre Dame
We are pleased to announce that we were selected to create a limited series of pens for the dedication of Duncan Hall. On October 3, 2008 the University of Notre Dame officially dedicated its newest residence building, Duncan Hall. The building is named for its benefactor, Ray Duncan of Duncan Oil out of Denver, CO. Read full article...
Bog Woods
Bog-wood is wood from trees that have been buried in peat bogs and preserved from decay by the acidic and anaerobic bog conditions, sometimes for hundreds or even thousands of years. The wood is usually stained brown by tannins dissolved in the acidic water. Bog-wood represents the early stages in the fossilization of woodRead full article...