Platinum Balance Engeika Special

[Drone]

Hi GeekyGirl,

You might want to mark incoming messages in your Web Email and/or stand-alone Email Client as "Not Spam". Especially if you're just starting to receive a number of messages from FPN and your SPAM filter has not "learned" the FPN is not SPAM yet. This will ensure your Spam filter doesn't dump your FPN incoming messages into your SPAM Folder, or worse-yet just delete them. This is more important if you're using an online Email service like Yahoo Mail.

If you're getting the same scratching noise on both Rhodia (the paper is actually made by Clairfontaine if memory-serves) and decent office copier paper, then maybe there is something wrong. I use Kokuyo paper with this pen and it is not making any sort of unexpected noise. Disassemble the nib then put it back together again making sure everything fits together properly and is snug when you're finished. Maybe something in the nib/feed/section is loose and making some sort of noise.

Sometimes a cartridge or converter that has a ball or spring inside to break up surface tension can rattle on rough paper, especially when using a very fine nib. But my PGB-3000 converter doesn't have a ball or spring, neither do my Platinum cartridges. I don't know about yours.

Maybe the gold tone ring platinum puts around the end of the section is loose? Try writing with the pen when it is making noise and with your other hand touch different parts of the pen and nib and see if the noise dampens or stops.

Some people are very sensitive to scratching noises, like nails scratching on a chalkboard, and can pick them out of interfering cacaphony.

When experimenting with adding detergent I fill a 5ml vial enough to dip-test the pen and then I add a little bit of detergent at a time with something like a toothpick which can pick up a small amount of detergent liquid on the tip. Touching the end of the pointy object which is carrying some detergent to the surface of the ink in the vial should immediately draw some detergent into the ink across the surface. I then cap the vial and gently flip it over a half doezent times or so, this will mix the ink. Then I dip-test the pen. If it seems like more detergent is needed, just rinse and dry the nib and feed, add a little more detergent, mix and dip-test again.

I discard any ink plus detergent in the vial when I'm done. I do NOT add it back into the ink bottle.

I prefer to use odorless colorless detergent if I'm going to fill a converter or cartridge with ink and added detergent for regular writing. I can get some odorless hand cleaner soap that is baby-safe here in Jakarta. That stuff has been pretty good. But if you're just testing, any decent detergent like hand soap or dish soap should work.

MAKE SURE the detergent you use doesn't have any chemicals like alcohol in it. Smell the liquid for tell-tale odors. Liquid hand soaps, especially some anti-bacterial soaps may have some alcohol or something similar in them. Again, the odorless colorless soap I find to be the safest.