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:--
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]
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).
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]
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).