Ink Starvation In A Metro?

[Rosendust2121]

Hey all, I have an issue with my Metropolitan(my fine nib one). It seems that even after I clean & reink, it seems like the pen is ink starved and it's a hard starting pen. I use distilled water as part of my cleaning routine and use Irozuku inks exclusively in my Pilots. Is a change of ink needed?
I appreciate any assistance you can provide.
Regards,
Rosendust

[Sailor Kenshin]

It's Pilot ink so theoretically, Iro should work in your Metropolitan. I've used some in mine. Could there be another issue? How long have you had this pen? Did your pen work well with other brand inks, such as the Pilot cart usually included?

 

Could it be a paper factor, or could your nib need a simple flossing? The F would be a bit stingier with ink flow than the M. Hope any of this helps.

[Rosendust2121]

It's Pilot ink so theoretically, Iro should work in your Metropolitan. I've used some in mine. Could there be another issue? How long have you had this pen? Did your pen work well with other brand inks, such as the Pilot cart usually included?

 

Could it be a paper factor, or could your nib need a simple flossing? The F would be a bit stingier with ink flow than the M. Hope any of this helps.

I'll try that! Thank you! I've had it about since 2015. Edited March 22, 2018 by Rosendust2121

[Olya]

I have a similar experience with my Prera (same nib & feed as Metro). No hard starts, ever, regardless of ink (brand), but even when using Pilot ink the nib & feed can't seem to keep up and the line becomes gradually lighter until ink flow completely stops, and then I have to wait until the feed resaturates. Again, this with Pilot ink, which was not sticking to the cartridge walls - I checked.

 

I did a bit of research and came via google to threads describing this as a common problem in Pilot pens, and apparently it is because the tines are too close together - they (nearly) touch where the tipping is. I don't have a loupe, but looking at the tines (tine gap) with my naked eye (various brands, Sailor, Pilot, Platinum, Pelikan, Sheaffer) I can see that this is true. Can't say how much the tpping bit touches due to lack of a loupe. And even though I can see the same in my CH 91 (and gold nibs according to reports have the same problem), but haven't had any ink starvation issues - yet..? Maybe because the 91 is softer and bouncier than the Prera nib, so the tines don't sit that closely together all the time? No idea..

[catalyst]

Hey all, I have an issue with my Metropolitan(my fine nib one). It seems that even after I clean & reink, it seems like the pen is ink starved and it's a hard starting pen. I use distilled water as part of my cleaning routine and use Irozuku inks exclusively in my Pilots. Is a change of ink needed?

I appreciate any assistance you can provide.

Regards,

Rosendust

Did you remove the nib and feed from the section? They are friction fitted and should pull right off and then you can clean the feed itself with pressure from a syringe or something I’ve never had any pilot pen hard start after a fresh clean and re-ink. But both my metros dry out very quickly compared to other pens like pilot penmanship, platinum and twsbi pens, so that forces a thourough feed cleaning every time. Hopefully that works!

[Sailor Kenshin]

I have a similar experience with my Prera (same nib & feed as Metro). No hard starts, ever, regardless of ink (brand), but even when using Pilot ink the nib & feed can't seem to keep up and the line becomes gradually lighter until ink flow completely stops, and then I have to wait until the feed resaturates. Again, this with Pilot ink, which was not sticking to the cartridge walls - I checked.

 

I did a bit of research and came via google to threads describing this as a common problem in Pilot pens, and apparently it is because the tines are too close together - they (nearly) touch where the tipping is. I don't have a loupe, but looking at the tines (tine gap) with my naked eye (various brands, Sailor, Pilot, Platinum, Pelikan, Sheaffer) I can see that this is true. Can't say how much the tpping bit touches due to lack of a loupe. And even though I can see the same in my CH 91 (and gold nibs according to reports have the same problem), but haven't had any ink starvation issues - yet..? Maybe because the 91 is softer and bouncier than the Prera nib, so the tines don't sit that closely together all the time? No idea..

This is a good point...all my lower-end Pilot pens are dry writers: 78G, Prera, Metropolitan. I had to Waverly my first Prera to get ink to flow at all. I did buy three others because they're little, cute, and colorful.

[Olya]

This is a good point...all my lower-end Pilot pens are dry writers: 78G, Prera, Metropolitan. I had to Waverly my first Prera to get ink to flow at all. I did buy three others because they're little, cute, and colorful.

Don't even start, I own more Preras than I care to admit! The colours are beautiful, fun and cheerful, hard to resist

 

The Prera is, to me and my hand, the perfect pen. And the way it closes! Oh my, best snap cap there ever was But Pilot really needs (it seems) to work on their feeds and nibs.... Maybe look to Sailor, their feeds are pretty fantastic and I've never had problems with Sailors - cheaper or pricier... I find that Sailors clean out and get started (when re-inked) the best & fastest, no skips, drying out or flow issues, regardless of what ink (brand) I put in... True workhorses, greatly engineered.

[ENewton]

I have used my Prera (fine) with Iroshizuku, Sailor, Rohrer & Klingner, TAG Kyoto, Sailor, Birmingham, Montblanc, Pelikan, and Diamine inks, and the only ink that has caused flow problems in the pen was Diamine Grape, which also caused flow problems in other pens.

 

My Pilot desk pen (extra fine) has also had no problems with flow. As for hard starts, I once left it unused and filled with Pelikan 4001 Violet for two weeks while I traveled; upon my return, it started up immediately.

 

A sample of two is, of course, not sufficient basis for a generalization about a brand.

 

It does cross my mind, though, that Japanese users of Pilot pens might be more likely to write in many small strokes, as opposed to cursive, and that the demands on a feed are different.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Don't even start, I own more Preras than I care to admit! The colours are beautiful, fun and cheerful, hard to resist

 

The Prera is, to me and my hand, the perfect pen. And the way it closes! Oh my, best snap cap there ever was But Pilot really needs (it seems) to work on their feeds and nibs.... Maybe look to Sailor, their feeds are pretty fantastic and I've never had problems with Sailors - cheaper or pricier... I find that Sailors clean out and get started (when re-inked) the best & fastest, no skips, drying out or flow issues, regardless of what ink (brand) I put in... True workhorses, greatly engineered.

I know what you mean about the snap cap!