Who Are The People In The Pen World: The Nibmeister
What is a Nibmeister?
A nibmeister, by definition, is someone who can improve or reform a nib. It is an honored tradition and the nibmeisters are like the alchemists of the pen world; they can take a nib that isn’t functioning properly or isn’t to your liking and turn it into gold (not literally, unless it is gold, but you get the picture).
How Hard is it to become a Nibmeister?
This niche position in the pen world requires lots of training and practice. Through mentorships and repetition, each nibmeister acquires their own style of grinding nibs and their work will exhibit a personality that is singular as well. Choosing one is a matter of preference and often requires researching what others say about their work and having them tune or grind a nib or two for you. Some fountain pen collectors like all of their pens to be cared for by one nibmeister, and others enjoy the variety of having many hands perfect their pens.
How Can I Get a Nibmeister to Fix My Pen?
Nibmeisters can be found tuning and grinding at pen shows or in their own studios. Nibmeisters often have websites that will let you know how long their waiting lists are (this can be months or even years, depending) and also the process for sending your pen to them. Often they will have forms to fill out and may ask you to send photos of how you hold your pen when writing to make the most optimal adjustments to your pens nibs.
Nib Grinding
Nibmeisters are often more skilled or specialize in certain kinds of nibs, like italic and architect nibs, for example. Some have their own proprietary grinds that are a combination of more traditional grinds or have created a new nib of their own. If you are lucky enough to attend a pen show, they will often have samples of their nibs to try, so that you can see if it suits you and your handwriting. If this isn’t a possibility, research can be done on pen boards and through the nibmeisters site. There should be a fair amount of writing samples available to you to at least get a sense of the capabilities and style of the nibmeister you are interested in working with.
Some nibmeister are also pen restorers, so if you require that kind of work for a pen, be sure to ask if they can assist. If they cannot, they may know a restorer that they trust and can recommend to you if they don't do this work themselves.
It is very heartening to see the nibmeister tradition continue, with several young nibmeisters learning from masters so that this important work stays in good hands.
| Service | What it does | When you want it |
| Nib Smoothing | Polishes the tipping material to remove micro-scratchiness. Doesn't change the nib's shape or writing profile. | The nib feels rough or "scratchy" on paper. |
| Nib Tuning | Adjusts tine alignment (making sure the two halves of the nib meet properly), sets ink flow, smooths the tipping. Preserves the original nib size. | The nib skips, hard-starts, feels too dry or too wet, or writes unevenly. |
| Nib Grinding | Reshapes the tipping material into a new writing profile — italic, stub, architect, needlepoint, etc. Changes how the line looks. | You want a different line variation, calligraphic effects, or a specialized writing profile. |
| Nib Retipping | Replaces the worn iridium/hard alloy tipping with new material and reshapes. Restores a pen to writing condition. | The tipping is worn through from decades of use, or damaged from a drop. |
| Nib Repair | Fixes bent tines, cracked slits, sprung tines, or other structural damage. May combine with retipping. | The pen has been dropped or the nib is visibly damaged. |
Find a Nibmeister Near You
Below is a list of the nibmeisters currently working around the world. If you know of someone who should be added to this list, please leave their information in the comments. We would love to hear about others in this very special profession.
Nibmeisters in USA
Alexander Stroud - Frontier Pen Co
USA (NY)
Web: http://instagram.com/fpc_alex
Insta: http://instagram.com/fpc_alex
Audrey Matteson - Franklin-Christoph
USA (NC)
Web: https://www.franklin-christoph.com/
Insta: http://www.instagram.com/franklinchristoph
Brian Gray - Edison Pen Company
USA (OH)
Web: https://edisonpen.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/edisonpenco
(Only Services Edison Pens)
Damien Alomar - All in the Nib
USA (PA)
Web: https://www.allinthenib.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/allinthenib
Dan Smith - The NibSmith
USA (IO)
Web: https://nibsmith.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/thenibsmith
Gena Salorino - Custom Nib Studios
USA (LA)
Web: https://www.customnibstudio.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/customnibstudio
Greg Minuskin - Greg Minuskin
USA (CA)
Web: https://gregminuskinpens.com/
Insta: https://gregminuskinpens.com/
(nib retipping)
JC Ament - Nib Tailor
USA
Web: https://www.www.nibtailor.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/thenibtailor
Joshua J Lax - J.J. Lax Pen Co
USA (NY)
Web: https://www.jjlaxpenco.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/jjlaxpenco
