I'm new to the forum, so this topic may already have been dealt with - forgive me if this is the case. I bought a new Carene in December 2007, and like it very much. However, I have one problem, and I'd like to know from other users whether or not this is a fault. Sometimes the pens skips, usually on a downstroke or cross stroke, and mostly on 90gm paper which has a fairly smooth finish. The Carene seems to have a VERY smooth nib, so this may be normal, but I've never had this problem before with other pens. I'd really appreciate help in deciding whether I should go to the trouble of sending it back to Waterman, or whether its normal, and I just have to live with it!

Thanks!

If you do a search on this forum you will find that it's common practice to flush the pen with water (and maybe a little drop of dishwashing detergent) a few times. You could also try another ink and/or another paper. If you write a few pages after that and the problem persists, there may be something wrong with the nib. In that case it would be necessary to send it back for repair.

Regards
Hans-Peter

Carenes are normally wet pens and will write on virtually anything, which is why they are my workhorses. Some inks will cause them to behave like drier pens - Noodler's Apache Sunset springs to mind.

You also didn't say what nib size you have. If an F, the "sweet spot" i.e. the writing business end of the nib, is smaller than a M or B. Are you perhaps twisting or allowing the pen nib to roll out of position on the paper? I ask this because a pen newbie in another thread was inadvertantly rolling the nib as if it were a ballpoint. Much harder to see if you're doing this with an inlaid nib than with a regular as it's immediately obvious if the regular nib has taken on an angle to the paper that isn't permitting the sweet spot to remain flat on the paper.

If neither of these are occurring and you've rinsed the pen well, it sounds like it may need a service.

Edited for spelling errors

Ghost, I am thinking of allowing myself to be seduced by a black Carene with GT with medium nib. I tried it and found that nail of nib a beautiful intoduction to smooth uncompromising ink performance. Having been addicted to Carenes as ballpoints, do you think I would find the FP enough to forsake all BPs forever?! :hmm1

You'll love it! Give in.

Thanks for the advice - I've sent it back