Problem Writing, Ink Cuts Out

[PBobbert]

I am having trouble with my fountain pen writing. It is a cross spire (fine nib) and I have been using Noodler's Upper Gangs Blue almost exclusively for 2 years now. I believe I ran one cartridge of Noodler's Revolution Blue in a long time ago. Over the last few months I have noticed that the pen would have problems writing, and I would have to shake it to get ink to come back to the tip.

 

As this progressively got worse and worse, I decided yesterday to clean it, so I pulled the nib and feed and cleaned it all out very well. But it did not seem to fix anything.

 

Upon closer inspection what seems to be the problem is that while writing the nib seems to (from pressure) move to far away from the feed, and ink stops wicking to the tip, I can see ink all the way up to the edge of the feed, it just wont go the last 2 mm.

 

Does anyone know what to do to fix this problem?

[cattar]

Let the nib glide across thr page on its own pool of ink.

Don't press the nib into the page as you write.

 

Also, check that the nib & feed are set firmly in the section so the nib doesn't wiggle when you're not writing, when pen is at rest.

[PBobbert]

I have an update. After much time and trials I now have the pen writing consistently. This was done by slowly and carefully manipulating the tines so they were more properly spaced and aligned. However it is now very scratchy, now its my most scratchy pen where it used to be my least. I have attached the best photos i could take, but i cant see anything wrong with it.

 

Are there some other things that can cause scratchiness? In my past experience this only ever happened if one tine was sticking out past the other one, and it would cause it to scratch when wring either to the left of the right. But now the pen is scratchy in every direction.

 

Edited September 20, 2017 by PBobbert

[PBobbert]

In follow up to my previous post, I have managed to fix it to a level which i am happy with. I accomplished this by straightening the tines to the best of my ability again, (just more tweaking). But the most significant thing was I deburred the insides of the nib with a 1200 git ceramic sharpening rod (spyderco sharpmaker).

 

This involved placing a small wooden shim (i used wood because it wont mar the nib) between the tines to hold them at different elevations, then ever so gently went over the exposed edge. I did each one maybe 5 times, not much. My ceramic rods are white which let me see if I was taking off metal; only press enough so you take off metal.

 

And with that my pen now writes about as smooth as my lamy and no longer tears the paper. I hope this helps someone out in the future. I did the whole thing using a regular jewelers lens which is quite cheap.