Ink not coming through feed?

[wangminze]

Hey guys my new Tibaldi Impero (bought used) is giving me a headache. When it writes, it's wonderful. But if I set it down for a while, it just takes some working to start it again. I noticed that when I wiped the breather hole it was dry. I don't think it's suppose to be like that. Another thing I noticed: when I filled it up, while it should have been primed, it did not write right away. Is there something wrong with the feed?

Another problem is the nib. The two times are literally so tight that they could scrape against each other if pushed. When held up to the light, none can be seen coming through the tip, at least with the naked eye.

Also, there is also a crack in the collar and leaking ink all around the front of the section. Is there anyone that can fix this?

I'm not sure if any of the things I noticed are causes for the problem of not writing right off the bat.
Please help!
Thanks.

[Dreck]

Did you give it a good flush before loading it? New pens sometimes have manufacturing oils in them that need to be cleaned out with something a little stiffer than warm water. I use Doc Brown's recipe for pen flush: 1 part ammonia to every 10 parts distilled water, and 1 drop of Dawn dishsoap per 10ml total volume.

If I knew more, I would tell you more. Hopefully someone else with more knowledge than me also has a "snow day" today, and can give you something more helpful.

[wangminze]

I put the feed in an ultrasonic cleaner but nothing came out. It seems pretty clean. I think I'll have to send it to someone.
And on another note, there's a crack in collar and causing leaks. The front of the section is constantly covered in ink. Is there someone that can fix this?
Thanks.

[Dreck]

If it's new, there shouldn't be any cracks. I'd send it back.

I've never used an ultrasonic cleaner, and don't know if one would necessarily remove oily residue.

[wangminze]

Sorry I did say that it's new but it's not really new. Just new for me.

[Dreck]

Sorry I did say that it's new but it's not really new. Just new for me.

I'd still send it back, unless the seller warned you about the crack or that it was potentially unusable.

[wangminze]

I'd still send it back, unless the seller warned you about the crack or that it was potentially unusable.

I know that I won't be sending it back. I was already warned about the crack. I want the pen but I also want it fixed. [emoji22]

[Jon Szanto]

I know that I won't be sending it back. I was already warned about the crack. I want the pen but I also want it fixed. [emoji22]

Why on Earth did you buy a pen with a known flaw like that? Cracks in sections and collars are notoriously hard to fix, usually impossible. The only solution, more often than not, is total replacement of the part.

[wangminze]

I know that I won't be sending it back. I was already warned about the crack. I want the pen but I also want it fixed. [emoji22]

Why on Earth did you buy a pen with a known flaw like that? Cracks in sections and collars are notoriously hard to fix, usually impossible. The only solution, more often than not, is total replacement of the part.

Because I'm still new to this. The seller said it didn't leak... I already messaged him but if possible, I'd still like to keep the pen... I think I'm going to go cry in a corner now.

[Jon Szanto]

Because I'm still new to this. The seller said it didn't leak... I already messaged him but if possible, I'd still like to keep the pen... I think I'm going to go cry in a corner now.

1. Lessons are hard. Don't think for a minute that most, or all, of us haven't had similar things happen. I feel your pain.
2. Too late to send back and get a refund? This is NOT a pen you should keep if you can return it.

[wangminze]

Too late to send back and get a refund? This is NOT a pen you should keep if you can return it.
It's no returns accepted. What do you suggest I do now?

[Jon Szanto]

Too late to send back and get a refund? This is NOT a pen you should keep if you can return it.
It's no returns accepted. What do you suggest I do now?

Ok, now would be the appropriate time to go cry in a corner.

Man, I'm sorry to hear of this, but you aren't in a good position. I don't know these pens intimately. I can't quite tell - do the nib units unscrew on these pens? I can't imagine a nib contained in a collar otherwise. If that is the case, it might be possible to send just the nib unit back to have it repaired by the manufacturer, or purchase a replacement. If not, you might try writing Dan Smith, as I think he owned one (though recently sold) and, being The Nibsmith, he might have some good ideas. I hope you can get it sorted out, because I realize this is not a cheap pen. But you have to be more careful in the future, or plan on saying goodbye to money.

[wangminze]

Ok, now would be the appropriate time to go cry in a corner.

