Noodler Charlie Pen

[etaylor33]

I recently received a Charlie pen with a bottle of Noodler Heart of Darkness. Unfortunately it had a small crack in the barrel. Goulet Pens graciously sent me a replacement with my next order. The first Charlie writes beautifully with no trouble. The second Charlie, not so much. I cleaned the nib and feed and filled the pen and I couldn't get it to write. I cleaned it again and tried to burnish between the tines with a thin piece of brass paper. Again, it would not write. I readjusted the feed in relationship to the nib, pushed it to either side tried to push the nib/feed further into the section, pulled it out abit so it wasn't so far in, finally it started to write, but I'm not sure what did it. But, every once in a while a blob of ink would form on the tip of the nib between the nib and the feed. That is if it wasn't starving itself dry, which it did a couple of times. I tried to pull the nib out more but left the feed where it was, more blobs. I pushed the nib in further, still leaving the feed where it was, blobs but not so much. If I push it further in, I find myself with the original no write problem. Is the relationship of where the nib sits on the pen that critical?

When it writes, it writes great, but then I get either the blob or starvation. What's up with this pen? I would rather not take the nib/section off the old Charlie and move it to the new Charlie because I kinda got a handle on the crack and it's not leaking at this time. So having two working Charlies is my preference. Any suggestions any one?

[Witsius]

Welcome to the world of Noodler's pens. You're going to to have to face the reality. They aren't very well made. You might get one that writes, or you might get one that just won't write no matter what you do. Looks like you've gotten the latter.

[PenH]

Did you try to heat set the feed? I have a Noodlers Creeper that writes beautifully even after modifying the nib for more flex. I heat set the nib/feed and it flows very well.

[etaylor33]

Did you try to heat set the feed? I have a Noodlers Creeper that writes beautifully even after modifying the nib for more flex. I heat set the nib/feed and it flows very well.

I have thought about that. Curiously, about a week ago, not knowing what that term meant, I found an explanation of what it entailed, after a Google search of the term. So, that being fresh in my mind, it was a consideration. I may go to that later. I did what I didn't care to do and that is change out the section/nib. It was just expedient to do so. So now the recalcitrant nib is paired with the cracked body and I have my most excellent nib paired with the new barrel. So I have one great working Charlie. And, yeah, I know they are cheap pens but the first one worked so well, I kinda expected that of the second. More experience points for the newbie.