Pulling a nib from a Rosetta nib unit

[Jon Szanto]

Anyone ever pulled a nib and feed from out of the Rosetta nib unit?

Pretty early on, at my first LA Pen Show, I got a Rosetta Magellan from Pendleton Brown with a nib that he ground. I've always loved the way the nib writes, but the pen not so much. It's a standard Schmidt #6 and I'd like to house it in another pen, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to remove it from the collar that holds it into the nib unit. I'd use a knockout block, but I'd have to have a tube rather than a solid pin to punch it with, as the feed has the part that sticks into the converter. I've tried USC a number of times and pulling by hand, but no luck so far.

Any thoughts?

[Jeph]

Yeah, that should be no problem. I would like a picture of the nib unit first just to make sure though since I have never seen one. I envision a feed with a tail with a simple friction fit collar over it and the nib.

[SteveE]

No guarantees, and if you try this, you're on your own, but I have often removed nibs/feeds from many modern pens simply by grasping the nib/feed with a pair of section pliers (or my spark plug boot puller, in a pinch) and gently pulled them out. Even many JoWo and Bock nibs that are set into collars can be removed occasionally this way. Just don't do it too often.

[Jon Szanto]

Guys, sorry to have started a thread and not gotten back to it. Events in the real world have called a halt to this project (and all others) at the moment, but I'll let you know what happens when I get back to it. Thanks.

[Jeph]

I was wondering, but no problem. I am pretty sure I have already been through this and you can use my method but I just need to see the nib unit to be sure. The same process on the wrong feed can be catastrophic. I don't want to break anyone else's pen. :)

[earthdawn]

Ill upload a pic as I have the same pen and nib unit. I got my a few years ago and never thought to pull that #6 PB nib to use elsewhere. Now of course I do as well lol.

I am very interested in knowing how to get them apart. If we don't figure it out here I am going to bring it to DC on Friday and ask.

[Jon Szanto]

Ill upload a pic as I have the same pen and nib unit. I got my a few years ago and never thought to pull that #6 PB nib to use elsewhere. Now of course I do as well lol.

Yep, that's it! One interesting note is that on mine, there is also a darkening or corrosion on the metal collar. At first I thought it was ink (though I keep my pens pretty clean) but even trying to take some of it off with Simichrome was no-go. While I can't be messing with 'hand's-on' at the moment, I'll certainly watch this space. Thanks, earthdawn!

[earthdawn]

HEY !!!!!!

So after you said something about the darkening or corrosion on the metal collar I went and looked at mine again realizing it was like that. I cleaned it with some FLITZ and at the sink I had a piece of the grippy stuff and said Illl give this a little tug and see what happens.

I had some of the grippy thing on the nib/feed and some of the backend of the unit. I gave a slight but FIRM twist/tug and it loosened up. Then when I realized it was going to give way I pulled it straight out!

And boy does it need to be cleaned !!! So by no means was mine nice and clean and forgiving. It was full of gunk and dried ink on the back part of the nib.

Give it a go buddy.

[Jon Szanto]

Badda-boom, badda-bing. Our scheduled morning rehearsal (work) let out quite early, and while I was sitting here at the desk, that damn thing kept nagging at me. I am not certain what was the final bit that made it happen, but I did get out the heat gun and warmed it up quite a bit. Swore and strained, and finally it gave. Important to note that these are *pull* units - there are two little flanges that sit in the recess in one side of the collar, so you don't want to be twisting this feed to get it out, but pulling.

Thanks for the efforts everyone. I'll post a pic when I get the PB nib hosted in the new pen...

http://i.imgur.com/T5Tvda9.jpg

[mrcharlie]

After seeing the picture from earthdawn, I recognized that unit as being basically the same as what is in a Retro 51 (Schmidt nib unit), and I was able to pull the nib and feed out without an unusual amount of effort.

I don't suppose you have another pen that already uses Schmidt nib units and you could transplant the whole thing without pulling the nib? I don't know what other brands of pen might use them. I wish my Retro 51 fit my hand, because the nib is really smooth and writes so well.

[Jon Szanto]

I don't suppose you have another pen that already uses Schmidt nib units and you could transplant the whole thing without pulling the nib?

In a nutshell, nope. Which is why I went to the trouble. The Magellan pen is very handsome, but it has *never* felt particularly right in my hand. I think I had mentioned it was a pen done with Pendlton Brown; he had actually ground a Sheaffer that turned out to not be a perfect match, and when we met at a show he just offered this up. I've finally been able to rescue that nib from a pen that doesn't suit me and use it in one that does. I've also put a Goulet 1.1 stub in the Rosetta and, for the right person, it will be a very nice pen.

[mrcharlie]

It is frustrating when you have a pen that looks nice and writes nicely but just doesn't feel good at all in your hand while writing.

[Jeph]

I am glad that I waited. My method would NOT have worked. The recessed feed stem greatly complicates things.
Very good info about the no twisting part. There are many modern(ish) pens that have some form of internal alignment guide arrangement that you don't want to mess up.