My Pilot 743/fa With The Flexible Nib Factory Ebonite Feed

[Honeybadgers]

I have both the 2 and 3 slit now for my 823 FA nib. Whole thing cost $325 shipped including one feed.

 

The 2 slit is the way to go unless you're using it for HEAVY spencerian or copperplate or long broad lines in drawing, or you use pretty much exclusively dry inks like 4001.

 

the 3 is too wet for even normal writing with regular inks, feathering badly or taking forever to dry.

 

I don't see a reason for extra flex on the 823 unless you really need a dedicated copperplate pen. it's already quite soft. The most I could see doing in the future is a reduction in tip size down to an XXF.

[Christopher Godfrey]

Thanks to all for this valuable (to me) thread. I had long ago given up on my 743 with #15FA nib, despite all advice regarding wetness of different brands of ink, and had been intending to put the pen up for sale. I have just ordered the two-slit feed and, based on these reports, fully expect that this is going to change my attitude to "modern" flex...let us see! Thank you again!

[Lloyd]

I have both the 2 and 3 slit now for my 823 FA nib. Whole thing cost $325 shipped including one feed.

 

The 2 slit is the way to go unless you're using it for HEAVY spencerian or copperplate or long broad lines in drawing, or you use pretty much exclusively dry inks like 4001.

 

the 3 is too wet for even normal writing with regular inks, feathering badly or taking forever to dry.

 

I don't see a reason for extra flex on the 823 unless you really need a dedicated copperplate pen. it's already quite soft. The most I could see doing in the future is a reduction in tip size down to an XXF.

Many years ago, Mike-it-Work ground down my 743 FA to a very smooth needlepoint and reset the feed in such a way that it virtually never railroads ((I have no idea how). The nib feels slightly stiffer but no less capable of the flex; in fact, I prefer this level of stiffness. Also, the snap-back seems vastly improved. I still have and adore that pen.

 

This modification was done so long ago that Mike didn't have a wait list AND he spent several days on that nib sending images of the line width. How I miss those days....

[Christopher Godfrey]

Update: I have today received my new feed from Joey Grasty at the Flexible Nib Factory (thank you, Sir!) and am now in a position (and frame of mind) to report that the new feed is installed and...transforms the pen! Delightful writing experience now, although I induce some railroading when I try making vertical stripes on the page, thus making huge demands on the feed. Back off a little and...hey, presto! All fine again. When I make those nice exaggerated S-turns, all linked up, though, no railroading at all. I am well-pleased, thus far. For the very first time I feel that perhaps here is a combination that can real vintage flex...

 

Stop press: I realized, after my first half-page of squiggles and writing that I had omitted the seal on the back of the feed. Silly me! So I removed the nib and feed once more and installed the seal: problem of railroading had returned! I then removed the nib and feed <once more>, un-installed the seal and...bingo! Proper ink-flow once again.

 

Can you explain this, Drone? Am I laying myself open to unwanted floods from the nib in the future, I wonder, or leakage when capped? I shall have to wait and see, I suppose...

Edited December 6, 2018 by Christopher Godfrey

[Lloyd]

By seal, do you mean to the converter? Is there inadequate flow through the converter for that feed?

[Bo Bo Olson]

It was a good vid, I learned to think more of nib lift off the feed in superflex than I previously thought about.

 

I am all set to go, with semi to superflex.....out side of someday I'll have to learn to write.

 

So it appears with the right person fiddling around or with parts, the Japanese pens can = vintage semi-flex and various superflex levels.

 

That Pelikan 4001, Lamy & MB are considered thicker inks, was new to me. Sailor inks as thin, in comparison ....is interesting. Especially with folks using a wet, thin Sailor ink, with a Pelikan designed not only for a dryer ink, but a thicker one, then complaining how wide a Pelikan writes.

 

There was much to think about in that vid................thanks.

[Christopher Godfrey]

@Lloyd: negative. I refer to the tiny seal on the back-end of the feed that Drone mentioned in his instructions for replacement of same. Ink-flow seems to be fine without that seal and I even had an interesting response from Joey, late last night, saying he wasn't sure what effect it might have, because all his testing had been with the seal installed, although he <also> mentioned that he doesn't think it is necessary, because of his basic design...

