I'm About To Throw My M1005 Out A Window!

[leksluthah]

I'm not sure if this should be in the Repair Q & A section or what. I figured I'd post here, since maybe some other brand loyalists have encountered my issue on the same model pen.

 

Here goes: I have a gorgeous M1005 demonstrator with an EF nib that I bought used several years ago. It's just so large that I never used it much, and it has sat unused in storage. It felt like a crayon or Sharpie to me when I got it, and it was scratchy, so I put it away thinking I'd resell later or something.

 

As my pen stash has grown over the years, I find my collection is full of M800s, MB 146s, and a couple 149s, and so I pulled out this M1005 recently thinking I would give it another go. After inspecting it, I see why it doesn't write well: The tines will NOT stay aligned. It has a decent amount of flex to it, as I think some M1000s do. BUT, I think the problem is that the nib doesn't want to sit on the feed like it should. It does not "hug" the feed like my M800s do. I unseated the nib and it looked fine under a 30x loupe--completely aligned. Reseated, it's back to the old antics. I feel like someone before me has done something to this poor guy. But there is no sign of a repair or a bend in the nib at all. My common sense says just to send it to a nibmeister--that will happen soon. But, I am curious--has anyone else with an EF M1000 encountered anything like this? I'm a lefty, so maybe the problem is the user trying to push an EF nib that is flexible? Dunno.

 

Thanks.

[sirgilbert357]

Stick around...I'm sure someone will be along shortly to offer you some advice. In the meantime, if you throw it out a window, would you mind telling me which one? I'll be along shortly to give it a new home...and I'm right handed, so I could test your theory of it being a "lefty" issue...lol.

[Russ]

The pens you describe (M800's, 146's, and 149's) have fairly firm nibs. I have an M1000 which began with an XF nib; it was far too fine such a soft-touch nib: the tines just floated and flexed so much that writing was more of a scratchy chore than a joy. I exchanged it for a B and fell in love. You may enjoy the pen more with an F or M nib. If you can't find flaws in nib or feed at this point, it may just be that the narrowness is too much for a pen with this much flow and spring.

[Russ]

I would definitely be outside that window.

[leksluthah]

Haha. I figured that it might be too fine a point on such a big 18kt nib. That's my fear--what if the nib is actually NOT wonky for someone else? I am going to seek a nibmeister's advice, I think. And if it comes down to chucking it out the window, maybe I can line up some folks to catch it who want to trade for another pen or nib. I don't want to get rid of this one. But if I swapped for another nib, I bet I could only find two-tone ones. It would not look as good.

[Joe in Seattle]

My 1000 EF is also a bit more than toothy. As you're describing.

[Erik Dalton]

Here's are my thoughts for what its worth.

 

1. First and best I think would be to take the pen to a pen show and let one of the Nibmeister tune it up to suit your taste. Its the best of both worlds. You're there, the nib's there and so is the nibmeister.

 

2. Send it off to a nibmeister that you trust and have it tuned and cut down to a lefty nib.

 

3. Buy a new nib for it. There are many out there.

 

4. Put the pen up for sale, and move on.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Semi-flex is not for all left handers, in you push when we right handers pull.

 

Sell it.

[Ron Z]

We like to think that a nib will be perfect when it comes out of the factory, but it isn't always the case, especially with extra fine nibs. They take more work to get right and my understanding is, are usually done by hand. But sometimes things don't go right, and they need to be sent back.

 

I'll say it again - this is why warranties exist. Rather than put up with it, or put it in a drawer, or send it off to someone, send it back to the service center while it is under warranty. Not to always seems to strike me as rather silly. But since the pen is most likely out of warranty, sending it to a qualified nib tech or pen mechanic makes sense. You'll never recover the full value of the pen, so spending the money to have someone tweak the nib for you is most logical. If you can do it at a pen show, all the better because they can watch how you write and accommodate your style.

[Charles Rice]

Is your arm strong enough to toss to Wisconsin?

[Sasha Royale]

Stick around...I'm sure someone will be along shortly to offer you some advice. In the meantime, if you throw it out a window, would you mind telling me which one? I'll be along shortly to give it a new home...and I'm right handed, so I could test your theory of it being a "lefty" issue...lol.

Stay back, Texas ! I have been outside his window since midnight -- eleven hours. Looks like rain coming. I saw a snake. Everybody get away from this window. I have pepper spray !

Seriously, though, have you considered a different nib ? So many people get EF, EEF, and EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEF nibs, then are surprised that the needle-sharp point does not "glide" over the texture of the paper. (Why is it that my "iced coffee" is never hot enough ?) Certainly, only a connoisseur would invest in these wonderful instruments. The "sweet spot" on an EEEEEEEEF nib is very small, even fleeting.

[leksluthah]

Maybe I should disclaim a bit: I have a collection full of EFs--lots of lefties start with fine nibs to minimize the smear factor. And I have a Pilot 743 with an FA nib that's fantastic, so I'm not a foreigner to flex nibs. This pen is just--weird. Sasha is correct--EF sweet spots can be difficult, but I love it when I find one.

 

I am hoping to sneak off to Dallas for this weekend's show and I am definitely taking this thing with me. Thanks for all the advice. I'll let you know if I get a resolution to my dilemma. Or if someone in TX gets bonked on the head with it outside my hotel window.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I am always amazed at this community for being so helpful.

[sirgilbert357]

Stay back, Texas ! I have been outside his window since midnight -- eleven hours. Looks like rain coming. I saw a snake. Everybody get away from this window. I have pepper spray !

