149 Still Too Wet :(

[outsidephilly]

I bought a 1980s 149. The pen is beautiful! Everything about it throws a nod to classic elegance. It also feels great when you are writing with it (posted of course).

 

I had a nibmeister grind it down to extra fine at a pen show recently and then the pen sat on my desk for about a month until the perfect ink arrived finally. I got a bottle of J. Herbin Sapphire. This is where the problems start..

 

1) You can not fill this pen from the J. Herbin 30ml bottle. It cant be done. I wound up pouring ink into a disposable shot size cup and filling from there.

2) It's still writing very wet. Less wet than before the grind down, but not as extra fine as at the pen show.

 

Possible causes for the difference:

 

The nibmeister had me try it out on clairfontain (s/p?) dot paper. I have clairfontain line paper, should be the same right?

The nibmeister dipped the pen into parker ink when he had me test it. Does parker ink dry that much faster than J. Herbin?

 

I think the only use I have for this every day write pen is to save it for signatures. Its not that usable for notes etc.

 

Please share your thoughts on this?

Edited February 11, 2019 by outsidephilly

[zaddick]

You are likely going to need to try out various ink and paper combos to find a wetness and line width that works. You could try to dilute the ink with a little water to dry it out.

 

Yes, the small Herbin bottles are useless for a MB 149.

[Lloyd]

Get a nibmeister to adjust the flow (typically by moving the tine tips closer to one another).

Can a Visconti ink pot be used for filling a 149?

[carlos.q]

Parker ink is called "Quink" for a reason.

I would suggest you try using a drier ink before you adjust the nib any further.

[Tom Heath]

Lloyd may be onto the money about tine adjustment

take your pen outside in good daylight

 

1st hold the pen up to the light, see if you can see a space between the tine tips. if there is a space

no space if \ faster drying is desired

.

2. Use a small thin piece of notepaper about 2." x 3" should do then see if it can be inserted between the nib and it's feed

if so then the feed and nib need further tuning reducing the air flow further. If it is tight, do nothing

...

report your findings here for further advise

 

nib /feed adjustment is critical... Good viscosity of the ink definitely plays a part

 

Good ink is not necessarily the prettiest.

 

Good luck once your pen is set up for your pen, try not to allow others' to write with your baby

 

Enjoy

T

[Pentode]

Parker ink is called "Quink" for a reason.

I would suggest you try using a drier ink before you adjust the nib any further.

+1

[SpecTP]

also try to lighten up on the pressure of the pen to the paper.. I have a similar heavy handed habit that makes my pens write thicker and wetter lines because of it. On some nibs like my titanium ones, it likes the heavy handedness.. on my more flexible gold nibs, that heavy handedness is bad.

[CS388]

Pens which have been dipped in ink will write very wet, for a while, as the feed will be saturated.

 

However, if you've wiped it down and filled it - but it is still writing wet after the feed has used its dipped ink, then it may require further tuning from your nib technician? Drier inks will help to some extent, but if it's gushing out, then it will require an adjustment.

 

Fingers crossed it all works out.

[outsidephilly]

All, thanks for the support and ideas. I adjusted it a little and have lightened up on my writing dramatically. It seems like the downstrokes are much wider than the ups and horozontal ones. I think the curious thing is that there is so much criticism about fountain pen nibs that are "like nails". To be honest, I grew up using junky fountain pens with steel nibs. I think I just got a taste for the firmer nib materials.

 

Its better! I know I'm not comparing equal variables, but the Pelikan 805 that I use is the standard to beat right now.

 

I can still use the MB, it just seems so much more delicate.