FP Section Questions

[soligen]

I made a Jr Gent FP this past weekend. I took out the nib and feed to clean them, replace the nib , and do tuning. I made some observations that led to questions. I'm hoping you guys have answers :biggrin:.

In the section, there are 2 features I notice

1) On the section, in the little tennon that goes into the cartridge/converter there is a notch.

2) In the other end (nib end) at about 90 degrees from the notch, there is a flat spot inside the section.

My question is, what is the proper orientation of the feed to these section features? The 2 options that come to mind are either aligning the feed slot to the notch in (1) or having the flat in (2) press against the center of the nib to help it hold in place. (I guess a third option is to have the flat be along the bottom of the feed.)

Or, perhaps it makes no difference at all, but with the flat to the side of the nib, it tended to push it off center.

Thanks for your help.

 

[jskeen]

That's a really good question. It intrigued me enough that I grabbed the first few Jr. fountain pens in the case and looked. Now I am notorious for swapping parts around in fp's and playing with them till they work the way I want, and a couple of these had aftermarket nibs, so I know they had been played with. But here's the findings. In all 4, the feeds were identical, a groove down the top of the feed leading to the notch about half way down that allows the ink to fill the fins as the reserve, and then the rest of the groove down to the tip of the feed. The nib picks up ink from this groove and it is fed down the slot to the tipping material via osmosis. On all 4 there is a flat spot opposite this groove, running the length of the fins.

On 3 of the 4 nib holders (the black plastic part) there was a corresponding key or raised spot inside that matched the flat on the bottom of the feed assy. In the 4th holder, there was no flat spot, and the feed/nib combo could be inserted anywhere. That one probably came from who knows what other kit or non-kit section. In all 3 cases where there was a key, the feed/nib only fit correctly with the bottom of the feed assy. aligned with the flat inside the holder, and in all cases the notch in the outer tenon was 90 degrees from that notch (and also from the feed groove and nib) I tend to doubt that is a coincidence. Why it's that way is left as an exercise for the class.

And just so nobody says it didn't happen, here's a quick pic from my cell phone camera.

 

[soligen]

James good info. The feed I have has the flat opposite the slot, but it will go into the section in any orientation. These must be here for a reason, and if the slot in inthe feed does not line up with the notch in the top if the section, then I dont know what the notch is for.

 

[JerrySambrook]

So james, clue us as to which one was the odd man out?
It looks like you only have two kit types there, Jr Retro and Jr Gent

 

[jskeen]

So james, clue us as to which one was the odd man out?
It looks like you only have two kit types there, Jr Retro and Jr Gent

The second from the left (red stained glass closed end) had the nib holder without the key on the inside. Other than the finish, and the heritance nibs, everything else was identical between the 4 sections.

But again, I can almost guarantee that none of the 4 had all 4 parts that started out in the same kit, let alone in the kit that they happened to be installed in when I took the pic.

 

[soligen]

So then, from your survey, the bottom of the feed should be along the flat and the slot in the feed then ends up 90 degrees from the notch in teh tennon that goes into the cartrige.

Is this right? James, I'm taking your info as empiricle evidance. If someone has a definitive answer based on design intent, I'd love to hear that too, because I see no use for the little notch in the tennon that goes into the converter sicne the slot doesn't align with it.

 

[jskeen]

So then, from your survey, the bottom of the feed should be along the flat and the slot in the feed then ends up 90 degrees from the notch in teh tennon that goes into the cartrige.

Is this right? James, I'm taking your info as empiricle evidance. If someone has a definitive answer based on design intent, I'd love to hear that too, because I see no use for the little notch in the tennon that goes into the converter sicne the slot doesn't align with it.

That is correct from my limited sample size. I have no idea what the notch in the nipple is for. But whatever it was intended for, it must do it best if it's 90 degrees out of alignment with the feed groove.

 

[soligen]

I went back to my only other FP and aligned it this way. It had an intermittent problem of needed to be re-primed - had assumed due to vacuum in the converter, but maybe it had something to do with this. I previously had the feel slit aligned with the notch - moved it to 90 degrees. Time will tell.

Set the new FP this way as well, but I dont want to load it up and test it, turning it into a used pen.

 

[jskeen]

Set the new FP this way as well, but I dont want to load it up and test it, turning it into a used pen.

There may be some fountain pen purists out there that will consider any pen that has been inked as "used". If you run into one, I'd lay good odds he's going to be looking for a vintage parker or possibly a new mont blanc, or something like that, not a "insert todays euphemism for kit pen".

I prefer to be able to say with confidence "this pen will write just as good as that demo you just tried, because I tested it before I cleaned it and put it in the display". I've never had anybody say "that's nice, but can you put an untested nib on it?"

Depends on your client base I would suppose. YMMV

 

[soligen]

Well, I guess I'm safe then as I dont have a FP clientel as of now. I'm just the type that wants to do things the "proper" way from teh get go - even when it doesnt matter, just so when it does matter, it's just normal

I used the dip method I've read abuot, but seems to get as much in the feed as inking it. I think I'll just use a personal converter for the tuning so the converter with the pen is clean.

I have also notices that after tuning, simply removingthe nib and feed to clean messes up the tune. On re-assembly its just a tad not as smooth.