Seriously, though, have you considered a different nib ? So many people get EF, EEF, and EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEF nibs, then are surprised that the needle-sharp point does not "glide" over the texture of the paper. (Why is it that my "iced coffee" is never hot enough ?) Certainly, only a connoisseur would invest in these wonderful instruments. The "sweet spot" on an EEEEEEEEF nib is very small, even fleeting.

 

LOL.Pepper spray??? Is that for the snakes??!!

 

Agreed on the superfine nibs. I'm not a fan. I love my juicy medium Pelikan nibs...

[welcmhm]

My suggestion would be to see, or send the pen, to a nibmeister. I had a problem with a nib on my Visconti Homo Sapiens Crystal Swirl and noted nibmeister Mike Masuyama diagnosed the issue as being a problem with the nib sitting on the feed improperly. He was able to address the problem and make sure that the tines of the nib are aligned with the nib properly seated on the feed. It took a decent bit of time to do and he mentioned that it can cause both alignment problems and flow problems. It seemed to be a fair bit of trial and error, so I couldn't advise on how it was done (nor would I advise doing so on a very expensive and hard to find pen/nib), but, again, I'd recommend contacting a nibmeister to adjust it.

 

That being said, if you're done with the pen completely, drop me a line as I might be in the market for a second if the price is right.

[DrCodfish]

SO? Did you make it to the Tx show? if not I would suggest trying to smooth it yourself using he fine mylar trick. I lean more to broad, stub and CI nibs, and I have found it is almost impossible to do much smoothing on my own with this stuff because those nibs are so darn big. Like trying to sand down the hull of an aircraft carrier with a hand held sander.

 

But with a fine nib (of which I have very few) it might be possible to get to where you want to be. And if not it seems you would have to work very hard at it to really screw up the nib with a sheet of fine mylar.

 

Can be had from Goulet.

[leksluthah]

I did make it, and I had Linda Kennedy look at it. She advised a nib replacement. She warned that sometimes with M1000 nibs it was difficult to keep them in tune because of the amount of total gold (or lack thereof) being used in the manufacture of modern M1000s. There's a difference between flexy and bendy...and that was my suspicion all along.

 

So, I hunted around at the show and got Tom Baley (thepenman.net) to sell me an older nib that he had in stock--an O3B! IT'S AMAZING! I know it's the complete polar opposite from that EF, but I have EFs in my other Pelikans. This pen with this new nib is going to run me out of paper. It's laying down such a huge line! My terrible penmanship looks a bit better with the shading.

 

I'm not giving up on my original nib. I am keeping it and will probably ask other folks about it in the future. But until then, I am getting new use out of the pen with the new nib.

 

And I'm broke after Dallas--It was my first pen show.

[GranTorino25]

I also have just got my hands on an M1005. The nib sure is an interesting one- when i got it, it was writing like it had babies bottom, but the times are just strange. They were a little angled away from each other at the top of the tines but aligned at the bottom. I tried to get then closer together (as you would with a splayed nib)and that seemed to fix it, but now the tines don't stay aligned. I'll fiddle with them, have them perfectly aligned and writing beautiful, then I'll put it away and when I use it next they need another fiddle!! A little annoying, but worth it for such a great pen:D

Edited September 16, 2017 by GranTorino25

[Ghost Plane]

I did make it, and I had Linda Kennedy look at it. She advised a nib replacement. She warned that sometimes with M1000 nibs it was difficult to keep them in tune because of the amount of total gold (or lack thereof) being used in the manufacture of modern M1000s. There's a difference between flexy and bendy...and that was my suspicion all along.

 

So, I hunted around at the show and got Tom Baley (thepenman.net) to sell me an older nib that he had in stock--an O3B! IT'S AMAZING! I know it's the complete polar opposite from that EF, but I have EFs in my other Pelikans. This pen with this new nib is going to run me out of paper. It's laying down such a huge line! My terrible penmanship looks a bit better with the shading.

 

I'm not giving up on my original nib. I am keeping it and will probably ask other folks about it in the future. But until then, I am getting new use out of the pen with the new nib.

 

And I'm broke after Dallas--It was my first pen show.

Welcome to the Broad side! Isn't the ink amazing with these big nibs? Artistry you never knew you had.

[sargetalon]

I agree with Ron with one caveat. Sending it back sometimes results in getting back a nib with the same problems or worse. I like a nibmeister only because not only does the nib get fixed but I can also have a bit of character added to the writing experience.

[Erik Dalton]

I did make it, and I had Linda Kennedy look at it. She advised a nib replacement. She warned that sometimes with M1000 nibs it was difficult to keep them in tune because of the amount of total gold (or lack thereof) being used in the manufacture of modern M1000s. There's a difference between flexy and bendy...and that was my suspicion all along.

 

So, I hunted around at the show and got Tom Baley (thepenman.net) to sell me an older nib that he had in stock--an O3B! IT'S AMAZING! I know it's the complete polar opposite from that EF, but I have EFs in my other Pelikans. This pen with this new nib is going to run me out of paper. It's laying down such a huge line! My terrible penmanship looks a bit better with the shading.

 

I'm not giving up on my original nib. I am keeping it and will probably ask other folks about it in the future. But until then, I am getting new use out of the pen with the new nib.

 

And I'm broke after Dallas--It was my first pen show.

So glad Linda was able to diagnose your nib problem, and you ended up with a new nib from another booth. Sounds like a win, win. Congrats.