Haha, yeah, that's a pretty cool UA-cam feature. When you watch the videos double-time you can really see how much I talk with my hands! It's like I'm in a karate class or something.... -Brian Goulet
Regarding using a (pointed) calligraphy nib in a Noodler's pen for flex -- yes, that's very doable...with caveats. First, you have to match the radius of your nib to the pen. E.g. a Brause 66EF has a radius of about 2 mm while a Brause 361 has a radius of almost 3.1 mm. That's a huge difference. I've used a Gillott 303 (2.5 mm) in a Creaper (2.38 mm feed radius) and it works very nicely (YMMV). That said, I wouldn't put a larger nib in as it would put too much strain on the feed section. Likewise, I wouldn't put the tiny 66EF on an Ahab feed...it simply won't fit, even with heat setting. If you do find a good nib/pen combo, there is another major concern: rust. A lot of nibs, if left in a pen, will have a reaction to being kept doused with water-based ink all the time. This can be rust from the water or some other corrosion based on metal-on-ink contact (it's why you don't typically eyedropper a pen with any metal that could touch ink). Generally speaking, if you use a calligraphy nib, you'd want to remove it from the pen after use -- don't store it.
Great video! I wondered for ages why my Noodler's pen is always out of ink when I pick it up. I thought I might be crazy. I'll try storing it in the zip lock bag and see if that helps.
Noodler's Ink is one of my favorite brands. When people ask where do I start with fountain pen ink I always say ....start with Noodler's! Great topic for this episode of Q&A.
Cool! Yeah, there's a lot to the brand, and though it can be overwhelming for newbies, it is also a brand that kind of covers the full spectrum of needs. -Brian Goulet
I've heard this advice about cleaning ebonite nibs but keep wondering ... why doesn't the manufacturer do that before shipping?? Is that a stupid question?
kmfurr1 That's a good question! I don't honestly have a lot of insight into how the different companies make/clean their internal parts, but it's just a good general practice to clean out a pen before using it. -Brian Goulet
I've found that a Magic Eraser removes Bay State Blue spills from countertops, sinks, and stains from SOME plastic pen bodies; Parker 45's in my case. I have not yet tried to swab the inside of a demonstrator. That is next; my Konrad has the neon green tint left from Whaleman's Sepia. Separate baths in ammonia or bleach had no effect on this stain. Thank you to the entire Goulet Team.
Magic eraser, okay! I'll have to test that one out. I would be skeptical to use that on my pens, but on household surfaces it would probably work well. Yeah, I'm stumped about WS stain, if you figure it out let me know! -Brian Goulet
To 19) Scott B.: I found that Bad Blue Heron is perfecly permanent and .vibrant blue vibrant as Sailors Blue Black, you can darken with Black or lighten with Whiteness of Whale as you wish, or make it cooler with "Bad Green Gator."
Interesting to hear about Upper Ganges Blue and Liberty's Elysium! LE is nice, but I really like UGB for the bulletproofness. I use it on important forms that require blue ink.
Brian...any recommendations on how to improve the flow in the free pen that comes with Noodler's Nikita? Mine has starting issues and after writing for a bit the nib goes dry. I have to shake the pen a few times (and keep a piece of cloth to soak the drop on ink that comes out) to get it to write again. I love the ink but with all the issues, the pen is just not effective. BTW I know it is a free pen, but I it has the Noodler's name on it so I am sure there was some designing behind that pen
Yeah, this pen has been a little hit or miss, and won't be around much longer from what I understand. They pretty much are what they are :P -Brian Goulet
The Goulet Pen Company That was one "free pen" from Noodlers that didn't give me any trouble and writes nicely with Nikita. So I don't use it for any other ink in it. The HOD pen wasn't too bad, but the pen with Bay State Blue was impossible. I ordered extra Preppy pens with different nibs and BSB didn't play nicely. But love my Nikita pen!
Hi Brian , I live in India . I purchased a ghostly lapis acrylic konrad from you about 2 months ago . the piston didn't work very smoothly from the start . a couple of weeks ago i heard a cracking noise . now when I unscrew the piston nob the piston comes out of the unit completely now my piston is bent completely and I am unable to fill my pen please help me out . is it possible to somehow replace the piston unit ? I really like the flex on my konrad as it is my only flex nib pen .please reply .
