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Nemosine Singularity 0.6Mm Stub Review


Iaindescribeable

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Hello all! This would be my first post here on the FPN, and my registration happily coincides my receipt of this pen. So, not finding very many reviews of it, I think I'll make one now to help others who are interested in this model.

 

Pen: Nemosine Singularity 0.6mm italic stub demonstrator.

Length: 136mm capped, 124mm uncapped, 145mm posted.

Price: 14.99USD from xfountainpens.com

Ink used: Unknown brand, reddish copper color.

Paper used: National graph paper.

First, some pictures!

http://i.imgur.com/7WaqTNB.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/k95UkNk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/35w3iXq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/aVOebvW.jpg
I think this is an attractive pen. Now, as far as demonstrators, there are certainly nicer pens; if you have the money, go a tier up and get a TWSBI Diamond. But this is still a good pen. The nib is a steel Bülow, and proudly declares that it is "Made in Germany", underneath that lovely etched design that resembles a butterfly. It's large, as Bülow nibs often are, and looks very nice. It's not THE nicest steel nib I've seen, but it looks good enough to fool someone into thinking that this is a better pen than it really it is, so if you're on a budget and trying to impress at work, that's a plus. While it is a plastic pen, the steel bands that serve to reinforce it keep it from looking like a cheap plastic pen, again making this a nice looking instrument for those who don't want to spend too much.
But enough about the looks, they're for naught if it doesn't write well. After all, that's what a pen is really for, right? Let's talk pen. Pen is good.
Here's a few samples of writing.
http://i.imgur.com/EGa1CQJ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/gr1sAlL.jpg
Pardon my cursive, still learning.
The paper is a National brand graph notebook dug out of an attic. I'm afraid it's no longer in production. The ink was a gift, and unfortunately the bottle has no branding on it, so I have no idea where to buy it. However, the color is not quite the same as these pictures, and I think that in person it very much resembles Diamine Ancient Copper. Apologies for the blue seeping through from the other side, I'm conservative with paper and didn't want to start a new page yet.
As you can see, the stub adds a little bit of flair. Not a great deal of line variation, but enough that you can tell it's an italic if you look. I imagine the 0.8mm of the same line would provide a more dramatic effect. It's a bit scratchy and dry, so be prepared to modify it a bit. The scratching proved to be a bit of a problem, as this usually well-behaved paper began to feather due to the nib causing tiny tears as I wrote. It's not as bad with a light hand (which you should be using!) and roman scripts, but see here on this text where I have to pull down often:
http://i.imgur.com/H6c9bZX.jpg?1
Gets pretty bad here, huh? I'm going to get out my 1200 grit Arkansas stone and have at it later, but I figured the review should be about as it is straight from the box.
Speaking of out of the box, I commend the packaging. It's just a cardboard rectangle that fits the dimensions of the pen, nothing special, but the contents are above standard. It comes with a booklet on how to clean the pen, advising that one should do so before first use and when changing inks, as well as instructions on loading it with both cartridges and the included converter. Now this was not news to me, as I have already had pens before this one, and I'm sure it isn't news to most of you reading. But if this went to a newbie to fountain pens, the included info would be helpful. It comes with six (six!) of these black Jinhao cartridges (For those of you unaware, Bülow/Nemosine/Knox/Jinhao are all related companies and use parts from the same manufacturers), which was a shame because I do not use cartridges. I did however give these to my mother, who owns a Jinhao which these fit and prefers cartridges, so they did not go to waste.
The converter was a nice surprise in terms of appearance. I expected the cheap international converters that come with Jinhao pens, but the Singularity's converter is sturdier. It has a very smooth plunger mechanism secured to the tube with a broad steel band. It tapers slightly towards the section, but it still has a decent ink volume at approximately 0.75ccs. The suction is not superb right off, I recommend adding some grease to this one. I realize that's standard for some of you, but you should still know that this is not a perfect converter in that regard.
My verdict? I'd rate this at six out of ten. It's not a bad pen. On the contrary, if you're up for a few standard tweaks (open the tines, smooth the tip, grease the converter) for this price I recommend it. But it's not tip-top. It's pretty and it feels sturdy, so I'd carry it with me, but it's not a very enjoyable writing experience without changing the pen first.
I hope this helped. Again, this is my first review, so if there's anything I should add or any questions about the pen, do tell!
Ρώτησα τον σκύλο μου τον Ρίβα άμα νιώθει Έλληνας, αυτόχθονας ή κάτι σχετικό. Εκείνος χασμουρήθηκε, επέστρεψε στον ύπνο κι η ανάσα του ήταν όμορφη σαν κύμα στον γιαλό.

