Noodler's Pens Leaky Feeds And Nibs

[PenPeople1936]

I have the same problem. I think I and you should try something take the ink out. Then flush with water. Next open the barrel and inspect. I defectiveness or you feel something is wrong, See if it fixable. Then re-try, fill with with ink and try writing tests.

- P.P.1936 (PenPeople1936)

[qed]

I'm having this same problem, with multiple Konrads (I have three) and flex piston fillers (I have five).

 

I don't carry them, they are just lying on their side in my office. I don't even have to use them to come back and find that the pen has thrown up its entire fill of ink into the cap. I filled a Konrad, wrote a little with it, capped it, and came back three days later. I opened it and ink poured out everywhere. I hadn't even been handling it, so I don't think it could be the temperature of my hand.

 

I've had this same thing happen with the flex pens too- repeatedly. I only use the demonstrators so I can see if the ink has pooled in the cap before I use it. It happens with many different colors and brands of ink.

 

I've assembled and disassembled over and over. I've tried every nib feed configuration I can think of. I've put new silicon on the pistons to make sure the seal is intact. I'm not even sure why I'm still trying to use them. I liked the flex nibs at first, but they have become a nuisance. A messy, ink wasting nuisance.

 

I might have this problem with the one Ahab I have, but I couldn't use it because it was like trying to write calligraphy with a Crayola Magic Marker.

 

I'm open to any suggestions for salvaging these pens -

[JGSalty]

Received my first Konrad a week ago. Writes smooth. No leaks. I've tried several different types of ink with no leaks or problems.

 

As soon as I received the pen, I rinsed it with water and a little soap, threw in some ink and still going (leak-less).

 

I'm so impressed I'm going to get a Flex Creeper. Cheap and good (IMHO). Perfect for me.

[Atramental]

I have just received (yesterday) a Noodler's Ebonite piston filler and was eager to try it out. I inked it up and wrote nonsense to test its performance. The nib was finer and stiffer than I expected but I was, at first, quite satisfied with how it wrote. I tested for flexibility by applying gentle pressure and could only detect modest line variation; that is until the pen blurped a couple of large pools of ink on the paper.

I couldn't understand why, at first. I was not pressing hard at all and could detect no shift of the nib and feed. I continued writing but then it happened again.

I removed the nib assembly and on inspection could find nothing amiss. I reassembled the pen and tested it again, with the same result.

After examining the pen I have come to the following conclusion; the nib and feed do not provide a seal in the section, and ink leaks and pools in the annulus until it becomes too much and drools out. I can see no easy remedy for this because no matter how the pair are set together or how far this assembly is inserted into the section, the situation will remain unaltered.

I bought the pen after watching and listening to Nathan's postings and have a great admiration for his attitude, skill, charm and intelligence. However, this problem is not resolved by a minor tweak or two in order to get the pen to perform according to my personal preferences, which would have been fine. The pen is not usable out of the box and this is not acceptable, in my view. The pen cost 35 pounds sterling and I do expect a minimum of fitness for purpose for this price. From now on I shall enjoy using Nathan's inks purchased with the piece but the pen will be binned and I shall not be a returning customer.

[NewPenMan]

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.

 

I have to give this a bump. I agree. I am still learning the finer points of tinkering with Ahabs, thanks to several helpful posters here. I think I am zeroing in on getting things the way I like them. Nathan seems like a real-deal, salt-of-the-earth guy who is trying (and mostly succeeds) to deliver a very affordable flex pen with a lot of versatility. The fail areas for me are all about the dribbling.

 

This is a big area, but as I learn to heat set and properly seat the nib/feed, correct use of silicone grease around critical threads, I think I'll end up with a dribble-free and otherwise superior writing and drawing instrument.

 

npm

[KBeezie]

I have to give this a bump.

it was 3+ years old.

[Penman21]

Ok, so I'm pretty new to this fountain pen business concept. But have been very interested by it. They write great, when you get the right ink. But that's besides the point. I just received my first Noodler's pen and Heart of Darkness ink. It is an eye dropper pen, and I have been experiencing a drip leak. I found that if I store the pen in a way where the ink is as far away from the nib as possible, and open it that way, and slowly reintroduce the ink that I don't seem to have that problem. I do believe that it is a gas, and pressure related issue. Let me know what you all think.