Oh no! Sorry to hear that. You'll need to reach out to us by email, this will take some communication back and forth and UA-cam isn't the best place for that :P Can you email us at orders (at) gouletpens.com?
what is the quality of acrylic and resin used in noodlers pens compared to other brands like edison?how is it that they sell them for $40 where as others cost $100+?why do they have a distinct smell? whill a noodlers acrylic konrad last an entire lifetime ?how should I store these pens? please include your answer in your q&a video .
Honestly? Little or no difference at all, they're both acrylic acetate. The reason Noodler's pens are $40 is because the man who runs Noodler's does so because of principles, not profits. Seriously, I don't think he makes any money from the sale of these pens, I really think he just wants these pens out there in the world. As for the smell, they don't have a distinct smell, no different than any other acrylic acetate pen (which is used by a LOT of pen companies). It's the regular line of Noodler's pens that have the unique smell! The non-acrylic ones. Will a Konrad last a lifetime? It should, though in my opinion the weakest part of the pen is the piston mechanism. As far as storing them, just do like you do for most other pens, clean them out if you're not going to be using them for more than a few weeks, keep them out of direct sunlight if possible. Don't drop them or throw them onto concrete, y'know. -Brian Goulet
Isopropyl should work for the outside of the barrel, although you should never let it sit. The rubbing alcohol also works very nicely in removing ink from pens, a good example is Baystate Blue, which can be a pain to clean. Usually, you can cotton swab it, but I did try and clean out two pens that used "cheaper" plastic, and it destroyed some of the plastic. One was a preppy, where I let it sit to see what would happen, and it turned white. the other was an Ahab. The Ahab was not totally ruined, and I am not sure if I attribute the damage to the alcohol or a crack in plunger mechanism. But I do know that I could not screw the plunger mechanism on anymore, and I am forced to use it as an eyedropper.
Yeah, alcohol is best not to use on any plastic, especially for something regularly like cleaning. I would only try it on the outside of a Preppy to remove the label (once), and even then, taking full risk that I might ruin the pen. That's why I said for me, it's just not worth it and I just leave the label on. For cleaning Baystate inks, try diluted bleach! It works best. Just try to keep it off the metal parts. -Brian Goulet
i started with a preppy blue-black, and i am trying to convert it to an eye drop. i'm starting with a waterman ink, is there any maintenance i should consider? i don't see how i can clean it if i get gunk. if all goes well i think i will move up with a lamy pen and some noodler's ink :3
And to Pavel V, La Reine Mauve dries very, very quickly, so if you don't mind writing in a dark purple, it might work for you. Just be prepared to clean your pen for a while. I know that the Jinhao (and probably other pens that take standard international cartridges/converters) work very well with bulb syringes because they are exactly the right size. I have to highlight a lot of stuff at my work, and usually I use a ballpoint (sad face) for that, but with La Reine Mauve, I could write it, and then highlight it about 15-20 seconds later with no/minimal smudging. It is an odd ink, though, so I would suggest getting a sample first.
Reine Mauve is good for very wet pens indeed because it's the thickest ink I know of, , it is my personal work ink, because of of very permanent and beaty of color, I am using it with Italix Parsons Essential medium italic, this combo is beautiful.
Want to remove that ink from your hands or clothing? "Goop" hand cleaner! It works like magic(however,I'm not certain how effective it is on clothing or hard surfaces). You can purchase it at Walmart and it's quite cheap! Check their web-site out: goophandcleaner.com/
No, I'm sorry! I was trying to get a hold of Nathan but couldn't, though I have a phone interview scheduled with him this week. So I'll pick the Q&A back up with Nathan for April 4th. -Brian Goulet
Yup! Virginia Tech class ring, and it wasn't even the biggest one offered! I was in the Corps of Cadets there, and getting a huge ring was 'the thing'. I put on a lot of weight and didn't fit into it until recently when I lost it all! So I'm wearing the ring again, just cuz I can :) -Brian Goulet
I love that these Q&A videos are uploaded with the ability to be sped up. An hour of video turns into 30 min. of fast talking!
