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Thread: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

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    Default Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Hi all,

    Just got the Noodler's Ahab in the mail and testing it out. Seems to be writing fairly dry and line is thinner than I thought.

    See attached for a quick writing sample. Im not trying to flex it at all but figured it would write wetter than it is. Ink is dry to the touch almost immediately after writing.

    Im using Edelstein Jade in it and for reference comparison is to a Pelikan M1000 with fine nib using Diamine Quartz Black.

    https://goo.gl/photos/xd28373P44AjcQmu7

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Don't mind my horrible writing...

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Have you tried resetting the nib and feed?
    Online arguments are a lot like the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
    As soon as the audience begins to participate, any actual content is lost in the resulting chaos and cacophony.
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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreck View Post
    Have you tried resetting the nib and feed?
    Yes, that's what I had to do. The feed channel did not line up with the nib. The second one I had I spent a lot of time messing with the nib and I could never get so it wrote properly. It takes a fair bit of pressure to get any real flex out of those Noodler's nibs. I would pop the extra for a Parson' Essential with a custom ground stub or italic if I was looking for decent line variation.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Thanks for the responses. I have not reset the feed yet. Still full of ink. I bought this strictly to play / tinker with so I can try that. Just didn't know if out of the box and no pressure it should have a heavier line or not.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Out of the box, my Ahab wrote with about that fine of a line.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Quote Originally Posted by Spoonage View Post
    Thanks for the responses. I have not reset the feed yet. Still full of ink. I bought this strictly to play / tinker with so I can try that. Just didn't know if out of the box and no pressure it should have a heavier line or not.
    Out of the box, a Noodler's pen is going to do whatever it does. Getting it to do what you want it to do is entirely up to a combination of your ability and willingness to keep messing with it. If you bought it new, there should've been a slip of paper explaining that these pens are meant to be tinkered with. This is a property that some of us endure or even like, and one that keeps some other people from buying or enjoying Noodler's pens.
    Online arguments are a lot like the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
    As soon as the audience begins to participate, any actual content is lost in the resulting chaos and cacophony.
    At that point, all you can do is laugh and enjoy the descent into debasement.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Looks fine to me.

    To tinker with the nib.
    Hold the pen vertical, nib UP.
    Then with a piece of rubber sheet, grip the nib+feed and pull it UP and out.
    Adjust the nib:feed position, and push it back DOWN and in.

    PS I would trade mine for yours. Mine would drool ink, no matter what I did with the nib+feed. The distributor is exchanging it.
    San Francisco Pen Show 2017, August 25-27, 2017, Redwood City, California
    www.SFPenShow.com

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Yes, that seems a little dry, but aren't the Edelstein inks a bit dry themselves, like the 4001 series?

    And all my Ahabs and Konrads needed a bit of feed-fussing when I first got them. And now all work great. Try counting the number of feed fins visible at the current setting, then pull them out (just keep the pen upright, as suggested above), and then reset them with one more feed fin visible (in other words, reset the nib and feed just a bit "looser" or further out) and see what this does for flow (because perhaps they were initially really jammed in there tightly). You might also have to reposition the nib in relation to the feed--all of this is adjustable, and you will just have to practice with several combinations until you find one that works best for you. And the ink matters too, of course.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Thanks. I'm new to fountain pens and know that some inks are "wetter" than others (lubricated?) And others have additional properties like sheen, shading, etc. I still dont know which inks do what and the Edelstein Jade was a 3ml sample I bought to play with.

    Looks like there's 8 fins currently showing. Maybe once I run the converter empty I'll play with the nib and feed. Good thing i didnt do the eydropper conversion yet.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    So I tried to adjust the nib. And now I get hard starts. I've switched to Diamine Quartz Black in it. Still looks dry.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Every ink may require a new nib/feed adjustment, unless they have similar properties. Can you post a pic of your nib and feed settings? You cleaned the nib and feed with a toothbrush and a little soapy dishwashing liquid, then flushed really well? Did you floss the tines? You may have dried ink between them. Your tines are still aligned properly? I think these pens do better after you use them for a few days.
    Last edited by KKay; January 8th, 2017 at 11:16 PM.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Hi. I did not floss the tines. I cleaned it with distilled water. Pen is ~ 3 weeks old. It wrote previously (very thin and light) with Edelstein Jade and DeAtramentus Sapphire. Didnt have hard starts previously. Literally as soon as I ran out of the DA Sapphire I cleaned, let dry, tried to adjust feed and nib, assembled, inked and tried writing. Hard hard starts so tried adjusting the feed again and same results.

    https://goo.gl/photos/zzfj1FriJWrg1TvP6.
    Blob of ink ink this picture was me trying to shake the pen a bit to get it to write. Arrows pointing to hard starts.

