How To Fit A Manga G Nib Into A Noodler's Ahab

[TeaHive]

Here's what I spent my day doing, as a result of being salty about my Ackerman pump pen not arriving and getting no responses to my multiple queries to customer service. And really, it was so stupid-easy, I should have just done this to begin with.

 

Annnnnd here's a general run-down on how I did it:

 

Close-up of the tape overfeed on the nib:

 

Hopefully other tinkerers and those who desire, specifically (like me), to use G nibs in their pens, will find this helpful and interesting. I know I'm enjoying it! The only problem I've come across is that you CANNOT give the pen a little downward shake to prime the nib. It will spew a big ol' droplet or two. The way I would describe how to get the nib tip primed, should it run dry, is to do little "woodpecker taps" on a piece of scrap paper. Or if you're really careful (*cough*adventurous*cough*), light taps where you're going to start your line. This should be familiar to others who have put dip nibs in fountain pens before.

[linearM]

Are you able to cap the pen. I did something like you but found the very tip of the nib went up against the end of the cap. I was thinking I might have to shorten the nib.

[TeaHive]

Nope, no modifications to the nib itself. Shaving the feed sides lets the G nib rest securely on the feed, and you can push both nib and feed in as far as you need to (or as far as it WILL go, in the case of the feed). This pen definitely caps.

Edited December 16, 2014 by TeaHive

[TeaHive]

Pictures of the feeds. As you can see, my hand wasn't completely steady and the cut isn't very straight. But it seems to be very forgiving. And you don't need to grind much at all to get the nib to fit.

 

No grinding of the top portion. And I used an X-Acto knife to re-carve the fin vents, as grinding the sides left them a bit shallow.

 

Edited December 16, 2014 by TeaHive

[Limner]

Oh, that's a GREAT hack! It definitely beats what I tried when overcome with Pump Pen frustration: I put a Penesco dip nib on an Aquabrush. (I don't recommend trying this unless you're trapped in some sort of FP-devoid environment and desperate to ink something, though. Seriously, it only works for a little while before you end up with a lap full of ink). Ackerman frustration, father of invention...

Edited December 16, 2014 by Linda Medley

[TeaHive]

Oh, that's a GREAT hack! It definitely beats what I tried when overcome with Pump Pen frustration: I put a Penesco dip nib on an Aquabrush. (I don't recommend trying this unless you're trapped in some sort of FP-devoid environment and desperate to ink something, though. Seriously, it only works for a little while before you end up with a lap full of ink). Ackerman frustration, father of invention...

 

Yes, yes indeed. If certain swear words were allowed here on FPN, I'd be saying how I really feel about Ackerman Pens right now.

 

Ahem. But yay for ingenuity! Even when it fails! Lol.

[Limner]

 

Yes, yes indeed. If certain swear words were allowed here on FPN, I'd be saying how I really feel about Ackerman Pens right now.

 

Ahem. But yay for ingenuity! Even when it fails! Lol.

 

Ha! I hear that. Or rather, I've heard them. Coming from my own mouth.

[discopig]

Thanks for the guide, I'll definitely be trying this as I am pretty fed up with my akkerman pump pen not working right.

[TeaHive]

Thanks for the guide, I'll definitely be trying this as I am pretty fed up with my akkerman pump pen not working right.

Excellent! Be sure to share your feedback!

[fromthecrowd]

There are also titanium plated manga nibs. Can be found on eBay as 'Zebra G titanium nib'. Interesting to compare the plating in terms of corrosion.

[TeaHive]

Interesting! I didn't know there were titanium plated ones. I'll have to go take a look!

[Algester]

but for certain without shaving the feed because of the G nib's curvature it won't really fit thats 100% guaranteed beyond that I can say some nibs will fit without major feed modifications

[TeaHive]

Many of those other nibs, Brause Rose, Hunt 101 and 22, and the Esterbrook 357 and 358 (which I tried at your suggestion btw, and I love them!) work nicely but still don't sit flush to the feed. Even after multiple heat settings, I found I had to use tape wrapped around the nib and feed to snug them together. And they corrode very quickly.

