Not Liking The Flow Of My Kaweco Sport

[Jumpmonkey]

I'm not loving the flow on my AL Sport. I love everything about the pen, but the way it lays down the ink. It' doesn't seem to lack in smoothness, but it seems to dry up while I write sometimes. I'd like a wetter more consistent line (I love the thickness of the stroke, so I don't desire a wider nib.)

 

Thanks for your time!

 

Sample image of flow issue, sorry for the lousy focus:

https://db.tt/f8va3xAX

[dgreenwood116]

I had the exact same problem with mine, though i sent it back after washing/soaking it and the second one acted the same way. It was fine nib, i don't know if that's just how they write but, i returned the second one also and gave up on them even though i love the design!

[PAKMAN]

What nib size do you have? You might want to try to floss the nib, it would improve ink flow.

[strictlyobiter]

Is the feed correctly aligned? I say this because I have purchased three Kawecos new over the years and each pen had a misaligned feed.

[Jumpmonkey]

Thank's for the replies.

 

The Nib is an EF.

 

I flossed the nib, with some brass from Goulet, last night. It helped a bit. The recuperation has been but a temporary one. I have the same problem again as of this morning.

 

I am not sure how the check for nib/feed alignment. I tried separating the nib from the feed but failed. I'll do some YouTubeing and see about this.

 

Are there any third-party feeds/nibs that work with the Kaweco's that I can try if I fail to get this sucker flowing?

 

 

Thanks again,

Adam

[Algester]

the problem with the kaweko sport and like the other cousin models it has is that the nib is not well supported by the feed the feed length is said to be longer than the nib itself which means you need to reset the nib and feed for optimal flow

 

also a quote

Dan Smith shared that he fixed his flow problems by increasing the gap between the tips of the tines and shimming the space between feed and nib.

 

another quote

i guess it's the Sherlock Holmes' mentality common to all pen lovers that kept me looking for the problem. I found it: the tail of the feed that should perfectly fit in the nipple of the nib section doesn't reach far down enough. After adjusting the nib and allowing the tail reach down in the nipple hole, the ink started flowing consistently. It has never stopped writing since. However, I have to write slowly in order for the feed to keep up with the supply of ink.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Algester

[dneal]

Ok. Here's how you increase the flow of a Kaweco. I take no responsibility for anyone screwing up their pens. This is at your own risk, but every Kaweco I have writes perfectly.

 

First you make sure the channel and nib are aligned.

 

It should be like this

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust001_zpsf5ac24fa.jpg

 

Not this

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust013_zpscef5eb19.jpg

 

The feed and nib are easy to remove, and are friction fit (they pull out). They are held into a collar that screws into the section. If you try to twist them counterclockwise, the collar will unscrew. Clockwise tightens the collar. I say this because if you cannot pull them out, twist clockwise as you pull.

 

Put the feed in the bend of the first joint of your index finger, and put your thumb on the nib, like this (note that my thumb should be all the way to the section, but I left the gap so you could see.

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust007_zpsa45128de.jpg

 

It pulls right out

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust008_zpsea62935b.jpg

 

Now, with a brass sheet, lightly draw the corner all the way down the feed channel. This is removing any debris that may be stopping flow. Go from one end to the other in one complete stroke. Repeat as necessary, and a loupe will help you see if anything's in there.

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust010_zps807657e1.jpg

 

Reassemble the nib and feed, and push it back into the collar. Check the channel / slit alignment when you're done. You can see how the feed is molded for the nib, creating "stops" letting you know where it should be. I left a little bit of a gap so you can see.

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust012_zps54a74db8.jpg

 

Does it write better? No?

 

Here's a second option. With a curved hobby knife blade, stick the tip in the feeder hole and rock the blade to the tip of the nib. This is spreading the tines. The deeper the blade, the more the spread. You can do this while the pen is inked up and test after each pass. Do not "slice" the blade down the length of the slit.

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust003_zps501fd1dc.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust004_zpsdd6d4c20.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust005_zps85e3613e.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust006_zps5bd485b7.jpg

 

If the line width seems good, but the ink just isn't keeping up; you can do this as a last resort. This is irreversible, so easy does it.

 

Take the pointiest hobby knife blade, and with the back of the blade draw it down the feed channel like you did with the brass sheet. Use very, very light pressure and let the sharp tip do the work. Just a couple of strokes and then floss it out with the brass sheet.

 

Sorry the picture isn't clearer. I couldn't get the camera to focus. The sharp side of the blade is up.