 

PS: For Bo Bo's interest, I have loaded the pen with Pelikan Edelstein ink.

Edited December 7, 2018 by Christopher Godfrey

[Bo Bo Olson]

depending on which Edelstein, is a bit wetter than 4001. The Onix is supposed to be a dry ink.

 

I do have to investigate the thick Viscosity and thin viscosity difference between Pelikan and Sailor.

I'd always read how dry 4001 was, never that it was thicker, or was a high viscosity ink. Same goes for Lamy and MB..MB was by me considered a medium ink or medium-dry...compared to Waterman; once considered a wet ink.

 

Now I have to wonder is Waterman a low viscosity ink?

 

So many inks, and I have no idea which viscosity they are.

 

Just went looking in Search on viscosity of ink....and landed in two old posts from 2014. One on Wet inks the other on Dry inks (Threads started by Amber)....and I'd asked then............reading what all said, again..........it's amazing how ignorant I've remained.

It appears I'd drawn wrong conclusions...or only remembered parts and not necessarily in the full order.

Should go back, copy, what the then 'old timer's' said, and condense.

Then I'd have a study guide. Don't know if it would be a map or a flashlight....both are needed.

Edited December 7, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[Christopher Godfrey]

A flashlight?! ("torch" for many of us here) Where on earth are you going with <this> one, Bo Bo? (It reminds me of reading under the bedclothes late into the night at boarding school!)

 

Ink viscosity is an interesting one, mind...

Edited December 10, 2018 by Christopher Godfrey

[Drone]

From.my O.P.: Here is a was the link to their Pilot 743 FA Replacement Feed page:

https://flexiblenib.com/store/standard-replacement-feeds/pilot-743-fa-replacement-feed/

Update: The link above has changed, start from here instead:

https://flexiblenib.com/store/shop/

 

Since my O.P. the Flexible Nib Factory LLC has added Ebonite feed and housing units for a bunch of new nibs, nib units and pens. Visit their site and see if there is a solution that works for one of your pens.

[Christopher Godfrey]

Drone (you , you!), you must be a slow chap: elsewhere you wrote that the exchange from original feed to FNF ebonite one should take about ten-fifteen minutes, as I recall? I can tell you that it took me roughly , at most -- so don't challenge me to any races! ;^)

 

(I am with you, all the way, regarding these great feeds from Joey Grasty, though!!)

Edited May 23, 2020 by Christopher Godfrey

[mrivas]

I got the ebonite feed from flexiblenib. Their customer service was top-notch and the feed and nib matched perfectly.

 

I'm curious about the inks that work best on this combo. So far I've tried Lamy black, Parker Quink Black, Diamine Sherwood Green, and Kaweco Premium Blue.

 

Diamine and Kaweco have been too wet and too dry, respectively. Lamy has been a bit too dry but still OK. Parker has worked the best. On a regular notebook paper, Parker has produce no skipping, no false starts, no bleeding, and no feathering. 

[ssaini]

On 12/8/2018 at 7:56 AM, Christopher Godfrey said:

@Lloyd: negative. I refer to the tiny seal on the back-end of the feed that Drone mentioned in his instructions for replacement of same. Ink-flow seems to be fine without that seal and I even had an interesting response from Joey, late last night, saying he wasn't sure what effect it might have, because all his testing had been with the seal installed, although he <also> mentioned that he doesn't think it is necessary, because of his basic design...

 

PS: For Bo Bo's interest, I have loaded the pen with Pelikan Edelstein ink.

 

I am yet to find an answer for the purpose of that transparent plastic O-ring on 823 and 743 feed. I used to own 823 and never removed the O-ring. But recently I was having issues with my 743 nib tines alignment. When I took the nib out of the Pen the nib Tines looked perfectly aligned but when I inserted the nib the tines got out of alignment.

 

I initially thought that either the inner of the section is malformed or the feed has uneven surface pushing one tine up.

 But something in me told me to get rid of that O-ring and lo and behold, the tines were perfectly aligned when I inserted the nib and feed back. Pen has been writing exactly the same as before. I don't have an FA nib but a Medium Nib and has the same flow and wetness as when o-ring was installed.

 

But my quest for an explanation or the purpose of that Transparent O-ring still continues...