Man, I'm sorry to hear of this, but you aren't in a good position. I don't know these pens intimately. I can't quite tell - do the nib units unscrew on these pens? I can't imagine a nib contained in a collar otherwise. If that is the case, it might be possible to send just the nib unit back to have it repaired by the manufacturer, or purchase a replacement. If not, you might try writing Dan Smith, as I think he owned one (though recently sold) and, being The Nibsmith, he might have some good ideas. I hope you can get it sorted out, because I realize this is not a cheap pen. But you have to be more careful in the future, or plan on saying goodbye to money.

So the nib is a friction fit. Maybe I used the wrong term? But the cracked part is inside the pen. It's unlike the Pelikans where the collar is around the nib when taken off.
I have definitely learned a lesson this time.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160113/41004a34c19ddcdb3438a56bfdc1e283.jpg

[Jon Szanto]

Ok, if you are wanting to keep that pen and get it running you have to do some work on your own. Sit down and Google for a couple hours, at least. I look at that photo, and I'm thinking that while it may be friction feed, it must be easy to pull out because of the crack. I'm still figuring nib unit, or something. Anyway, just a bit of searching came up with this (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/76836-will-a-bexley-feed-collar-fit-a-tibaldi-please/). You may be able to find replacement parts other than what is in that pen, though this is all based on about 2 minutes of research. I'll bow out, as I don't know the pen, but do more research in advance of any more questions.

[Jon Szanto]

Also, look at this (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/275829-tibaldi-impero-nibs-frixion-fit-or-screwed/). My initial suspicions may be correct, and you might be able to just get a new collar to screw in. Get your butt searching, I already found two important bits of data!!! :)

[wangminze]

I unscrewed it!

[wangminze]

Ok thanks to KBeezie and the post on a Bexley Jitterbug, I learned that the feed on a Jinhao is the same as this pen and I happened to have the right pen with the right feed. So of course I put in this new feed. While looking at the old feed, I saw some clumps of stuff in the feed so assumed that that was causing the flow issue. Then to stop the ink for leaking out onto the section, I put an o-ring over the bottom of the screw on collar and screwed it back into the section; worked out fine. Then I took the new feed with the Nettuno nib and the 'fixed' collar and reassembled the pen and inked it up.
Now running tests.

[wangminze]

Just contacted Tibaldi, want to see if they can do anything.
The o-ring lessened the leak but didn't stop it. Since the feed is new and it still has hard starts, I think the nib needs to be adjusted.

[Jon Szanto]

Just contacted Tibaldi, want to see if they can do anything.
The o-ring lessened the leak but didn't stop it. Since the feed is new and it still has hard starts, I think the nib needs to be adjusted.

Pro-tip: get all the parts sorted out and only then do things like nib tweaking. You very much increase the likelihood of NOT getting the issue resolved when you don't do this in a slow, logical manner. First, get the broken part replaced, and then address each potential problem and part one at a time. If you just keep hammering at this problem in all directions, you never really grasp precisely what the problem is.

And you'll fry out our good will, too. Maybe just mine, sorry to say.

[wangminze]

Don't worry, I've already tried the pen with another good nib and I'm now positive that the flow issue has nothing to do with the crack. But the pen does still leak.the hard start is most likely caused by the nib or nib-feed misalignment. I will do my best to fix any misalignment before moving on to nib tweaking.
I will be doing what I can to get the collar replaced. If it weren't for your help, I would have not known to look for a screw on collar! That one post asked about the mounting of the nib/feed. I would have never crossed that in my searches!
But it was also just hard for me to start anywhere because I have no idea of where to start. I can only make assumptions and play around to see how it affects the performance. It has allows me to narrow down some of my assumptions that were too far off.
Thank you guys for all of your help so far!

[Jon Szanto]

Thank you guys for all of your help so far!

Sorry I was a bit pissy in the last post, just a long, f***ed up day at work. Best of luck, be patient!!

[wangminze]

Sorry I was a bit pissy in the last post, just a long, f***ed up day at work. Best of luck, be patient!!

Thanks and don't worry about it! I keep you updated if I make some new discovery.

[wangminze]

Hey guys, the guy the sold me the pen happened to live in town and is quite experienced with fountain pens, so I got together with him and he was able to get my pen sorted out! He filled up the crack and did some small nib-feed alignment and got the pen to write. I think now it's finally time to send in the pen for some tuning to get a flow increase.
You know what, the pen was wetter before he adjusted it (when it wrote), but now it's so dry. How could this have happened?
Based on what he told me, the gap between the nib and feed was too large so he brought them closer together.