My New Safari Is Skipping...help

[HoosierGeek]

I've had my dark lilac Safari (fine nib) for a week. When it came in, I excitedly flushed the pen with some water and a bulb syringe, but in my excitement forgot to also flush the Z-24 converter. I filled it with Diamine Bilberry and was immediately impressed with how smoothly it wrote.

 

However, it did skip about every third or fourth word, on either a downstroke or the upper curve of a letter like a or e. I assumed it was because I had not cleaned it thoroughly and just put up with it until I had emptied the pen. Since I didn't give it a full fill it didn't take too long.

 

I completely disassembled the pen, even pulling out the nib and feed, and soaked the section, feed, nib and converter in soapy water for a while. Then, I rinsed and reassembled the section, nib and feed, verifying that the nib was correctly aligned. I ran soapy water into the converter, shook it, and emptied it several times. Did the same with clean water, probably a half dozen times. Put the converter back on the pen and ran water in and out of the whole thing a few times. Assuming any issues were resolved, I refilled the pen.

 

And the thing still skips, just as before. I now think the issue is surface tension in the converter - when I look there will an air bubble, and the ink doesn't slosh around in there. My only other idea is to finish off this fill and then pop in the blue cartridge that came with the pen to see if that resolves the problem.

 

Any ideas? Beyond surface tension or an issue with the ink, I'm at a loss. I'm a beginner to fountain pens, so maybe I'm missing something obvious. I really like the pen, but the skipping makes it very unpleasant to write with. I have considered it is how I am holding it, but even when I am carefully and slowly writing, maintaining the proper angle, I have the same skipping issue.

Edited July 27, 2016 by HoosierGeek

[Ergative]

If it skips on one stroke and then starts up again, that doesn't sound like surface tension. Surface tension would starve the feed of ink and it would just run dry until you shook some more ink down from the converter into the feed.

 

I don't know what it is, however. I'm sure other people can help better than me.

[HoosierGeek]

Thanks for letting me know that - so I wonder what the problem is? It did better when I stored it nib down overnight, but did drip a bit into the cap. Ugh. So frustrating.

 

Maybe it is how I'm holding the pen on certain strokes - I am new at this.

[PaganArcher]

I'd be willing to bet that you're subconsciously rotating the pen on this particular strokes. The Lamy fine nibs have a small sweet spot in my experience, and even the slightest rotation will cause a skip.

 

I've also found the converters to have an issue with surface tension as well, so keep an eye on that from time to time. Especially if your pen goes unused for a bit.

[HoosierGeek]

I will keep it in mind - I actually hope it is something I'm doing wrong rather than an issue with my brand new pen.

[duna]

If it is surface tension, try to just dip the nib and feed in ink and then to start writing like an old dip pen; it should write without any skipping, until there is no more ink left in the feed. If it skips this way, I'd consider moot the surface tension issue.

If it writes OK, use a Lamy cartridge (new, recent, sealed) until spent, if again no problem, try to fill the spent cartridge with a syringe; if it skips, it's the ink. If it skips with the new cartridge but not with the dip pen test, it's somewhere in between, section or feed. Just my 2 cents; never had this issue with my various Lamy pens so I'm writing out of experience with other brands.

[HoosierGeek]

If it is surface tension, try to just dip the nib and feed in ink and then to start writing like an old dip pen; it should write without any skipping, until there is no more ink left in the feed. If it skips this way, I'd consider moot the surface tension issue.

If it writes OK, use a Lamy cartridge (new, recent, sealed) until spent, if again no problem, try to fill the spent cartridge with a syringe; if it skips, it's the ink. If it skips with the new cartridge but not with the dip pen test, it's somewhere in between, section or feed. Just my 2 cents; never had this issue with my various Lamy pens so I'm writing out of experience with other brands.

Great idea - I was going to try the cartridge that came with it next, but I hadn't thought of refilling it with the Diamine ink I'm currently using to test the ink.

[tinta]

To the OP: what nib are you using?

Your skipping may be a nib or feed problem.

[FOUR X FOUR]

Try adjusting the tines to make sure they're even. Just up or down on one side or the other. You won't hurt it but do be gentle.

[HoosierGeek]

To the OP: what nib are you using?

Your skipping may be a nib or feed problem.

It's the fine nib. And I've inspected it very carefully, it seems to be lined up correctly.

 

I'm really starting to think I was causing the problem inadvertently by the angle I was holding the pen. It hasn't skipped at all this afternoon, and I've written 3-4 pages.

[duna]

Diamine inks are in my experience (Syrah, Sargasso Sea, Dark brown, Sepia, Imperial purple, Sapphire blue and Pearl black) often highly saturated (that's why I love them) and a handful to flow thru my pens (not to mention cleaning them), so if you have a somewhat 'dry' pen or nib , with Diamine skipping is almost a given in dry flow condition. My F Lamys tend to be a little on the dry side, inks lasts a lot but I'd like a little more ink to flow, but that's me. With Aurora or Pilot inks (just to name a couple brands I use regularly in my 149 Montblanc and my Pelikans) no skipping, same pens.

[HoosierGeek]

Diamine inks are in my experience (Syrah, Sargasso Sea, Dark brown, Sepia, Imperial purple, Sapphire blue and Pearl black) often highly saturated (that's why I love them) and a handful to flow thru my pens (not to mention cleaning them), so if you have a somewhat 'dry' pen or nib , with Diamine skipping is almost a given in dry flow condition. My F Lamys tend to be a little on the dry side, inks lasts a lot but I'd like a little more ink to flow, but that's me. With Aurora or Pilot inks (just to name a couple brands I use regularly in my 149 Montblanc and my Pelikans) no skipping, same pens.

