Noodler Flex Pens And Skipping

[Moynihan]

OK

I am probably one of the last people to try the Noodler's flex pens; specifically a Konrad Ebonite (one of the rubber body ones) and an Ahab. I watched some videos before the Ahab came, and when it arrived, soaked and flushed the nib unit in soapy water then flushed/soaked that out, proirt to filling for the first time.

Both skip like crazy (and of course railroad like crazy when flexing them, and i also have vintage flex pens that do not...), but my question is about the skipping.

What is your experience, and if similar to mine, what was your solution? Is baby bottoming an unlisted "feature" with all of them, when they are new?

 

[Icywolfe]

What ink do you have?

[Algester]

carve the hell out of that feed? then heat set it? reset the nib nib and feed how far is the tipping of the nib from the feed

Edited September 18, 2014 by Algester

[tinysnail]

Hmm, I've played with 10 different Noodler's pens now (mine, friend's, sister's) and skipping was never an issue. When it does write, is it writing dry? If you move the feed out of the pen just a tiny bit (one more fin showing at a time), that will increase the ink flow. see if that helps. Don't move it out too far or you'll start dripping ink.

[Icywolfe]

carve the hell out of that feed? then heat set it? reset the nib nib and feed how far is the tipping of the nib from the feed

Do not carve it too much or ink will like stream right out.

[WaskiSquirrel]

Carving should be an absolute last resort.

 

Try cleaning again. Then try adjusting the nib and feed to your taste. Finally, you can try heat setting the feed.

[tinysnail]

Yeah, I'll agree that you should never jump to carving the feed. Noodler's pens may require fiddling to get writing, but never THAT much actual alteration.

[Icywolfe]

Add some Photoflo to the ink and it should make any ink Iro-like ink.

 

But could be using a extremely dry ink now.

[lahlahlaw]

Check that nib slit is aligned with center of feed.

Check that feed has good contact with underside of nib.

Check that the tines are aligned with one another.

Check that that both nib and feed are set all the way into the section.

Check in between the tines to ensure that there's no foreign objects in there (e.g. Paper fibers etc.).

Does it skip with no pressure/light pressure/moderate pressure/ heavy pressure?

What ink are you using?

 

EDITS:

Hold the nib, while removed, up to light to see how tight the nib slit is. The tines should come into contact very very near to the tip, nearly at the tipping.

 

I'm sure I missed a few things, but this is a start...

Edited September 19, 2014 by lahlahlaw

[Moynihan]

Thanks for the suggestions. RE inks, been trying a couple Noodlers, a diamine, a Iroshizuki....One came with a Noodler non-flex nib and i changed one to that, and writing is ok, so far. Have ordered a couple Goulet steel nibs i will swap in, and foget the flex aspect...

[Vgimlet]

I have one Ahab that needs some adjusting that I'm not quite ready to attempt. I think it needs heat-setting and some nib smoothing.

 

My other Ahab was a winner out of the box, no adjustments or tweaking needed. It's so nice I'm willing to get another, even with the first one not being so wonderful.

[Scribblesoften]

Two warnings with your Noodler's. Make sure the Ahab nib goes in the nib slot in the section and don't extend the Konrad nib too far or it will impact the inside of the cap. Other than that, you can monkey with the nib/ feed relation until you have the right setting for your pen.

[ahab.becker]

I have an Ahab Noodler too that didn't work at all, I carved not only on the length of the feed (no result), but I also opened some of the little lines across it. I remember the leaflet in the box mentioned it that you could open them if you wanted a "real gusher" or something in that line. I opened all of the ones mentioned on the leaflet and also put the feed as close to the tip as possible. Then finally it worked. I also carved some of the underside as well as I found it too bulky and I kept touching the paper with it (it doesn't look great).

 

Regards,

Alex