 

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust011_zpsde65f478.jpg

[dneal]

the problem with the kaweko sport and like the other cousin models it has is that the nib is not well supported by the feed the feed length is said to be longer than the nib itself which means you need to reset the nib and feed for optimal flow

 

There's nothing wrong with the way the nib is supported by the feed, IMHO.

[Jumpmonkey]

Thanks Dneal,

 

I'll give that a try. I was having a hard time aligning the nib, hand't thought of using the hole at the beginning of the splice in the nib as a window. So much easier to do now. Thanks!

[dneal]

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/roomdog/Kaweco%20Flow%20Adjustment/KawecoAdjust0011_zpsd47eff3d.jpg

[benay148]

I had the same issue with my Kaweco Ac, I ordered three nibs for it, a EF, F, and 1.1, the EF and F nib were both awful, no matter how much tuning I did, cleaning, nothing could make the EF or F write, luckily and stub after hours of tinkering writes perfectly so that's the permanent nib on that pen. Good luck with everything, I hope you can get it writing

[Jumpmonkey]

Are the feeds any different on the various nib sizes on the Kaweco? I've thought about mating up my EF nib with the feed from a M if so. I'm also tempted by a 1.1mm Stub. I may order that, and see what it does instead of tinkering around too much. If I can get a nib working nicely for me, I'm sorely tempted to get a black Sport and eyedropper the body and mate it with the cap of the AL. Thanks again.

[dneal]

The feeds are the same. Just different nibs.

[Jumpmonkey]

Thanks, dneal.

 

That sort of frightens me. I was curious if a F or M nib might help but I'm not entirely convinced the feed can keep up with the EF as it is.

 

I guess I will try to repeat the process you showed me. I gave it a go without opening the feed with a knife and without spreading the tines. We'll do those today.

[Jumpmonkey]

I put it through the ringer and it's flowing like a beast. I also MAY have turned my EF into a B on the first run of the craft knife through the tines. I was not using a rounded knife, so that may have been the issue. Knew I was at risk ahead of time. Oh well, least I got ink coming out of it. Maybe I'll order up a F nib to stick on my modified and well flowing feed.

 

Might just order a F nib plastic sport for a few dollars more and eyedropper it.

[janelle]

I have an Al-Sport, an Ac-Sport, and a Lilliput, with EF and F nibs, and not one of them wrote well at first. I had good results from gently bending the nibs up, like Stephen Brown does in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig5cTFv4lXo

 

I haven't tried using them for long writing sessions, but at least for writing short notes, which is what I like these small pens for, that adjustment fixed the problem for me.

[dneal]

I put it through the ringer and it's flowing like a beast. I also MAY have turned my EF into a B on the first run of the craft knife through the tines. I was not using a rounded knife, so that may have been the issue. Knew I was at risk ahead of time. Oh well, least I got ink coming out of it. Maybe I'll order up a F nib to stick on my modified and well flowing feed.

 

Might just order a F nib plastic sport for a few dollars more and eyedropper it.

There are probably two issues. One, you increased the feed with a knife before you opened the tines. Usually the feed will keep up as long as it's not blocked. You probably opened the tines too much. You can close them, but it's difficult to do on the shorter steel nib in the Kaweco. It involves crossing the tines, and then you need to realign them.

 

At any rate, you learned something, made no catastrophic mistake (it appears) and didn't risk a lot of money. I probably wouldn't convert that pen to an eye dropper though...

[Jumpmonkey]

Dneal,

 

The end result wasn't precisely what I desired, but it got it functional, which is an improvement. And I dug in knowing if I really screwed up it'd cost me ten and change for a new nib/feed. I learned, had some fun, got some results. Thanks for all the help.

 

If I go eyedropper I'm going to buy a plastic sport for that. I might mix the plastic body with the AL cap and see how it looks. Or is the eye-dropper warning in relation to something other than the AL body?

[dneal]

Nah, I just meant that if you have it as wet as I think, then using it as an eye dropper could be a big mess in the making.

 

Congrats on getting your pen working better. As a side note, don't use a razor on nibs as a general rule. I only use it on kaweco nibs because they're so small that I can't get a good hold with my finger tips and the steel is pretty stout.

[Jumpmonkey]

Gotcha, if I eyedropper, I'll try it out with an un-modded feed/nib first.

 

I'll keep that guideline in mind if I get up to modding on different pens.

 

 

Thanks,

Adam