Oblique Fountain Pen design

[Finalist]

This is just a fun exercise for the "what if" crowd. I really want this pen, so I tried to make the design as realistic as possible. I'm mostly showing pics of the second version as it has an improved section fit for the feed and nib. The basic idea is to use an "Ink Pool" as a way to allow the design to curve to the left, so we have an oblique fountain pen. A converter plugs into an ebonite channel to hold it in place. The converter feed ink into the Ink Pool which feeds ink into the ebonite feed through standard capillary action. The tail end of the barrel curves to the right to counter balance the asymmetrical section. The whole FP is designed to evoke a Japanese handmade. The finish is an all American lacquer that fades from turquoise to black. The cap is slip on much like a Lamy 2000 with the little metal ring. The cap also has a slanted opening allowing ease of capping around the oblique nib - it could really only be replaced one way, so that is why it's a slip on. The nib has a flourished bird's eye design bringing the entire form back to the name, Blackbird.

v2.jpg

Inside.jpg

scale_v2.jpg



Here's what version 1 looks like. Nice design, but not enough meat to work.
v1.jpg

[tandaina]

For a pen like this wouldn't it make more sense to just eye dropper the thing? Why use a converter? Then perhaps a sac in the oblique section to bring the ink to where the nib and feed are mounted? But we'd need some way to take it apart and really flush it, seems like the angled bits could collect ink easily and be hard to clean.

[ChrisC]

I agree with the ED idea. It would make the whole a lot simpler to make. Also, i think that this is like the Omas 360. It'll be very personal whether or not the unusual design is a good fit for the individual hand. My sense is that this is interesting, but for the purposes of calligraphy, an oblique dip pen holder with a good reservoir does the job well enough. This may be better, but will it be 50, 100, 200 dollars better? That'll depend on the customer's preferences.

[Finalist]

I thought about just making it an eye dropper, but I hate dealing with that set of problems such as burps on hot days. Cleaning would be no harder than any other pen. Pull the friction fit feed out and rinse under water. A converter offers a cleaner experience and more control with a piston pushing ink.

I'm not sure the fit is something to worry about. It has the same section width as my Naka-ai. And yes, I would pay a whole lot more for this than even $200. I paid $800 for my Naka-ai, so cost is out the window if you want it. I'm not actually going to make this. It's all just fantasy copyright fun. Is a Lamy Safari really worth $30 when a Jinhao is $6?


The real question is why is there nothing on the market like this? I love oblique dip pens, but I hate all the set-up of ink bottles, paper towels, dipping, prepping, cleaning when done, etc. with very little portability... I carry FPs to and from work and play with them a few minutes here and there on a whim between working. Dip pens require too much time and work. Besides I love this form. It's like several Nakaya designs combined into a beautiful asymmetrical shape.

[tandaina]

It seems like this would work best with dip pen nibs (I mean if you don't get that kind of flex what's the point of an oblique, I don't need an oblique holder to do Italic script), Desdirata (spelling?) makes fountain pens that take replaceable nibs. This could be another evolution for this? Personally I really dislike having to pull a nib and feed in order to clean a pen. Screwing out a nib unit is one thing. But pulling them? Then I have to get it all lined back up properly and seated, etc. I just don't like doing it. Would much rather a design that didn't require pulling the nib to clean the pen.

[Robert]

Salvador Dali would be proud of your design (and that's a compliment).

[Finalist]

It seems like this would work best with dip pen nibs (I mean if you don't get that kind of flex what's the point of an oblique, I don't need an oblique holder to do Italic script), Desdirata (spelling?) makes fountain pens that take replaceable nibs. This could be another evolution for this? Personally I really dislike having to pull a nib and feed in order to clean a pen. Screwing out a nib unit is one thing. But pulling them? Then I have to get it all lined back up properly and seated, etc. I just don't like doing it. Would much rather a design that didn't require pulling the nib to clean the pen.

Just playing devil's advocate here ...

What's the point of a FP at all for calligraphy? I could buy a very cheap brush pen, or a felt marker with a chisel tip for a buck.
No, on the dip pen nibs. They don't last. This design has it's own custom #6 size nib - see the bird's eye design?
I like friction fit nibs and feeds. I pull them all the time to clean the feed and towel dry it as I find that much faster than flushing for minutes and then air drying. I also like polishing the gold nib with a quick wipe of a Sunshine cloth as that really prevents nib creep. Also, look at the Namiki flacon friction fit design. It can only be inserted in one way, so it's always aligned properly very easily.

[tandaina]

I mean alignment of the nib and feed, not the whole in the section. HOW the nib and feed sit together strongly effects writing experience.

The only point I see to an oblique pen design is for calligraphy. That's why oblique holders exist now (especially Spencerian done with dip nibs). So I would have to assume an oblique fountain pen would be used for the same thing, hence the need for nibs suitable for such writing. Honestly tipped fountain pen nibs don't necessarily do well at an angle like that. I hold my pen at an angle (rotated) instead of straight on as most do and I have to have my nibs ground to a left foot oblique because of it.

The design is cool, but unless you are trying to replace an oblique dip nib holder I guess I"m just not sure I get why?

[Finalist]

I mean alignment of the nib and feed, not the whole in the section. HOW the nib and feed sit together strongly effects writing experience.

