Scratchy Waterman? Your advice is needed.
kokmun
I bought a Waterman Preface fountain pen with a fine nib a week
ago and has since been using it with Waterman blue ink
cartridges (Horrors! ;) ). Yesterday, I made another purchase,
a Lamy Safari with a fine point this time. Needless to say,
I've installed a black Lamy cartridge in the pen.
Now, until the Lamy came along, I was contented with the
performance of my Waterman. However, the minute I tried the
Lamy, a nagging doubt that there's something wrong with the
Waterman has taken root in my mind. Simply put, both are fine
nibs, and the lines put out by the Lamy are no thicker than that
produced by the Waterman.
Not that the Waterman is *really* scratchy, but on the same type
of paper (I've tried several), the Waterman tends to write
slowly, with a certain drag. When made to go faster, the nib
would approach something of a scratchiness without really
becoming so. Also, this drag tends to become more pronounced
the more and the faster I write (this could well be my
imagination). If I write for a long time without pausing, the
ink gradually becomes a tad fainter.
The Lamy truly *glides* over the paper and gives thick, bold and
smooth lines.
My question is - Do I have a legitimate complaint? Is my doubt
real and if so, is it a faultly Waterman nib or the quality of
the Waterman ink? Should I bring the Waterman in for repairs?
Thanks.
Kok Mun
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JANA
got it, 10 years ago. Regardless of the type of ink that I use, this thing
is scratchy and has inadequate ink flow with a tendency to dry out quickly.
I now use cheaper steel-nibbed Rotrings that consistently write far better
than the Waterman.
kokmun <kokmunN...@crosswinds.net.invalid> wrote in message
news:29e0ded4...@usw-ex0105-036.remarq.com...
Fdu...@aol.com
> My question is - Do I have a legitimate complaint? Is my doubt
> real and if so, is it a faultly Waterman nib or the quality of
> the Waterman ink? Should I bring the Waterman in for repairs?
>
I'm amazed how many people ask questions like is a scratchy nib or a pen
that leaks or skips normal. Does any one think any company designs a
pen to scratch, skip or leak? Odds are you could correct this problem
yourself in a few seconds, Its been covered here so many times, and is
in Da Book so I'm not going into tine alignment again. But if you want
to spend the time and effort for a ten second "repair" thats up to you.
They will just eschange the pen, and you many or may not get one any
better. Frank
Dean
JANA wrote
> I have a Waterman LeMan 100 with an EF nib that's been a dog since the day
I
> got it, 10 years ago. Regardless of the type of ink that I use, this thing
> is scratchy and has inadequate ink flow with a tendency to dry out
quickly.
> I now use cheaper steel-nibbed Rotrings that consistently write far better
> than the Waterman.
>
> >
> > Now, until the Lamy came along, I was contented with the
> > performance of my Waterman. However, the minute I tried the
> > Lamy, a nagging doubt that there's something wrong with the
> > Waterman has taken root in my mind.
> > the Waterman tends to write slowly, with a certain drag.
> > When made to go faster, the nib would approach something of a
> > scratchiness without really becoming so.
> >
> > The Lamy truly *glides* over the paper and gives thick, bold and
> > smooth lines.
> >
> > My question is - Do I have a legitimate complaint? Is my doubt
> > real and if so, is it a faultly Waterman nib or the quality of
> > the Waterman ink? Should I bring the Waterman in for repairs?
I think there is more than one issue here:
First is an issue of quality control, the big companies like Parker,
Waterman, and Sheaffer are in the business of marketing and mass producing
pens. A certain percentage of returns or unhappy customers is expected, and
maybe they don't even care about it. A returned pen is put in the junk
barrel and a new one is sent out, probably without even being checked out.
This is the way IMO that larger corporations work, they say that the
customer always comes first, but in reality what comes first is their bottom
line. After all if we the customers came first wouldn't Parker 51's or
derivatives of it's style and function still be made by Parker.
The other companies mentioned Lamy, Rotring, and I would add Omas and
Pelikan from my own experience. They IMO have much better quality control.