[Lelouch]

Regarding the Ahab, please unscrew the filler knob and take a look at the base of those threads for any sign of cracking. One of mine broke there, and I got American eel blue all over the inner barrel, my suit pants (came off quickly from dabbing with a damp paper towel relentlessly), and the papers on my desk. Not to mention in the cap. I then tried to glue it to repair it, but seem to have lost the filler rod somewhere between work and home 😅

[ac12]

I have the Nib Creeper and Konrad, and both drooled, constantly. This is was with Pelikan ink, the driest ink that I know of, short of going to dip pen ink. After spending HOURS fiddling with the pens, trying different things that I read about, I finally gave up, and shelved the pens, as being unusable. Pitty, I gave his pens 2 tries (2 pens), and both failed. I am not about to drop more $$ on another probable failure. As far as I am concerned 2 strikes and it's OUT.

[JoanOfSnark]

I have one Nib Creaper and two Ahabs. All worked perfectly out of the box but one Ahab began to develop the pooling issue while writing. This happened after I put it through a number of ink changes over the course of a few days. I finally tried the hot water trick to adjust the nib/feed fit, and that has resolved the problem over the past several months. I imagine you tried this, but it took two or three shots for it to work on mine.

Edited May 10, 2016 by JoanOfSnark

[pollandakuma]

Regarding the Ahab, please unscrew the filler knob and take a look at the base of those threads for any sign of cracking. One of mine broke there, and I got American eel blue all over the inner barrel, my suit pants (came off quickly from dabbing with a damp paper towel relentlessly), and the papers on my desk. Not to mention in the cap. I then tried to glue it to repair it, but seem to have lost the filler rod somewhere between work and home 😅

Love your username Is your Geass the ability to control fountain pens?

[Lelouch]

Love your username Is your Geass the ability to control fountain pens?

I didn't think anyone would get the reference, I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves that anime! XD

 

Umm, perhaps. Think of it as perhaps more of diagnostic use. With my Swans, Noodlers, and really any of my pens I usually figure out what's wrong and do my best to correct it. And perhaps a budding calligraphy enthusiast. And definitely a lover of Indian fountain pens. If you'd like to converse more, PM me

[MRose]

I have 2 Noodler's Charlie pens for a couple of weeks now and all I've read is mixed feeling about these pens, as far as my understanding the Charlie pen was design for the Heart of Darkness Ink cause this ink tends to flow more rapidly than Noodler's Black, so because these inks are all different they will behave different, keep that in mind when you will pair a pen with an ink. How ever I've order also Baystate Blue and came with a Charlie Pen as well, no problems.

 

I do some art and sketching with this pens and also work related, I've been carrying them with me in my Art bag and also on my shirt, I haven't had any problems so far. I do take precautions though, first when I've received them I did some research before I own them and you are suppose to calibrate them right out of the box, after that filled them with ink and start testing. I do test them every morning to prevent any accidents since I carry them with me, I also make sure that when they are not in use they stay in a vertical position with the cap facing up like in a jar, pen holder, pocket or something that makes them stay in that vertical position making sure the ink sits on the barrel and is not flowing to the nib.

 

Also the skipping is an issue according to other folks, well I found out that if you live the pen with out the cap on for a long period pf time, the ink will dry and will also cause these event.

 

I've read that people would not dare carry the pen at all for fear of a big mess, but my experience has been good by taking those precautions and of course free mess.

 

Being said that, there is a Noodler's Ahab on its way...I'm so ready for it. Hope my information helps a little....

