first, let me mention that kevin has outstanding service, and has offered to exchange the pen should flow continue to be a problem.

i understand these feeds are fresh cut and need time to flow properly. does anyone have an idea of how long i should expect the nib to soak in order to flow. so far, i have tried 2 different inks, both flow great in other pens, but write only a word before drying out.

filler knob has been extended, nib has been screwed out, feed channels have been checked for blockage---did anyone else have these flow issues with the densho?

by the way it is a beautifully crafted pen. i adore the matte finish, and cannot imagine why some people would ruin it by polishing the ebonite!

if i should send the nib unit back to kevin, i might ask for a broad flex, as the fine flex is a tad too fine for my tastes.

The reason why I polished my Densho was because it got a nasty scratch on the barrel and part of the cap. SO with that said, I decided to buff out the area where it had the scratch. Before I knew it, the pen buffed up to a mirror shine in no time. It got the scratch (gouge) out but in its place it was now shiny. So, either I could leave it that way with 2 tone finish or I make it uniform. So I was able to use some minor abrasive paste (simichrome) and work out the rough finish. Then I used some polishing wax and before I knew it, the pen looks like it has a thick layer of lacquer similar to what Urushi looks like.

I hate to say it but I like the way it looks polished then I do rough. Its all personal preference and I recieved nothing but compliments on it. Now, soon I would like to buy the Mikado size without the clip. I will leave the rough finish on that one. One that is shined up and one that is rough. One of each!!! Would I call polishing up this pen ruined? Absoutly NOT!!! The Pen now looks almost identical to the finish of the DaniTrio Ban-ei maybe more shiny. Its all personal preference my friend!!

Ok, as for getting your pen to flow correctly, I happened to use Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue. Then I open the shut off valve about 2 1/2 turns and I laid the pen on a gentle downward slope with the nib pointed downward only a few degrees. I left it that way for about 5 minutes. Then I started to write, slowly the ink was being fed to the nib. It seems that the ebonite feed needs to "absorb" the ink a bit. Absorb is a bad word, attract would be a better word. I had to work with it for a few minutes. It still was slow and skipping so I put it at a decline angle again. I repeated the process a few times and before I knew it, the pen was writing very nice. I adjusted the flow by closing the shut off valve and then opening it up but only using a full turn.

Now it seems that your feed is being starved. How many turns are doing on the shutoff valve? For me, I use about 1 1/2 turns for me to get the flow that I like. You might want to turn it 2 to 3 times and then place the pen at a decline to to use gravity to force the ink to the feed.

Maybe opening the Shut off valve 1 turn and then gently shake the pen in a downward motion with the nib pointing downward (make sure the cap is on). Try this to accelerate the ink to the feed. Like I said, it took me about 25 to 30 minutes of trying to get the pen to flow. For it to flow perfectly, it took about 1 full day of using it before the pen was primed. You might not have the shutoff valve fully open to allow the ink through. That is some of my solutions, I hope that works for you.

Here is the link to my pen review site and I explained the filling proceedure that Danitrio provided on thier site.
Densho Review

Let me know if that works for you, I really hope it does because when the pen is finally primed, it writes flawlessly. This is one of my all time favorite pens to use!!!

OH, BTW I wanted to thank you in regards to the page you created in reference to repairing the Stipula 22!!! I had problems from day one with that Stipula. I sent it back to the factory via Luxury Brands. It must have took them almost 6 months to get this pen back to me. Well, when it did arrive, it wrote just as bad as it did when i sent it to the factory. I was completely frustrated with this darn pen!!! I found your website and I did what you recommended about boring out the inner seal. That seemed to help a bit but I was still having problems with the feed starving. I didnt have any spare Esterbrook ebonite feeds but I found out something really cool.

