Noodler's Neponset - The Middle Tine

[AgentVenom]

I've had my Neponset for a while now and the thing that's always bugged me is that the middle tine sits slightly above the outside tines when you aren't flexing the nib.

 

This is the only music nib that I have ever used, so im not sure if this is normal. Any advice or insight into the following would be greatly appreciated....

 

I have experienced times when one of the outside tines will get caught underneath the middle tine. It's usually only happens when I'm writing/drawing on a really scratchy piece of paper. I've always assumed it was because the outside tine was getting caught on the paper and would pop underneath the middle because the tines bend towards each other.

 

I was thinking about it tonight and it seems like when I flex the nib I feel, and I swear I hear (creaking), the tines rubbing against one another. So it seems like they would easily get twisted like I've described when flexing.

 

I own two Ahab's so I don't feel like I put any inappropriate pressure on the Vishnu nib while flexing; I really don't think I've sprung the nib. In fact I thought this was how they are supposed to look( at least the Noodler's music Nibs). I'm on my second because the first wouldn't write at all because of a feed and section issue, and the nibs are identical. So it at least appears as though this is an intentional design.

 

So, just a few questions:

1) is this normal for a Neponset?

2) is this common to music nibs?

3) will it permanently damage the nib if the outside tine pops under the middle tine?

4) is there a way to fix this?

[Glenn Atkins]

Mine are like that, but I don't know if it's "normal" or not.

 

Glenn

[dspeers58]

Mine are like that too

[AgentVenom]

Mine are like that, but I don't know if it's "normal" or not.

 

Glenn

Mine are like that too

Thank you! I'm glad I'm not the only one.

 

I'll post a picture later, but does anyone else notice that one outside tine flexes more than the other?

[JemC]

My middle tine sits lower than the outer tines

It's also horrible

[AgentVenom]

My middle tine sits lower than the outer tines

It's also horrible

So weird. Is it possible to see a picture?

[AgentVenom]

Here are the photos of my Neponset flexing. As you can see, one tine seems to flex more than the other.

 

I've also been wondering if I bend my middle tine down that it will increase smoothness and wetness in non flex writing.

[jmccarty3]

Let's just say that I regret buying my Neponset and that I intend to sell it at one of the upcoming shows.

[AgentVenom]

Let's just say that I regret buying my Neponset and that I intend to sell it at one of the upcoming shows.

I'm considering getting a 1.5mm Goulet nib for it. I absolutely love the body of the pen.

 

I'm debating on whether or not I want to try to work on evening the tines out. It would be my first time trying something like this.

[alexhondsmerk]

Mine looks the same, with the middle tine sat slightly higher than the outer two. I really wanted to love the Neponset, but I've had no end of trouble with it; whilst the flexibility is fun, the railroading after even a few flexes makes it next to unusable for me! Either unscrewing the barrel to re-saturate the feed, which is inconvenient in itself, or not flexing at all, defeating the point of the pen, is the only workaround I've found. Any ideas? I've tried heat-setting, which helped a little, but this happens with every ink.

Edited May 18, 2015 by alexhondsmerk

[AgentVenom]

Mine looks the same, with the middle tine sat slightly higher than the outer two. I really wanted to love the Neponset, but I've had no end of trouble with it; whilst the flexibility is fun, the railroading after even a few flexes makes it next to unusable for me! Either unscrewing the barrel to re-saturate the feed, which is inconvenient in itself, or not flexing at all, defeating the point of the pen, is the only workaround I've found. Any ideas? I've tried heat-setting, which helped a little, but this happens with every ink.

I've heard spreading the tines part slightly may help, but I've never done it myself.

 

Have you considered widening the ink channel? I've not modified mine (or thought I needed to) because my main issue is the left tine popping under the middle tine (especially when I flex).

[davyk]

My neponset also had it's middle tine raised in relation to the other two tines. It's caused by the feed pushing on the underside of the middle tine. The solution is to heat set the feed with boiling water and press the middle tine against the feed on a firm surface. You have to be extremely gentle with the amount of pressure you apply as you can easily displace the feed away from the nib. The surface you use to press the nib against should be firm but not hard. Just one thing to keep in mind, it's easy to mess up this process and correcting any mistakes is harder than the fix itself.

[graystranger]

Let's just say that I regret buying my Neponset and that I intend to sell it at one of the upcoming shows.

Why don't you replace the nib with a non-flex standard nib? I'm planning on putting one of my Goulet nibs on my Neponset. I'm pretty sure they are #6 size nibs. I'm thinking about the EF nib as I'm sure it will be very wet writing. I have the ebonite Neponset and I love the pen - the way it looks and feels. But, I'm not that into this music nib, I want it for a good writing pen.

[AgentVenom]

My neponset also had it's middle tine raised in relation to the other two tines. It's caused by the feed pushing on the underside of the middle tine. The solution is to heat set the feed with boiling water and press the middle tine against the feed on a firm surface. You have to be extremely gentle with the amount of pressure you apply as you can easily displace the feed away from the nib. The surface you use to press the nib against should be firm but not hard. Just one thing to keep in mind, it's easy to mess up this process and correcting any mistakes is harder than the fix itself.

 

I will have to try that. I did heat set the nib, but I heat set it like an Ahab. I will have to try pressing gently.

[AgentVenom]

Why don't you replace the nib with a non-flex standard nib? I'm planning on putting one of my Goulet nibs on my Neponset. I'm pretty sure they are #6 size nibs. I'm thinking about the EF nib as I'm sure it will be very wet writing. I have the ebonite Neponset and I love the pen - the way it looks and feels. But, I'm not that into this music nib, I want it for a good writing pen.

I haven't yet, but I'm thinking about doing the same thing.

 

I'm not so sure the Noodler's music nib is perfected yet. But the pen itself is beautiful and I love how well it fits in my hand.

[Mishka5050]

Here are the photos of my Neponset flexing. As you can see, one tine seems to flex more than the other.

 

I've also been wondering if I bend my middle tine down that it will increase smoothness and wetness in non flex writing.

 

Mine is like this too. I could not get the feed/nib out to have a proper look at it. It writes, but one tine doesn't get ink, so it's rail-roading...

I love the material and the idea of mega flex, but it bugs me, that I can't fix it

[Moynihan]

I too love the material, and i got 2 of the ebonite Neponsets, both had the raised middle tine. I think it is a ah, "feature". Anywho, yes i replaced the nib on one with a #6 nib (Anderson Pens / Goulet Pens), Also have used them on Ahabs, works fine. I have the other one with its orginal nib. I use it briefly on occasion, to remind me why i should not buy anymore Noodlers pens

[bluesocks]

My neponset also had it's middle tine raised in relation to the other two tines. It's caused by the feed pushing on the underside of the middle tine. The solution is to heat set the feed with boiling water and press the middle tine against the feed on a firm surface. You have to be extremely gentle with the amount of pressure you apply as you can easily displace the feed away from the nib. The surface you use to press the nib against should be firm but not hard. Just one thing to keep in mind, it's easy to mess up this process and correcting any mistakes is harder than the fix itself.

 

Yup, just wanted to say that I had this problem when I got mine 3 months ago and did the exact same thing; it works. If the pen railroads, I think you can knock off a couple of fins and deepen the channels as you would with the regular feed. I did that with my Neponset and it flexes a lot without railroading now.

[ndw76]

I just got my ebonite Neponset a few days ago. This one also had the middle tine slightly higher. It suffered from hard starts on the up stroke.

 

I fixed this issue be ever so gently bending the middle tine down, the outside tines up, and heat setting the feed.

 

Now it works perfectly. I would happily buy another Noodler's pen.