#iron gall ink

I've been using a G. G. W‑23 pointed nib for a few weeks now – love the flexibility, but I hit a weird snag. When I write light‑handed strokes (like the initial strokes of a kanji or a delicate copperplate entry) on 100 g/m² rice paper soaked in a light wash of water, the nib sometimes just skips or "flutters" instead of laying a smooth line.

• I'm using a 0.5 ml bottle of traditional iron‑gall ink (exactly the 16 % tannic acid blend from the 1870s formula).
• My grip is the standard tripod, pressure under 10 g (I even timed it with a small force gauge).
• The nib is freshly split, not broken, and I flushed it with distilled water each night.

I tried switching to a broader nib (G. G. F‑12) and the issue disappears, but I really want the crispness of the W‑23 for fine script. Same thing happens on smooth Bristol paper – just the light pressure is the trigger.

Anyone else experience this "light‑pressure skip"? Is it something about the ink’s viscosity on absorbent substrates, or maybe the nib's tines need a little more tempering? Any tips (like a quick dip in a diluted gum Arabic rinse or a slight rub‑out with a hard pencil) would be amazing. I'm kinda stuck and would love some community insight.

Thanks in advance!

Looking to build a calligraphy kit that seriously channels those ancient Mesopotamian scribes... but the modern options are all garbage, honestly. Why do so many 'professional-grade' nibs like the Speedball SA7 just feel... plasticky? I want something closer to those 1850s Reeves & Plume obliques, but my local art store only has the $2 Zebra nibs. Also, does anyone have experience with mixing iron gall ink? I tried the Edmund Sheppard version and my vellum just repelled it like... I don't even. What's the deal with binder ratios in historical formulas?? Need real recommendations from people who've actually done the replication work—not just TikTok aesthetes. Specifics on nib tapers and ink PH levels would be gold.