Haha, yeah, that's a pretty cool UA-cam feature. When you watch the videos double-time you can really see how much I talk with my hands! It's like I'm in a karate class or something.... -Brian Goulet
What a great Q&A - thanks very much!
Regarding using a (pointed) calligraphy nib in a Noodler's pen for flex -- yes, that's very doable...with caveats. First, you have to match the radius of your nib to the pen. E.g. a Brause 66EF has a radius of about 2 mm while a Brause 361 has a radius of almost 3.1 mm. That's a huge difference. I've used a Gillott 303 (2.5 mm) in a Creaper (2.38 mm feed radius) and it works very nicely (YMMV). That said, I wouldn't put a larger nib in as it would put too much strain on the feed section. Likewise, I wouldn't put the tiny 66EF on an Ahab feed...it simply won't fit, even with heat setting.
If you do find a good nib/pen combo, there is another major concern: rust. A lot of nibs, if left in a pen, will have a reaction to being kept doused with water-based ink all the time. This can be rust from the water or some other corrosion based on metal-on-ink contact (it's why you don't typically eyedropper a pen with any metal that could touch ink). Generally speaking, if you use a calligraphy nib, you'd want to remove it from the pen after use -- don't store it.
Great video! I wondered for ages why my Noodler's pen is always out of ink when I pick it up. I thought I might be crazy. I'll try storing it in the zip lock bag and see if that helps.
Noodler's Ink is one of my favorite brands. When people ask where do I start with fountain pen ink I always say ....start with Noodler's! Great topic for this episode of Q&A.
Cool! Yeah, there's a lot to the brand, and though it can be overwhelming for newbies, it is also a brand that kind of covers the full spectrum of needs. -Brian Goulet
I've heard this advice about cleaning ebonite nibs but keep wondering ... why doesn't the manufacturer do that before shipping?? Is that a stupid question?
kmfurr1 That's a good question! I don't honestly have a lot of insight into how the different companies make/clean their internal parts, but it's just a good general practice to clean out a pen before using it. -Brian Goulet
I've found that a Magic Eraser removes Bay State Blue spills from countertops, sinks, and stains from SOME plastic pen bodies; Parker 45's in my case. I have not yet tried to swab the inside of a demonstrator. That is next; my Konrad has the neon green tint left from Whaleman's Sepia. Separate baths in ammonia or bleach had no effect on this stain. Thank you to the entire Goulet Team.
Magic eraser, okay! I'll have to test that one out. I would be skeptical to use that on my pens, but on household surfaces it would probably work well. Yeah, I'm stumped about WS stain, if you figure it out let me know! -Brian Goulet
To 19) Scott B.: I found that Bad Blue Heron is perfecly permanent and .vibrant blue vibrant as Sailors Blue Black, you can darken with Black or lighten with Whiteness of Whale as you wish, or make it cooler with "Bad Green Gator."
Thanks for your recommendation! -Brian Goulet
I've a Noodlers Creaper pen. I LOVE the smell; for me it's a creamy vanilla smell - great!
Burton Urquhart As long as you enjoy it, then that's all that matters :) -Margaret
Interesting to hear about Upper Ganges Blue and Liberty's Elysium! LE is nice, but I really like UGB for the bulletproofness. I use it on important forms that require blue ink.
UG is a pretty cool ink, but it's a little higher maintenance. To each his own! That's why both exist ;) -Brian Goulet
Brian...any recommendations on how to improve the flow in the free pen that comes with Noodler's Nikita?
Mine has starting issues and after writing for a bit the nib goes dry. I have to shake the pen a few times (and keep a piece of cloth to soak the drop on ink that comes out) to get it to write again.
I love the ink but with all the issues, the pen is just not effective.
BTW I know it is a free pen, but I it has the Noodler's name on it so I am sure there was some designing behind that pen
Yeah, this pen has been a little hit or miss, and won't be around much longer from what I understand. They pretty much are what they are :P -Brian Goulet
The Goulet Pen Company That was one "free pen" from Noodlers that didn't give me any trouble and writes nicely with Nikita. So I don't use it for any other ink in it. The HOD pen wasn't too bad, but the pen with Bay State Blue was impossible. I ordered extra Preppy pens with different nibs and BSB didn't play nicely. But love my Nikita pen!
