Feathering

[Ana_]

Hi, I just inked up a vintage fountain pen with Sheaffers Scrip Black and it's feathering quite a bit. I'm including a writing sample here. I was under the impression that Scrip is one of these inks that behaves pretty perfectly and while I understand that there are varying circumstances, pen, nib, paper, this ink was recommended for this fountain pen. I have tried it on the following papers: rhodia,clairfontaine, apica, moleskine, and just plain old rough everyday printer paper. it doesn't feather as much on the moleskine, but I am trying to understand why it would be feathering at all? Is it the paper? The nib doesn't appear to be to widely spaced tine wise? And is this telling me that I should not be using Scrips in this vintage fountain pen? Any guidance is appreciated.

The feathering is clearly seen on the T and H of this, especially the "th" of with, last word, third line, and S and H of sheaffers the h in why, the m of am, etcetera.

(edit = forgot the picture)

Edited April 15, 2015 by Ana_

[inkstainedruth]

Have you used the pen with different inks before? If so, it could be the paper. Or it could be that the ink and pen combo just don't work well together.

I tried a sample of Skrip Red last week, and it turned out to not be an ideal fit with one of my Snorkels. Go figure....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[musicman123]

I definitely recommend trying the ink out on a different brand/line of paper. I used to use HP 28lb paper, which was kind of finicky with the inks it would work well with. Some would perform like a dream, while others created a bunch of problems. Since then, I have switched to using HP 32lb Premium Laser paper as my day-to-day paper, and haven't seen feathering in a long time.

[dcwaites]

Sheaffer Skrip Black and Blue are two inks that I can use with pointed dip pens without feathering on most papers, so your results surprise me.

 

Normally when feathering happens due to properties of ink and/or paper, it happens randomly, and fairly consistently throughout your writing.

 

I have two questions --

How hard are you pressing on the paper. If your nib is adjusted properly, your nib should just be gliding over the paper.

Does the nib feel smooth to write with? If it has a rough spot it might be scratching the paper at certain points and that will cause feathering.

[Ana_]

Hi Ruth, thank you for your reply, no, this is the first time ever that I have inked the pen and used Scrip ink. I did just get a bottle of waterman black today in the post, so maybe i should try that? I think I will. Strange though to think such a highly praised well behaved ink could act up with this pen?

 

Musicman, I am sure there is something to the possibility I may just need to keep trying other papers and thank you for your assistance. I think i'll try some waterman in this fountain pen instead and see if that will write with all the papers I currently have. I sure hope so, I would love to have the paper and ink I have be sufficient.

 

DC, it surprised me too that Scrip would feather in my FP, seems so oxymoronic. I am not pressing hard at all, as the nib does pleasantly glide across the paper and the nib does feel amazingly smooth to write with. On a side note, I do have a second pen that has been scratching the paper, it is a semi flex, and it has great variation, but because of that scratchiness i'm concerned I could damage the nib. Am I doing something wrong there and do I have to have the nib adjusted?

 

Thank you 3 for your replies.

[ac12]

Ana

It could also be the pen, if the MT is writing WET, all that ink is just waiting to cause trouble.

I think the Waterman will be worse, as Waterman is a WET ink.

I would try a dryer ink, like Pelikan.

 

Also try writing VERY light. By light, I mean that you hold up the pen, rather than push down on it. So the tip of the nib just touches the paper. This can be difficult to learn to do, so just hang in there. I have a couple pens that I write like that.

 

Also try to observe when and where it happens. Is it when you slow down (like when changing directions on a curve), on the double strokes (where you go up and down in the same line), or ... That will help to narrow down what might be the cause.

 

If the pen is too wet, the nib may need adjusting to dry it out a little. I think by pushing out the nib a bit farther from the feed. But that is something that I would leave for FarmBoy.

Edited April 18, 2015 by ac12

[Ana_]

Thank you Gary, This one is a Sheaffer and not the MT. I just emptied out the Scrip ink and was just about to fill it with waterman so thank you for the tip on Pelikan. The funny thing about this fp is that it goes from writing wet and feathering to writing dry and scratchy. I think it is a problem for FarmBoy. I will get in touch with him.