Noodler's Pens Leaky Feeds And Nibs

[ptrcao]

I've been experiencing leakage problems with my Noodler Ahabs and Flexs. At first I thought it was an isolated problem, but having used 2 Flexs and 1 Ahab, with another Ahab on the way, I'm starting to think the problem might be systemic/widespread. I have tried adjusting the nib and ebonite feed height, but no repositioning will make any difference - in fact, pushing the ebonite feed all the way up to the limit will obstruct ink flow for the Ahab clear demonstrator.

 

I already got a refund on my December 25th Flex and it would be awkward and annoying on my part to have to go back to the store and request several more refunds, as well as canceling my current order. I don't want to be a problematic customer, but the pens are problematic.

 

Flex #1 (Lapis Inferno) - somewhat bearable - I get minimal ink on my fingertips but there at least ink doesn't collect inside the cap and form droplets

Flex #2 (December 25th) - could not use this pen, it was hopeless; I was using a Fox Eternal red ink and it was bleeding from the nib, ink was leaving the ink channel, and the nib and feed were drenched all the time

Ahab #1 (Demonstrator, clear) - little to no leaking using converter, but when used in eyedropper mode, droplets spontaneously form inside the cap,ink collects in the threads - terribly messy

Ahab #2 (Demonstrator, Burmese Red) - order in progress, haven't tried yet

 

Now there are 4 possibilities:

 

1. I have not set up the pen correctly - which I doubt, but I'll be willing to humour you if you have any suggestions
   
2. The inks are incompatible with the pens (Noodler's X-Feather Black, External Fox Red)
   
3. I got unlucky with a defective batch, or isolated defects
   
4. Leakage is inherent to the design, or there is a more widespread/systematic basis for my experience
   

 

Please advise. Thanks.

 

You can see in the images below that when I press the ebonite feed against the paper, a pool is being created; also on the underside of the nib, black ink is pooling also.

Edited January 15, 2012 by ptrcao

[P.A.R.]

I didn't see this with my nib creaper flex pen, but I had the same problem with my Ahab. If your cap threads are snug enough for it to not come unscrewed in a pocket, try leaving it half a turn from all the way on. For some reason it only drops ink if the cap is on - perhaps it needs some sort of venting. This technique does it for me and I haven't seen drops in the last week.

 

Perhaps you should just use it with the piston filler if you don't need 6ml of ink. Unless you're taking a final and writing essays, but you'd still have a good amount of ink and in that situation you should have two pens anyway.

Edited January 15, 2012 by P.A.R.

[ptrcao]

I didn't see this with my nib creaper flex pen, but I had the same problem with my Ahab. If your cap threads are snug enough for it to not come unscrewed in a pocket, try leaving it half a turn from all the way on. For some reason it only drops ink if the cap is on - perhaps it needs some sort of venting. This technique does it for me and I haven't seen drops in the last week.

 

Perhaps you should just use it with the piston filler if you don't need 6ml of ink. Unless you're taking a final and writing essays, but you'd still have a good amount of ink and in that situation you should have two pens anyway.

 

I thought there might've been some pressure-related phenomenon myself, drawing out the ink when the cap was on. Interestingly, drops spontaneously form even on parts of the nib and cap interior that isn't in direct contact with ink or near the ink seal etc.

Edited January 15, 2012 by ptrcao

[ptrcao]

Can other people share their experience?

[sexauerw]

My Ahab dribbled badly, filled up the cap and oozed through the threads down onto the barrel. I didn't even have to open it to get inky fingers! And the pen had the piston converter installed and filled, it was not in eyedropper mode. When I did open it, over the sink fortunately, the cap was completely full and the ink was everywhere. Baystate Blue! It did not look good in the almond colored sink, that's for sure.

 

I managed to get everything cleaned up, including the sink. A little isopropyl alcohol made very short work of the blue stains on the porcelain sink and the tile counter. All that's left to do is to put some silicone grease on the piston and reassemble the converter. (I used the alcohol to clean the opaque blue stain from the inside of the converter barrel and it cleaned out the grease too.) Wonder of wonders, no ink on anything at all that wasn't cleanable!

 

Of course, now I'm afraid to use the pen again. And, the nib has a bad baby-bottom problem and doesn't write well anyway.

[Mr5x5]

I must be blessed. I took my Ahab apart when it came, rinsed it, and somehow got it back together. It works great! I still haven't figured out the flex part yet but the size is much better than my Parker 21 for me. YMMV.

[stuartk]

Can other people share their experience?

 

I have quite a few of the Noodler's Piston-fill pens, 2 flex pens from different batches, and 2 Ahabs from the first batch. I haven't had this problem with any of them.

 

So, I think we can eliminate a design flaw, but I don't know what might be causing this in your case. The only things that spring to mind are the nibs/feeds being loose in the section, or the pens being subjected to vibration somehow.

[lightfeather]

I have the same problem. My last try is to close the ink-feeder with wax... i hope it will work. see...

 

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8804/fotonf.jpg

 

Edit: Image resize

Edited January 17, 2012 by lightfeather

[ptrcao]

I have the same problem. My last try is to close the ink-feeder with wax... i hope it will work. see...

 

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8804/fotonf.jpg

 

Edit: Image resize

 

Please let me know how that goes!

[lightfeather]

Still leaking... :bonk:

 

Edit: I think the whole ink-feader is a sh...

