Problem with new Aurora 88

[chibimie]

I just purchased an Aurora 88 F point(black with silver appointments), and have been writing with it this evening. I filled it with Pelikan blue-black, and it wrote well for a page or so, but then it skipped on beginning, and then stopped flowing completely. I had to twist the piston nob to let some ink out, and I've been able to write again. Since then, it's been writing okay. Have any others experienced something like this with their Aurora 88?

[Patrick L]

I just purchased an Aurora 88 F point(black with silver appointments), and have been writing with it this evening. I filled it with Pelikan blue-black, and it wrote well for a page or so, but then it skipped on beginning, and then stopped flowing completely. I had to twist the piston nob to let some ink out, and I've been able to write again. Since then, it's been writing okay. Have any others experienced something like this with their Aurora 88?

 

Was it a brand new pen ?

[chibimie]

I just purchased an Aurora 88 F point(black with silver appointments), and have been writing with it this evening. I filled it with Pelikan blue-black, and it wrote well for a page or so, but then it skipped on beginning, and then stopped flowing completely. I had to twist the piston nob to let some ink out, and I've been able to write again. Since then, it's been writing okay. Have any others experienced something like this with their Aurora 88?

 

Was it a brand new pen ?

 

Yes, it was a new pen, bought from an authorized dealer. I've only used it for another two hours or so, and it has been writing without a recurrence of the problem.

Edited December 21, 2009 by chibimie

[Ghost Plane]

Might have needed flushing to get some gunk out of its system.

[chibimie]

Might have needed flushing to get some gunk out of its system.

 

It has only been one more day, but I have not encountered the same issue, so that could have been the problem. It's writing beautifully again so far. Thanks,

 

chibimie

[Doug Add]

An ebonite feed may require time for the ink to thoroughly soak it before the flow is proper. That has been my experience with a couple of Aurora pens.

[chibimie]

An ebonite feed may require time for the ink to thoroughly soak it before the flow is proper. That has been my experience with a couple of Aurora pens.

 

Thanks, Doug. I'm new to Aurora's, so your comments here help very much. This second day, so far, so good. (I've had no problems with an Optima, which I have had longer.)

[Aldo in Avila]

I had the identical problem with my new Aurora 88 with M nib. Started well but only lasted a page, then no flow. I am not a patient person and returned it immediately for repairs. It now writes flawlessly. Perhaps I should have just waited for the run-in period. Incidentally, I believe that Pelikan ink is a "dry" ink, you may want to try a wetter ink such as Waterman.

[Blade Runner]

An ebonite feed may require time for the ink to thoroughly soak it before the flow is proper. That has been my experience with a couple of Aurora pens.

I've not had this prob with Aurora, but agree with Doug.

I'd also try a better flowing ink at the start.

Btw, 88 piston fillers are super.

[Painterspal]

I've sometimes had this problem with new pens. In my experience once you get them going nicely, you're usually fine, so I hope you'll have no further trouble.

[chibimie]

Thanks so much for the follow up comments. Today I wrote quite a few pages with the 88, with frequent long breaks in between, and it has been writing flawlessly. If this keeps up, it will be my favorite nib. As an 'F' nib, it runs a bit narrower than other European pen nibs, and it feels so good on the page. Such an understated, black and chrome beauty, too.

 

Chibimie

Edited December 22, 2009 by chibimie

[Doug Add]

Such an understated, black and chrome beauty, too.

My son has the gold trim model, and it is his favorite pen. He describes its appearance as elegant, and loves the way it writes. It is now the standard by which he judges all pens.

[HBlaine]

I'm actually having this very same problem with an older Optima. I'd had the pen filled with Grey Flannel, and the pen had been left for a while. (It'd actually gotten lost in the my computer case.) I'd flushed it thoroughly, clearing the feed and the ink chamber. After that, I refilled it with Noodler's Dark Matter ink. The pen wrote great, so I didn't give it much thought. Took it to do some notetaking at the courthouse, and had all sorts of trouble with it. The classic skipping, leading to completely stopping. I did a quick flush of the nib, but that didn't help. So I filled, emptied, and refilled it. It basically wrote till the feed ran empty, then... Nothing...

 

I've got the nib & feed soaking in a very mild soapy water bath right now. Flushed the ink chamber out too. I've already changed the bath once, left it overnight, and need to change it again. There has to be a heck of a clog somewhere... We'll see how it goes.....

 

This bothers me, as that Optima has always been one of the most reliable pens I've ever owned.

[Robert Alan]

I just purchased an Aurora 88 F point(black with silver appointments), and have been writing with it this evening. I filled it with Pelikan blue-black, and it wrote well for a page or so, but then it skipped on beginning, and then stopped flowing completely. I had to twist the piston nob to let some ink out, and I've been able to write again. Since then, it's been writing okay. Have any others experienced something like this with their Aurora 88?

 

This happened to mine, also. I cleaned it, refilled it (filling & emptying the tank several times--and released 5 drops--tightened the pump handle with pen upright, bled off extra ink frrom outside collector by holding a cloth to it for 3 seconds--all that stuff), and, then, used the pen again. I've had no problems since that time.

 

I, too, thought the 88 nib/feed needed to "break in." It was, however, a surprise because I own two Optimas with the same system & nibs, of course, and I never had to do anything special with them. My oldest Optima (marbled green) with medium 14K nib is terrific.

Now, I must add the important bit: After eliminating the possible industrial contamination/break-in variables, I realized the culprit was not the pen, but the paper! I discovered this when I tried my trusty green Optima on the same paper (Paperchase journal) and the pen skipped.

 

Personally, when I use a new pen, I follow the manufacturer's suggestions regarding ink--of course, within reason (Pelikan makes Cross ink, Herbin used to, and perhaps still does, make Caran d'Ache, Private Reserve makes ink for Bexley, etc.), and I, generally, use the pen manufacturer's ink. With Aurora, this is a good idea since their ink is famously excellent. I think Aurora has truly addressed the ink viscosity issue in relation to their feeds and nibs, and attention to this detail has lead Aurora to produce an excellent flowing ink with good intensity.

 

Enjoy the 88. Its design is timeless. The black and chrome is wonderful combination in relation to the pen's shape.

 

Does anyone know if Aurora ink is manufactured by another company?

 

One might be able to confirm that Aurora ink is, indeed, unique by performing a simple zone spectroscopy exercise. Get some coffee filters (new; clean).

The filters can be cut into strips or into quarters (your choice). They can be divided with pencil lines if one uses cotton swabs dipped in ink or an eye-dropper (a lovely, circular array is possible, I think).

 

I guess all one's black and blue inks could be compared--or one could focus on black or blue. Identify the paper strips with ink manuafacturer and dip or drop away. Some inks will take longer than others to separate into different colors. Compare the results. This is an open-ended, 'discovery,' exercise and, within reason, there are no right or wrong results.

 

Remember to clean up--or leave the work area however you like. Collect and organize your dry filters. Catalog and file them for future reference. The coffee filter results might be interesting when you combine them with your other ink tests, and writing samples, and click over to the "Inky Thoughts" forum. BTW, the results may or may not be definitive.

 

If I've offended anyone, please forgive me. I know all this could come under the column headed, "So What?". Happy New Year!

 

Cheers,

Robert

Edited December 23, 2009 by Robert Alan

[chibimie]

These posts have helped immensely as I get acquainted with my 88. It really helps to see the range of experiences people have had with this pen, and I definitely intend to follow up on the suggestion to get some Aurora ink.