Issue with brand new Leonardo Momento Zero

[sketchstack]

I’m a bit flummoxed by my new Leonardo Momento Zero. The feed is starved so I have to prime it in order to maintain a flow of ink. It will write dry after half a page. 

 

This surprises me as it’s a simple set up: Jowo nib, screw-in converter. If anything that should give me confidence that it’s a pretty hassle free experience, yet here we are. 

 

Things I’ve tried:

• Various inks
• Flushing the pen
• Different Jowo nibs
• Different feeds

 

If there’s something I didn’t think of, please let me know.

 

My Furore Grande has a perfect ink flow so I had high hopes for this pen... but currently I’m let down by this Momento Zero (though the “Plum” acrylic is gorgeous).

 

Thanks for any tips. 

[silverlifter]

The one other thing I would check is the converter. If you can swap it out with a known good one, that would rule out an air lock or other impediment to ink reaching the feed.

[sketchstack]

1 hour ago, silverlifter said:

The one other thing I would check is the converter. If you can swap it out with a known good one, that would rule out an air lock or other impediment to ink reaching the feed.

 

Good point. While the Leonardo converters are fancy, I believe they are still standard international. I'll give that a shot. 

[clear1]

If you have already tried different nibs and feeds, I guess the problem has to be related to the converter, too.

I've experienced better flow with cartridges than with converter in many pens.

[Karmachanic]

If no change, having done the soapy flush thing, try installing a keyboard switch spring inside the converter. You may need to cut it in half. The spring, that is.

[sketchstack]

15 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

If no change, having done the soapy flush thing, try installing a keyboard switch spring inside the converter. You may need to cut it in half. The spring, that is.

 

I have some cheap converters I got on eBay with springs. Maybe I'll harvest one of those to try out. 

 

Meanwhile I've tried a couple of non-Leonardo converters to no avail. Curiously, the converters refused to fully draw ink no matter what. That tells me there's an issue with seal somewhere. 

 

The original converter is screw-in. So I applied a little bit of silicone grease to those threads in order to reduce or eliminate any gaps. Theoretically the system is now sealed. Sure enough I was able to get a 100% full converter ...however, the feed still ran dry with plenty of ink in the converter. 

 

Another long shot theory is that these new Leonardo Jowo nibs have a PVD coating (my nib is black). I wonder if there's a major difference in PVD vs. "black oxide" that I've seen on other Jowo nibs. I mean with regards to capillary action. Maybe I'm over thinking it. 

 

 

 

[Karmachanic]

Fountainbel wrote an informative post about airflow that lead to a long discussion. You may find it interesting.

[sketchstack]

On 4/10/2021 at 12:48 AM, Karmachanic said:

Fountainbel wrote an informative post about airflow that lead to a long discussion. You may find it interesting.

 

Thanks --looks like a lot of info there. 

[BadFinancialDecisions]

I have the same issue with my Momento Zero - also with a black PVD-coated nib. None of my other Leonardo pens do this. I tried:

1) opening up the tines with brass sheets

2) Replacing the feed with one from flexiblenibfactory

3) Resealing the converter to the feed post with hot water and narrowing the converter opening

 

Nothing is working to prevent the feed from going try after half a page of writing.  Any help the community can provide is much appreciated! 

[A Smug Dill]

1 hour ago, BadFinancialDecisions said:

Nothing is working to prevent the feed from going try after half a page of writing.

 

Have you tried:

4) using a different ink, irrespective of whether it's an ink you would normally write with, or want to use in that pen particularly, just to see whether it's possible at all for the pen to write without ink starvation?

 

[Calabria]

I have an Aurora Talentum Cento with the black PVD coated nib and it would start and stop for a few months. I thought it was the ebonite feed needing to be broken in but maybe it was the coating? Don’t know but the issue resolved itself.

[A Smug Dill]

7 minutes ago, Calabria said:

I have an Aurora Talentum Cento with the black PVD coated nib and it would start and stop for a few months. I thought it was the ebonite feed needing to be broken in but maybe it was the coating? Don’t know but the issue resolved itself.

 

You might want to check whether the lip of the converter is split.

[Calabria]

18 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

You might want to check whether the lip of the converter is split.

Oh I’ve had that happen, too, in an Ipsilon.

 

As I said, though, the problem resolved itself. Pen writes normally now.

[maclink]

On 1/28/2022 at 11:19 PM, A Smug Dill said:

 

You might want to check whether the lip of the converter is split.

Even if the converter seemed fine, I'd change it if I've already checked the feed with magnification, for gunk.  I once had flow issues with a pen and changed the converter which fixed the problem.   I inspected the old converter, couldn't see a problem with it with my naked eye and binned it.