Estie Jr. ink runs dry from time to time

[mistercrisp42]

I have an Estie Jr. fountain pen with a broad nib that is about a year or so old, and from time to time, it stops feeding ink.  I have cleaned it many times, carefully, and it still happens.  I bought a replacement medium nib and it doesn't seem to happen with that nib.  I am using both Parker Quink black and Waterman black.  I saw online a suggestion that I should try a different ink that is (thinner?)  It is PILOT Iroshizuku Take-Suni black ink.  The price, however is more than twice the two inks I am using.

 

Does it make sense to try doing this, or is something else going on.  Many thanks for any suggestions.

 

ken

[gweimer1]

How long was the ink in the pen?   Did it ever dry out?  Have you checked the gap between the tines?  How did you clean the pen?

One suggestion, if you haven't already done it, is to soak the nib in a 10:1 solution of water:ammonia, then flush again with water.

[mistercrisp42]

Thanks for your reply. The pen is new.  I changed from a medium nib to the broad nib.  I used the pen every day.  It worked fine with the medium nib, but with the the brand new broad nib, it skips.  So I put the cap on it, and swung it down in an arc, and gravity got it flowing it again.  I don't think it is a cleaning issue, I think it is a feed issue.  What do you know about "thinner" inks that supposedly flow more easily?