Getting Started with a New Dip Pen 

Just so you know.. the potato is not used to clean off the coating on a new nib, but for rusty nibs. Can’t remember how long you have to leave the nib in there (I think it was about 15mins to half an hour, but you’ll have to experiment yourself). The potato starch makes short work of any rust. Once you pull it out, there might be some rust still visible, but will be easily removed when you wipe it with a soft cloth.

I used to run my new nibs under a lighter but I have definitely ruined nibs before by overdoing it almost like you did in the vid. Now I just leave my new nibs in boiling water for a few minutes so the coating dissolves.

I don’t even have a pen with a nib. I just love your content. Haha, keep it up man.

It comforts me to know the potato wasn't stolen 😌

So, what's happening to the metal is what's called tempering. This is how you take steel that has been hardened and give it some springiness and make it less likely to break catastrophically. Steel nibs need to be springy to retain their shape. There is a danger of overheating the metal and turning it back into mild steel which isn't as springy. The color of the steel tells you how hot it gets in this process. When you hear knife makers refer to a light straw or a deep blue temper, they are talking about tempering it to varying degrees. Because nibs have very little mass, it doesn't take that much heat to start the process of tempering. Anyway, all of that to say that yes, you probably did affect the longevity of the nib. Next time, try just passing it through the flame instead of holding it there. It won't get as hot and the layer of oil is thin enough that it should boil off without having to apply the heat constantly. It also has the advantage of not saturating the low thermal mass of the nib (because nibs weigh about as much as a sheet of paper) and scorching your fingers. I'd still recommend holding it with tweezers, though. Oh and have some water handy to cool off the nib once you've got the oil off. This will also prevent blisters on the tips of your fingers when you insert the nib.

NEVER FIRE Hola. En español que me explico mejor. Nunca usar fuego en la plumillas. El calor se concentra en los puntos más agudos, lo podéis ver calentando un alfiler con el mechero: lo primero que se pone rojo es la punta. Esto sucede porque el calor viaja y en los sitios donde hay menos material el efecto del calor se manifiesta antes. En el caso de las plumillas el punto mas agudo es la punta. De modo que, aunque no lo notéis a simple vista, es casi seguro que la punta del plumín llegará a temperaturas donde el acero cambia sus propiedades. Esto es: pierde el templado y por lo tanto la flexibilidad. El acero se torna más oxidable, pero ese no es el mayor problema. Lo importante es que baja muchísimo el punto de plasticidad y reduce a cero la capacidad de recuperar la forma. Al mínimo exceso de fuerza, cambiará la posición de las puntas de manera permanente y será imposible escribir. En esta plumilla del video se nota menos porque es gruesa, pero si aplicas fuego a una Guillot 303 o a una Hunt 101, la destruyes. !!!NO FIRE!!!! Regardes

I put my new Brause-Nibs into boiling water for few minutes. That method doesn't overheat the metal and removes the factory's coating.

When I was just starting out with pen nibs, the difference between coated and not coated was more noticeable to me. It feels like because I was not able to control the way I hold the pen or use pressure correctly, the lack of coating was re-compensating for my lack of technique.

Love the musical interlude

I didn't know I should prepare them before the usage 😶 Perhaps I've find why I hate so much to use them 🙃 Thanks for this informations!

I started using dip pens a few weeks ago for calligraphy and I love it. I discovered that using hand sanitizer cleans really well my nibs. It's 99.9 % alcool with gel. Before restarting to write, I dip the nib in ink once or twice wiping off the ink with a paper towel and the ink coats nicely on the nib.

Thank you for this video. I did not know nibs needed to be prepped. I plan to order the one you recommend. Probably will go with the dish soap prepping method myself. Thanks again.

Just finished watching your first dip pen video! There is no such thing as a coincidence

I’ve never used a dip pen before, but it looks soo cool and it makes me want to.

in my experience cleaning the nibs is much more crucial on big flat nibs, cos with flat nibs you notice bad flow immediately (they just wouldn’t work - _ -) i usually go with the lighter mostly for convenience, but you should be careful not to ruin your nibs, 1 sec from each side is more than enough, oil coating burns immediately. with flat fellas i usually repeat all the cleaning before each time using them, as handling them leaves oil from fingers, which affects the ink flow enough to stop those bad boys from doing their job. hand sanitizer or isopropyl alcohol also does the job!