 

For me, this is my dedicated G nib pen. I wanted to use G nibs because of their plating, and because their flex is amazing, and wanted to use it in a more portable, ready-to-use form than a dip body and an open bottle at my desk. This modification would be intended for those who will be using such a modified pen a LOT. Or want to use it out and about.

 

Modifying a $4 feed on a $20 pen seems to not be that big of a deal, and is not at all hard to do. And it sure beats the hell out of taking a risk on an Ackerman pump pen, which you may or may not get, and which may or may not work, depending on how lucky you are if you go that route. And while the Desiderata pens look great, modifying an Ahab or Konrad is much cheaper.

[Algester]

Many of those other nibs, Brause Rose, Hunt 101 and 22, and the Esterbrook 357 and 358 (which I tried at your suggestion btw, and I love them!) work nicely but still don't sit flush to the feed. Even after multiple heat settings, I found I had to use tape wrapped around the nib and feed to snug them together. And they corrode very quickly.

 

For me, this is my dedicated G nib pen. I wanted to use G nibs because of their plating, and because their flex is amazing, and wanted to use it in a more portable, ready-to-use form than a dip body and an open bottle at my desk. This modification would be intended for those who will be using such a modified pen a LOT. Or want to use it out and about.

 

Modifying a $4 feed on a $20 pen seems to not be that big of a deal, and is not at all hard to do. And it sure beats the hell out of taking a risk on an Ackerman pump pen, which you may or may not get, and which may or may not work, depending on how lucky you are if you go that route. And while the Desiderata pens look great, modifying an Ahab or Konrad is much cheaper.

yeah there's the corrosion problem on some of the nibs I have mentioned but indeed this is one of the best choices to make recently but not when Noodler's wasnt open about selling replacement feeds

[Kataphract]

How well does the feed keep up with the nib? Railroading, skipping?

 

I'd give it a shot, but I have the Desiderata Daedalus, which is designed around the Zebra G from the word go. My Ahab has slowly gotten worse and worse at ink flow to the point it is worthless, but until that happened it was a bit better omni-directionally than a G nib.

[TeaHive]

I haven't had any railroading or skipping problems unless I'm writing/drawing very quickly and reaaaaally pushing the tines for those big ol' fat lines. Day three, and I'm just starting to get issues, but my ink is on the verge of being run out of the converter, so that's likely the cause. I'll find that out after I get it completely empty and refilled with another color.

 

The past two days, this pen has worked wonderfully! I should note that I've deepened the channel on the top of the particular feed I'm using (the one depicted above) previous to the G nib modification. And I've carved all the fin vents so they actually connect to both top and bottom ink channels after doing the modification.

 

Should I run into troubles, I will definitely post about them here. But so far, doing very well, and nothing unexpected!

[TeaHive]

Welp, I have my first problem after loading the pen up with a new color. Though it's very likely from the ink itself, as I've had problems with this particular ink in many regular fountain pens. J. Herbin Bouquet d'Antan is a very wet one (at least my mini sample bottle of it is) to begin with, and with the modified feed, it just blobs out all over the place. If I hold the pen vertically with the nib down, it flows right out. It's kind of a fun way to use up an ink I dislike, lol.

 

More experimentation is needed. Diamine Salamander worked so well, I'll have to give other Diamine inks I have a try. Then some of my other J. Herbin inks, Noodler's, Sailor, Pilot Iroshizuku, Organics Studio, and even some dipping inks--Black Cat, Winsor & Newton, Hero Carbon, Yasutomo Sumi ink.. These are all the brands I have, so I'll have to see how they stack up against each other.

Edited December 18, 2014 by TeaHive

[Algester]

The Sailor inks will work as I have tested them the X feather much so (I think Nathan designed that ink for this application)

[TeaHive]

I put another Diamine ink, Peach Haze, in after dumping out the Bouquet d'Antan, and it's back to working perfectly. I just had to sit there and laugh at myself for having bothered with the Bouquet. Ooooh, I'm going to have to try Black Swan in Australian Roses next!

[Algester]

sumi ink... nope wont flow heck it wont even write, maybe boku-kaoru by Sailor for Nagasawa Pen or the Kiwa-guro also by sailor...

Edited December 19, 2014 by Algester