Is This A Cracked Nib?

[Ego Id Veto]

I'm seriously considering buying this great Mabie Todd eyedropper pen, however it appears to have a crack in the nib, or something like it. It runs from the breather hole back towards the section.

 

However, it looks a little too neat to be a crack, could it possibly be a manufacturing defect, like they stamped the breather hole too far down on the nib?

 

If it is a crack, how will it affect the longevity and performance (or any other traits) of the nib?

 

And if it is just a quirk of manufacturing, will it also affect the longevity and performance?

 

I'd rather not buy a pen only to have to send the nib to Greg Minuskin to have it repaired, so do you guys think it's worth it? Does it even have a crack or is there nothing to be worried about?

 

BTW I love flex writing, so this pen will be (carefully) flexed.

 

Here's a screenshot of the seller's picture of the nib.

 

[Left FPN]

IMHO it's a manufacturing error because it's too uniform and is directly in line with the slit.

 

Have the mouse hole opened up to take it out.

[ANM]

It isn't that the hole was stamped too low because it was stamped before the slit was cut. The person who cut the slit went too far and cut past the hole. I have vintage Parker like that.

 

PS the sample writing isn't because the nib is flexible but because it is wide. It is either an Italic or stub.

Edited December 9, 2013 by ANM

[fountainbel]

I fully agree, and excellent suggestion !

Using a miniature round file you could file the hole oval towards the end of the nib.

Francis

IMHO it's a manufacturing error because it's too uniform and is directly in line with the slit.

 

Have the mouse hole opened up to take it out.

[Ron Z]

I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable doing that. You could end up with a hole that's too big - or out of round. If you do open up the hole you should do it with the nib and feed out of the pen so that you don't damage the feed in the process. That in itself introduces risks with an inexperienced person. A better option would be to have the slit filled in. Not as cheap, but better in the long run IMO.

 

As bothersome as it might be, you do see it on pens, and it is common. Nibs often crack from the end of the overshoot slit, but if it hasn't happened I would leave well enough alone. The hole may help with filling, but it's also there to prevent the nib from cracking. The overshoot introduces the stress point all over again, which is why they crack.

[Ego Id Veto]

Would repairing a crack there cost the same as filling in the slit?

[Fountainer]

I haven't seen needle files so small that they could be used for grinding the breather hole bigger, but maybe i'm wrong. Too big hole can get ugly. If you go for grinding, consider different shapes such as the Mont Blanc star or a key hole. There are 4 different shapes other than round behind this link: http://www.nibs.com/NibNotes.html

They also say that cracking is a real risk without a breather hole but i don't know... Some pens are made without any breather holes in the first place. They aren't ment for flexing though. The Visconti style half moon would increase flexibility i think, but in your case i would prefer the star or key hole as they are grinded lenghtwise. But first find out can you get the required super small needle file.

[Vintagepens]

Listen to Ron on this. But if you want a nib that you can flex a lot, this might not be the best choice. Fair warning, too, that there are a number of sellers out there who greatly overstate the extent to which the pens they sell can flex without nib cracking. They post pictures of writing samples that are done by pushing the nibs to the very limits of their ability to bend -- which is also well beyond their ability to bend repeatedly without fatigue. Just because a nib can sustain a given level of stress for a few days doesn't mean that it will be able to sustain it for months, let alone years.

 

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but I've been seeing too many good old nibs damaged, and buyers ending up facing expensive repairs.

[Ego Id Veto]

Well as Ron Z said, I could just leave well enough alone, provided the cost of repairing a crack is similar to filling in the overshoot slit, so I can have it repaired in the event that it does crack.

 

So would you guys think the cost would be the same? Or would repairing a crack cost a lot more?

[Ego Id Veto]

And to vintage pens, the nib is already a broad stub, so I won't be flexing it much anyway. I'm no newbie to vintage flex pens, I will be very gentle in flexing it. Besides, I see this being more of a daily writer, so I won't want to flex it anyway.

[farmdogfan]

I have got a similar nib on a MB 224. It writes perfectly so i´m just leaving it as it is.