<p>While I doubt any plastic will have the hardness you need I think there are three alternatives:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Use lost PLA casting to have the 3D printed part to dictate the shape of the pen nib and then make it out of metal.
You could then sharpen the pen nib.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Print insets in the 3D printed part where a common cut of Zirconium could be glued into.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Electroplate the plastic part with some metal (such as nickel) by applying graphite paint to get a conductive coating.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>From <a href="https://all3dp.com/2/lost-pla-casting-guide/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">All3DP in regards to Lost PLA Casting</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A model is printed with PLA. We ultimately want to create a blank mold of this model that metal can be poured into. For this, the model must be encased in investment (plaster). However, it obviously can’t be fully encased in investment as there would be no way for the PLA to escape and the metal to fill its place.</p>
<p>Therefore, additional combustible material called sprues is added to the model. Once melted, these will form a tunnel from the outside of the investment to every nook and cranny of the model.</p>
<p>The sprued model is placed in a flask that is then filled with investment and dried. This flask can then be transferred to a kiln to bake the investment and melt the PLA model and sprues, leaving us with a perfect imprint of the design.</p>
<p>From there, molten metal is poured into the opening of the investment mold. You can ensure that the molten metal completely fills the mold using either gravity and faith, a vacuum system that will suck the flowing metal quickly into the mold, or a centrifuge that uses centripetal force to pull metal where it needs to go.</p>
<p>After a bit of cooling, the filled flask is dunked in water to dissolve the investment and release the metal part. Now all that’s left to do is post-processing to give your design the shine it deserves.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-26T20:35:49.067Z
I added some points to explain what I'm trying to customize. Does this affect your answer? For example, option number 2 doesn't seem possible, because it's specifically that tip that I'm trying to customize. Are options 1 or 3 doable for producing large amounts of slightly different models? If it's too expensive or involves too much work, then it wouldn't be better than what's already being done - hand-cutting zirconia.
clum
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-16T23:12:44.703Z
2024-10-17T14:32:46.863Z
2024-10-17T14:32:46.863Z
glassGlobe
<p>I am trying to make a customized special nib of a pen. I need the edges that touch the paper to stay very sharp, so I need something that can print at a high enough resolution to come out sharp in the first place, and won't wear away when constantly rubbed against a rough paper.</p>
<p>Currently, zirconia is used to to make these types of pen nibs, but they are cut by hand, and they are therefore tedious to produce and expensive. I'm trying to find a solution through 3d printing. I made a model which I tried printing with some sort of zirconia resin, but it didn't come out so sharp in the first place, and when I started writing with it, pieces broke off.</p>
<p>For various reasons, it would be better if it isn't made from metal, though I would consider it if there is no alternative.</p>
<p>EDIT: I thought that 3d printing would be the best solution for this, because there are a few different factors that need to be customized for each user.</p>
<ol>
<li>The distance between the two edges of the tip (which affects the size of the stroke) - this depends on the size of what the user wants to write</li>
<li>The angle of the tip relative to the direction of the pen - each user has a different preferred angle, based on the angle they hold the pen.</li>
<li>Lefties need the angle to be backwards.</li>
<li>Some people prefer the edge to be more or less a straight line, while some prefer it to be more concave.</li>
<li>There are other factors that can affect the speed of the ink-flow or the sharpness.</li>
</ol>
<p>I don't have any experience manufacturing, but I developed a model (in openscad) that you can just change the variables and it works out everything. But I got stuck on the stage of taking my model and making it something usable.</p>
<p>Here is a picture of what I'm trying to print:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/MBxEJdyp.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/MBxEJdyp.png" alt="nib" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-15T08:55:08.587Z
Without access to the model it is hard to say. Furthermore, this question sounds like a recommendation question. I also doubt that 3D printing is a solution you are looking for. But POM is very hard and used as material for e.g. bearing, you can [print](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6298/pom-filament-not-sticking-to-the-build-plate) this, it is hard to print though...
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-15T20:17:47.407Z
Would POM be able to make the sharp corners that touch the paper?
clum
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-15T20:29:43.660Z
When you machine it afterwards, but I seriously doubt that 3D printing is the solution you are looking for. It looks like a fountain pen tip, you could try the way they manufacture these from metal, by machining and forming (only now using heat using heat for a thermoplastic).
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-26T20:17:10.520Z
@Oscar I added a bit more information to explain why I thought 3d printing would be ideal.
clum
<print-material><resolution>
What material is the strongest against wearing away?
clum
# What material is the strongest against wearing away?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-10-15)

I am trying to make a customized special nib of a pen. I need the edges that touch the paper to stay very sharp, so I need something that can print at a high enough resolution to come out sharp in the first place, and won't wear away when constantly rubbed against a rough paper.

