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New Pen Issue...


artaughey

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I throw this out to the professionals. After hours of research online, it all went out the window when I went to a local stationary store. The lady in the store was very nice and helpful! I thought I was going to purchase a Waterman Charleston as my first pen but decided on an Acme Crossroads which had the fountain pen conversion kit. I had never written with a fountain so I figured it would be a good start.

 

I went to fill it with the Monte Blanc ink and following instructions on filling, kept getting bubbles when twisting the reservior device. I ended up pulling out the reservior and sticking it in the ink to fill it.

 

I rinsed the nib to clean the ink off. I blotted it on paper towel to clean off the water and such.

 

When I write, the ink was a little light so figured there was still some water in the nib. I blotted more and now seems to be normal dark. (using blue ink)

 

The ink flow does not seem consistent when I write. I don't know if it is a function of the pen or my writing style. A former police officer, I normally write in all caps out of habit. At the end of each letter, I am getting too much ink absorbtion... is that the pen or quality of the paper.

 

I think I have a couple issues (or that is what my wife tells me anyway! :)

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

Art

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Your problem with filling the pen sounds as though the converter (the ink reservoir thingy) might not have been properly seated on the nib unit. I've never used one of those Acme pens (though I've admired them often enough), but with some pens , it can need quite a push to get the converter seated -- not a whole-arm push, but more pressure with the fingers than you might expect.

 

I guess your problem with writing is that, at the end of each letter, the ink tends to spread out into the paper, so the line is no longer precise, or even there's a blob? This is called feathering, and it's mostly a fault with the paper. A lot of modern paper isn't really suitable for fountain pens, mostly the cheaper stuff, but Moleskine notebooks notoriously, with some inks and for some users, are inclined to feather. You could check it out on one of the trial writing pads they have in any place that sells stationery, and they should be glad to see you, since it's a chance to sell you nice paper.

 

It is possible that the ink flow is a little uneven -- with new pens, there can be a brief period in which manufacturing gunk gets washed out. Try writing with a steady speed and pressure -- actually, doodling would be easier to keep constant -- and see if the ink flow really is inconsistent. If it is, there are remedies, the first of which is to try filling the pen with a very dilute solution of washing-up liquid, then emptying the pen, drying on a paper towel, and refilling with ink.

 

Good luck

 

Michael

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Hi Art,

 

Michael gave some very good advice, I just like to explain what we understand under a diluted solution of washing-up liquid: that is 1 or 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, preferably of the unscented variety, added to a glass of water, stirred, not shaken :D.

 

Fill your pen with it, and expel the liquid into the sink, or another container, glass or otherwise. Repeat this a few times. This should clean out all the manufacturing gunk, including any residual oils.

 

You can clean it out by writing a few fills of ink, but that tends to be awkward, because the pen will keep skipping and starting badly for those first few fills. This is generally not considered a pleasant experience, hence the rinse and flush with soapy water. :D

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

the Mad Dutchman
laugh a little, love a little, live a lot; laugh a lot, love a lot, live forever

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