Edited February 10, 2017 by MRose

[mmg122]

I currently have two Ahabs and one Konrad. As per my usual procedure I flushed all three thoroughly when first received. They all have been used with a wide variety of ink without a problem. I like the way one of my Ahabs writes so much that it has become an EDC. No ink in caps either. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

[Ed333]

I was about to start a thread asking for advice, and Voila!...this Hot Topic! I recently took delivery (from Goulet) of a Noodler's Neponset Ebonite Flex Fountain Pen - Red Rebellion, which I filled with Diamine Red Dragon. I immediately wound up with red stained fingers. I have carried the pen to a meeting and used it there, where I immediately stained some paper napkins so copiously that expressions of concern arose from others at the table (they thought it was blood...), I have left it on the desk top, and gotten ink stains from the section, including the threads, and I just finished composing a valentine card for my wife, with many hand drawn hearts (Red Dragon is really good for this), and am looking at my ink stained fingers as I type this. Every time I open it, there is ink on the section and /or threads, not always immediately apparent (the Red Rebellion swirly color scheme obscures the visuals), but then I see it on my fingers. I have sealed it tightly when not in use, I have exerted some insertion pressure on nib and piston filler, doesn't seem to make a difference, this thing just leaks ink. Having read through the above thread, I despair of receiving effective advice, but will ask anyway. I suspect that I will be contacting Goulets about a return. Have never had this happen, and I have literally dozens of pens. Also, the flex, can't prove it by me, nib is quite hard, but I didn't buy it for flex. Truth to tell I bought it after seeing the photo of the swirly red ebonite...but come to find out, the only ebonite is in the feed, the body is not ebonite, and once you hold it and see it, that is readily apparent. I would not have complained if it did not leak all over,, but I did not reckon on this when I ordered...I buy pens to write with , not to mess about with, or repair...

But I will be very happy if someone can give me some good directions on a fix, one that is not above my paygrade.

I am not a pen repairman, nor do I play one on TV.

[BlueJ]

People have posted about heat-setting the feed so it makes closer contact with the nib, and about setting the feed deeper into the section, so I won't repeat those instructions.

 

One problem some of these pens have is that the section is just drilled too wide for the feed and nib. This allows air to enter too freely and reduce the pressure differential that controls ink flow, hence the pen drools. Nathan from Noodler's has made some video where he shows how to wrap Teflon plumber's tape around the back of the nib and feed, not covering the hole in the end of the feed but making the nib and feed effectively wider and creating a better seal. It should also be possible to build up the inside of the section with silicone rubber seal maker or superglue to reduce the diameter of the opening (but let it harden before resetting the nib and feed, since the aim is NOT to glue these permanently in place!)

 

I believe the body and cap of the Red Rebellion really are ebonite. Why do you think yours is not? Can you post a picture?

[Quantumchaos]

I actually just had a Noodlers pen explode on my desk this week.....Not fun...

[inkstainedruth]

I actually just had a Noodlers pen explode on my desk this week.....Not fun...

 

Yikes!

I haven't had the issues a lot of people here have had (although the Konrads and FPCs I have do have a tendency to burp ink into the cap-- particularly with changes of air pressure; and some of the Charlies seem to occasionally blurp or drool, even when relatively full).

I did discover a few minutes ago that the finial on the cap for for the Hudson's Bay Fathom Konrad seems to be loose -- and when I tightened it, the finial seemed to slip on the threading and continue to spin even after I had tightened it....

If this pen is destined for the graveyard, I may harvest the nib and feed and put them in the Poseidon Pearl Konrad (I borked the nib somewhat, trying to get it out for thorough cleaning a while back, and rather than try to mess around with realigning the tines I figured it was just easier in the long run to get a replacement nib.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[danrodcard]

This week bought a Konrad and it is burping ink. For me the feed is too lose. But anyway there are a lot of option for this price. :-(

[Ed333]

...<snip>...

 

I believe the body and cap of the Red Rebellion really are ebonite. Why do you think yours is not? Can you post a picture?

My mistake, I misremembered what I had read on the info/instruction sheet, which was talking about the clear acrylic demonstrator.

I contacted Goulet, and mine is going back to them in tomorrows mail. No problem, they emailed me a prepaid priority mail pre-addressed pdf. They explained that people buying Noodlers expect to do some fiddling, consistent with advice already given in this thread. I had not known that, and would not have purchased if I had.