Pen Hack and Frankenpens

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

I did a very successful pen hack, putting nibs from Chinese Hero M-86 pens into Noodler's Creaper bodies, and now I keep thinking how cool it would be to try a flexible gold vintage Waterman nib, maybe from a 52. Anybody tried this?

I'm watching for nibs, but hoping to find one cheap enough to experiment with! I've got two Waterman 52s, but don't have the heart to take a chance...

[Ray-VIgo]

Perhaps a broken down 52 1/2 V on ebay- they often sell below the value of the nib itself as parts pens.

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

Perhaps a broken down 52 1/2 V on ebay- they often sell below the value of the nib itself as parts pens.

That's what I've been watching for, Ray! I'll try with the 52 1/2 as part of the search parameters, because I'm finding SO many "vintage Waterman" pens there...thanks!

[jbb]

I've created Franken pens with some success. I like to find pretty vintage pen bodies and replace the nibs with 14K flex ones. It's mostly about getting the nib/feed fit to be close enough to get good ink flow.

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

I've created Franken pens with some success. I like to find pretty vintage pen bodies and replace the nibs with 14K flex ones. It's mostly about getting the nib/feed fit to be close enough to get good ink flow.

NICE! And yes, that's sort of what I want to do, except I figured I'd use a Noodler's body for the piston fill mechanism. I like that! And it's definitely the flex I'm after!

[whych]

If you can get the Waterman nib out easily without damaging the pen, why not try it?

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

If you can get the Waterman nib out easily without damaging the pen, why not try it?

I'm a bit worried about damaging the nib or feed, really...those two pens set me back a bit! Hoping to find a cheap pen for parts...

[Ray-VIgo]

For what you're doing with it, I agree with finding a parts pen and leaving the 52s intact. If you have a working and original set of 52s, they're best left as they are. The only time I drive nibs out of a section/feed/nib combo is when I have to in order to make the pen work.

[pajaro]

I have looked through some online nibsellers' pages and seen some interesting nibs, like italics and stubs in 14K, and this is tempting.

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

For what you're doing with it, I agree with finding a parts pen and leaving the 52s intact. If you have a working and original set of 52s, they're best left as they are. The only time I drive nibs out of a section/feed/nib combo is when I have to in order to make the pen work.

Yeah, my 52s both work...one leaks around the nib a bit, so I don't carry it, but I do draw with it a bit in my studio.

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

I have looked through some online nibsellers' pages and seen some interesting nibs, like italics and stubs in 14K, and this is tempting.

The ones I've seen on sites like that are WAY too expensive for me--upwards of $100 for an experiment is out of my price range, unfortunately! Tempting though...

[jbb]

I've never spent much money on the pens or parts that end up in my Frankenpens. I buy ebay or yard sale bargains that look like that might have potential and sort it out later. (Sometime years later... in that "ooh, where did that come from?" sort of way.) The longer you've been into pens the bigger your accumulation of random pen stuff. It also helps to have a very large desk and not that great memory.

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

I've never spent much money on the pens or parts that end up in my Frankenpens. I buy ebay or yard sale bargains that look like that might have potential and sort it out later. (Sometime years later... in that "ooh, where did that come from?" sort of way.) The longer you've been into pens the bigger your accumulation of random pen stuff. It also helps to have a very large desk and not that great memory.

That worked very well! And yes, I've got bits and pieces here and there...but I get rid of stuff I'm not using periodically! I've sold two Watermans a couple of years ago, and now of course wish I hadn't!

[79spitfire]

The Waterman's 52 nib will fit into the Noodler's piston filler, the non flex feed has a hard time keeping up with crazy flexing (IMHO), using the flex nib feed helps. Being ebonite, the feeds can be easily hacked for more flow. As far as sources I've found several hiding in third tier pens on ebay.

[Cathy Johnson (Kate)]

I keep watching eBay! Though of late I'm having more problems with my Noodler's pens leaking, so maybe extra flow won't be needed. I did think it looked like the 52 should fit, though, so I'm anxious to try it.

[Adhizen]

I just swapped out an iridium M nib on my Laban abalone shell pen with the BB 18k gold nib from my Krone Moderne. I loved the nib on the Krone... yet the pen was..meh... not so nice. Much happier with the change. The Laban is a beautiful pen and the Krone nib super wet and smooth.

[Adhizen]

Here's a pic of the finished hack....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk

[6of1]

Wow, that is a nice combination. I own a couple and think that Laban makes a fine pen. This one is certainly easy on the eyes.

Be seeing you.

[TimGirdler]

I've modified several of my own pens by giving them new and better nibs. In fact, I offer a "Levenger Conversion" where I take a True Writer and replace the nib with a JoWo nib. I can do this to several pens--including the Laban.

I have found some pens, of course, look better than their original nibs allow them to write. I've just upgraded the nib to match the pen.

I will say, I was unaware of the term "pen hack." I guess, though, that's as good a description as any. If anyone wants me to "hack" their pens for them, let me know.

Blessings,

Tim

[elderberry]

Ohh, the Laban Abalone pen is shinyyy! I like that one.

The only pen I've hacked so far is a Nakaya Piccolo in yellow tame nuri (one of two pens in this color I know about which were made for Stylo Plume in France when they were still selling Nakayas). It came with a soft fine nib which just wouldn't work for me, and then I had this Platinum Maestro with music nib lying around, not getting any use because the pen was so lightweight and plasticky, so I decided to swap them. I couldn't do it myself as I couldn't get the nibs out for the life of me so I sent both pens to John Sorowka. The Piccolo is a really nice writer now and the Platinum nib looks good in it too - I like their design.

Snapshot (originally taken to capture the ink, which is Octopus "Karamell"):