I've never had a Lamy, Rotring, Omas, or Pelikan that didn't write great
right out of the box. The same is not true for Parker, Waterman, or
Sheaffer. This is irregardless of price.
On to the next issue:
Frank is right here a simple tweaking of the nib tines is usually all it
takes.
Ten seconds for Frank, probably a minute or so for us that aren't quite as
adept.
I also use some nib sanding paper (I think that's what it's called) to
further smooth the nib to my liking.
I have many old Parkers and Sheaffers that when purchased were scratchy,
tweaking the nib and a little smoothing was all it took to make them great
writers.
Finally, we live in a throw away ballpoint and rollerball world. If it's
out of ink throw it away and get a new one. Pen companies don't sent
instructions with their pens on how to adjust the nib tines or flow (I think
they should). I the "old days" I would guess that most people new how to do
this. Frank has done a great service to those who want to learn in writing
"Da Book". However not everybody that buys or uses a fountain pen whether
vintage or modern will get "Da Book". So 20-30 years from now on Mega Ebay
the add will read "Found in my Grandfather desk, mint condition looks like
it was never used, maybe inked once, 'Parker, Waterman, Sheaffer, or any
other pen company' fountain pen. 18kt medium gold nib seems a little
scratchy.".
Someone will buy it "tweak the nib" (I kinda like that phrase) and have a
beautiful vintage writing instrument.
Dean
kokmun
Hi Frank,
>I'm amazed how many people ask questions like is a scratchy nib
or a pen
>that leaks or skips normal. Does any one think any company
designs a
I should've been clearer - the pen doesn't skip or leak. It's
more of a "draggy" (as opposed to scratchy) nib that needs to be
"pushed" instead of one which glides nearly effortlessly.
>pen to scratch, skip or leak? Odds are you could correct this
problem
>yourself in a few seconds, Its been covered here so many
times, and is
>in Da Book so I'm not going into tine alignment again. But if
you want
I'll do a search for "tine alignment" on Deja. As for the book,
I'm not sure if it's available at my present neck of the woods.
In any case, I thought that misaligned tines result in
scratchiness more than in dragginess?
>to spend the time and effort for a ten second "repair" thats up
to you.
>They will just eschange the pen, and you many or may not get
one any
>better. Frank
>
I spoke with the Waterman agent earlier and he ruled out an
exchange, saying that only repairs are justified. Oh well, let
me read up on the art of "tine alignment" first before deciding
on my next course of action.
john cline ii
"kokmun" wrote in part:
> In article <38D95B...@aol.com>, Fdu...@aol.com wrote:
> SNIPPED
> As for the book,
> I'm not sure if it's available at my present neck of the woods.
BA BA Boom, write Frank at the email address above, and you will be
offered the opportunity to get Da Book.....
john cline ii who hopes he beat Frank to the punch, FOR ONCE!
(giggle)
FDubiel
>I'm not sure if it's available at my present neck of the woods.
uhh, I assume you can receive real mail? Ya know, the sort that could deliver
an acutal book to you? No bookstores sell Da Book. Over 10,000 have ordered
it thru the mail, or picked up a copy at pen shows. Too much politics selling
wholesale to book stores. Anyone who ever tried to deal with Barnes and Nobel
or any other chain knows what I am talking about. Also this really is a very
limited interest publication that appeals only to those with no real life other
than to worry about how their pens write. I can't think of anyone more
hopeless than that, except, perhaps, someone so hopless as to have written such
a book in the first place. FD
Wayne Menzie
<jlsC4.591$5X.6...@typhoon2.gnilink.net>:
>BA BA Boom, write Frank at the email address above, and you will be
>offered the opportunity to get Da Book.....
>
>john cline ii who hopes he beat Frank to the punch, FOR ONCE!
>(giggle)
Winner and new champion of the shameless commercialism title in the vintage
pen divsion: john cline ii
<VVBG>
Wayne Menzie
MB Menefee
waterman. Black ink always flows better for one reason or the other. Also, a
word of encouragement, I have a preface that writes incredibly smooth, send
it back!
