Noodler's Nib Creeper Fp + Noodler's Bsb

[napaxton]

I think this is a "service" question, so this was originally posted in Repair Q&A. I have cross-posted here, because conceivably this is a flow question. ;-)

I have a Noodler's Nib Creeper (among the first couple of production runs of it, I think) flex nib pen, which exclusively uses Bay State Blue.

I am aware of all standard caveats about BSB.

This pen writes SUPER dry. Just blotchy ink flow. Even after cleaning (standard soap to water, as well as some bleach and water, since that's a recommended approach for this ink). I've even take a little bit of light brushing to the ebonite feeder, and a bit of careful specific attention to the center feeder channel.

On occasion, after a cleaning, the flow will be pretty good (not great), but if I don't use the pen for a few days (say 5-30), we go back to bad flow.

Most reviews I have read of the ink indicate it is pretty wet in general, so this is all rather confusing/frustrating to have a dry writer with BSB. Especially with Noodler's own pen.

What can I do? What am I missing? (I'd buy a new pen to test, but the ones that won't show BSB staining [dark blues] are sold out at my preferred retailer.)

TIA!

[Jamerelbe]

Noodler's Nib Creapers are prone to dry out over time - the seal on the cap just isn't all that great - so if you want to keep the ink flowing, you need to use it fairly regularly. At least, that was my experience with the Creapers I bought a few years back. Great pens if you use them every day, too much of a pain if not.

[txomsy]

Plus, the plastic used allowed (at least a few years ago if I remember well) for water vapors to escape, concentrating the ink inside if you do not use them much.

[napaxton]

Sigh. Lord.

 

So maybe get a new dedicated pen for BSB?

[inkstainedruth]

A dedicated pen? That's not a bad plan in general. BSB does not play well with others -- even most other Noodler's inks.

A few years ago someone had the idea to mix Noodler's Black and BSB together to make the "ideal" blue-black ink. I saw the photos: let's just say they weren't pretty.... The inks didn't didn't really mix together well to start with -- so the writing sample showed some lines black, some blue, and a few words here and there in a mix. Then? The ink started coming out the pen in solid chunks.... Even Noodler's says to not mix any of the Baystate series inks with anything but themselves.

My experience with BSB is that it feathers very badly. So these days it gets relegated to a Noodler's Charlie pen so I can sort of eyeball adding about 20% distilled water to a fill. And the pen is cheap enough that I don't care if it stains (which it will).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[napaxton]

Oh, I already had a dedicated pen for Noodler's BSB—the Noodler's Nib Creaper. But since that seems to be a problem, then I need to get ANOTHER pen to dedicate to BSB.

[Mangrove Jack]

Noodler's Nib Creapers are prone to dry out over time - the seal on the cap just isn't all that great - so if you want to keep the ink flowing, you need to use it fairly regularly. At least, that was my experience with the Creapers I bought a few years back. Great pens if you use them every day, too much of a pain if not.

Do the Noodlers Konrad ebonite pens have the same problem ?

[Jamerelbe]

Do the Noodlers Konrad ebonite pens have the same problem ?

I don't believe so - I think the tolerances on their cap threads are tighter and the mater (hard rubber) certainly won't promote evaporation. You could also check out some of the offerings from Fountain Pen Revolution (fprevolutionusa.com) - the Guru and the Indore will have the same problem as the Creaper, but the Jaipur V1 or the Darjeeling are solid lower-cost options. My personal choice would be the Jaipur V2 with ultraflex nib - but that's getting a bit more pricey!

Edited September 30, 2020 by Jamerelbe

[Mangrove Jack]

Thank you Jamerelbe. I have a Noodlers Konrad ebonite pen and it works extremely well. It's one of my favourite pens and been my edc the last few months. No leaks, starts immediately and smooth writing. I have a Jowo nib in it just for the look of a two tone nib.

The reason I asked was out of curiosity and to know if all Konrads worked this well or if I was just fortunate to get a good one.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Mangrove Jack

[doriath19]

As to the trouble with the Nib Creeper writing too dry, have you tried heat setting the feed and nib? I usually just let the feed sit in hot water for a few minutes. That sometimes helps with flow issues

Edited October 4, 2020 by doriath19

[txomsy]

FWIW...

 

I've wanted to have a Nib Creeper in Cobalt Blue for a long time. When I saw this thread I decided it might just be time to get one to use as a dedicated pen for BSB, Just got it this morning.

 

I've loaded the pen with BSB diluted 2:1 in water (just plain tap water, 2ml BSB for each ml water). So far it does not show any inklings of dryness. I haven't even bothered to clean the Nib Creeper. To me it doesn't look dry, it is true the hairy lines are pleasantly very thin, but otherwise, I do not see any ink starvation.

 

Maybe later, or in a few days (if moisture evaporates), it will. I'll go on using it and report again.

[doriath19]

Just thought I might throw this out there... I've used BSB in a Noodler's Konrad rollerball in the past. Didn't have any trouble with it. The one downside of the Noodler's rollerball tips is that they are a little wide, but otherwise they seem work wonderfully for (potentially) troublesome inks. I've also had success with Liberty's Elysium in these rollerballs (which dries out too quickly to use in a fountain pen).

[Honeybadgers]

If you want a BSB pen that you don't want to use a ton, get a platinum preppy, plaisir or that other plastic one, and just empty/refill the cartridge.

 

The slip and seal cap liner is the best in the industry, short of cork sealed safety pens.

[txomsy]

Three weeks after I got the Cobalt Nib Creeper to use with BSB, I'm having little to no issues. I do have to shake it from time to time to get it to start after a couple of days unused, specially when it's almost empty, but otherwise, I have had no problem writing with it and BSB, It's juicy, does not railroad or dry out while writing, rarely have hard starts and when I do it is only at the onset of writing and easily solved with a shake over the bin.