Noodler's Ahab: Love It But Always Has Ink On Grip. Why?

[pelikandrew]

I bought a Noodler's Ahab (Crow) to try for size and feel as a daily user. I really enjoy but every time I uncap it, the grip section is inky and I have to clean it up. Much of it ends up on my hands.

 

Is this common? Where is the ink coming from? The pen doesn't go through much change in altitude or temperatures.

 

For $23, I'm really pleased with this pen. I'd just like to solve the inky grip thing. Any ideas?

Edited November 15, 2016 by pelikandrew

[gryphon1911]

1) Could be ink seeping from the nib into the cap.

 

2) Depending on how much it gets jostled in transport you might be getting some ink spatter that gets deposited onto the section.

 

3) It could be the ink you are using.

 

4) Check and make sure that the nib and feed are securely in the section.

 

5) Verify that the converter is secured in all the way.

 

 

I've had #2 above happen a few times.

[Guardy]

I once read something about the Noodler's Ahab being fairly prone to random slight leakages due to indeterminable reasons, which is in line with my own experience. Not moving the pen too much solves the problem - usually, although I definitely had the occasional leakage despite that - but that makes it a fairly bad daily writer, obviously.

 

My best guess - although it's really just a guess - is that there's a problem with some of the feeds. It almost seems as if the surface tension of the ink is too low to stay in the feed, so it ends up dripping out at the slightest provocation.
It does not seem to be the fault of the ink as such - I used to have Pelikan 4001 bl-bk in there, because it's a dry, very well-behaved ink, with the result that it both still leaked, and ran dry after half a page of writing.

 

I feel your pain, though - I inked my own Ahab again today, and I'm so sad that I'm hardly able to use it outside of my own home, because I constantly have to be afraid of ink leaking everywhere. It's a shame, because I really like the feel of the pen as well.

[mmg122]

I just bought my first Ahab and I love it. The nib is perfection. I've been using it as a daily writer for about five days (one convertor fill) and so far no leaking and no ink in cap. I transport it back and forth in a Nock Sinclair inside a messenger bag...therefore not too much jostling. I'm currently using DeAtrementis Aubergine in it. If this changes, I'll repost.

 

Mary

[PENofZEN]

I had this problem with one of my ahabs. I gave the nib and feed a little adjustment then wiped everything down and it seemed to fix the issue. So you might check to make sure the feed and nib are in place correctly, (sometimes you gotta play with how far the feed and/or nib is pushed in. Hope this helps.

[pelikandrew]

Thanks PoZ (and all), I removed the nib and feed, aligned them and inserted, and no more inky grip.