I hope it's not the ink because I really like the color. But I'll try the cartridge and see how it works with regular old Lamy Blue.

[prashant.tikekar]

Tines are aligned but is there proper gap between tines? Make sure tines are not tightly closed.

[HoosierGeek]

How would I know if they are too tight? How would I adjust them - putting pressure on them, using shims?

[Laura N]

Since you are a beginner with pens, and the nib looks good to you visually, I really wouldn't advise that you jump in by trying to adjust it. That is something that is better done with a little experience and a loupe.

 

I think the problem is more likely to be caused either by the ink not being a good match for the Safari or by the pen not always being at the best angle to the paper. So I think you are doing exactly the right things by paying attention to how you orient the nib to the paper, and by trying the Lamy ink cartridge. It sometimes takes a little time when you are new to adjust to not rotating the nib like we can do with rollerballs or pencils. But it should become second nature before you know it.

[prashant.tikekar]

How would I know if they are too tight? How would I adjust them - putting pressure on them, using shims?

Inspect the dry nib holding against light. There should be very narrow gap between tines at the tip end. Adjusting gap using pressure is not recommended as it may damage the nib. You can use brass shims. But I would suggest exchange of pen / nib if you don't find slight gap in tines at tip.

[HoosierGeek]

Inspect the dry nib holding against light. There should be very narrow gap between tines at the tip end. Adjusting gap using pressure is not recommended as it may damage the nib. You can use brass shims. But I would suggest exchange of pen / nib if you don't find slight gap in tines at tip.

I did that when cleaning - and when I held it to the light i could see a slight gap. I'm going to take it a step at a time, switching to a cartridge and then perhaps refilling the cartridge with Diamine Bilberry.

 

It's annoying that I'm having this issue, but on the plus side I'm learning!

 

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, everyone. I do appreciate it.

Edited July 28, 2016 by HoosierGeek

[ssataline]

Folks, I'm having the same problem with a new Safari in Dark Lilac with a Lamy italic nib, the only Safari in which I've experienced this problem. (I own about seven of them.) I've cleaned the pen (although I cannot pull out the feed; it's really in there), rinsed the converter, and the pen will write a few letters, maybe a sentence, and then cold stop. It will not restart without my pushing ink into the nib by hand. When I do prime the nib, the ink pools at the neck and doesn't flow down into the nib. I'm trying to post a video, but I can't take more than one thing not working right now! I have been using some Noodler inks (AirMail, today Purple Martin). Any suggestions?

 

I just saw this from an earlier post and will try:

If it is surface tension, try to just dip the nib and feed in ink and then to start writing like an old dip pen; it should write without any skipping, until there is no more ink left in the feed. If it skips this way, I'd consider moot the surface tension issue.

If it writes OK, use a Lamy cartridge (new, recent, sealed) until spent, if again no problem, try to fill the spent cartridge with a syringe; if it skips, it's the ink. If it skips with the new cartridge but not with the dip pen test, it's somewhere in between, section or feed.

Edited July 29, 2016 by ssata

[ac12]

HG,

 

In my limited experience:

The Lamy converter with the RED knob (Z24) does have a problem with surface tension.

The Lamy converter with the black knob (Z26) does not.

 

There is no simple fix to the surface tension problem in the Z24. I tried to put a stainless steel ball into my Z24, like my other convertrs...but. When the ball fall forward, it SEALS the front of the converter, so no ink (or air) gets out...not good. The ideal solution is a stainless steel coiled spring or short tube, that will NOT seal the front of the converter when it falls forward. But have not been able to find such.

 

The only solution that I know of, is to look through the ink window, and if you see light, the ink is stuck in the back. Then tap the pen, to shake the ink and break the surface tension. Yes this is a hassle to do. But at least you can see the ink situation through the ink window. There are pens without an ink window where you can't tell if you have a situation where the ink is stuck in the back of the converter/cartridge.

 

As for your skipping.

Watch how you hold your pen, and your hand as you write.

If you roll your hand as you write, you WILL roll off the sweet spot of the nib and get less ink flow then NO ink flow.

When you write with a fountain pen, you have to hold the pen such that the tip of the nib is level on the paper.

Simple way to check is to

- Hold the pen like you are writing.

- Then carefully without moving your hand, move your head to look down the length of the pen.

- You should be able to see if you are holding the pen level, or rotated.

 

Some pens, like the Parker 51, are difficult to hold level. This is because the hood covers most of the nib, thus removing the visual clue to your eye of where the nib is. On pens with larger exposed nibs, it is easier to see the nib and thus get a visual clue on the level of the pen.

 

Then as you write, SLIDE your hand to the right, do NOT roll your hand.

Edited July 29, 2016 by ac12

[ac12]

ssata

 

The nib on your Safari may be writing too dry for that ink.

You will need to adjust the nib to increase the ink flow.

- VERY CAREFULLY, lift the tines, or press the pen down to lift the tines.

- Do this just a LITTLE BIT at a time.

- The write a sentence.

- Then repeat the process, until you get the desired flow.

 

If you lift the tines too much, you will get too much flow, or if you lift the tines way too much, you will get NO flow.

So do this a LITTLE BIT at a time.

And don't be impatient, this kind of adjustment takes a lot of patience and time to do.

Edited July 29, 2016 by ac12