I am Civil Service on an Air Force Base and about 2 years ago, we recieved a bunch of Skillcraft fountain pens from the Base service store. Well, the feed in this pen fits the Stipula 22 EXACTLY!! Fits like a glove!! I also found out that the feed was ebonite too!!! So I loaded the pen up with ink and the pen wrote so much better bu not perfect. So I increase the size of the feed channels, washed the feed out with water and then put it back in the pen.

Now this pen has become a wonderful juicy writer that has no more problems with the feed starving!!! Without your page, I probobly would have played darts with this pen at the local Pub!!! Thanks a bunch!!!

TNS


BTW I forgot to tell ya that the Nib on my Densho is the Flexi Medium. I have this same nib on my Danitrio Alphaplus. Thanks Southpaw, I love that pen!!!

Hi Viv,

Please send the pen back to me. No need to continue fuss with the pen I guess after 65 pens, it just had to be yours not working properly. Sorry about that.

Kev

I just got my raw ebonite densho this morning. It was a bit stubborn to flow as well. When I filled it, I did not soak the nib. I only filled using the eyedropper as I had to rush off to work. Once at work, I started by trying to get it to flow onto a napkin after opening the stopper about 1/16th of an inch. I let it tilt downward for a while and even shook it some. One thing I found was that there was ink at the vent hole. When I turned the nib over and wiped it on the napkin, it would draw ink. But, it would not write when just the tip of the nib was pressed. The way I fixed this was to use the folded corner of a napkin. I pressed the corner onto the vent hole to draw some ink and then, without lifting the napkin, pulled it down the slit to the end. This seemed to prime the capillary action of the slit. I could then draw lines on the napkin, further priming the flow. I then tightened the stopper down to within 1/2 a turn from closed and was able to write on paper. It has been fine after that.

With eyedropper, with the first fill, I usually also dip the nib fully in ink, just to start things. Always works.

One the first fill of my Mikado it seemed to write great then stop. So I dipped the nib in ink and opened the valve wider than I had initially done, between 1/8 & 1/4". And it has worked great so far.

I heard someone pronounce that there is no need to 'soak' an ebonite feed but it seems that there's alot of evidence that soaking helps.


Kurt H

I have noticed is that when I write very fast sometimes I loose the ink flow, but this is solved by increasing the gap on the top valve. So this is not a problem but there is a need to optmize the position of the shut-off valve.

My only "problem" I do get ink from the blind cap occationally - so I am doing something wrong there. But I will figure it out.


AZ

BTW it is funny that you want a broader flex nib and I would like to have a finer one (I have the F )

Antonios, I have had the exact same experience and have found that I can use the shut-off valve effectively to regulate ink flow based upon type of ink and type of hand that I am using. For copperplate I need the valve open significantly more than when I am simply taking notes!

It looks like there might be some silicone grease on the threads of both the section and valve of my pen, maybe refreshing that might stop your ink problem.


Kurt H

When my pen arrived, I first thoroughly flushed the feed with a syringe and soapy water. I then rinsed out the barrel with the same soapy water. After, I filled the pen with Noodler's black and gave the nib a 10 second nib in the ink. It has written perfectly.

-Bryan

OK folks, thanks for all your great suggestions, and thanks again kevin for the offer, it's simply not in my nature to give up when all that's perhaps needed is some trivial priming.

i used several eyedroppers worth of basic H, a soapy solution, to wash the oils from the feed. then i began writing gentle loops. in an entire load it only stopped a half dozen times. each time it stopped, i inverted the pen and back, and flow resumed.

shutoff opened 1/8 of an inch works for me. i keep it in the open state with downward incline.

another thing that happens is that ink collects in the section lip below the feed. at times i have had this residual ink end up on my fingers. my hunch is that this is the ink that wants to come out the feed area, but is unable to because perhaps the feed is improperly cut, so it ends up piling up in the section lip. invert the pen, and this residual ink disappears back into the barrel.

so while i am able to get it to write several sentences at a time, i can always 'feel' starvation coming on...i'll try a little longer, and if things do not improve, winedoc will see it come back to him, maybe just the nib unit.