Michael
kokmun <kokmunN...@crosswinds.net.invalid> wrote in message
news:29e0ded4...@usw-ex0105-036.remarq.com...
> Hi everyone,
>
> I bought a Waterman Preface fountain pen with a fine nib a week
> ago and has since been using it with Waterman blue ink
> cartridges (Horrors! ;) ). Yesterday, I made another purchase,
> a Lamy Safari with a fine point this time. Needless to say,
> I've installed a black Lamy cartridge in the pen.
>
> performance of my Waterman. However, the minute I tried the
> Lamy, a nagging doubt that there's something wrong with the
> nibs, and the lines put out by the Lamy are no thicker than that
> produced by the Waterman.
>
> Not that the Waterman is *really* scratchy, but on the same type
> slowly, with a certain drag. When made to go faster, the nib
> would approach something of a scratchiness without really
> the more and the faster I write (this could well be my
> imagination). If I write for a long time without pausing, the
> ink gradually becomes a tad fainter.
>
> smooth lines.
>
> My question is - Do I have a legitimate complaint? Is my doubt
> real and if so, is it a faultly Waterman nib or the quality of
> the Waterman ink? Should I bring the Waterman in for repairs?
>
>
STEPHEN
measures that should make them useable to the majority of people. However,
we do hold pens differently, resulting the nibs touching paper in slightly
different angles. Sometimes this might cause all sorts of problems,
including skipping and scratchiness. It is therefore not unusual for pens
to require a period of "running in" before they are "perfect".
I would suggest that you fine tune the pen yourself. For scratchiness, you
need to look at tine alignment and perhaps do a bit of sanding using the
right kind of sanding paper.
Stephen
kokmun
<20000323122715...@ng-fy1.aol.
com>, fdu...@aol.com (FDubiel) wrote:
Heheheh. I've almost forgotten about the existence of
snailmail, so engrossed am I in the online world.
>uhh, I assume you can receive real mail? Ya know, the sort
that could deliver
>an acutal book to you? No bookstores
sell Da Book. Over 10,000 have ordered
Heheheh. Yes, I think I still retain the capability to send and
receive snailmail. Thanks for letting me know about your book.
I'll definitely put it on my to-buy list for the near future.
Will email you when I'm good and ready.
KM
kokmun
I've sent the pen back for a checkup. It should be good and
ready in a few days' time.
Peter Vos
>
> I'll definitely put it on my to-buy list for the near future.
> Will email you when I'm good and ready.
>
> KM
>
gee kokum - you will be SOL, Kranky Franky don't sell to "good" folks.
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The BOFH
>I'm amazed how many people ask questions like is a scratchy nib or a pen
>that leaks or skips normal. Does any one think any company designs a
>pen to scratch, skip or leak? Odds are you could correct this problem
>yourself in a few seconds, Its been covered here so many times, and is
>in Da Book so I'm not going into tine alignment again. But if you want
>to spend the time and effort for a ten second "repair" thats up to you.
>They will just eschange the pen, and you many or may not get one any
>better. Frank
As a newbie to the group and the hobby (?), might I inquire as to how I may
obtain "Da Book"? Or any other sources of information, for that matter.
Thanks,
S
john cline ii
"The BOFH" > wrote in part:
> As a newbie to the group and the hobby (?), might I inquire as to
how I may
> obtain "Da Book"? Or any other sources of information, for that
matter.
As to Da Book, simply email Fdu...@aol.com . Mr. Dubiel is
variously known here as a scholar, a noted authority, Kranky Franky
and even, to some people, a PITA. You would do well to listen to
Frank. You can learn much from him!
Frank would, however, probably add in response to your question, there
ARE other sources????
Seriously, Greg Clark has an excellent ink sampler where you can see
ACTUAL samples of that ink you might want to buy before you get stuck
with a bunch of it!
john cline ii who learns much of what he knows here, in the mass
media, and from general works of history from the relevant time
periods