Noodler's Ahab

[txomsy]

How can I clean it completely, if soap and water won't do it? I don't want this grease to get into my ink bottles if I pump the filler several times, but on the other hand, maybe if I remove all the grease around the threads they won't seal well, and ink will escape in spite of the o-ring between the filler and the section.

 

 

I wouldn't worry that much. I think you have already cleaned it enough. Mine is an Ivory Darkness. The converter did also look yellowish to amber when I got it, Now it looks greenish, I suppose of the combination with stains of blue ink.

 

Plus, it should likely be greasy at the threads for the converter due to silicon grease. If it isn't you may later consider greasing them with silicon grease if you experience any leaks.

 

Instead, I would put it to good use ASAP.

 

 

I applied the Ease My Flex mod to mine, as you can see from the picture, and now it flexes with a lot less effort. I was so happy that I also did to a Creeper and a couple of FPR flex nibs. Now, a cheap noname clone of a Kaweco Sport to which I swapped the nib for an EMF-FPR flex, is always in one of my pockets.

 

I am not so keen on the plunger filler of the Ahab, I do rather prefer the piston of the Creeper. However, I do think that, in due time, the EMF mod is a natural route for flex lovers. After all, Noodler's pens are meant to be tinkered with.

 

But, Casotto, for now, I think you better ink your beautiful Ahab and start playing with it. It's a lovely pen and I do hope you enjoy it.

 

Edit: BTW, I must say that I find the color of the OP Ahab very attractive. Where was that pen when I was buying mine? Oh, well, actually I got this one because that was the only color available when I ordered (if I remember well).

Edited May 1, 2020 by txomsy

[timotheap]

Casotto - your Ahab is beautiful!! also surprised about the grease your talking about but I'll second txomsy and just say: use it.

 

The plungers in both my Ahabs were absolutely clear, the only in my (new) Neponset had some yellow parts but who cares?

 

Txomsy:

 

 

Edit: BTW, I must say that I find the color of the OP Ahab very attractive. Where was that pen when I was buying mine? Oh, well, actually I got this one because that was the only color available when I ordered (if I remember well).

Haha - I desperately wanted Pima Tortoise but couldn't find it in Europe (and I didn't know there was Stilo e Stile in Italy). Pure Pens had, however, Iroquois - their pictures are not the most flattering but that's what I chose.... And what I got is, I'm sure, a Pima Tortoise !! so I was very pleased indeed. I still can't get enough of that pen - it's just beautiful.

 

The Apache Tortoise is also stunning - a yellow/gold version of the Pima, I've seen in in person and it catches the light like nothing else.

[Cassotto]

The Apache Tortoise is also stunning - a yellow/gold version of the Pima, I've seen in in person and it catches the light like nothing else.

 

I had to toss a coin between Pima Tortoise and Apache Tortoise when ordering. I don't discard getting one in Apache Tortoise if I get to like the Ahab. I purchased it from Stilo e Stile, though it actually arrived from the Netherlands.

 

I paid attention to what you were saying, so I inked the pen with Parker Quink Black last night just before going to bed. I was still a bit afraid of the greasy look of the inside of the filler, so what I did is fill it with a syringe. From now on I'll do it the usual way, since this first batch of ink will have cleaned it, I hope. I couldn't make it write immediately, so I left it with the nib downwards all night.

 

This morning, first thing and still in my pyjamas, I tried the pen, and it didn't write yet. So after having had a shower and breakfast, I've placed it under the running tap (something I don't like to do, because the ink is too watery for a while afterwards), because I find that makes the ink flow. It's the fist time this hasn't worked. Anyway, after some shaking I've managed to coax the ink out of the pen.

 

This is going to need some adjusting. I like wet pens, but I can drown in what comes out of this one! I've taken a photo of the very first word I've written, just after writing it and five minutes afterwards:

 

 

 

As you can see in the first photo (I hope, as I didn't realise it wasn't too sharp), there is so much ink that the letters are in relief. Not to mention the blob.

 

After writing six words, all equally generous in ink, the pen has stopped writing altogether. By giving it a good shake, it's started writing again, but since there's a big blob involved each time I do this, I'd appreciate it if I could make it not to dry suddenly.

