Is There A Flow Problem With This Pen?

[Lon_dubh]

Hi all

 

I was questioning the performance of my new pen (TWSBI Diamond 580, stub 1.1mm). Sometimes the ink just stops flowing during a couple of characters. Then everything goes normal again. When this happens, I have to stop and repeat the missing lines.

 

The samples below illustrate the problem. On the first image, the same text is repeated several times: see how some characters (or sometimes whole words) are "skipped". The same with the spirals on the second image: a part of the line is missing.

 

I was wondering if this should be considered normal behavior of a stub nib (I wouldn't believe it), or is there really a problem with this pen or nib? Any opinions/suggestions?

 

EDIT: I forgot to say that the pen was flushed with distilled water before inking. Other pens with the same ink work normally on the same paper, so no problem with ink or paper.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Lon_dubh

[austinwft]

My first experiences with stub/italic nibs was similar to yours and I initially considered the problem to be with the pen.

 

Only after a friend wrote extensively with the same pen and had no issues whatsoever did I realize that the problem was how I held the pen and that I have a tendency to slightly twist/rotate pens between my fingers as I write.

 

I also discovered that rolling the pen between my fingers as I write was more of an issue with smaller diameter pens so I now look for pens with lager diameter sections if I intend to use a stub nib. I also found that holding the smaller diameter pens I already had higher up on the section helped me not to rotate the pen as I wrote. YMMV.

[sandy101]

It isn't normal behaviour. However, there are several possible causes. It may be one or more of these - all of which are relatively easy to fix.

 

1/ The stub nib is not making the correct contact with the paper through-out. It happens if the pen isn't being held at the correct angle, or if the paper isn't flat. It can be a grip issue. Stubs need you to maintain the correct angle at all times. If you don't, then that's when you start to get skips. I need to use stubs at a desk because of this. anything else and I get skips.

 

2/ Dried ink/blockage of feed.- give the pen a thorough clean.

 

3/ The ink you are using is too dry for the pen. Try a wetter ink. (Waterman, Parker or Caran D'ache.

 

4/ The paper and the nib are not playing nicely. I see this with Clairefontaine notebooks and nibs - they don't always work - try a different paper.

 

5/ Oils from your hand are transferring on the page - it happens with some papers - put a ruler/sheet of plastic where your hand rests on the page to prevent this and see if it makes a difference.

 

That's my tuppence worth. Try exploring these 5 before doing anything drastic with micromesh and so on. I had a similar problem with a Cross pen - an overnight soak, a toothbrush to the feed and a fill with Caran d'Ache ink fixed it. It's now back to its normal self.

[jonathanaahar]

Show pic of the nib

[jonathanaahar]

Try to make the nib a bit wetter or check if it is out of alignment. If not maybe there is a gap between the nib and the feed

[mitto]

Pictures may help diagnose the ailment.

[Lon_dubh]

Thank you for the responses.

 

I did flush the pen thoroughly before putting that ink (I must admit I inked it straight out of the box, and the result was much worse. But this was no surprise, so I cleaned it before filling it again).

 

Oil from my hand was also eliminated as a source. I also paid attention not to roll the pen, but to keep the nib at constant position/angle. For the record, the ink is Parker Quink Blue-Black, on Rhodia paper.

 

See below some pictures of the nib.

 

 

[jonathanaahar]

. The ink is a little dry try use a different ink . Try to make the nib a little wetter and if that ont work I am guessing the nib Is over polished. I think the feed is fine because when the nib wrote the ink flow was "predictable" .still I think you should change ink

[Lon_dubh]

By the ink being a little dry, you mean the ink is denser, less "watery", more viscous compared to other inks?

Could you suggest a "wetter" ink to try with?

 

The one I'm using is Parker Quink Blue-Black. I like it and it would be a pity if I cannot use it in this pen though...

[Bluey]

When you flushed it did you include dish soap or did you just use distilled water as you stated in post 1? You mention in post 7 that you flushed it thoroughly.

 

If you didn't include dish soap, I would do so now. Add a touch and then immerse the nib unit for several hours as well as filling the piston with dishsoap and water too. Rinse with clean water afterwards.

 

That writing just looks like a pen that hasn't been cleaned out properly because that is classic oily pen behaviour.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Bluey

[Lon_dubh]

No, I didn't add dish soap, just water. Will do as you say, it's worth trying.

[mitto]

I cant see any problem with the nib. Try soaking and flusing the pen and holding the pen at the right angle while using it. Also see if the nib is too tightly fit on the feed. That may also cause flow problems.

 

Best.

[jonathanaahar]

usually you dont need to clean that way. about a nice blue black ink . how mutch do you want to spend on it

[Lon_dubh]

hm, no idea. could it be that expensive? well, I hope I wouldn't have to take mortgage on the house

Edited September 2, 2017 by Lon_dubh

[jonathanaahar]

my recomendation are iroshizuku shin kai or pelikan edelstain tanzanite

[Lon_dubh]

Thanks. I was looking at the tanzanite anyway. Will try the Shin Kai too.

[Ergative]

I would recommend the dish-soap + soaking treatment first. You should not have a problem with Parker Quink, and I would not expect flow problems that severe if the problem is truly just a pen/ink mismatch.

 

That said, I do adore Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai. It's a lovely dark grey-blue with an exquisite red sheen, which should come through very nicely in a stub nib.

[jonathanaahar]

I would recommend the dish-soap + soaking treatment first. You should not have a problem with Parker Quink, and I would not expect flow problems that severe if the problem is truly just a pen/ink mismatch.

 

That said, I do adore Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai. It's a lovely dark grey-blue with an exquisite red sheen, which should come through very nicely in a stub nib.

try diamine majestic blue/ it is not blue black but has very nice sheen

[Bluey]

I would suggest doing the simplest things first such as cleaning it with dish soap, then move onto considering inks and other things if that doesn't work. Only try one thing at a time before moving onto the next otherwise you won't know what they culprit is.

[sandy101]

Clairefontaine and Rhodia are from the same paper company. Try a different type slip of paper - or old envelope or something and see if you get the same result.

 

Take an old toothbrush to the feed when cleaning too. I've had to do that to a couple of pens to dislodge gunk to get the ink flowing.