Εο! Γαμώ το φασισμό

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UPDATE: I've replaced the stub nib with a Bülow medium and all flow issues are gone. It seems to be the nib, and not the feed, that made it dry after all.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Pw6zVRl.jpg?1

Maybe a bit TOO wet now, but it stands that the feed is A-OK.

Edited by Iaindescribeable
Ρώτησα τον σκύλο μου τον Ρίβα άμα νιώθει Έλληνας, αυτόχθονας ή κάτι σχετικό. Εκείνος χασμουρήθηκε, επέστρεψε στον ύπνο κι η ανάσα του ήταν όμορφη σαν κύμα στον γιαλό.

Εο! Γαμώ το φασισμό

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you so much. This is probably the most helpful review I've read yet for this pen and nib. I'm going back and forth on whether to get this pen. You say a TWSBI is a safer bet, what nib do you have? The main reason I like the nemosine (besides the affordable price) is the .6 italic. I haven't seen that anywhere else. Have you used the pen since you wrote this review? If so, any new thoughts? Thank you again for the review!

-rina.

My pens: Penny the Penmanship, Dot the Metropolitan, Pallas the Parallel, Neoma the High Ace Neo, Petra the Petit1, Calliope the Kakuno (Also, a Sheaffer No-Nonsense)

My bottles of ink: Sailor Epinard & Ultramarine; Mysterious Blue (Wishlist: Oku Yama)

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  • 1 year later...

I have a new Nemosine Singularity Demonstrator with the .06 mm stub nib.

Right out of the box I loaded it with R & K Alt-Goldgruen ink and it wrote nicely but suddenly had 2 blobs of ink

come out of the nib onto my paper.

I thought it was just an accident but it happened a third time and I am not happy.

I was using a small sample vial of ink from Goblet Pens and you know there is not much ink in those.

Very disappointed.

I shall refill my .06 mm nib with a large bottle of a different ink to test it more.

 

~Cheers!~

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I have a new Nemosine Singularity Demonstrator with the .06 mm stub nib.

Right out of the box I loaded it with R & K Alt-Goldgruen ink and it wrote nicely but suddenly had 2 blobs of ink

come out of the nib onto my paper.

I thought it was just an accident but it happened a third time and I am not happy.

I was using a small sample vial of ink from Goblet Pens and you know there is not much ink in those.

Very disappointed.

I shall refill my .06 mm nib with a large bottle of a different ink to test it more.

 

You might also assume the possibility the nib and feed weren't pushed all the way in during assembly. See if they will shove in a little farther. You might need to remove them, make sure they're properly aligned, and then push them back in. Use the notch on the intake part of the section as your guide. Line the slit up with that notch when pushing the nib and feed back in.

I love the smell of fountain pen ink in the morning.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi, and thanks for your review! I recently purchased a Nemosine 0.8mm Singularity because I could try a wide nib at a narrow price. Is anyone else having the issue when you unscrew the cap from the pen, the barrel is what's unscrewing from the nib instead of the cap from the barrel? It doesn't happen every time, but it happens often enough it's a bit annoying.

 

The flow on this nib isn't wonderful, I frequently have to advance the ink manually twisting the converter and then the flow is terrific for a while, then it slows up again. I've cleaned the pen thoroughly upon receipt and I've tried a couple VDay Noodler's in it (Mandalay Maroon and Midway Blue).

 

I have to hold the pen at a pretty exact angle to appreciate the nib, and I find that I want to press really hard (to get the ink to feed), so that slows down my writing. Then I lighten up to write faster and the feed can't keep up and it skips.

