Ranting And Raving (Sort Of Disappointed With Pens)

[Cassotto]

Update:

 

Wrote with both the Waterman Kultur (cartridge refilled with Diamine Grape) and the Parker IM (with original Parker black cartridge) at 0:30 last night. Stored them nib downwards.

 

Tried to write again this morning at around 11:30. Both pens completely dry. It's not that it takes a few strokes till the ink comes out. They won't write at all unless I dip them in water of insert a piece of paper repeatedly between nib and feed.

 

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/324270-is-all-diamine-dry-or-just-diamine-grape/

 

This might explain the problem with the Waterman, so what I'll do when I have time (maybe not today) is put the ink back into its bottle, clean the pen carefully and try with another ink.

 

But then, what's wrong with the Parker?

 

 

 

 

https://jakerainis.com/blog/pilot-parallel-hacking-the-unofficial-parallel-owners-guide/

Section 7, scroll down to "Nib Blending"

 

I'm very glad to see Pilot Parallel pens are cheap. The only problem is that, no matter how much I like to experiment with these things, I don't have many opportunities to use these effects. But yes, that's definitely something I must try. Thanks!

[Noihvo]

[…]

 

This might explain the problem with the Waterman, so what I'll do when I have time (maybe not today) is put the ink back into its bottle, clean the pen carefully and try with another ink.

 

But then, what's wrong with the Parker?

 

[…]

 

 

[BaronWulfraed]

This might explain the problem with the Waterman, so what I'll do when I have time (maybe not today) is put the ink back into its bottle, clean the pen carefully and try with another ink.

 

Depending upon one's paranoia -- one may not want to return the ink to the bottle. The pen reservoir may be carrying contaminants (yes, using a converter and filling from a bottle could also transfer contaminants, but my view is that one is mostly sucking anything on the nib/feed /into/ the converter, not ejecting it into the bottle...).

[Cassotto]

 

Image 1

 

Image 2

 

 

 

Depending upon one's paranoia -- one may not want to return the ink to the bottle. The pen reservoir may be carrying contaminants (yes, using a converter and filling from a bottle could also transfer contaminants, but my view is that one is mostly sucking anything on the nib/feed /into/ the converter, not ejecting it into the bottle...).

 

I'm not very paranoid, but yes, you're right. Anyway, if I've reached the conclusion that this ink may be virtually useless for me, it wouldn't be so important. On the other hand, for the same reason, throwing it away wouldn't be a problem, either. Only, it's a full long cartridge, and it's a pity to throw away so much ink.

 

Noihvo has made a very interesting point. Mine cannot be a first generation IM, since, as I explained somewhere, mine went to and fro several times between a technician and me, and the last time it returned it was a different pen, which I could see as soon as I held it. Something in the design had changed (the most obvious detail, but not the only one, being that the nib was bigger). So it must be at least a second-generation IM. Anyway, I'll look for that hole and put some sticky tape there. If it works, I might try to cover it afterwards with that children glue that is white but that becomes transparent when drying, which looks more permanent.

 

But if this is the problem, I wonder why Parker didn't fix it when they redesigned the pen.

 

Thanks a lot for your inputs!

[cattar]

Like the Parker IM, the Waterman Kultur is designed with a hole under the cap's clip attachment to prevent choking. It's required for school pens in certain countries.

Noihvo's instructions for sealing the vent hole will work on the Kultur cap.

If the vent hole is not sealed, the Kultur needs a quick dip in water in the morning. Then it's good for a day of writing, as long as the ink is Waterman or another ink that's at least as wet. The Kultur has a drier feed and prefers a wetter ink.

That Kultur nib is a lovely writer. One of my favorites.


Since you're looking at new pens/inks, consider reading the reviews, then searching for the pen/ink name to see what problems are typical and whether they're easily resolved.

[Cassotto]

cattar, thanks a lot for telling me what the problem with the Kultur is. Noihvo's suggestion has worked wonders for the Parker IM. I haven't checked for how long I can leave it unused, but it works in the morning if I used it the previous evening, and again in the evening. I'll try to use a smaller, less conspicuous piece of sticky tape now I've seen it works.

 

And I'll try the same with the Kultur. Now that you've mentioned it, I can see the small hole below the clip.

 

I usually read reviews before I buy anything, but even if a pen is a present, I'll try to read about it before using any ink with it.

 

Thanks!

[Cassotto]

I've emptied the cartridge in the Kultur, thrown the Diamine Grape which was inside away, replaced it with Waterman Audacious Red, which looks a very liquid ink, put sticky tape below the clip, and I'll let you know what happens as soon as I'm able. So far the pen is writing in pale pink. Clearly some water was left inside the feed, even though I left it drying for almost 24 hours (I don't know how to disassemble it, so I wash it as well as possible without doing so). Once it's started writing in normal red, I'll wait for some hours and see whether it's gone dry. The Parker IM is behaving nicely, at least!

 

I don't know whether I'm happy or very sad. I had been discussing pens with an uncle who uses them (he only has one at a time, always writes in blue and doesn't know much about pens because he's never had a single problem with them), and telling him how I'm getting to hate c/c pens. He's the sort of uncle who is single and who loves spending money on nephews and nieces (and he's got a lot!). Not lots of money, just little somethings to show affection.

 

And guess what? Today he's arrived with a new pen for me. The pen looks lovely, and it's a piston filler... But it's a TWSBI Diamond 580 AL with a 1.1 nib. The first thing I did after my uncle left was run and look it up on FPN... Only to find that it's a pen with dryness problems.

 

I'm so downhearted that I cannot make up my mind to ink it and be disappointed again. I'll end up doing so, of course, but reading about flow issues with this pen has been devastating. I'm going to bed now. Maybe tomorrow I'll ink it... Or maybe I'll ask my uncle to return it. I don't know. How can a present get this sour without even trying it?

Edited September 6, 2019 by Cassotto

[Cassotto]

Good news: the Parker IM and the Waterman Kultur have been fixed with bits of sticky tape. They're great pens now!

 

More good news: I've also fixed the CON-B converter. As I said before, I couldn't twist the sac back into the right place between the metal squeezers. I very soon saw that insisting wasn't any good, so what I decided is try every time for just one or two minutes and give up before getting exasperated, because that could only lead to my tearing the sac. So, little by little, after ten days, I don't know how, but the sack sort of snapped to a different place, and from there, taking it back to the proper place was easy. I've checked that water doesn't leak, so it seems to be in good working condition.

 

I'm so happy I think I'll ink the new TWSBI I mentioned in my last post with some ink, and hope for the best. Just for once, I'm feeling optimistic where fountain pens are concerned!

 

:) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Edited September 10, 2019 by Cassotto

[Sailor Kenshin]

 

Pilot carts have a huge opening. I can fill them using any kind of eyedropper or pipette, and I much prefer them to the converters because I can actually see the ink.

 

Oh, and Cassotto: TWSBIs can write very well with the proper ink. I love the 1.1 nib! But don't recall whether Quink BB is a dry ink. Help, anyone?

Edited September 10, 2019 by Sailor Kenshin

[Cassotto]

Oh, and Cassotto: TWSBIs can write very well with the proper ink.

 

 

This is what I'm afraid of. I've had so many failures that I wonder whether there's some ink which is good for this pen in my drawer.

 

On the contrary, now that I'm a bit happier, I think I could buy some samples of a colour that matches the pen... I looks like a great pen, and I'm looking forward to trying a 1.1 stub for the first time. But I'd like the first ink to work well.