ACQUIRING A FORMAL HAND: (1) TOOLS
Acquiring a Formal Hand: Tools, &c. — The Desk — Paper & Ink —
Pens: _The Reed: The Quill_ — Of Quills generally — Pen-knife,
Cutting-slab, &c.
ACQUIRING A FORMAL HAND: TOOLS, &C.
The simplest way of learning how to make letters is to acquire a fine
formal hand. To this end a legible and beautiful writing (see p. 70)
should be chosen, and be carefully copied with a properly cut pen.
_For learning to write_, the following tools and materials are
required:—
Desk.
Writing-paper.
Ink and _filler_.
Pens (Reed and Quill) with “_springs_.” [p049]
Pen-knife, sharpening-stone, and _cutting-slab_.
Magnifying glass.
Two-foot (preferably _three-foot_) rule, and pencil.
Linen pen-wiper.
THE DESK
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 14.›]
An ordinary desk or drawing-board can be used, but the best desk is
made by hinging a drawing-board (“Imperial” size) to the edge of a
table. The board may be raised and supported at any desired angle by
a hinged support, or by a _round_ tin set under it (fig. 14). For a
more portable [p050] desk two drawing-boards may be similarly hinged
together and placed on a table (fig. 15).
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 15.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 16.›]
A tape or string is tightly stretched—horizontally—across the desk
to hold the writing-paper (which, as a rule, is not pinned on).
The lower part of the writing-paper is held and protected by a
piece of stout paper or vellum fixed tightly, with drawing-pins,
across and over it (fig. 16). Under the writing-paper there should
be a “_writing-pad_,” consisting of one or two [p051] sheets of
blotting-paper, or some other suitable substance.[10]
It is a good plan to have the lower, front edge of the desk bevelled
or rounded, so that the tail part of a deep sheet, which may hang
below the table, does not become accidentally creased by being
pressed against it. A curved piece of cardboard fixed on the edge
will answer the same purpose.
PAPER & INK
For “practice” any smooth—not glazed—paper will do. For careful work
a smooth _hand-made_ paper is best (pp. 103, 111).
A good, prepared, liquid (carbon) ink is best. It should be as black
as possible, without being too thick. A jet-black ink will test the
quality of the writing by “showing up” all the faults; “pale” or
“tinted” inks rather conceal the faults, and lend a false appearance
of excellence (p. 322). A thin ink greatly adds to the ease of
writing (see _Addenda_, p. 23). Waterproof inks, as a rule, are too
thick or gummy, and do not flow freely enough.
The ink-bottle is kept corked when not in use, to keep the ink clean
and prevent evaporation. Thick or muddy ink should be put away: it is
not worth while trying to use it.
A small brush is used for filling the pen.
PENS
A Reed or Cane pen is best for very large writing—over half an inch
in height—and therefore [p052] it is of great use in studying pen
strokes and forms.
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 17.›]
A Quill is best for smaller writing, and is used for all ordinary MS.
work (pp. 54–60).
_The REED_[11] pen should be about 8 inches long.
I. One end is cut off obliquely (fig. 17).
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 18.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 19.›]
II. The soft inside part is shaved away by means of a knife laid flat
against it, leaving the hard outer shell (fig. 18).
III. The nib is laid, back up, on the slab (p. 61), and—the
knife-blade being vertical—the tip is cut off at right angles to the
shaft (fig. 19).
IV. A short longitudinal slit (_a_–_b_) is made by [p053] inserting
the knife-blade in the middle of the tip (fig. 20).
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 20.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 21.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 22.›]
V. A pencil or brush-handle is held under the nib, and is gently
twitched upwards to lengthen the slit (fig. 21). An ordinary reed
should have a slit about 3/4 inch long. A very stiff pen may have in
addition a slit on either side of the centre.
The left thumb nail is pressed against the back of the pen—about 1
inch from the tip—to prevent it splitting too far up (see also fig.
27).
VI. The nib is laid, back up, on the slab, and—the knife-blade being
vertical—the tip is cut off at an angle of about 70° to the shaft,
removing the first rough slit _a_–_b_ (fig. 22). [p054]
VII. A strip of thin metal (very thin tin, or clock spring with the
“temper” taken out by heating and slowly cooling) is cut the width
of the nib and about 2 inches long. This is folded into a “_spring_”
(fig. 23).
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 23.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 24.›]
VIII. The _spring_ is inserted into the pen (fig. 24).
The loop _a b c_ is “sprung” into place, and holds the spring in the
right position. The loop _c d_, which should be rather flat, holds
the ink in the pen. The point _d_ should be about 1/8 inch from the
end of the nib.
_THE QUILL._—_A Turkey’s Quill_ is strong, and suitable for general
writing. As supplied by the stationers it consists of a complete
wing-feather, about 12 inches long, having the quill part cut for
ordinary use. For careful writing it should be re-made thus:—
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 25.›]
I. The quill should be cut down to 7 or 8 inches (fig. 25); the long
feather if left is apt to be in the way.