 

I never thought I'd be asking this, but how can I make the pen drier?

[mhguda]

Not sure I completely understand the cause of the problem you're having, but I do remember that some penmanufacturers recommend you put a little silicone grease inside the reservoir of a piston filler, especially when it's new. Yours may have received an extra generous dose. I think maybe discard this first fill, and move the piston up and down a few times. That may even out the ink flow, and hopefully take care of the blobbing. Otherwise, maybe turn the nib&feed assembly a few times, and try to push it in a little bit to see if it seals better. But, I also think your filling by syringe may be part of the problem. Try filling it by pulling up the piston, after you've done the lubrication. That would set up the ink/air exchange to get it started. Other than that, I really don't know - maybe the little air tube behind the feed is not well-seated? is it even there? That brings air in when ink moves out, and it goes to the end of the ink column.

[TSherbs]

Cassotto, you need to adjust the placement of the nib and feed. You may have to heat set them (that's what I had to do)

[Cassotto]

I think maybe discard this first fill, and move the piston up and down a few times. That may even out the ink flow, and hopefully take care of the blobbing.

 

 

Cassotto, you need to adjust the placement of the nib and feed. You may have to heat set them (that's what I had to do)

I'll do both of these things. I won't have to thow away any ink, because I'm enjoying the pen so much, in spite of all, that I've already run out of it!

 

This is how the nib and feed are now (when I reassembled the pen after cleaning, I tried to leave it as close as possible to the original position).

 

 

Maybe the nib should protrude a bit more? I have found a video from Goulet Pens explaining how to heat set a Noodler's ebonite feed, which may be just the thing for me. Thanks for the tip on what I had to look for!

[TSherbs]

Looks like the feed needs to be pushed further into the section. When my feed is in the proper position for my pen, only seven feed fins are showing. Don't rely on how it looked when it was sent to you or purchased. These pens are too variable and very often need to be adjusted to work properly.

[Cassotto]

Looks like the feed needs to be pushed further into the section. When my feed is in the proper position for my pen, only seven feed fins are showing. Don't rely on how it looked when it was sent to you or purchased. These pens are too variable and very often need to be adjusted to work properly.

It doesn't seem to be able to go any further by exerting reasonable force. Anyway, I'll try again after cleaning it. Thanks for the tip!

[TSherbs]

It doesn't seem to be able to go any further by exerting reasonable force. Anyway, I'll try again after cleaning it. Thanks for the tip!

 

Cassotto, here is an image of my Noodler's nibs. Ahab on the left, Konrad on the right. This is the position I had to move them to in order to get them to have even flow.

 

Your pen might be different, but this is what worked for me. I had to heat set the Konrad.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by TSherbs

[txomsy]

Yeah, mine also has the nib more outwards than yours. Not as much as TSherbs' but then it is also wet, although not as much as to produce blobs of ink.

 

This thread prompted me to re-ink it. I think when I finish this load I'll try to pull the nib a bit more to see if I can get thinner lines.

[mhguda]

My pen has the feed out as far as Casotto's, but the nib protrudes a little further. Not much, but enough to allow a little flexing.

I do not recall if it ever blurped, but if it did, that is long ago. I do remember adjusting the nib a bit to get better flow. I may have heatset the feed, too.

[Cassotto]

There is no way I can push the feed further into the section so that only seven fins show. I cannot see anything inside the section that prevents it from moving further. Maybe it's just an imperceptible narrowing of the inner wall. Perhaps by heating the feed it would become pliable enough, but it looks like too much deformation to make sure it won't be troublesome afterwards. What I can certainly do is not inserting the nib that much inside the section, so that it protrudes more or less as much as in TSherbs's pen. But I have a question: if the nib is not pushed to the limit (as it was in my pen), doesn't it run the risk of being pushed in while you are writing, especially in flexible nibs like these, where you apply more pressure than usual?

