Noodler's Boston Safety Pen (Review, With 14K Flex Nib Swap)

[Honeybadgers]

I could have sworn you used to be able to buy the correct feed with the notch for these from noodlers.

[inkstainedruth]

It may be the case of supply chain issues.  

The pens are, IIRC, manufactured in India (I remember being at the Commonwealth Pen Show about the time the Boston Safety Pen was first released, and Nathan Tardif saying something about having to impress on the company doing the manufacturing how crucial it was that nearly all of the "innards" (for lack of a better term on my part) that had any contact with the ink (other than the nib of course) HAD to be made of ebonite.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: On a non-pen related note, I am making marzipan for someone's reception when she gets an award in a couple of weeks.  I got contacted a few days ago by the person who is coordinating the food that people are bringing, and she told me that everything had to basically be "grab and go" because of COVID restrictions.  I was going to go out sometime this week to try and find small food-grade containers at one of the restaurant or cake/candy supplies in the area, so I can pack the stuff up before it gets sent down to the event (I'm not going but someone has offered to bring the stuff down for me).  But when I was doing regular grocery shopping this morning, I found packages of "tasting cups" with lids and grabbed a couple of bags (there are 50 per pack), for not a huge amount of money.  When I got home, my husband pointed out that unless I was buying a CASE of them (as in 500-1000 packs) I probably did just as well than going to a big restaurant supply price-wise (assuming I could find them at ALL -- given how backed up the docks are in places like San Diego for getting cargo ships unloaded at the moment).

[amberleadavis]

So, now that the new nib is in, what do you think?

[Catpaws]

The new feed is fine. I use it for drawing. We put a vintage Waterman nib on it and it's really useful for drawing. I can get some expressive lines The feed seems fine with the pen and nib. It's a fun pen, I think. I love that the nib moves up and down in the ink.

[Maurizio]

Interested in one of these pens. Have not watched any of Nathan’s videos. So forgive the maybe uniformed question. 

 

Can these pens be loaded with otherwise bad inks like actual sumí ink or other real, pigment-containing India ink?

[dipper]

6 hours ago, Maurizio said:

Can these pens be loaded with otherwise bad inks like actual sumí ink or other real, pigment-containing India ink?

That is what Nathan Tardif test in this video:

 

Nathan tests the ebonite feed and the o-ring seal in various nasty solvents, and fills the pen with a shellac based India Ink.

 

From another Nathan video (that I remember but cannot identify right now) he does note that India Ink will dry on the nib and feed if you extend the nib and use the pen for a long drawing or writing session.

 

But I note that is equally true of dip pens. "Safe to use with India Ink" we say ... but when sketching on a hot summer day my dip nibs soon build up a glossy lumpy overcoat of dried ink! That's still "safe" though, because alcohol or bleach can easily dissolve that dried shellac coating without damaging the dip nib. (I use bleach.)

 

In the video linked above Nathan includes bleach in the tests. Result was no damage done.

 

So, worst case scenario should be .... ink dries on nib and feed in use, when extended (nib is extended, and time like that is lengthy) ...... dried ink does not redissolve when nib retracted (that will depend on the specific ink used) ..... pen becomes clogged ..... pen needs flushing with bleach or alcohol to dissolve the dried ink . . . . . Problem solved.

 

You also asked about Sumi ink. I use traditional Sumi stick ink in dip pens and brushes and ruling pens, ground with water on an ink stone. The binder is animal gelatine. For equipment clean-up after use, I find household bleach and water dissolves the dried Sumi very readily.

So same conclusion as with India Ink. Worse case is you may need to flush with bleach, but pen will not be damaged.

 

Now I am tempted to get a Boston Safety Pen.

Now checking the main UK retailer for Noodler's  ...

https://www.purepens.co.uk/collections/noodlers-safety-pens/products/noodlers-safety-pen-blue-demonstrator

 .... only the translucent blue demonstrator listed. Errr, that's not Ebonite! So all those solvent test shown by Nathan may not apply? Bleach should still be safe though? (That's the only solvent I would need for my "bad" inks - India and Sumi.)

[Maurizio]

Fantastic. I want one. 

 

I looked yesterday on a couple  of pen sites and they seem to be sold out. I put myself on the list to let me know when they’re back in stock. 

 

 

[mhphoto]

On 1/4/2022 at 7:28 PM, amberleadavis said:

 

 

I’m getting the vapors over here looking at this ABSOLUTE UNIT of a nib you’re just flailing out in public for God and country to see… 🤤

[amberleadavis]

11 hours ago, mhphoto said:

I’m getting the vapors over here looking at this ABSOLUTE UNIT of a nib you’re just flailing out in public for God and country to see… 🤤

 

I have two of these and I LOVE THEM.