    https://goo.gl/photos/wWM7yFNvHFY2Jkpf7

    https://goo.gl/photos/BuuwVNBXKhJMPcKh9

    https://goo.gl/photos/w1og1Lu7BPpBkYd9A

    https://goo.gl/photos/MB6FH6JRiUpkvS7x6

    https://goo.gl/photos/cLs9Uy2nVczhJkAh6

    https://goo.gl/photos/zr87R9WfMeSMwUcdA

    https://goo.gl/photos/VUtUznwXa8DK5h648.
    Currently have Diamine Quartz Black in. This wrote wet with my Pelikan so I wanted to try it in my Noodlers to see it it would give me better results than the Edelstein Jade and DA Sapphire.
    Last edited by Spoonage; January 9th, 2017 at 06:41 AM.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Not guaranteeing that this will fix the problem, but when I've dealt with hard starts and ink starvation, my next step is to take out the nib and feed and scrub them both with a toothbrush dipped in pen flush. (1 part ammonia to 10 parts distilled water, with 1 drop of Dawn dishsoap/10ml of distilled water). Scrub the spine of the feed as well as the ribs/fins. Rinse both well with warm water, and then reassemble and try again.
    You can also run the feed under a hot tap for 20-30 seconds and then gently press the tip down as it cools (so that when it is reunited with the nib there will be a bigger gap between the two. This might work, or it might make the problem worse in either direction (i.e. no ink or a flood). If it doesn't work, try resetting the nib and feed again.
    It might also be the nib. I've had pens that simply will not work with one nib, but perform flawlessly with another one.
    Another intervention (albeit somewhat drastic) is to widen the feed channel. I've used a small knife blade to good effect, but after doing this you will definitely want to scrub it well with a toothbrush to ensure you get all the loose ebonite fragments out of there.
    You should never have to shake a pen to get it to start. I know it is tempting.
    Like I said, Noodler's pens are meant to be tinkered with. Getting one that is performing poorly to work well can get frustrating, but it can also be rewarding.
    Last edited by Dreck; January 9th, 2017 at 06:55 AM.
    Online arguments are a lot like the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
    As soon as the audience begins to participate, any actual content is lost in the resulting chaos and cacophony.
    At that point, all you can do is laugh and enjoy the descent into debasement.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Well I looked at the photos, and can tell it doesn't look too far off. I can't tell how far the top of the nib is pushed in. When you first cleaned it, did you take the nib and feed off entirely an clean then, before you started flushing with the converter? I just used soapy water, but if that doesn't get it after flushing, I'd definitely use a pen flush like Dreck said. I didn't need a pen flush on mine, but I scrubbed it very good with that toothbrush. You probably have some type of machine oil. That is why I pull nib and feed out, and scrub both. I can't tell how your tip on the nib is aligned from your photo. Your nib may need to be pulled out a little. I usually push my feed further below where your level is. But you don't want the feed too far pushed in. The end of the slit on my nib is 1/2 of a cm below the slit of the nib, where it is connected to the section. It depends too on how much flex you want. It can be maddening until you get the feel of how it works. It can take a lot of trial and error. Once it is right, you will be very happy!

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Here is how I cleaned the pen.

    Removed the barrel and converter.

    Flushed all in warm tap water to push all ink out of nib.

    Rinse with distilled water.

    Remove nib and feed from section and rinse with more distilled water.

    Dried nib and feed and reassembled into section.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Try steps 1-3 with some actual pen flush; either bought commercially or the SBRE Brown recipe that I use and mentioned. Then rinse that out with warm tap water.
    Online arguments are a lot like the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
    As soon as the audience begins to participate, any actual content is lost in the resulting chaos and cacophony.
    At that point, all you can do is laugh and enjoy the descent into debasement.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Will do.. Of the inks I have, which would be the best to try that writes the "wettest" all other things being equal.

    Diamine Quartz Black
    Diamine Oxford Blue
    Diamine Amazing Amethyst

    DeAtramentus Peal Violet
    DeArtramentus Sapphire

    Edelstein Jade
    Edelstein Ruby
    Edelstein Tanzanite
    Edelstein Topaz

    Faber Castell Garnet Red

    Iroshizuku Take-Sumi


    Most of these are samples except the Diamine and Iroshizuku.

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Quote Originally Posted by Spoonage View Post
    Will do.. Of the inks I have, which would be the best to try that writes the "wettest" all other things being equal.

    Diamine Quartz Black
    Diamine Oxford Blue
    Diamine Amazing Amethyst

    DeAtramentus Peal Violet
    DeArtramentus Sapphire

    Edelstein Jade
    Edelstein Ruby
    Edelstein Tanzanite
    Edelstein Topaz

    Faber Castell Garnet Red

    Iroshizuku Take-Sumi


    Most of these are samples except the Diamine and Iroshizuku.
    find out yourself: try one from each maker (my guess is that you will find the DeAtramentis inks the wettest, but your results might be different from mine).

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    Default Re: Noodlers Ahab needs adjustment?

    Thanks. I tried the DeAtrmentus Sapphire and it didn't seem too much wetter than the Diamine Quartz Black.

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