The only point I see to an oblique pen design is for calligraphy. That's why oblique holders exist now (especially Spencerian done with dip nibs). So I would have to assume an oblique fountain pen would be used for the same thing, hence the need for nibs suitable for such writing. Honestly tipped fountain pen nibs don't necessarily do well at an angle like that. I hold my pen at an angle (rotated) instead of straight on as most do and I have to have my nibs ground to a left foot oblique because of it.

The design is cool, but unless you are trying to replace an oblique dip nib holder I guess I"m just not sure I get why?

I can answer all those Qs.

Much like a Nakaya feed the nib rests on small portions cut out of the feed that fit the nib perfectly. There's no guessing on aligning nib to feed, nor feed and nib to section like on cheaper pens.
Spencerian does not require massive shades. IAMPETH has examples of Spencerian with shading that is not much. The oblique aligns with the italic slant structure of the characters, so I think it would massively help keep the tines flexing at the same rate rather than one flexing more than the other because a straight FP in hand is held off angle. For the writing I would ise this concept pen for the nib would last longer than normal and experience less stress than the same nib in a straight body.

Again, the idea is for awesome Japanese handmade style oblique FP that can be used on the go. There seems to be a huge desire on facebook pages. It's all just a fun exercise - something for me to draw. why are there $800 FPs at all?

[elaineb]

I thought about just making it an eye dropper, but I hate dealing with that set of problems such as burps on hot days.

Unfortunately, your design as shown will not avoid the burping issues. Eyedropper pens burp when the ink reservoir is in direct contact with the wall of the pen (or, more exactly, when the pocket of air in the ink reservoir is in contact with the wall of the pen.)

When the pen wall heats up from contact with your hands, the air pocket expands and has nowhere to go but to push the ink out of the feed. Sacs and converters put some space between ink and the wall, as a sort of thermal buffer, which reduces the heating of the air in the ink reservoir, and reduces the incidence of burping.

[Finalist]

I thought about just making it an eye dropper, but I hate dealing with that set of problems such as burps on hot days.

Unfortunately, your design as shown will not avoid the burping issues. Eyedropper pens burp when the ink reservoir is in direct contact with the wall of the pen (or, more exactly, when the pocket of air in the ink reservoir is in contact with the wall of the pen.)

When the pen wall heats up from contact with your hands, the air pocket expands and has nowhere to go but to push the ink out of the feed. Sacs and converters put some space between ink and the wall, as a sort of thermal buffer, which reduces the heating of the air in the ink reservoir, and reduces the incidence of burping.

I know the ED problem well, but thanks. That's why the converter is there. It helps insure that the "Ink Pool" does not have a pocket of air. Capillary action from a cooler sourced liquid (ink in the converter, you know why it's cooler) brings about some nice thermo dynamics

Let's also describe the amount of heat generated from a nib in heavy use. KE = ½ mv²
So let's solve how much heat the nib produces? H = (KE)/4.18. Now we can begin to describe the real dealy yo'.

...But I know you love the design, right?

[manoeuver]

what a cool pen. Make me a left-handed one, ok?

[Finalist]

what a cool pen. Make me a left-handed one, ok?

OK! would you like an 18K ef soft nib or a 14K extra flex xxf nib with you name on it? The wait time is a little long, so I'll include the custom brass case too.

[manoeuver]

long as we're oblique I'll take the flexxfy. cheers!

[elaineb]

I admittedly know nothing about engineering nor thermal dynamics. But I don't see how a converter will reduce the size of an air pocket as you use ink up. If the ink pool holds, say, 1 ml of ink and the converter another 1 ml of ink, what will be inside the pen when you've written through 1.5 mls of ink, and have only 0.5 remaining? Again, if this is a stupid question, please humor me. I honestly would like to understand the design better.

[Neo]

I admittedly know nothing about engineering nor thermal dynamics. But I don't see how a converter will reduce the size of an air pocket as you use ink up. If the ink pool holds, say, 1 ml of ink and the converter another 1 ml of ink, what will be inside the pen when you've written through 1.5 mls of ink, and have only 0.5 remaining? Again, if this is a stupid question, please humor me. I honestly would like to understand the design better.

No real question asked with the goal of learning is stupid.

Because the walls of the converter is not in contact with your hand, because of air and the pen barrel being in between. So hopefully the temperature of the ink and air inside the converter would no rise as much as in an ED pen, with the hope of a reduction in burps.

[elaineb]

Okay, that I understand. But if you look at the schematic, the open pool of ink is very close to the grip of the pen. I'd assume that holding the pen for any length of time would increase the temperature of the pen walls in that area and thus anything inside. Is there something about the design of this area that would push the pocket of air back into the converter and thus keep it from heating up and expanding? (Also the schematic makes the pool area look larger than the volume of a converter, so how would you fill the pen to create a continuous column of liquid between converter and feed?)

I apologize if this is really boring to everyone. Maybe the only way to know would be to build a prototype of the pen innards, without a flex nib, to see if the ink flow would be stable.

[Finalist]

It's a doodle. I was trying to have fun with a what if thing.

[fountainpenkid]

That's awesome (also really well drawn)! I'd get one, if only for the looks.

[Finalist]

That's awesome (also really well drawn)! I'd get one, if only for the looks.

Thank you! On the other site a quality reputable pen maker from France asked to make it, so we shall see.