Mabie Todd : Sos... Save The Bird!

[Wet-Noodle]

Hello both, I thought you'd have something worth considering! Yes, heat too, and without mentioning outright anything quite so vulgar, it is of course it's the alchemy involved in producing a coveted wet noodle that's in the back of my mind... but don't tell anyone. Klondike stuff this.... and just as elusive.

 

I know, it's easier to cough up and buy one, but think of the fun if you discovered the key to "releasing" a nib, even just a little bit! Incidentally I know it can't happen, that it must be me that's changing, but I'd swear that my #3 3261, (untouched by human hand since 1950ish - or so it seemed) has with some use "released it's cheeks" a bit. "Silly boy" I hear you cry.

[Cob]

One of the factors in the production of flexible nibs, is the craftsman's skill in tempering the metal. You are correct that shape and alloy are also factors, but heating a nib incorrectly is the one thing we can all do. If you heat a nib to the point the temper goes, you will have a soft thing that will not spring back. There are very few craftsmen left who can fix that for you. There are a few who can gold solder, or weld them, but their services are expensive. I have a friend who has recently obtained the equipment for gold soldering, and I have given him some old Watermans to practice on.

Yes, when working on classic cars, I had from time to time do some delicate welding> We had a sort of red clay like material, which when mixed with water into a putty-like consistency, was applied to the part one did not want to get hot. I suppose a similar material is used when soldering up cracked nibs. I was very annoyed to find just yesterday that a very nice flexible Swan 2 I had in mind for a pen I was rebuilding, had a 2mm crack in one of its shoulders; now it has joined the quite large bag of "casualties"

 

Cob

[Scrawler]

Yes, when working on classic cars, I had from time to time do some delicate welding> We had a sort of red clay like material, which when mixed with water into a putty-like consistency, was applied to the part one did not want to get hot. I suppose a similar material is used when soldering up cracked nibs. I was very annoyed to find just yesterday that a very nice flexible Swan 2 I had in mind for a pen I was rebuilding, had a 2mm crack in one of its shoulders; now it has joined the quite large bag of "casualties"

 

Cob

Yes there is a putty specifically for this purpose. I will have to ask my friend about it. I was chatting to him a while ago, when I gave him the Waterman to practice with. He did tell what it was called, but senility has set in.

[Cob]

Yes there is a putty specifically for this purpose. I will have to ask my friend about it. I was chatting to him a while ago, when I gave him the Waterman to practice with. He did tell what it was called, but senility has set in.

Same here: every day, another senior moment.

 

Tragic really.

 

Cob

[Wet-Noodle]

Same here: every day, another senior moment.

 

Tragic really.

 

Cob

It used to worry me too... But I can't remember what the problem was.

[Greenie]

I have not done any of this work myself. But I have researched it and considered it.

 

There is a thermal gel used in soldering electronics to avoid damage to sensitive parts.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=thermal%20gel&sprefix=therm%2Caps