Jump to content

Noodlers Boston Safety Pen


Dave_g

Recommended Posts

Normal ink should work just fine. Carbon ink can be a little trickier (hooded nibs tend to like carbon inks better than these exposed nibs and feeds) but standard dye based inks should write like any other FP. The dipping is only really important in bonded inks with a solvent.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 345
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • eharriett

    38

  • wallylynn

    32

  • Donald2

    32

  • Honeybadgers

    32

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Maybe that was the issue. It was J. Herbin’s Authentique Lawyers Ink. It has wood tannin in it, which isn’t quite the gum media that’s in a lot of other dip pen inks, but not sure what else they put in it. Thing is, it is surprisingly thin to wash off skin and even wash out of the pen. Almost colored water, like so many of J herbin’s other inks. But this ink is a smoky gray that supposedly darkens and even blackens over a long period of time, so ther is definitely something going on there. It isn’t an iron gall, which darkens over a matter of minutes to hours. This one take a lot longer, so descriptions say.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if I missed reading this or not, but did you guys find the pen comfortable?

 

How would you rate the comfort of it or compare it to a common pen?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a very average pen. Similar in feel and weight to a noodlers konrad.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if I missed reading this or not, but did you guys find the pen comfortable?

 

How would you rate the comfort of it or compare it to a common pen?

I don't have a Konrad so I can't speak for that. But it is a bit wider than a standard and not nearly as wide as a Neponset or Ahab. Very long. Haven't put it back to back next to the Neponset, but I assume it is close or even longer. The length is counterbalanced by the very light weight, though. I hate a long pen and I don't even notice the length of this one. Width-wise, it might be just a tad wider than, say, an Esterbrook SJ. Just going by feeling, but that's the most important thing to me and it is just slightly wider than my most comfortable pen. Maybe someone with measuring tools can be more specific on that, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven't put it back to back next to the Neponset, but I assume it is close or even longer.

post-135048-0-80174300-1514922406_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha! :lticaptd:I may wind up doing the same thing. I had the Neponset for when I wanted a very, very wide line that I could put inks into which shine with that kind of line (like the shimmering inks). Line isn't quite as long as the safety, but I'll bet it deals with the ink particles a lot better. And it is more comfortable to hold then the Neponset. Oh, if I can fit a vintage music nib into one of those safeties....... There's a thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

This is kind of misleading since the pen gets much shorter in the hand with the nib extended.

 

post-135048-0-14793100-1514931772_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

huh that's funny :lol: I guess I just don't notice it since the pen just sits so well in my hand posted or not, the neponset just somehow felt longer. Maybe that's due to its width.

 

Regardless, this pen is a wonderful size for my tastes. It doesn't feel huge and as I said in my review, using it and having to retract/extend the nib just feels special. Similar to unhooking a visconti cap.

Edited by Honeybadgers

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The length might make for a difficult EDC because i carry mine in my pocket but I still want one so bad. I hope it doesn't dry out right through the plastic like the Konrad and Ahab.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The length might make for a difficult EDC because i carry mine in my pocket but I still want one so bad. I hope it doesn't dry out right through the plastic like the Konrad and Ahab.

A traditional safety pen is the most airtight pen ever made, I believe. And this one seems to return to those old designs. I would expect that ink to safely slosh around in a capped safety for months if not years. You shouldn’t see any drying out as long as it’s capped.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The length might make for a difficult EDC because i carry mine in my pocket but I still want one so bad. I hope it doesn't dry out right through the plastic like the Konrad and Ahab.

I believe the problem with those is usually the resin being used; I have had no drying problems with acrylic Noodler's pens, and the Boston is Ebonite so I'm optimistic.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A traditional safety pen is the most airtight pen ever made, I believe. And this one seems to return to those old designs. I would expect that ink to safely slosh around in a capped safety for months if not years. You shouldn’t see any drying out as long as it’s capped.

 

This has been my experience - I've had a vintage safety (my first) inked for over three months so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So jealous of all of you who have gotten one. I contacted Pen Chalet and got told that they have no idea when they're going to be able to get more in.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So jealous of all of you who have gotten one. I contacted Pen Chalet and got told that they have no idea when they're going to be able to get more in.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Ruth, I love my pen, it was a gift. One thing about it though, I had to have help to take it apart. I wanted to take the clip out, and put silicone on those cap threads too. I was afraid I'd break it, so we didn't do that one. As far as the pen, I think it is outstanding. I wouldn't mind having at least one more in the future. I love the way Nathan designed this pen. I think it is better than the vintage designs. Pay close attention to his videos, before you use it. I hope that some of that special ink comes out with the eyedropper on top of the bottle, before long. I am using regular fountain pen ink so far with mine, and it works beautifully.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I received mine yesterday. Gorgeous pen.

 

I had some trouble taking it apart. The second finial through which the shaft comes out from, was very difficult to unscrew. I had to get the section pliers out. But I managed to unscrew it eventually.

 

The nib swaps out nicely with the kaweco sport nibs. I installed my 1.5 nib on it first thing. I cannot abide the stock noodlers nib.

 

The pen sits very comfortably in the hand. I think it will be a bit too long if posted.

 

I had some flow issues originally. The ink supply sputtering out after a few lines. I completely took it apart and rinsed everything thoroughly. I applied dish soap to the feed and scrubbed it with toothbrush and that seems to have done the trick. The ink flows beautifully and generously through the buttery kaweco nib.

 

Awesome pen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pepsiplease69, yes my fittings were also extremely tight and that is why I had to have help. I was afraid I would crack the ebonite we were turning it so hard. We knew what needed to be done, but it was difficult to turn. The cap on my Neponset was the same way, and I think that the early ones weren't as tight as the later ones...and they used shellac or something to keep the top of the cap tight. Maybe someone with strong hand strength would have no issues, but I am a woman and think other women may have an issue as well. I don't have section pliers, so we had to do this by hand alone. I like the fact you can work on the pens by themselves without paying someone to do it. That is a huge plus, and the o-rings are the way to go in my opinion.

 

I had no issues with the pen as far as writing goes. I cleaned the nib and feed before I got started, and it started writing straight away once I inked the pen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...