 

There's something I cannot figure out about heat setting the pen. If the first step is learning by trial and error how much the nib must be inserted in relation to the feed, how do I know it's time to heat set it? I mean, if I cannot get the desired effect by moving the nib forwards and backwards, how do I know what the right position is before heating it? And if I reach the right position just by trying, do I still need to heat it, to make sure it won't move afterwards?

[mhguda]

There is no way I can push the feed further into the section so that only seven fins show. I cannot see anything inside the section that prevents it from moving further. Maybe it's just an imperceptible narrowing of the inner wall. Perhaps by heating the feed it would become pliable enough, but it looks like too much deformation to make sure it won't be troublesome afterwards. What I can certainly do is not inserting the nib that much inside the section, so that it protrudes more or less as much as in TSherbs's pen. But I have a question: if the nib is not pushed to the limit (as it was in my pen), doesn't it run the risk of being pushed in while you are writing, especially in flexible nibs like these, where you apply more pressure than usual?

 

There's something I cannot figure out about heat setting the pen. If the first step is learning by trial and error how much the nib must be inserted in relation to the feed, how do I know it's time to heat set it? I mean, if I cannot get the desired effect by moving the nib forwards and backwards, how do I know what the right position is before heating it? And if I reach the right position just by trying, do I still need to heat it, to make sure it won't move afterwards?

Most of your questions seem to me best answered by trying. Remember that heatsetting, if done carefully, can be redone. But from experience I can tell you that my nib was indeed pulled outwards a little bit to get it to the position of TSherb's or similar. I don't think it moves much by writing, although I will admit I do not push hard to flex the nib - just a little. (so the effect I get is relatively subtle.) Heatsetting is done not so much to have the feed fit to the inner collar, but rather to get a good match between the top of the feed and the nib. You do have to press the two together to achieve that fit. Using your - protected! - fingers. I use the hot water method, immersing the two together for 20 to 30 seconds, then pressing for a few more, then writing, and repeat until satisfied. The nib can still move after the process, if need be.

[Cassotto]

Most of your questions seem to me best answered by trying.

 

That's what I'll do. It's good to know that heat setting can be redone. I'll try a bit before heating it, though. I'll just leave the nib a bit outwards and compare with what I had yesterday.

 

Thanks everyone for your help!

Edited May 3, 2020 by Cassotto

[mhguda]

Good luck, and let us know the results of your experiments.

[Cassotto]

Good luck, and let us know the results of your experiments.

 

Not very good results, so far.

 

I left the nib protruding a lot (more or less like in TSherbs's Ahab, or a bit more), and I couldn't make the pen write. Only after vigously shaking it could I write a couple of words before it dried out again.

 

So now I've left the nib half way, like this:

 

 

The problem is that, as you can see, the nib is off-centre. It seems to be too loose, and as I write, it moves towards one side. Besides, the pen writes almost as wet as before, though it dries when not used for a few minutes (which didn't happen before), unless I shake it again. It hasn't released any big blob, though, while writing (it does when shaking it).

 

I think I'll heat it and press the nib against the feed. My only doubt is how much the nib should protrude when doing this.

 

Another question is: should there be ink inside the piston? I mean here:

 

[Cassotto]

It hasn't released any big blob, though, while writing (it does when shaking it).

 

Forget about this! I've just got one!

 

When writing normally, with no pressure, this is like a very wet and very generous M point. I expected to use this pen to write copperplate in a normal handwriting size, but I'm starting to wonder whether it's suitable for that.

[Cassotto]

Anyway, writing with this pen is FUN, even if it's still unusable in a serious way!

 

(I haven't started practising copperplate yet, as I can't really make a noticeable difference between the thin and thick lines without making the paper curl from wetness, but I'm having a go at a mock copperplate which is my own handwriting, but slanted!)

 

[txomsy]

Beautiful writing. I'm sending you a PM.

[NumberSix]

 

 

 

Another question is: should there be ink inside the piston? I mean here:

 

 

 

You can see the breather tube, which by design extends up into the plunger rod portion of the converter -- allowing you a little bit of extra ink when filling.

 

So yes, that's a feature, not a bug.

 

If you lose the breather tube, which is easy to do (ask me how I know, multiple times how easy), the converter will still work fine. You just might not get that extra bit of ink.