If the writer prefers an extremely slanted shaft, to cut the nib correspondingly obliquely would weaken it, so it is better to counteract the slant by slightly tilting the paper (fig. [44]).
To produce the horizontal thin stroke, therefore:
- The slant at which the shaft is held,
- The angle at which the nib is cut, and
- The tilt which may be given to the paper:
must be so adjusted, one to another, that the chisel edge of the nib is parallel to the horizontal line of the paper. Before writing, make trial strokes on a scrap of paper to see that this is so: the vertical thick strokes should be square ended and the full width of the nib, the horizontal strokes as fine as possible.
HORIZONTAL SHAFT, &c.—The pen shaft is held approximately horizontal. This will be found the natural position for it when the slope [p068] of the desk is about 50° or 60°. It gives complete control of the ink in the pen, which can be made to run faster or slower by slightly elevating or depressing the shaft (fig. [45]).
The writing-board may be slightly lowered or raised with the object of elevating or depressing the pen shaft (fig. [46] & p. [118]).