 

It was a $14 pen, so what do I expect, eh?

 

When it's feeding ink, I really like it!

 

thank you.

 

 

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The flow on this nib isn't wonderful, I frequently have to advance the ink manually twisting the converter and then the flow is terrific for a while, then it slows up again. I've cleaned the pen thoroughly upon receipt and I've tried a couple VDay Noodler's in it (Mandalay Maroon and Midway Blue).

 

I have to hold the pen at a pretty exact angle to appreciate the nib, and I find that I want to press really hard (to get the ink to feed), so that slows down my writing. Then I lighten up to write faster and the feed can't keep up and it skips.

 

There are lots of videos on YouTube on how to make a pen wetter - basically flossing the tines with a brass shim. A $14 pen would be a good one to use for your first attempt. :)

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Hi, and thanks for your review! I recently purchased a Nemosine 0.8mm Singularity because I could try a wide nib at a narrow price. Is anyone else having the issue when you unscrew the cap from the pen, the barrel is what's unscrewing from the nib instead of the cap from the barrel? It doesn't happen every time, but it happens often enough it's a bit annoying.

 

The flow on this nib isn't wonderful, I frequently have to advance the ink manually twisting the converter and then the flow is terrific for a while, then it slows up again. I've cleaned the pen thoroughly upon receipt and I've tried a couple VDay Noodler's in it (Mandalay Maroon and Midway Blue).

 

I have to hold the pen at a pretty exact angle to appreciate the nib, and I find that I want to press really hard (to get the ink to feed), so that slows down my writing. Then I lighten up to write faster and the feed can't keep up and it skips.

 

It was a $14 pen, so what do I expect, eh?

 

When it's feeding ink, I really like it!

 

thank you.

 

The issue with uncapping is a common one. I just ensure that the grip section is firmly screwed into the barrel and that the cap is screwed on less tightly in comparison. The cap on this pen is also prone to cracking, so that could motivate you even more to avoid overtightening. Some people have tried holding the barrel at the end that's closest to the cap (ie. where the threads of the barrel would be on the inside) when uncapping with good results, but I haven't tried it myself.

 

Flow issues were noticeable when I used cartridges, but with bottled ink, I usually didn't have problems. Have you tried flushing the pen with water and dish soap? Some residual oils from the manufacturing process could be impairing ink flow.

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Ευχαριστώ πολύ!


Ιακωβος

 

“My tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best.” - Winston Churchill

 

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Iain, wow! That's an remarkable change from the first nib to the second! Thank you for this review.

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There are lots of videos on YouTube on how to make a pen wetter - basically flossing the tines with a brass shim. A $14 pen would be a good one to use for your first attempt. :)

I hadn't thought of flossing, I have one of those shims, I'll try that! thank you.

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The issue with uncapping is a common one. I just ensure that the grip section is firmly screwed into the barrel and that the cap is screwed on less tightly in comparison. The cap on this pen is also prone to cracking, so that could motivate you even more to avoid overtightening. Some people have tried holding the barrel at the end that's closest to the cap (ie. where the threads of the barrel would be on the inside) when uncapping with good results, but I haven't tried it myself.

 

Flow issues were noticeable when I used cartridges, but with bottled ink, I usually didn't have problems. Have you tried flushing the pen with water and dish soap? Some residual oils from the manufacturing process could be impairing ink flow.

Thank you, I'll try all those. I had a barrel crack on me (it was a free pen, so no worries, but I quite liked that free pen!) when i overtightened it, thinking THAT would keep the ink in the eyedropper barrel. Oops. So that's why I was a little reticent on tightening anything, but I can see your logic here and will experiment. It seems like a design issue? NONE of my other pens (limited collection, mind you) do this.

 

And I'll do the soap cleanse, too; I had just flushed it with water before I filled it.

 

Thanks again!

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I hadn't thought of flossing, I have one of those shims, I'll try that! thank you.

 

Would love to hear how it goes. (Recommend washing with dish soap first, testing, and only flossing if it's still a problem.)

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