Love listening to this while I draw 😂 scrubbing bubbles has always saved me w nib cleaning lol

Thank you for this informative video. This particular nib, Steno, is one of my favourites. I put a reservoir on top of i

as a guitarist myself i injoyed thw potato part😂❤

the nibs flexibility is set from the factory, heating it up will change it's temper away from what the manufacturer designed into the nib, long story short you could ruin it. If you simply want to remove the coating soak it in Greased Lighting degreaser, that's what i use to clean ALL of my inking tools. For new Speedball Hunt nibs i soak them in vinegar for 20-30 minuets to remove to chrome like coating, they will hold lots of ink afterwards and flow evenly. Just make sure to clean and dry after use to prevent rust.

I've been drawing a few years without knowing about the nibs being oiled. In the early 2000s I got a how-to-draw-manga manga by Akira Toriyama where he recommended rubbing the oil off with a paper towel. I've been doing that since, in combination with a quick burn of flame, to a) get rid of the rest of the oil and b) burn away any paper particles that got stuck in the nib while wiping... worked for me so far =) I could also imagine using disinfectant... I usually have one at my desk to take care if I spill Copic ink, but I never thought of using it to prep the nibs... oh, well, will try that next time I use a new one =)

I use 99% isopropyl alcohol to both clean it the first time, as well as cleaning the ink off the nib.

I'm a little late to the party here but I've found that if I clean the nib with alcohol then hit it with a lighter for like 3 seconds that gives me the best results. It feels little softer/more flexible after the heat. Haven't noticed a difference in longevity from when I used only alcohol and I've only tried this with Nikko nibs.

interesting experiment, i had never heard of the potato method before

Wonderful explanation. Thanks

This video made me buy the Brause 361 Steno nips ^^ I only have some cheap nips that you get with the handle in an art supply shop and these just don't work for me. They rip the paper and the ink-flow lasts only for one short line. I always thought it is because I'm a lefty and push my pens instead of dragging them over the paper and therefor never tried it again, but I'll give it another chance with the new nips :D love your videos!

I am watching again because i love your content, thank you so much!!

Great tips 👍🏽 thank you

I take my nibs to the local church and have our priest bless them in holy water. After that I tie them all on a string and attach them to my hawks leg, his name is Zyphlux - anyways Z flys with them attached to his leg on the first hunt of spring and they are adorned by the spirit of the hunter and after that i write their first letter in the blood of the animal the hawk brings back and he eats the rest. Good to go after that. The real question here is - What were you boys doin with that lighter ?!?! lol

Never heard of prepping the nibs before first use, and never had an issue with them

Very nice guitar playing :)

Nice wii music while waiting on the potato

Saliva and boiling water is two other methods used by calligrapher's to prep their nibs for working. I recall seeing in period films, of characters touching the top of the pen nibs to their tongues, and not understanding why they would do that. Must be a historical basis somehow.

Can we give him a round of applause because the guitar playing was good

Brilliant intro my man. Staying till the end for that tom-foolery, lol

I use fire, just a quick pass through, I don’t hold it for as long as you did.

Brilliant

when you played the wii theme 😭😭 and your timer sound 😭😭 i love it here

FAB!

Cool video

Love the content!

6 seconds in and I like you already.

Nice guitar play 😂❤

I cant believe im watching a video about a pen nib being put into a potato lol xD (but a useful video so thankyou!)

Multi talent

This was very useful. I just got my my first dip pen and for a day or two I was struggling and using different nibs not knowing there is an oil casing on it. 💀

LOL@ the toothpaste comment.... too funny.

Playing that song got you my like. lol. ;)

Thanks you so much

Bro is adorable

Where it comes to removing oil and grease, I'm Team Washing Up Liquid every time. But you gots to rinse every last trace of surfactant off when you're done. I give them three minutes in a glass full of clear water in an ultrasonic cleaner. Used to give them just one minute, but there were evidently still traces of surfactant left breaking down the surface tension in my ink, and we can't have that. It's unruly.

hi ur my new favorite youtuber

I like to use holy water. :v From several christian branches, if possible. Y'know, to clean the hell out of it...

I'm late to the party but i liked the vid. back then I'd just use a spray of rubbing alcohol and dry it with a tissue. and it worked well enough for me.

acetone dude. for abandoned nibs like mine, once in a while. then alcohol. I also just took old dryy ink with the cutter. CAREFULLY!

Damn Mii channel music. Impressive

Instead of putting the nib in the flame hold a few inches beside and above the flame. Wipe off nib several times during this process. Finally clean off nib with alcohol. Allow to air dry.

I put a reservoir on top of it and it works fine. I have an impression that a soap solution is the best way. What do you think? Thank you

Im excited to use it. Maybe I’ll use toothpaste cause im lazy as hell 😂

Chroma, have you used G Pen Nibs? Can you tell the difference between it and this blue one?

