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Leaking Ahab!


TSherbs

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No matter how far in I seat the feed, I can't get my Ahab to stop draining ink into the cap after a few hours, and this happens whether I am holding it or not (the issue is not heat-related). I have been very careful to clean and align the nib and feed properly in the section, and the feed does have a breather hole and does come with a breather tube which I have been using.

 

Any advice on how to get this pen to stop draining? Thank you!

 

ps: my two Konrads have never had this problem, but this is my first Ahab.

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Is the pen full of ink or just partially filled. I've had some eyedroppers leak once the ink level gets too low.

Change is not mandatory, Survival is not required.

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Is the pen full of ink or just partially filled. I've had some eyedroppers leak once the ink level gets too low.

level has varied and has not made a difference.

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http://imageshack.us/a/img13/955/7vp4.jpg

 

(Noodler´s Ahab EMF ..... Rohrer & Klingner Salix)

Edited by Pterodactylus
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http://imageshack.us/a/img13/955/7vp4.jpg

 

(Noodler´s Ahab EMF ..... Rohrer & Klingner Salix)

Thank you! And lovely handwriting.

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You could try removing the breather tube.

Two of you suggested this, but, unfortunately, this does not end the problem (cap is full again).

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No matter how far in I seat the feed, I can't get my Ahab to stop draining ink into the cap after a few hours...

I thought that the further in the feed was pushed the more you increase the flow (the wetter the feed gets). So to decrease the flow you need to set the feed out more...

 

Elizabeth

questions questions, too many questions...

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I thought that the further in the feed was pushed the more you increase the flow (the wetter the feed gets). So to decrease the flow you need to set the feed out more...

 

Elizabeth

yes? it also increases the tightness of the fit in the section and decreases the amount of contact between the nib and feed...

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aah, so it's less likely to leak around the feed, but isn't it more likely to leak through feed? Or is that a relatively minor risk in comparison?

Please excuse the newbie questions. I've had an Ahab for ~three weeks and am still figuring it out....

 

Cheers,

Elizabeth

questions questions, too many questions...

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aah, so it's less likely to leak around the feed, but isn't it more likely to leak through feed? Or is that a relatively minor risk in comparison?

Please excuse the newbie questions. I've had an Ahab for ~three weeks and am still figuring it out....

 

Cheers,

Elizabeth

I dunno the exact location of the primary leak...it is not that fast....

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I think you mentioned it, but just in case, the Ahab has a slot for the nib. Be sure it goes in there. The Konrad does not have the special slot. And be sure both nib and feed go in nice and deep and tight. You should not see the end of the nib slit, it should be inside the section. I left the nib of my Konrad too far out and the ink just dribbled out.

 

Dunno about the wetness. Some say less nib-feed contact, I thought it was more. Whatever...

 

Check that the seals are tight. Do you have an oring and silicone grease on the piston threads?

 

You'd probably want to use plain water to play around rather than waste more ink.

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I think you mentioned it, but just in case, the Ahab has a slot for the nib. Be sure it goes in there. The Konrad does not have the special slot. And be sure both nib and feed go in nice and deep and tight. You should not see the end of the nib slit, it should be inside the section. I left the nib of my Konrad too far out and the ink just dribbled out.

 

Dunno about the wetness. Some say less nib-feed contact, I thought it was more. Whatever...

 

Check that the seals are tight. Do you have an oring and silicone grease on the piston threads?

 

You'd probably want to use plain water to play around rather than waste more ink.

thanks! Yes, I have experimented with water. Actually, I have tried heat-setting the feed and nib, and after 2 hours of testing...so far, so good! Interestingly, the nib and feed assembly is now not as far in the section (the nib slit does NOT reach the section)...but no leaking yet!

Edited by TSherbs
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CAREFUL... If that nib is too far out of the section, you run the risk of mangling the nib tines as they make contact with pen top as it is screwed in! Don't ask me how I know this but suffice it to say I've gotten pretty good at basic nib repair tasks...

 

Did I mention one cannot buy, steal or otherwise obtain replacement flex nibs from Noodlers or anywhere else for that matter?

 

Good Luck ...

Edited by Avocet

"Tis true, men are destined for short, brutal lives ... and women - long, miserable ones." :yikes:

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CAREFUL... If that nib is too far out of the section, you run the risk of mangling the nib tines as they make contact with pen top as it is screwed in! Don't ask me how I know this but suffice it to say I've gotten pretty good at basic nib repair tasks...

 

Did I mention one cannot buy, steal or otherwise obtain replacement flex nibs from Noodlers or anywhere else for that matter?

 

Good Luck ...

Thanks, Avocet. Yes, my nib just barely clears the top of the cap! And yes, the only "replacement" for this pen is to go with a nib from another pen I own or to go with another #6 nib--which is an option that Nathan Tardiff demonstrates himself in one of his videos. Requires heat setting, but that, it turns out, is easy enough even for me to do!

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CAREFUL... If that nib is too far out of the section, you run the risk of mangling the nib tines as they make contact with pen top as it is screwed in! Don't ask me how I know this but suffice it to say I've gotten pretty good at basic nib repair tasks...

 

Did I mention one cannot buy, steal or otherwise obtain replacement flex nibs from Noodlers or anywhere else for that matter?

 

Good Luck ...

 

 

fountain pen revolution sells steel flex nib for $7 that is comparable to noodlers. its a size smaller but i just poked one in my Konrad and gave it a try and it looks ok. the biggest issue is that its shorter than the noodler's flex nib. heat setting the nib is probably a good idea if you plan on using a replacement.

 

http://www.fountainpenrevolution.com/fpsupplies.html

 

what i love about it though is that you can take those old beaten up lever fillers from the 30's out of the dollar bin of a thrift store and stick in this cheap nib and you have a decent flex pen for less than $10

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