Can A Nib-Feed Gap Be On Purpose?

[marlinspike]

I bought a new Pelikan M1000. There is a fairly large gap between the nib and the feed until you get to the last little bit of the feed (if you drew a straight line down from where they start to touch, you would end up about 40% of the way back from the very front of the slanted part of the feed, so maybe the last 5% of the feed's overall length or so). It writes perfectly well, and, I think as a result of this design, it has a very interesting extremely springy feel. None of my non-1000 Pelikans are like this, and I've never seen a pen like this. Is this an intentional design decision to get springiness or an accidental pleasure?

[Randal6393]

You should address this with Pelikan headquarters. Their design may be unique. However, I think it is unlikely and the pen didn't get caught by Quality Control. However, if you are happy with the pen's performance ... don't fix what ain't broken.

[Ron Z]

No. That is a defective nib unit.

 

The feed must be tight against the nib to have proper transfer of ink to the nib. I assume that you find it writing fine after just filling the pen. But with the gap between nib and feed it really won't work properly, especially after being carried nib up. Weird, inconsistent flow problems clear up when a feed with a gap like that is reset against the nib.

[marlinspike]

Interesting. I've been using it all day without problem. I may see how this plays out long term before I fix it because I like how it writes very much. It's not a slight gap either, you almost can't help but see it if you pick up the pen.

Edited March 8, 2018 by marlinspike

[Lloyd]

It sounds like someone tried to test how flexible the M1000 nib is(n't).

Edited March 8, 2018 by Lloyd

[Freddy]

Interesting. I've been using it all day without problem. I may see how this plays out long term before I fix it because I like how it writes very much. It's not a slight gap either, you almost can't help but see it if you pick up the pen.

Would help if you put up a photograph..

then diagnosis would be possible.

 

Fred

 

All pens flex..once.

[marlinspike]

It sounds like someone tried to test how flexible the M1000 nib is(n't).

I don't think so. It looked uninked and wouldn't then the nib be furthest from the feed nearest the tip of the feed?

[marlinspike]

Would help if you put up a photograph..

then diagnosis would be possible.

 

Fred

 

All pens flex..once.

 

 

 

 

 

This was as good as I could do. I blame it on the fact that I'm recovering from the flu.

Edited March 9, 2018 by marlinspike

[Frank66]

Ink flow hydraulics may be different for certain quality pens and their nibs, so what may seem unusual for regular fountain pens may work perfectly well for some upscale Pelicans or Montblancs... Also bear in mind that this snappy flexible nib seems slightly bent forward towards the feed at its proximal third, at least that is how it shows in the photoes above, I take it they are not too much distorted. So I do not think this Pelikan 1000 is a factory lemon, not at all, I wish I had such a nice pen. Just my uneducated mediocre opinion...

[Chrissy]

No. That is a defective nib unit.

 

The feed must be tight against the nib to have proper transfer of ink to the nib. I assume that you find it writing fine after just filling the pen. But with the gap between nib and feed it really won't work properly, especially after being carried nib up. Weird, inconsistent flow problems clear up when a feed with a gap like that is reset against the nib.

 

+1 for this. Pelikan don't supply nibs that aren't tight against feeds "on purpose."

 

On the other hand, I don't see the gap very well in your pictures. Maybe you're saying it's not right at the front. They both need to be together all of the way along the nib for proper flow.

[marlinspike]

 

+1 for this. Pelikan don't supply nibs that aren't tight against feeds "on purpose."

 

On the other hand, I don't see the gap very well in your pictures. Maybe you're saying it's not right at the front. They both need to be together all of the way along the nib for proper flow.

 

 

Here, I circled the gap in two of the pictures

 

 

[Bo Bo Olson]

It looks defective. Never seen that before here on the com. Return the nib section.

 

A 1000's nib is semi-flex so you get ease of tine spread and tine bend....don't push the nib 3 X vs a light down stroke is The Max....in it's 18K gold and will bend and stay bent. It is not as robust as the vintage '50-65 era 14 K semi-flex.

So do write with a light hand....and don't try to do extra fancy stuff with it....it's semi-flex, and adds it's own old fashioned fountain pen flair with out doing anything at all.

If you have studied a Calligraphy book, an occasional decender could be used, but it's not a nib for fancy writing.

 

Do read Richard Binders article on metal fatigue in his blog.....a 100% need to read.....I call it how to spring your nib.

 

I have some 20 + then....now 27 semi-flex and 16 maxi-semi-flex vintage nibs.

 

Some folks called the 1000 a springy nib, others a semi-flex....the one I tested in my B&M was semi-flex...........so that is why your nib don't act like your other Pelikans.

Semi-flex '50-65.(some maxi's scattered at a perhaps 1-5 to semi-flex.)

 

All are Regular flex '82-97....400's and 200's and 800's. 381 and Celebry pens too. No 1000's. The old W.Germany nibs with a tad more spring than the '90-97 Germany pens.

 

"98 to now......200's still regular flex (still normal width which is 2 1/2 a width narrower than the now fatter 400/600 semi-nail, 800 nail. 1000 is semi-flex.

Edited March 9, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[Markall]

I think its a design feature. My Pelikan m1000 has the same gap. I can see it only when I have not used it for a while. When I write with the pen I cant see it anymore. The pen writes perfectly well.

[Olya]

Several pen (brands) make such gaps. In some you only notice them when you look closely against good light.

There's a vintage Montblanc model, forgot the actual model n°, but the gap between nib & feed is unbelievable!

Have you inked it?

Anyway, such a gap is indeed made on purpose by several makers.

 

PS It's the MB 24 I think... Here's a pic

http://www.hepworthdixon.com/shopimages/products/extras/MBV.24_7890.jpg

Edited March 11, 2018 by Olya

[Markall]

So true! I own a MB Meisterstuck #12. Looks the same. Writes like a dream.

[Markall]

This feed touches also only in the end closest to the nib.

[Olya]

This feed touches also only in the end closest to the nib. Montblanc #12.jpg

That's a great picture!

 

I can't say whether this is normal for this particular Pelikan model (the m1000), but on a whole this is indeed how some makers make their feed..

[marlinspike]

I have inked it and it works very nicely, feeling different from any other pens I have used including flex nibs. Very interesting to see there are places where it is done on purpose. Any ideas on the theory behind it? My theory is the lack of support is what gives it the springy feel.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Pelikan does know how to make a semi-flex nib from the '50-65*** era and I doubt if a gap in the middle of the feed would be of much help to making it semi-flex. ....because you would have to really horse a nib to get any action from a gap that far from the tip.IMO

 

 

And they made 18K semi-flex for sale to the French market where to be gold it has to be 18K/750.

Edited March 13, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[Markall]

When I push the M nib of my Pelikan M1000 to maximum flex, the nib is free from the feed over a considerable part. Well past the breather hole. Still the ink flows freely and I can draw a thick wet line over the full length of an A4 page. It is a great nib.