Visconti Van Gogh

[PinarelloOnly]

After reading some post on Visconti's performing badly, I decided to post something

to show that it is not always the nibs with these pens which a lot of people blame

after flushing their pens out. Some have even gone as far as using a mild

dishwashing detergent when flushing, if you can't flush with water alone you need to

soak the feed and collar.

 

Most problems I have seen are from some buying a used Visconti and having trouble

with it. Remember, when you buy a used pen like a Van Gogh you should start fresh

and do a full soak. You really do not know what inks the previous owners used or

how they took care of their pen.

 

Attempt this at your own risk. Not that this is difficult but I just had to write that.

If you played with Lego's as a kid you should be qualified.

 

 

If not coming out with a little tug, soak the whole collar/feed/nib unit in cool water for

an hour or two then try again.

For demonstration purposes I let the pen dry out with the cap off then flushed the

pen.

http://fototime.com/%7BF08FED28-15AB-4F55-BD0B-1831FC7E8112%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

Here you can see after 20 minutes some Waterman Florida Blue let loose.

http://fototime.com/%7B61ECC17A-61FE-410B-81FF-467FB033378A%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

Grab the collar and pull with your fingers under the feed and on top of the nib with your finger as close to the collar entrance as you can grip. Pull straight out and do not twist in any direction.

http://fototime.com/%7BFCD497C1-94F3-48CC-96A8-E729969D7B39%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

Do not grab on the sides of the nib like this.

http://fototime.com/%7BBE01DBF7-82F3-4E40-8680-BA7A42710172%7D/picture.JPG

 

http://fototime.com/%7BA13D0C30-8192-4962-B995-E648DCB9AD08%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

In this picture you see the nib collar and feed have a 20 minute soaking time on them. Seeing the results of this keep in mind this pen was flushed prior to the soaking.

http://fototime.com/%7BCC0D0478-6F69-4AF1-AF38-14B4178A39DC%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

Nice, clean and shiny nib.

http://fototime.com/%7B05D6959E-8880-4250-A6CB-B7F4E5CD729F%7D/picture.JPG

http://fototime.com/%7BEC33288D-6AA8-454F-B7D5-A2F7A2029756%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

A few blasts of compressed air in the collar and around feed speeds up drying.

http://fototime.com/%7BF154F474-057F-48A7-AA84-426B3FFF5788%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

Here you can see the few small and extremely narrow channels in which all of them need to be absolutely clear for optimum performance. One little clog in any of these channels and you have something of an ill performing feed that many blame on the nib. You can even have a nib that always seems to “dry out” because the feed never gets to fully “soak” with the ink. Some even have gone and tweaked a nib thinking widening/flossing the tines will fix a problem when it is the feed that is the most likely the culprit. So, keep in mind sometimes flushing is not enough.

http://fototime.com/%7B0044F77F-EDEA-44F0-9646-4C8B67BC0AEB%7D/picture.JPG

http://fototime.com/%7B96F098D5-4471-4B74-8979-3265EC8691B2%7D/picture.JPG

http://fototime.com/%7B543284AC-2593-4CA3-8BE4-7B35543A22F8%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

Test fit your feed into your collar finding the sweet spot where the feed fully drops back.

http://fototime.com/%7B3AA85AFC-9CBC-4B54-90E1-22E484DB7337%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

Then push the feed and nib together never pushing to hard but just enough to be snug.

http://fototime.com/%7B87A9D2AE-3AA0-4063-9FE4-3C44E7EB83C2%7D/picture.JPG

 

 

 

 

Should look like this when you are done and you will be ready for some very reliable writing.

http://fototime.com/%7B12A59304-0393-41DA-905A-47D54F6D5771%7D/picture.JPG

Edited January 7, 2007 by PinarelloOnly

[tonyv]

Fantastic step by step pictorial...Thank you!

[PinarelloOnly]

tonyv, you are welcome!

 

Scott.

[ScottsHighland]

That's just an incredible pictorial!!! Thank you so much.

 

I've done the same thing with my Van Goghs (in addition there is a collar inside the section that screws out, and which can get a bit gunked up with ink).

 

Great illustration, and fantastic photos.

 

Tom Scott