Harvey's Helpful Hints

May 2008 

Have dried ink on your nibs – really dried ink? Immerse them into a small container and cover them with “Simple Green” cleaning solution (available at Home Depot) and let them sit overnight in the solution. Shake them occasionally to loosen the dried ink. Take them out and rub-dry them on a soft cloth. They might not be “as new”, but much better than when you put them into the solution. It is non-toxic and still environmentally friendly.

Need an inexpensive cutting mat? No. I don't sell them, but any fabric store will stock the Olfa Rotary Mat. They work great – like the expensive ones.

Sharpening nibs: Most instructors will recommend using an Arkansas stone, and others prefer sandpaper. Personally I prefer the Arkansas stone, but using another method – insert the nib into a straight holder, place the holder into a rigid corner of your drawing table so it doesn't move, carefully grind the nib with the stone (not the nib onto the stone) by taking only 5-8 strokes at a time. Turn the nib over and do the same on the underside of the nib. After each 5-8 strokes use a 10x loupe to be sure the nib is as sharp as you want and the tines are perfectly straight. If not sharp enough do the same over again until the nib is sharp. Smooth the nib on leather by stroking it on the leather to remove any burrs making the nib completely smooth. If the nib looks o.k. try writing with it for any minor adjustments. As this is a very intricate process try it on an old nib that you don't like before trying a new nib – they can become very unusable very quickly. As a “quick fix” use the striker strip on paper matchbooks.

Store sharp Exacto blades in an old travel toothbrush plastic container or plastic cigar tubes (if you can find them (in a cigar shop).

Use pounce on paper that needs more “tooth” or “bite”. Sprinkle it on the paper and rub it in with a piece of silk cloth – it degreases the paper also. Use Sandarac on paper that ink sinks in or “feathers”.

Need to find the center of a pre-drawn circle? Just draw a vertical line anywhere inside the circle, measure this line to get the center, next draw a line perpendicular to the first line at midpoint. Measure this line – get the midpoint. This will be the center of the circle.