II. The “barbs” or filaments of the feather are stripped off the
shaft (fig. 26). [p055]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 26.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 27.›]
III. The nib already has a slit usually about 1/4 inch long. This is
sufficient in a fairly pliant pen; in a very stiff pen (see p. 60)
the slit may be lengthened to 3/8 inch. This may be done with care
by holding a _half-nib_ between the forefinger [p056] and thumb of
each hand, but the safest way is to _twitch_ the slit open (fig. 27),
using the end of another pen (or a brush-handle) as explained under
_Reed_, V. (see p. 53).
IV. The sides of the nib are pared till the width across the tip is
rather less than the width desired[12] (fig. 28).
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 28.›]
V. The nib is laid, back up, on the glass slab, and the extreme tip
is cut off obliquely to the slit, the knife blade being slightly
sloped, and its edge forming an angle of about 70° with the line of
the shaft (fig. 29; see also fig. 36). [p057]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 29.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 30.›]
The shaft rests lightly in the left hand (not _gripped_ and not
pressed down on slab at all), and the knife blade is entered with a
steady pressure.
If the nib is then not wide enough it may be cut again; if too wide,
the sides may be pared down.
Cut very little at a time off the tip of the nib; a heavy cut is apt
to force the pen out of shape and spoil the edge of the nib.
VI. The nib should then be examined with the magnifying glass. Hold
the pen, back down, over a sheet of white paper, and see that the
ends of the two half-nibs are in the same straight line _a_–_b_ (fig.
30).
The nib should have an oblique chisel-shaped tip, very sharply cut
(fig. 31).
A magnifying glass is necessary for examining a fine pen; a coarse
pen may be held up against [p058] the light from a window—a
finger-tip being held just over the nib to direct the eye (fig. 32).
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 31.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 32.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 33.›]
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 34.›]
A nib in which the slit does not quite close may be bent down to
bring the two parts together (fig. 33). [p059]
Uneven or blunt nibs (fig. 34) must be carefully re-cut.
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 35.›]
VII. The _Spring_ (see _Reed_, VII.) (about 3/32 inch by 1-1/2 inch)
is placed so that the point is about 1/16 inch from the end of the
nib. The long loop should be made rather flat to hold plenty of ink
(A, fig. 35)—neither too much curved (B: this holds only a drop), nor
quite flat (C: this draws the ink up and away from the nib).
OF QUILLS GENERALLY
For ordinary use the nib may be cut with a fairly steep angle, as
shown (magnified) at (_a_) (fig. 36).
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 36.›]
But it is better for fine, sharp writing that the angle be made very
sharp: the knife blade is laid back (much flatter than is shown in
fig. 29) and the quill is cut quite thin; the knife blade is then
held vertical and the extreme tip of the nib is cut off sharp and
true (_b_, fig. 36).
For large writing, the curved inside of the quill is pared _flat_
(_c_, _d_, fig. 36) [p060] to give full strokes. If the nib be left
curved and hollow underneath (_e_), it is apt to make hollow strokes.
The pen may be made more _pliant_ by scraping it till it is thinner,
or by cutting the “shoulder” (_a_–_b_, fig. 29) longer, or _stiffer_
by cutting the nib back until the “shoulder” is short.
Goose and Crow Quills (see p. 172).
The main advantages of a quill over a metal pen are, that the former
may be shaped exactly as the writer desires, and be re-cut when it
becomes blunt.
A metal pen may be sharpened on an oilstone, but the process takes so
much longer that there is no saving in time: it is not easily cut to
the exact shape, and it lacks the pleasant elasticity of the quill.
A gold pen is probably the best substitute for a quill, and if it
were possible to have a sharp, “chisel-edged” _iridium_ tip on
the gold nib, it would be an extremely convenient form of pen. A
“fountain pen” might be used with thin ink.
PEN-KNIFE, CUTTING-SLAB, &C.
[Illustration: ‹Fig. 37.›]
_THE KNIFE._—Quill makers use a special knife. A surgical scalpel
makes an excellent pen-knife. The blade should be fairly stout, as
the edge of a thin blade is easily damaged. It should be ground
almost entirely on the right side of the blade (fig. 37) and kept
very sharp. [p061]
_THE SLAB._—A piece of glass (preferably white) may be used for fine
quills; hard wood, bone, or celluloid for reed and cane pens.
_SHARPENING STONE._—A “Turkey” (fine) or “Washita” (fine or coarse
grained) stone.
_MAGNIFYING GLASS._—A magnifying glass (about 1 inch in diameter)
is necessary for examining fine pen nibs to see if they are “true.”
A “pocket” glass is the most suitable for general use, and for the
analysis of small writing, &c.
_RULE._—A 2, or 3-foot wood rule having brass strips let in to
protect the edges, or a metal rule.
_LINEN PEN-WIPER._—A piece of an old linen handkerchief may be used
to keep the pen clean.