Osprey Madison Smell?

[essayfaire]

I have a new Osprey Madison with a BB Architect nib.  I love the pen and am really pleased with the nib. The  only thing I dislike is the odor.  It has this funky smell, like off-pizza.  I didn't smell anything until I uncapped the pen and started using it.  As a result, I really thought the issue was with the feed, although I suppose the part of the body that is covered by the cap maybe didn't have as much chance to off-gas as the rest of the pen.

 

Osprey offered to exchange for a Scholar, which is acrylic rather than resin, but I really like the pen.  I get a built-in fidget toy with the ball on the clip, too!  Plus, I'd rather keep what I have as long as the odor will go away.  

 

Anyone else have this problem?  Does it leave?  If I find some KWZ ink or Purdy Cigar, will the scented ink mask the odor? 

[amberleadavis]

Hmm.... I've never noticed a smell.  I will sniff into this problem when I get back home.

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

I don't have one but based on the looks of that pen and similarities to some Noodler's and FPR pens I'd wager it's made with vegetal resin which is, well, pretty stinky. Give it a thorough rinse with some water (outside as well) and leave it uncapped to dry out for a few days and the smell should get way more mild. It won't go away completely but it'll be a lot better.

[essayfaire]

2 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

Hmm.... I've never noticed a smell.  I will sniff into this problem when I get back home.

I have washed it with dish soap, disassembled the pen, and left it outside for multiple days.  The smell is milder (though my sense of smell isn't right right now) but is not fully departed.  They strange thing is that it still seems to be coming from the feed section and not the cap or barrel. 

 

@LoveBigPensAndCannotLieOsprey describes it thus: The resin is cellulose (wood) based and not petroleum, making it much more eco-friendly.

Whereas the Scholar is made out of acrylic.

 

I'm trying to decide whether I should exchange it - I thought the acrylic might smell!

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

Hmm, it sounds like you've done everything I'd recommend. Have you taken the nib and feed out (if this is something you're comfortable with)? Maybe it's worth giving the nib assembly a good scrub. I got a set of some really thin "bottle cleaner" nylon brushes for cleaning out pen barrels and they're great for that type of thing.

 

Also, do you think the smell is something you could get used to? I was really repulsed by the smell of my vegetal resin FPR pens but to be honest with you, over time I kind of grew to like it. Maybe it's an acquired taste. Like yours it is smellier when uncapping but I have to put my nose close to it to smell it these days.

 

I'd say leave it disassembled for another few days maybe, if the smell isn't more palatable for you, get it exchanged. We all collect pens because it brings us some joy. If the pen's smell hurts that for you and Osprey is willing to exchange it for another, then why not? 

[essayfaire]

On 6/7/2022 at 5:33 PM, LoveBigPensAndCannotLie said:

Also, do you think the smell is something you could get used to?

I haven't.  I even was out of town for an extended period and left the pen uncapped on my porch for it to air out.  It still had the odd odor upon my return.  Since then, I have filled it with Purdy Cigar but alas, that also did not fix the problem.  

 

I think it's time for me to exchange.  I'm not happy about it, as in all other respects I am quite pleased with my purchase and an exchange will involve my trading off one of the features I like(perhaps the fidget ball  ).

[TSherbs]

The smell does eventually go away. You can either wait, or not wait. It took about two years for my Noodlers Ahab to stop smelling, but I didn't mind. My Madison still smells a little after 12 months. I like the pen and don't mind the smell. 

[essayfaire]

10 hours ago, TSherbs said:

The smell does eventually go away. You can either wait, or not wait. It took about two years for my Noodlers Ahab to stop smelling, but I didn't mind. My Madison still smells a little after 12 months. I like the pen and don't mind the smell. 

Did you leave it uncapped?  The latest from Osprey seems to be that the smell may be coming from the grip section.  If I know the smell will leave, I will not send the pen to a different home.

[TSherbs]

1 hour ago, essayfaire said:

Did you leave it uncapped?  The latest from Osprey seems to be that the smell may be coming from the grip section.  If I know the smell will leave, I will not send the pen to a different home.

 

I think that I buried my Ahab in rice for a week or so (that rice should not be eaten), but otherwise I just kept using the pens. But I have about 30 pens that I like, so my rotation puts pens away for months at a time. I left them capped, but separating all the parts while not in use may be something worth trying. It partly depends on how many other pens you have that will keep you from thinking about the Madison. Again, I do not really mind the smell, so I was not strongly motivated to mitigate the problem. 

[essayfaire]

I have not tried rice yet.  Perhaps I will bag it with a few of those desiccant sachets that I normally throw in the swim bag.

 

I find the smell offensive, though it is not as strong as once it was.  I have plenty of pens, but this pen is an Architect BB grind, which is very different from the vast majority of my nibs.

[TSherbs]

I understand. Good luck.

[amberleadavis]

Is it possible the the smell is the ebonite feed?

 

I'd suggest putting thee parts into a bag of rice with some  lovely lavender. The smell should dissipate faster.

[essayfaire]

16 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

Is it possible the the smell is the ebonite feed?

 

I'd suggest putting thee parts into a bag of rice with some  lovely lavender. The smell should dissipate faster.

I asked about that; Osprey told me the feed is plastic that shouldn't smell. They thought it was more likely the resin body.  My nose says otherwise, however!

 

Lavender. That sounds like a relaxing way to try to get the odor to leave.

[amberleadavis]

If all else fails send your pen to me for a little while. I could also send you my pen you can see if it smells. When you pull the nib out does the nib and feed smell independent of when it's not near the body?

[essayfaire]

4 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

If all else fails send your pen to me for a little while. I could also send you my pen you can see if it smells. When you pull the nib out does the nib and feed smell independent of when it's not near the body?

I had only gotten one unit so I haven't pulled out the nib.  I will send you the pen when I use up the ink, or get so frustrated that I empty it out.  Thanks. You're wonderful.

[essayfaire]

Update on this topic below, also posted in the poetry thread,  Sorry for any redundancy, @amberleadavis.

[amberleadavis]

 Love the poetry and glad to enable.