Pilot Custom 742 #10 FA nib

[Samovar]

Did you try a different ink? This sound beyond my skills at pen fixing.

[Lloyd]

Since I can't edit my earlier post any longer, I want to correct one thing: Mike's cost was $56.10 (including the return shipping insurance) as opposed to my previously stated $65.

[watch_art]

Since I can't edit my earlier post any longer, I want to correct one thing: Mike's cost was $56.10 (including the return shipping insurance) as opposed to my previously stated $65.

 

either way it's a bangin good price, but to be able to do it myself, learn and get the experience, is worth more to me than having my pen wrote exactly how i want. i'm a do-it-your-selfer to a fault.

 

but i will practice on my lamy first, just to get a little experience under my belt. but this is something i'm pretty much set on. going to take baby steps so i don't over flow it, i do still want nice fine lines. and several inks later, the flow issue is still an issue.

 

i really didn't think it would bother me, but as i get used to the pen, i just want it to be better. funny huh?

[watch_art]

Since I can't edit my earlier post any longer, I want to correct one thing: Mike's cost was $56.10 (including the return shipping insurance) as opposed to my previously stated $65.

 

either way it's a bangin good price, but to be able to do it myself, learn and get the experience, is worth more to me than sending it off and then just having my pen write exactly how i want. i'm a do-it-your-selfer to a fault. i want to be the one who makes it perfect for me.

 

but i will practice on my lamy first, just to get a little experience under my belt. but this is something i'm pretty much set on. going to take baby steps so i don't over flow it, i do still want nice fine lines. and several inks later, the flow issue is still an issue.

 

i really didn't think it would bother me, but as i get used to the pen, i just want it to be better. funny huh?

[Lloyd]

The thing is, I don't think Mike cut the channels wider/deeper. I think he reset the feed to the nib somehow (and maybe performed a magical incantation, too). If you email him about what he did to my 743, he might give you advise.

[watch_art]

The thing is, I don't think Mike cut the channels wider/deeper. I think he reset the feed to the nib somehow (and maybe performed a magical incantation, too). If you email him about what he did to my 743, he might give you advise.

 

actually, due to the design of the nib, unless he cut bits of it off, which i kind of doubt he did, he couldn't have reset the nib to the feed. it has little wings that hold it into one specific place on the feed. really clever actually.

 

here:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4539699676_b0bdfd4c21_o.jpg

 

if you look at the back side of the nib, it looks like it gets narrower, and the sides fold down to form little wings or walls that hold onto the feed. now look at the feed, kind of at the bottom left part, where there likes like there's a groove or a detent in the feed where the ribs are. that's where the nib grabs hold of the feed. this keeps everything lined up very nicely when you go to stick it all back together.

really clever.

 

more shots for the curious:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4539699838_dd797bc321_o.jpg

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4539699480_8350aaf28b_o.jpg

 

all i did was make two gentle passes at the ink channel and it has absolutely made the world of difference. if i rest the pen and drag it, it makes the same tiny fine line as before. i never write with such light pressure, but i have a pretty light touch.

 

VERY HAPPY.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4539095685_8a943fb03a_o.jpg

Edited April 21, 2010 by watch_art

[watch_art]

The thing is, I don't think Mike cut the channels wider/deeper. I think he reset the feed to the nib somehow (and maybe performed a magical incantation, too). If you email him about what he did to my 743, he might give you advise.

 

hey there, i just learned a little bit more about resetting. and nevermind what i said up there earlier. i'm still learning and really don't know that much, but i'm amazed at how easy it all seems to be once taught how.

 

i guess that's how it goes with anything...

[farseer911]

so after nearly a week of writing and drawing, the skipping, dry starts, and railroading is starting to get annoying...

here's what i've found. and i found something almost exactly like this about the lamy safari here a while back.

 

thought others would find this helpful.

 

 

 

I had a similar problem with my 742 and a few on my 74's I changed the converter, to a con 20 and the flow was right on....

[Bo Bo Olson]

Had I only read this last year at this time....I'd had the money, that I spent in hope on cheap pens, of a miracle of a semi flexible nib.

 

Live and learn, but why does it almost always end up costing so much for the hand on tutoring.

[watch_art]

and about that Con 20 on the Pilot custom 742. IT DOESN'T FIT. it's too small. there's no chance in hell of it fitting. i bought the derned thing from jet pens and now i have a converter i can't even use!

 

stinker. should have researched more.

[Samovar]

And the next Pilot pen will be...? Life give you a Con-20, Japan offers you the M90 to fit your Con-20!

and about that Con 20 on the Pilot custom 742. IT DOESN'T FIT. it's too small. there's no chance in hell of it fitting. i bought the derned thing from jet pens and now i have a converter i can't even use!

 

stinker. should have researched more.

[watch_art]

And the next Pilot pen will be...? Life give you a Con-20, Japan offers you the M90 to fit your Con-20!

 

HA AHAA HHA HA HA HAAAA!!!!

:roflmho:

 

you know, down the road i just might do that!

[watch_art]

so here it is after cutting the feed and filling it with the only ink i have that will work with it. noodlers purple.

 

i have some pilot black on the way. that should do even better.

 

Edited May 1, 2010 by watch_art

[JBat]

Great review and pics. Congrats on the pen!

[cjjohnst]

I've never done anything to my 742 and it writes beautifully and speedily with all sorts of ink.Go figure.

[Pen_Samurai]

Great Review!

Thanks for sharing!

[cbaytan]

Unfortunately my newly acquired 742 is going back on wednesday, I asked the ebay seller for return address, my pen turned out being too skippy, it skipped with dishwasher detergent added ink (Noodler's Ottoman Rose) even with Noodler's Blue Eel. It's even completely stopped with Noodler's red-black. I couldn't take the feed out and play nor brush it in the 14 days return period.

 

It was skipping like more than half of line on the page, then starts again after one line writing, it starts skipping again and goes on and on. Yes I flushed the converter and feed with 10-16 drop of dishwasher detergent in a glass of water and rinsed it off completely first. When I flex it it was stopping immediately. If the pen was mine I would brush the feed with 10% ammonia first and then maybe taking the breather tube out.

 

The nib was too scratchy too, but I take that was a correctable problem.

 

Damn!

Edited October 28, 2013 by cbaytan

[watch_art]

Aw that stinks. Yeah - I don't really miss mine.

The new Pilot Justus is very nice though.