Gillott 303 Ink Flow Problems

[dathie]

Hiya! I'm new here but have followed the form for a while! (I recently built a small collection of dipping pens and fountain pen stuff, so this place is always super useful)

I recently ordered a gillott 303, as I'm trying to find a good nib for calligraphy that suits how I write. I really like how it writes...when it writes

ink doesnt like to flow from my gillott 303 nib that I have to hand:

ink just wont flow down to the very tip of the nib, its like that last 2-3 mm of the nib is a shear repellant to ink.

 

what I have tried:

- removing the coating

- brushing the ink to the tip (shock, it repells back up the nib..)

- using both thick and thin inks

- sanding the tip a bit so ink may be convinced to flow down where its abrasive

- cleaning between uses

 

but it still doesnt work. I heard theres a quality control issue with gillott 303's, is this one of them?

[Bluey]

How have you removed the coating? The 303 is a temperamental nib, very sharp and quite difficult to use sometimes.

 

What I do is a use an old toothbrush and toothpaste and scrub the nib for a bit. Take care not to touch the tip with your hands because our hands are a source of oils which can interfere with flow.

[ENewton]

I don't have that particular nib, but while in most cases I have found undiluted dish soap sufficient to remove the coating, I have one nib (Spenserian Subway Stub) on which I needed to use rubbing alcohol.

[dathie]

I don't have that particular nib, but while in most cases I have found undiluted dish soap sufficient to remove the coating, I have one nib (Spenserian Subway Stub) on which I needed to use rubbing alcohol.

 

 

How have you removed the coating? The 303 is a temperamental nib, very sharp and quite difficult to use sometimes.

 

What I do is a use an old toothbrush and toothpaste and scrub the nib for a bit. Take care not to touch the tip with your hands because our hands are a source of oils which can interfere with flow.

 

 

hey!! I've tried both, but no improvement in ink flow. Ive tried the eh rather gross "saliva" technique to remove the coating and not touch the nib, and yeah nothing works

 

it wont start no matter how soft or hard you pressure the nib

[Ergative]

There have indeed been quality control issues with the 303s. I'd recommend spending the $0.80 to get another (or spend $5.00 and get a handful) and seeing how they work. Also, don't try sanding them down--they shouldn't need that much intervention to work. Honestly, spit on a paper towel and rub the nib in it, and that should do it.

[dathie]

There have indeed been quality control issues with the 303s. I'd recommend spending the $0.80 to get another (or spend $5.00 and get a handful) and seeing how they work. Also, don't try sanding them down--they shouldn't need that much intervention to work. Honestly, spit on a paper towel and rub the nib in it, and that should do it.

yh I may look into getting a new one, the one I have just isnt doing anything

 

I was longing at alternatives, is Brause 66EF and Leonardt EF Principal Nib good? I heard they are well reputed

[Bo Bo Olson]

Hunt 99-100-101 are my most flexible nibs....I don't have the 303...but those Hunts are very, very flexible.

I have other dip pen nibs that I'd rate in the middle .... easier to flex than a Wet Noodle....like a Soennecken.....and the Hunt's I say....flex in the cup, when there is a Earthquake in California.

[Bluey]

yh I may look into getting a new one, the one I have just isnt doing anything

 

I was longing at alternatives, is Brause 66EF and Leonardt EF Principal Nib good? I heard they are well reputed

I actually had an easier time with the 303 than the Brause 66EF. I tried 2 of them and couldn't get either to write. At all! I wish I knew but it was really the only problematic nib I tried.

The best nib I ever tried was Brause 361 blue pumpkin, but it's not so fine as a 303

[Ergative]

The Leonardt EF Principal is excellent--it handles much more easily than the 303, and catches less on upstrokes.

[dathie]

Hunt 99-100-101 are my most flexible nibs....I don't have the 303...but those Hunts are very, very flexible.

I have other dip pen nibs that I'd rate in the middle .... easier to flex than a Wet Noodle....like a Soennecken.....and the Hunt's I say....flex in the cup, when there is a Earthquake in California.

 

 

I actually had an easier time with the 303 than the Brause 66EF. I tried 2 of them and couldn't get either to write. At all! I wish I knew but it was really the only problematic nib I tried.

The best nib I ever tried was Brause 361 blue pumpkin, but it's not so fine as a 303

 

 

The Leonardt EF Principal is excellent--it handles much more easily than the 303, and catches less on upstrokes.

 

 

thanks all to the replies!!

I ordered the brause and the leonardt, they were cheap so Im not losing a fortune if they turn out to be unsuitable.

 

the hunts were up there as a consideration! the 101 wasnt in stock where I was buying it, which was the one i was more interested in of the two, so til another day on that! I need to be a little careful on how flexible the nib is, as im still learning to be softer on the pressure, so I may accidently splay the tines if its too soft!

 

brause have a thing about not starting easily, as I have the rose, but I can manage that sort of struggling to flow, so I think I *might* be fine.

 

thank you all for your help, I'll be sure to let you all know how I get on with the new nibs when they arrive. hopefully I can find that ideal writing nib! (I have a small collection of nibs now, though 1/3rd of them are for art purposes, like marus and spoon nibs)

[jeremiah.l.burns]

There have indeed been quality control issues with the 303s. I'd recommend spending the $0.80 to get another (or spend $5.00 and get a handful) and seeing how they work. Also, don't try sanding them down--they shouldn't need that much intervention to work. Honestly, spit on a paper towel and rub the nib in it, and that should do it.

Sorry to re-hash a month-old thread. But I was just looking through John Neal today for an oblique holder (I have the speedball but want something better as I can't get the tip of my 303 aligned with the long-axis of the stem).

 

While I was there, I thought I'd order a few 303s. I have 4 or 5 but I figured a few more couldn't hurt. Plus, of the starter nibs I own, I've enjoyed the 303 the most. But I saw John Neal's notice about the manufacturing problems.

 

Do you happen to know anything further? I'm now tempted to start playing with my 404s again, or even order a few Leonardt Principals. They're more expensive than the 303s, but if they're more reliable, I might as well make the swith sooner rather than later, when I'm far too used to the 303.