My Second Snorkel W/ A Fine Nib This Time

[KBeezie]

I was in the market for a Snorkel with a Fine nib since the Black Admiral I currently have has a M2/Medium nib that's pretty wet.

 

So I picked up this Burgundy Snorkel listed with a Fine nib and Sac and Seals replaced for $27 shipped, but stated that the nib runs dry and is a hard starter at times.

 

Turns out it's fine, whoever used it before simply sprung the nib, which caused the nib to sit a little further away from the feed which contributed to the drying and hard-starting issues, and most people would just keep pressing to get ink flow going which would over time spring it more.

 

Plus whatever blue ink was used before really stained or clinged to the bottom of the nib, almost that shimmer you get when you burn a piece of metal over a lighter, so got that cleaned up with a good scrub, and soaked the feed to get that cleaned up good.

 

I took apart the pen to make sure everything seemed right (section wasn't even on with either shellac or silicone grease, guess felt he didn't need it, nor did the plunger seem like it was greased). Inside was nice and clean and sac looked good (just had to be sure), I put it back together again, greased it where needed and made sure to line up the feed/nib to the snorkel slit.

 

A little bit of work on the nib and it's a nice comfortable fine, wet but not too wet, and really smooth now.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/capped.jpg

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/uncapped.jpg

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/posted.jpg

 

And a close shot of the impression I took right when I got the pen:

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/close_received.jpg

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/write.jpg

Edited September 7, 2014 by KBeezie

[Anirban4u]

That's a wonderful pen...

Thanks a ton for sharing.

[Morbus Curiositas]

Love that Burgundy...

 

and the Fountain Pen off course

[georges zaslavsky]

nice little pen with great nib

[KBeezie]

nice little pen with great nib

 

Gave the nib some tweaking and adjustment because it was kind of like a fire hose, so I made sure the tippings were closed, and closed the tines a little further, then straighten it out a little, make sure it was all aligned and what not. And over a couple of days I tweaked the flow on it so that two things were optimal:

1) it starts right up the next day when I uncap it (and doesn't dry out on the first few lines)

2) It's not too dry, and not too wet and doesn't change in flow while writing

 

I'd say it's something like a Japanese Fine if not a little finer, primarily a combination between the tipping and how I adjusted the flow.

 

A write sample with Blue Steel (Same ink as the earlier write sample), but also compared to a Pilot Petit1 with a Steel Fine nib (Pilot Blue-Black), and Pelikan M250 with a 14K Medium Nib (with Blue Steel as well), on a Rhodia No.10 pad (2x2.9in , 5.2x7.5cm):

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/write_sept14.jpg

 

Also the tipping seems interesting when I got it under the macro lens, the shape seemed a tad more pronounced when I was looking at it under the 60x Loupe as if it was some aftermarket grinding down to an extra-fine so I decided to get some pictures. Shot the pictures before I did the final adjustments such as closing the tines/tipping a little, and some careful smoothing since didn't seem like there's a whole lot of tipping there.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/nib_top.jpg

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/nib_bottom.jpg

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/snorkel/admiral_burgundy/nib_front.jpg

Edited September 14, 2014 by KBeezie

[robert1962]

Getting a pen is easy. What you have done to make it yours required interaction - "getting your fingers inky", as it were. Gives one quite a bit of power in the hobby - opens up the hunting grounds!

 

Thanks for sharing and for doing so with accompanying writing samples. Wow - really strong photo work! That last nib shot is staring me down!

 

Bob