Waterman Feed Issues

[TimCasey13]

Hello FPN! I've got a Waterman Taperite (open nib version) that's been giving me trouble since I got it. The pen writes dryly and refuses to write on upstrokes. The nib appears to not be touching the feed and I can wiggle the nib in the section with my fingers.

I've tried pulling them out of the section, resetting the position the nib/feed, then sticking them back in, to no avail. What else should I try before saying "screw it" and sending it to a professional to fix?

Edited March 29, 2016 by TimCasey13

[kirchh]

This condition is often caused on firm nibs by the tines being pressed together with only a tiny gap or no gap at all; slightly widening the gap can improve matters, though the procedure must be done with care to avoid distorting the tines.

 

--Daniel

P.S. By definition, the open-nibbed pens are not Taperites; The term "Taperite" refers to the partially-hooded nib style.

[Erik Dalton]

You present a couple issues here. The nib maybe could do with a bit of tuning. But, I think the controlling issue is inadequate ink flow. Until you get this resolved I wouldn't mess with the nib.

The nib should have a slight gap between its underside and the feed. What troubles me is the movement of the nib after it has been set in place with the feed.

Have you checked for cracks in the section? The nib and feed should fit firmly in the section.

The nib and feed not properly seated will foul up your ink flow.

Air leaks from a cracked section also will mess with capillary action.

 

I would start by taking the pen apart and doing a thorough cleaning and inspection. Check for cracks in the section and make sure that there is nothing preventing the nib and feed from seating properly.

Let us know how you make out.

[kirchh]

The nib should have a slight gap between its underside and the feed.

 

I disagree. In my research and personal experience, the feed should be in contact with the underside of the nib on conventional underfeed fountain pens.

 

--Daniel

[Left FPN]

 

I disagree. In my research and personal experience, the feed should be in contact with the underside of the nib on conventional underfeed fountain pens.

 

--Daniel

Hi Daniel, I hear what you say but flex nibs surely separate from the feed. The parts remaining captive inside the grip, yes, will remain in touch. The parts forward of the nibs hole will separate in use.

[kirchh]

Hi Daniel, I hear what you say but flex nibs surely separate from the feed. The parts remaining captive inside the grip, yes, will remain in touch. The parts forward of the nibs hole will separate in use.

 

That's not what this assertion by Old Salt means:

 

The nib should have a slight gap between its underside and the feed.

 

That is the statement I was addressing.

 

--Daniel

[Ernst Bitterman]

There's the old test mentioned in Parker service manuals, in which "an ordinary sheet of writing paper" is slid between feed and point to check that if there is a gap between them it's sufficiently narrow. It's not a problem if you can get it in, but it should be held in place and not drop out-- if there is a gap, it should be less than the thickness of a piece of paper. There's no suggestion that you will get a sheet of paper between the parts.

 

I know I've had some pens with low flow problems which easing the feed down from being extremely tight to the point has helped, but that's less usually the problem than the contact being broken.

 

The two attached images are from the 1953 Parker manual. Fig. 17 shows the ideal with the curvature of the back of the point following that of the feed (with the implication "don't try to fix this, it ain't broken"), while fig. 23 shows a problem that one should be heat-setting the feed to correct. None of this is specific to Watermans, but the theory is consistent across companies.

 

Edited May 10, 2016 by Ernst Bitterman