Edited January 17, 2012 by lightfeather

[dweit]

I recently purchased two Ahabs. One writes ok but swings from wet to dry in the same writing session, but no leaks and overall is fun to use. The other i can't get to write at all, no matter what i try. Takes in ink ok, doesn't leak, but nadda. Taken it apart, cleaned and reassembled numerous times. My feeling is that these are just not very well made pens - poor fit and finish. May see if I can send it back for replacement (purchased from the Goulet's).

[ptrcao]

I want to say that in spite of my problems, I will continue to support this line of pens and the brand behind it, because I believe it does a respectable job of delivering something the market lacks. No one so far has had the vision and the drive to take a cheap, modern flex nib to the market.

 

I look forward though, to seeing continuing refinement of the product.

 

Please keep the responses coming, I'm still listening out for experiences and practical solutions.

Edited January 17, 2012 by ptrcao

[lightfeather]

I see no reason to support a company that brings an unmature product into the market...

[P.A.R.]

I see no reason to support a company that brings an unmature product into the market...

If they don't get enough support, they may never get the budget to implement the QC we take for granted in other brands. This brand offers very good values in nearly all of their pens and as such makes a variety of options available for those who otherwise couldn't afford it. That said, you may have to do a bit of work to make the pen perfect. You pay a little more in time and effort and less money.

 

On topic, keep trying ( and has my method helped at all?)

[ptrcao]

On topic, keep trying ( and has my method helped at all?)

 

Unfortunately it makes a very limited difference. I'd say there is some patchiness in QC, and I got unlucky, but fortunately the pen store is very good about this and offered to replace it for me. Let's just hope the replacement isn't leaky too!

 

Seems a bit of a waste of a pen though, but it is impossible to use as is... I can't risk leaking all over my clothes and things - I already lost one of my favourite shirts to this pen! It had to be Bulletproof X-feather Black too!

Edited January 18, 2012 by ptrcao

[ptrcao]

I see no reason to support a company that brings an unmature product into the market...

 

I can understand - I thought the Noodler line of flex pens was going to be the ultimate answer to my flexing needs - and for cost reasons its still a contender! But there have been two counts of disappointment - the leaking and also the firmness of the nib. Now firmness is sometimes a desired feature even for me, but is not ergonomic for flexers engaged in prolonged writing exercises - they should make a less firm variant also to address this. The constant tapping on a hard surface goes straight to the fingertips!

 

But I like the man behind the brand because I know QC issues that arise are most likely the limitations associated with a one-man show, rather than sloppiness or oversight. Parker probably deploys teams of engineers to develop their products, but that's not really that impressive given the funds they have and the prices they charge. Nathan seems fairly meticulous and is sensitive to the economy of his products. He is trying to push the limits of economy while preserving quality as much as possible - that seems like such an admirable goal.

[lightfeather]

I gave up, i using it again with the converter. i even obstructed the ink feeder with wax.. nothing helped. Let's wait and see if i find some ink in the cap tomorrow...

 

@ptrcao: i agree with you, still a little bit disappointed...

 

Edit: typos

Edited January 18, 2012 by lightfeather

[stuartk]

I gave up, i using it again with the converter. i even obstructed the ink feeder with wax.. nothing helped. Let's wait and see if i find some ink in the cap tomorrow...

 

@ptrcao: i agree with you, still a little bit disappointed...

 

Edit: typos

 

So you're using it as an eyedropper pen? They're well-known for this kind of problem. There's nothing wrong with your pen.

[P.A.R.]

I've had my Ahab dribble ink while the piston filler is installed too, though it does so considerably less than in eyedropper mode. I'm going to bring a little bit of physics into this... hopefully. I was just cleaning one of my Ahabs and thought of this: since eyedroppers seem to burp ink when there are heat changes, would filling the space of the barrel with water while the piston filler in inserted into the pen keep it from burping ink?

 

Apparently the specific heat of air is 1.006 kJ/kgC, and that of water is 4.19 kJ/kg. This means that it takes about four times as much energy (heat energy transfer) to raise the temperature of water as it does to raise the temperature of air. Insulation, anyone?

 

I'll try this out over the next couple of days and see if any improvement happens. If nothing else, it looks kinda cool and magnified with my clear Ahab.

 

- Please correct me if I'm wrong, this is coming from what I remember learning last year in my physics class. I am aware that specific heat capacities can vary based on the situation.

Edited January 19, 2012 by P.A.R.

[sexauerw]

I've had my Ahab dribble ink while the piston filler is installed too, though it does so considerably less than in eyedropper mode. I'm going to bring a little bit of physics into this... hopefully. I was just cleaning one of my Ahabs and thought of this: since eyedroppers seem to burp ink when there are heat changes, would filling the space of the barrel with water while the piston filler in inserted into the pen keep it from burping ink?

 

Apparently the specific heat of air is 1.006 kJ/kgC, and that of water is 4.19 kJ/kg. This means that it takes about four times as much energy (heat energy transfer) to raise the temperature of water as it does to raise the temperature of air. Insulation, anyone?

 

I'll try this out over the next couple of days and see if any improvement happens. If nothing else, it looks kinda cool and magnified with my clear Ahab.

 

- Please correct me if I'm wrong, this is coming from what I remember learning last year in my physics class. I am aware that specific heat capacities can vary based on the situation.

Actually, quite a bit more than 4 times. It's 4 times for the same mass, but you only have so much volume in the pen barrel. Since water is so much denser than air you will have much more mass as well as the greater specific heat. The density factor is approximately 830, so the total difference will be a factor of 3320! (830 times 4)

 

Just remember that it works both ways, it will take just as much longer to cool down as it did to heat up.