Query: ink-channel restoration...

[Chrissy]

Well...it has been an enlightening journey.

Feed #1: Parrafin Wax technique
-RESULTS: Moderate success in small amounts on one ebonite feed. I made the mistake of putting too much on another feed and spent the good part of an evening picking wax out from in-between the fins of the feed...no fun.
Even though I was able to reduce the "Flow" of the ink I was not able to keep the "Breathing" of the feed. The ink-flow reduced and did not dump onto the page...but when the feed emptied out from me flex-writing...it would not refill in a reasonable amount of time. I would write a sentence...it would go out...then take 4 minutes to be able to write again. I do not know how to fix this.

Feed #2: Baking Powder and Super Glue
-RESULTS: Complete failure. Even after layering a small amount of baking soda in the bottom of the ink channel, the glue stuck to the sides of the ink-channel walls instead of going directly down to the baking soda to solidify it.
I need a way to apply the cyanoacrylate in a more controlled and fine method. Something like a hypodermic needle that won't get clogged...


Feed #3: Acrylic Resin/JB-Weld technique (whichever I can purchase first)
-RESULTS: Untested...need a break from this demoralizing task. Will reconvene next week.

try tiny glass beads

Or just give up and try a different feed or pen. Life is too short.

[Detman101]

If you have more than one ink channel, as in some feeds, you can insert a pencil lead of the appropriate size in it.

Easy to place, easy to remove.

Oooooh....that's genius!
THANK YOU! This I will try first, the next time I experiment.

Sent from my LG-M210 using Tapatalk

[dneal]

Someone I met on youtube through the comments area mentioned that he cleaved his ink channel too deep and his pen was then too wet.
I suggested maybe somehow reducing the depth of the ink channel. We both had no idea how to do so...thus, this experiment thread was created to gather ideas and log the results of my side of the experimentation.

I'm not sure why he is correlating the depth of the ink channel and the wetness of the pen.

The ink flow correlates directly with the cross area of the ink channel

It would be the potential maximum flow. The flow itself is governed by the tines of the nib. The depth alone is not clear enough to make a determination of the potential flow though.

Here is an example of three channels with exaggerated dimensions for clarity. Which one can potentially deliver more ink, based on depth alone?

Example Channels.jpg


I like your page, but you still have some errors that I recall raising some years ago.

Overflow Slits or Fins
Another significant component of the feed is an array of slits or fins, often called collector, arranged perpendicular to the axis of the feed. This is shown in sketch 4.

container-capillary-air-nib-chamber-25mm.jpg

They are capillary slits arranged to absorb any excess supply of ink. (The causes for excessive supply I explain in the chapter on Temperature and Air Pressure) Via a distributor, the slits are connected with the feed capillary and vent into the air canal. Their capillary pull is less than the feed capillary, nib and paper, but higher than the air canal.

The fins are not connected with the feed channel, as seen in the simple Omas feed I posted earlier.

OmasFeed002_zps1e2e9777.jpg

[dneal]

One other thing I just ran across. I'm afraid you've got some bad information on nib alignment. You advise an inverted V for best performance, as opposed to parallel alignment. I'm sorry, but I can't agree with that.

Pressureless Writing
This expression indicates that you ought to move the fountain pen across the paper without applying any pressure to the pen, and it would leave a line. This is achieved by bending the tines at the tip so that the slit looks like a turned over V, sketch 1. The following sketches are overemphasised.

Sketch 1.jpg


Due to this geometry (turned over V), there is more ink available at the tip, enough to saturate the paper and leave a trace without applying pressure, sketch 2. It follows that writing is less tiring and provides more comfort to the writer.

The larger amount of ink available at this one part of the tip prolongs the time before the ink dries out.

Sketch 2.jpg

You're much more likely to have a scratchy nib, which I would argue is not comfortable for the writer; and to smooth this would be more likely to create a "baby bottom" which would result in a poor writer.

The larger amount of ink preventing drying out is somewhat dubious. Other areas are exposed as well, which is why hooded nibs (e.g.: Parker 51 and Lamy 2000) were designed.

Sketch 3 shows the disadvantage when a nib is not set in the described way. When the pen is at rest with the slit being parallel, the drying out occurs from both sides and therefore, faster.

Sketch 3.jpg

This illustration actually shows proper alignment.

--edit--

Richard Binder's nib workshop notes for other's reference. Tine alignment begins on page 3, and includes discussion of the "inverted grand canyon" or inverted V.