Loved the Wii music with the guitar

Love you dad

I was thinking about remove the nib coat and make another with fire, like chefs with those big pans (idk how to spell the name). To do that it need to burn the nib coat it fire, after that apply another coat like mineral oil or ink (my bet ink is a organic oil product, like fat acid) and reapply heat to combine the metal and the organic compound.

I just have a little question, I just bought my new nip pen and I didn't clean it, I kept drawing with it for like 4 days, with counting putting it in water after it run out of ink while drawing then dry it with a towel and then put it again in ink and draw, and the same process everytime I want to fill my pen with ink, did that for the last 4 days Maybe cleaned the oil on the nip, thank u for ur beautiful content 💜💜, please if u can answer, it's my first try with nip pen 🖋️

does anyone know what the tune he played on the guitar is called ? I've definitely heard it before.

I love how u weird all upset about wasting the potato. I love potatoes too 😊 Thank you for the video. I think Im going with fire.

i havent washed my nib in a while, works fine

okay but that guitar tone was clean as fuck

13:20 You will love the brazilian style of music

I never really clean my nibs and they work alright for me

Nothing wrong about liking the smell of acetone.

13:44 "He who draws the sword from the stone, he shall be King."

wait is this video about using diffrent items to remove the dry paint from my paint nibs?

always wanted to try pen nibs but i was to intimidated to try

Isopropyl alcohol works well from my experience!

Did you clean the nib after putting it in the potato? Also, did you wipe the nib after using the lighter? I did because I wanted to get rid of the soot. I also clean my nips with nail polish remover. But most important, use needle nose pliers to hold the nib when using the lighter!

Stealing a person’s lighter should be a 1st class felony punishable by death

potatip

wait if i put wax on my nib the ink last longer on it?

Alcohol based hand sanitizer can be used too.

I use an alcohol for removing this oil coat.

I keep being amazed by how much people over complicate things... Some new nibs will have a wax coating to prevent rust. Its wax, so either heat it up (be careful tho since too much heat can effectively temper your nib and make it feel bad) and wipe it down or use something that cleans wax, but doesn't attack metal. For cleaning ink of of them it depends on the ink used, but generally speaking water with a bit of dish soap and a tiny bit of ammonia will do the trick. If it doesn't, ultra sonic cleaning has worked wonders for me in the past. Also a lot of manufacturers sell cleaning solutions suitable for there inks. Expensive but simple. I never had rust on a Nib that wouldn't just wipe of, so i can't say anything about that point.

When using the fire 🔥. How many times can I do it when cleaning it. Like once in every 2 months or something like that

i never cleaned my nibs. after the first few ink dips, it doesnt matter anymore.

how often do you change your nibs?

can we get a tutorial on how to clean

If I could ask why do you have that tape on your pen nib???

Potato?

I tried the potato 🥔. Didn't work. I tried tooth paste. I will see if it's okay. Nice 🎸 tune. I don't wanna ❤️‍🔥. I also tried spit after the 🥔. Did not work with spit.

Potato? I would've guessed something like a pineapple or lemon.

Potato Potato Tomato Tomato

What kind of ink is that?

What's the advantage of a dip pen over a fountain pen?

So, toothpaste….?

Using fire...don’t change it’s color. Quick pass. Hold with your bare fingers. If you can’t hold it, you got it too hot. Works fine for me. Use fire responsible, or someone will use a fire extinguisher on you.

Don't waste the Tater lol

como que suenas a ser de cristal

You look so cute and handsome :33333

Are we not going to talk about the fact that he "stole "stuff from people

I guess I shouldn't be too proud of the fact that the smell of isopropyl alcohol barely phases me. Ahem....

Here's the problem. 1. Not all companies put oil on the nibs. Why would you oil a nib that can't rust? You know, stainless steel nibs, chrome nibs, blued nibs, titanium nibs, bronze and brass nibs. Yet some companies do oil them because they get complaints when they don't. Obviously, something that's made to remove grease and oil works best. This means dish soap, though alcohol also works. But most nibs really need no preparation. This is a myth that just refuses to die. Like burning a nib. Burning a nib is as stupid as it gets, but hundreds do so because someone, or some idiotic video, says they should. No, you shouldn't. It's stupid and it damages the nib. Using a potato is also dumber than a screen door on a submarine. This comes from putting a fake patina on a knife. It only works on bare, high carbon steel, and doesn't protect the steel, anyway. It does, however, make a mess.