Noodler's Original Creeper With Gillott 303...

[ljkd13]

So after taking apart my Ahab tonight and cleaning it out and getting some good flow out of it, finally, I decided to play withone of the 3 original "creeper" pens from noodler's to see if I could modify one a bit. I took the feed out of one and cut grooves in the first fin up to the center channel (in the smaller flex pen the grooves don't go all the way). I put a Gillott 303 copperplate nib on and left the feed further out. To my surprise, the increased ink flow and strange mounting worked perfectly! See photos below.

 

I also decided to take some pictures of my pens while I had the camera out. I'm missing the pilot knight that I've worn almost all of the paint off from over-use (it's at work with my last creeper).

 

[andybiotic]

Nope... I am sorry to tell you... I tried that already, the circumference of the nib (curvature) is bigger than that of the section, yes, it fits wth a little force but will eventually cut into the plastic section and cracks it. I have done it a few times aready and I can see multiple cracks coming along since mine is a demonstrator.

 

It will be good for a number of times of use but not quite a long term substitute...

 

Thanks for sharing though!

Edited December 20, 2011 by andybiotic

[andybiotic]

Another thing I can see is in your first picture is that there is a gap between the feed and the nib on you orange noodler's flex pen. Have you tried heat setting the feed to fit the nib?

 

Even though you said the flow is keeping up with your writing, have you tried heavier, thicker, longer strokes?

 

Cheers

[Pickwick]

Nope... I am sorry to tell you... I tried that already, the circumference of the nib (curvature) is bigger than that of the section, yes, it fits wth a little force but will eventually cut into the plastic section and cracks it. I have done it a few times aready and I can see multiple cracks coming along since mine is a demonstrator.

 

It will be good for a number of times of use but not quite a long term substitute...

 

Thanks for sharing though!

 

One solution I found was to reduce the curve of an Esterbrook Radio nib with a Dremel with a grinder attachment and ground down the thickness of the nib until I got a snug fit.

 

Kind regards,

 

Pickwick

[Joshua J.]

Is the Gillott 303 stainless? I put a Zebra G-nib nib in one of my Pelikans once, it was great for a few weeks, but when it stopped working and I took the nib off the entire feed was full of rust.

[andybiotic]

Is the Gillott 303 stainless? I put a Zebra G-nib nib in one of my Pelikans once, it was great for a few weeks, but when it stopped working and I took the nib off the entire feed was full of rust.

 

 

No, its not stainless, that is why installing dip nibs in fountain pen require removing the nib after you use it and reassembling it every time you want to use it. That is why I said the nib will eventually crack the section because you have to push it in every time.

[ljkd13]

Thanks for the head's up on the cracking - I wouldn't have suspected it.

 

I figured this is about the only good way to get a nice hairline out of a FP - the Ahab isn't bad, but it's not great.

 

I'm wondering if I couldn't adjust the shape of the back of the nib to fit the feed better so I don't have to worry about extra pressure.

[rwilsonedn]

Useful information all around--thanks! By the way, ljkd13, your writing looks great!

ron

[ljkd13]

Useful information all around--thanks! By the way, ljkd13, your writing looks great!

ron

 

Thanks, ron!

[andybiotic]

Even if it is going to crack, it is still a nice short-term holder for 303 for only $14! I wouldn't want to adjust the nib because that means I will have to do the adjust again wheneven I change the nib... and being steel those things are not easy to shave or cut or grind!

 

Cheers!

[ljkd13]

Even if it is going to crack, it is still a nice short-term holder for 303 for only $14! I wouldn't want to adjust the nib because that means I will have to do the adjust again wheneven I change the nib... and being steel those things are not easy to shave or cut or grind!

 

Cheers!

 

True- but at this point I have so many of them, that I could just leave it as an adjusted one. For the most part, I don't actually write with the 303 that much - I LOVE my Brause 361, which I end up using 90% of the time.

[PrestoTenebroso]

So after taking apart my Ahab tonight and cleaning it out and getting some good flow out of it, finally, I decided to play withone of the 3 original "creeper" pens from noodler's to see if I could modify one a bit. I took the feed out of one and cut grooves in the first fin up to the center channel (in the smaller flex pen the grooves don't go all the way). I put a Gillott 303 copperplate nib on and left the feed further out. To my surprise, the increased ink flow and strange mounting worked perfectly! See photos below.

 

I also decided to take some pictures of my pens while I had the camera out. I'm missing the pilot knight that I've worn almost all of the paint off from over-use (it's at work with my last creeper).

 

IMG_4209SM.jpg

IMG_4211sm.jpg

IMG_4217sm.jpg

Would you consider a fountain pen designed to hold dip nibs?

 

True- but at this point I have so many of them, that I could just leave it as an adjusted one. For the most part, I don't actually write with the 303 that much - I LOVE my Brause 361, which I end up using 90% of the time.

Have you tried the Zebra G?

 

Even if it is going to crack, it is still a nice short-term holder for 303 for only $14! I wouldn't want to adjust the nib because that means I will have to do the adjust again wheneven I change the nib... and being steel those things are not easy to shave or cut or grind!

 

Cheers!

Same question as above. Thoughts on the Zebra G?

 

 

No, its not stainless, that is why installing dip nibs in fountain pen require removing the nib after you use it and reassembling it every time you want to use it. That is why I said the nib will eventually crack the section because you have to push it in every time.

(My pens won't crack after any number of reinsertions.)

 

Is the Gillott 303 stainless? I put a Zebra G-nib nib in one of my Pelikans once, it was great for a few weeks, but when it stopped working and I took the nib off the entire feed was full of rust.

A steel nib will rust, but I fitted a Gillott 303 into one of my pens, and it is rather impressively long lasting. Weeks, like yours, Joshua.