Faber Castell Loom - Parker Quink Ink Runs Dry

[nate127]

I just started getting into fountain pens. I tried a few (Pilot Prera and a WingSung 618) before I found a pen that both writes relatively smoothly and works well with my higher writing angle. I bought a blue-black Parker Quink for the Loom pen and it's having some issues that I can't figure out. It'll run pretty heavy after I fill the pen and after about a page of notes, it gets lighter and lighter as well as an increase in feedback until the ink stops flowing. There's ink in the converter (faber castell converter) but it still stops writing. My solution so far is to lower the piston a bit until I see ink return in-between the tines but that's far from a permanent solution. Using the ink cartridge that came with the pen I had no issues, I just didn't like the ink that came with it. I did a full warm-water flush when I got the pen as well as a flush between refills. Is there something about Faber Castel's ink that works better than Parker Quink? Is Parker Quink known to have some issues? Recommended inks brands/varieties? I want to get different ink for the pen but I need to make sure which ink to get and whether or not it's an ink problem, converter problem, or pen issue. Thanks.

[BaronWulfraed]

If you still have the original cartridge, wash it out, find a utility syringe (I don't expect one to readily obtain a hypodermic needle, but the blunt tips often used for precision oiling should still be around -- admittedly, last time I bought any was 20 years ago, at Fry's Electronics) -- then fill the cartridge with the Quink, and see how that works in the pen.

 

If you get the same behavior, it may be the choice of ink -- or something has gone wonky in the feed channels.

 

I don't know what food coloring contains, or I'd suggest trying a drop in a bowl of water, and filling the converter with that and seeing how it behaves on a page or two.

 

At present, the only thing I'm using Quink (plain black, all that is available in local stores) for is an Esterbrook Dip-Less desk pen.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Quink is a dry ink....but it does sound like a converter problem....one that is very, very often. If you get a Pelikan cartridge it has a plastic ball in it that could go into your converter to break surface tension so you don't have vapor lock.

A small cut of the middle of a ball point spring would do also.

[SpecTP]

instead of buying a syringe.. just buy a pack of plastic pipettes. $4 will get you 100 disposable ones.

[nate127]

Quink is a dry ink....but it does sound like a converter problem....one that is very, very often. If you get a Pelikan cartridge it has a plastic ball in it that could go into your converter to break surface tension so you don't have vapor lock.

A small cut of the middle of a ball point spring would do also.

I've read that the Faber Castell Loom can also take an international converter. I'll have to do more research as it looks like it can take a verity of converters and cartridges. The Faber Castell one does have a spring in it to agitate the ink, so I'm not sure why it would have any issues. Is there a list of cartridge and converters that work with this pen?

[nate127]

If you still have the original cartridge, wash it out, find a utility syringe (I don't expect one to readily obtain a hypodermic needle, but the blunt tips often used for precision oiling should still be around -- admittedly, last time I bought any was 20 years ago, at Fry's Electronics) -- then fill the cartridge with the Quink, and see how that works in the pen.

 

If you get the same behavior, it may be the choice of ink -- or something has gone wonky in the feed channels.

 

I don't know what food coloring contains, or I'd suggest trying a drop in a bowl of water, and filling the converter with that and seeing how it behaves on a page or two.

 

At present, the only thing I'm using Quink (plain black, all that is available in local stores) for is an Esterbrook Dip-Less desk pen.

Unfortunately I must have thrown it out. I did have a way to fill it too..... I'm reading that Parker Quink works well in most pens so it could be a converter issue. It could be a vacuum issue. That would make sense too because in order for me to get the ink to start flowing again, I have to lower the piston a bit. I'll try doing a flush again, this time with a little bit of dish liquid and see if that helps.

Edited September 18, 2018 by nate127

[BaronWulfraed]

I've read that the Faber Castell Loom can also take an international converter. I'll have to do more research as it looks like it can take a verity of converters and cartridges. The Faber Castell one does have a spring in it to agitate the ink, so I'm not sure why it would have any issues. Is there a list of cartridge and converters that work with this pen?

 

Based upon http://www.fabercastell.com/products/more-products/refill/Inkcartridgestandardblueboxof6/185506 they are using International Standard cartridges, and if the body supports fitting two cartridges back to back, pretty much any converter from a company using the same type of cartridge should fit.

[TSherbs]

Oops

 

 

 

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Edited September 19, 2018 by TSherbs

[senzen]

It seems easy to disassemble and clean thoroughly, when ink is caked in I use a toothbrush, and dry the whole thing before assembling it again. The one ink this didn't work with in a Faber Castell Ambition is Équinoxe 6, it seems to leave sediments, which is unlikely with the ink you're using. A little patience goes a long way, take this from someone who had none and mangled several nibs in the process.