John Mottishaw
USA (LA)
Web: https://pacificpenworks.com/john-mottishaw/
Kirk Speer - Pen Realm
USA (CO)
Web: https://www.penrealm.com/
Insta: https://www.penrealm.com/
Les Sheely - Stylosuite
USA
Web: http://instagram.com/stylosuite
Insta: http://instagram.com/stylosuite
Letta - Pendemonium
USA (AZ)
Web: http://www.pendemonium.com/
Insta: http://www.pendemonium.com/
Linda Kennedy - Indy-Pen-Dance
USA (IN)
Web: https://www.indy-pen-dance.com/
Insta: https://www.indy-pen-dance.com/
Mark Bacas - Nib Grinder
USA (GA)
Web: http://nibgrinder.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/nibgrinder
Matthew Chen
USA (LA)
Web: https://mattsnibworks.com
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/pactagon
Mike Masuyama - Mike it Work
USA (CA)
Web: http://mikeitwork.com/
Insta: http://mikeitwork.com/
Pendleton Brown - Pendleton's Pens
USA (GA)
Web: https://www.pendletonspens.com/
Insta: https://www.pendletonspens.com/
Ralph Reyes - Regalia Writing Labs
USA
Web: https://www.regaliawritinglabs.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/reachingralph
Nibmeisters in EU
Anabelle Hiller - Opus Cineris
Netherlands
Web: http://www.opuscineris.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/stringsandpedals
Mislav Lukacevic - Nibworx
Austria
Web: https://www.ml-nibworx.com
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/mlnibworx
Lennard van Zwam - Dutchpen
Netherlands
Web: http://www.dutchpen.com/
Lutz Fiebig - Interpens
Germany
Web: www.interpens.de
Insta: www.interpens.de
Pablo Carrasco - FP Nibs
Spain
Web: https://fpnibs.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/pablo_carrasco_gimena
Nibmeisters in UK
John Sorowka - Oxonian
UK
Web: j.f.sorowka@googlemail.com
Insta: j.f.sorowka@googlemail.com
Jose Munuera - Nib.Lab
UK
Web: https://www.instagram.com/nib.lab/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/nib.lab/
Nibmeisters in Turkiye
Ahmet Çarpık - Nibworks
TR
Web: https://www.instagram.com/nibworks
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/nibworks
Meltem Hazarhun - Amphora's Tale
TR
Web: https://www.instagram.com/amphorastale
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/amphorastale
Nibmeisters in Philippines
J.P. Pentangeli - JP's Pen Spa & Nib Works
Philippines
Web: http://instagram.com/jppenspanibworks
Insta: http://instagram.com/jppenspanibworks
John Lim - Nib Sage
Philippines
Web: http://instagram.com/penproclivities
Insta: http://instagram.com/penproclivities
Nibmeisters in Australia
Jack Landau - The Pen Smith
Australia
Web: http://www.pensmith.com.au/
Insta: http://www.pensmith.com.au/
Taveet Sinanian - Taveet Sinanian
Australia
Web: http://instagram.com/nunc_est_scribendi
Insta: http://instagram.com/nunc_est_scribendi
Nibmeisters in Japan
CY - Kyuseido
Japan
Web: http://kyuseidotokyo.com
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tokyostationpens/
Yukio Nagahara - The Nib Shaper
Japan
Web: http://thenibshaper.com/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thenibshaper/
Nibmeisters in Singapore
Sunny Koh - Straits Pens
Singapore
Web: http://web.straitspen.com/
Insta: http://web.straitspen.com/
Nibmeisters in India
Jaspreet Singh Gill - The Nib Studio
India
Web: http://instagram.com/thenibstudio
Insta: http://instagram.com/thenibstudio
Nibmeisters in Canada
Salman Khattak - Toronto Pen Company
Canada
Web: https://torontopencompany.com/
Insta: http://instagram.com/torontopencompany
Turnaround Times & Wait Lists
Speed varies enormously by nibmeister and their current workload. Broad expectations:
- At a pen show: Same-day work is often possible for tuning and simple grinds. Complex grinds may require booking ahead or waiting your turn in a queue.
- Mail-in, minimal wait list: 2–6 weeks turnaround including shipping.
- Mail-in, moderate wait list: 6–16 weeks total.
- Highly sought nibmeisters: 6 months to over a year of waiting before your pen even gets touched.
Check the nibmeister's website or Instagram before sending — most post their current wait times or booking status. If a pen show is coming up in your region, walking your pen up in person is often the fastest option.
Nibmeister FAQ
6 Responses
Jioseph Espaillat
Can you change the nib on S T Dupont pen form medium to extra fine?
Henry
Lennard van Zwam (Dutchpen) in the Netherlands is also a nibmeister. The website is www.Dutchpen.com
Josh
CY of Kyuseido / Tokyo Station Pens is a Nib technician working out of Japan, lots of info on the grinds he offers on the website under ‘Nibwork.’
Website is: http://kyuseidotokyo.com
Instagram: @tokyostationpens / @kyuseido
Aissatou E Sunjata
Wow! This resource for those needing it.
Deb Kinney in Raleigh, NC
https://www.penhero.com/DebKinneyMain/customnibs.html
Flo
Another nibmeister well worth mentioning is Mislav Lukacevic in Vienna, Austria (https://www.ml-nibworx.com/) He does a very good job.
sandeep awasthi
We are doing this work in India with a super speciality job of re tipping on old vintage nibs in EF, F, M , B or BB point our website is www.kanpurwriters.com
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