I rescued this collection of used nibs from among my grandfather’s possessions when he passed away in 1999. Dede was a very resourceful man who loved to mend things. From his itinerant life as a soldier, he had developed the habit of wrapping everything up in many layers of boxes, newspaper, plastic bags, rubber bands and string; we often teased him about it. As with all the possessions of dead people, they are a bit of a mystery. I don’t know why he kept them, since none of them are any good for writing, but they’ve remained in a little tin in my stationary drawer these past years, as a memento.
Thanks to the ingenuity of several Etsy sellers, I finally found a use for one of them, and turned it into a simple pendant. Writing and family, two things close to my heart. Here’s how to make one for yourself…
Tools
- Nib
- Jump ring (matching the colour of your nib)
- Thumbtack
- Mole wrench
- Hammer
- Metal file
- Pliers
On an appropriate surface, lay your nib down upside-down, grip the thumbtack with the mole wrench and line the tip of the thumbtack along the centre of the nib as shown. Be careful that you aren’t too far from the top of the nib or your jump ring won’t fit.
Tap the thumbtack gently with a hammer to pierce a hole through the metal.
File away the sharp edges from the front of the nib.
Using the pliers, open the jump ring. Tip: Don’t bend the ring sideways and out of shape. Pull one end towards you, and push the other end away from you. Then do the reverse to close it again.
Thread the jump ring through the hole…
… and close it.
Smaller nibs also make lovely earrings. If you have new nibs that you use regularly, you could substitute the jump ring for a clasp to allow you to easily detach the nib, although you’ll have to be careful not to ruin the tip as you wear it. Have fun!