Currently, zirconia is used to to make these types of pen nibs, but they are cut by hand, and they are therefore tedious to produce and expensive. I'm trying to find a solution through 3d printing. I made a model which I tried printing with some sort of zirconia resin, but it didn't come out so sharp in the first place, and when I started writing with it, pieces broke off.

For various reasons, it would be better if it isn't made from metal, though I would consider it if there is no alternative.

EDIT: I thought that 3d printing would be the best solution for this, because there are a few different factors that need to be customized for each user.

1. The distance between the two edges of the tip (which affects the size of the stroke) - this depends on the size of what the user wants to write
2. The angle of the tip relative to the direction of the pen - each user has a different preferred angle, based on the angle they hold the pen.
3. Lefties need the angle to be backwards.
4. Some people prefer the edge to be more or less a straight line, while some prefer it to be more concave.
5. There are other factors that can affect the speed of the ink-flow or the sharpness.

I don't have any experience manufacturing, but I developed a model (in openscad) that you can just change the variables and it works out everything. But I got stuck on the stage of taking my model and making it something usable.

Here is a picture of what I'm trying to print:
[![nib](https://i.sstatic.net/MBxEJdyp.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/MBxEJdyp.png)

**Tags:** print-material, resolution

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Without access to the model it is hard to say. Furthermore, this question sounds like a recommendation question. I also doubt that 3D printing is a solution you are looking for. But POM is very hard and used as material for e.g. bearing, you can [print](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6298/pom-filament-not-sticking-to-the-build-plate) this, it is hard to print though...  
> **username_0**: Would POM be able to make the sharp corners that touch the paper?  
> **username_1**: When you machine it afterwards, but I seriously doubt that 3D printing is the solution you are looking for. It looks like a fountain pen tip, you could try the way they manufacture these from metal, by machining and forming (only now using heat using heat for a thermoplastic).  
> **username_0**: @Oscar I added a bit more information to explain why I thought 3d printing would be ideal.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-10-16. Score: 4

While I doubt any plastic will have the hardness you need I think there are three alternatives:

1. Use lost PLA casting to have the 3D printed part to dictate the shape of the pen nib and then make it out of metal.
   You could then sharpen the pen nib.
2. Print insets in the 3D printed part where a common cut of Zirconium could be glued into.
3. Electroplate the plastic part with some metal (such as nickel) by applying graphite paint to get a conductive coating.

From [All3DP in regards to Lost PLA Casting](https://all3dp.com/2/lost-pla-casting-guide/):

> A model is printed with PLA. We ultimately want to create a blank mold of this model that metal can be poured into. For this, the model must be encased in investment (plaster). However, it obviously can’t be fully encased in investment as there would be no way for the PLA to escape and the metal to fill its place.
>
> Therefore, additional combustible material called sprues is added to the model. Once melted, these will form a tunnel from the outside of the investment to every nook and cranny of the model.
>
> The sprued model is placed in a flask that is then filled with investment and dried. This flask can then be transferred to a kiln to bake the investment and melt the PLA model and sprues, leaving us with a perfect imprint of the design.
>
> From there, molten metal is poured into the opening of the investment mold. You can ensure that the molten metal completely fills the mold using either gravity and faith, a vacuum system that will suck the flowing metal quickly into the mold, or a centrifuge that uses centripetal force to pull metal where it needs to go.
>
> After a bit of cooling, the filled flask is dunked in water to dissolve the investment and release the metal part. Now all that’s left to do is post-processing to give your design the shine it deserves.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I added some points to explain what I'm trying to customize. Does this affect your answer? For example, option number 2 doesn't seem possible, because it's specifically that tip that I'm trying to customize. Are options 1 or 3 doable for producing large amounts of slightly different models? If it's too expensive or involves too much work, then it wouldn't be better than what's already being done - hand-cutting zirconia.  

---