Hi Brian ,
I live in India . I purchased a ghostly lapis acrylic konrad from you about 2 months ago . the piston didn't work very smoothly from the start . a couple of weeks ago i heard a cracking noise . now when I unscrew the piston nob the piston comes out of the unit completely now my piston is bent completely and I am unable to fill my pen please help me out . is it possible to somehow replace the piston unit ? I really like the flex on my konrad as it is my only flex nib pen .please reply .
Oh no! Sorry to hear that. You'll need to reach out to us by email, this will take some communication back and forth and UA-cam isn't the best place for that :P Can you email us at orders (at) gouletpens.com?
what is the quality of acrylic and resin used in noodlers pens compared to other brands like edison?how is it that they sell them for $40 where as others cost $100+?why do they have a distinct smell? whill a noodlers acrylic konrad last an entire lifetime ?how should I store these pens? please include your answer in your q&a video .
Honestly? Little or no difference at all, they're both acrylic acetate. The reason Noodler's pens are $40 is because the man who runs Noodler's does so because of principles, not profits. Seriously, I don't think he makes any money from the sale of these pens, I really think he just wants these pens out there in the world. As for the smell, they don't have a distinct smell, no different than any other acrylic acetate pen (which is used by a LOT of pen companies). It's the regular line of Noodler's pens that have the unique smell! The non-acrylic ones. Will a Konrad last a lifetime? It should, though in my opinion the weakest part of the pen is the piston mechanism. As far as storing them, just do like you do for most other pens, clean them out if you're not going to be using them for more than a few weeks, keep them out of direct sunlight if possible. Don't drop them or throw them onto concrete, y'know. -Brian Goulet
Isopropyl should work for the outside of the barrel, although you should never let it sit. The rubbing alcohol also works very nicely in removing ink from pens, a good example is Baystate Blue, which can be a pain to clean. Usually, you can cotton swab it, but I did try and clean out two pens that used "cheaper" plastic, and it destroyed some of the plastic. One was a preppy, where I let it sit to see what would happen, and it turned white. the other was an Ahab. The Ahab was not totally ruined, and I am not sure if I attribute the damage to the alcohol or a crack in plunger mechanism. But I do know that I could not screw the plunger mechanism on anymore, and I am forced to use it as an eyedropper.
Yeah, alcohol is best not to use on any plastic, especially for something regularly like cleaning. I would only try it on the outside of a Preppy to remove the label (once), and even then, taking full risk that I might ruin the pen. That's why I said for me, it's just not worth it and I just leave the label on.
For cleaning Baystate inks, try diluted bleach! It works best. Just try to keep it off the metal parts. -Brian Goulet
i started with a preppy blue-black, and i am trying to convert it to an eye drop. i'm starting with a waterman ink, is there any maintenance i should consider? i don't see how i can clean it if i get gunk. if all goes well i think i will move up with a lamy pen and some noodler's ink :3
Flushing the pen with a bulb syringe is definitely the best technique, I have a vid on that: FP101: Fast Pen Flushing- Ink Nouveau
Anyone knows where to get Ahab feeds separately? Thanks.
Nowhere, unfortunately. Noodler's doesn't offer them separately. -Brian Goulet
La Reine Mauve has a definite smell, and causes flow issues in my extra-fine Safari, but I like it because it is highlighter-proof.
And to Pavel V, La Reine Mauve dries very, very quickly, so if you don't mind writing in a dark purple, it might work for you. Just be prepared to clean your pen for a while. I know that the Jinhao (and probably other pens that take standard international cartridges/converters) work very well with bulb syringes because they are exactly the right size.
I have to highlight a lot of stuff at my work, and usually I use a ballpoint (sad face) for that, but with La Reine Mauve, I could write it, and then highlight it about 15-20 seconds later with no/minimal smudging. It is an odd ink, though, so I would suggest getting a sample first.
Reine Mauve is good for very wet pens indeed because it's the thickest ink I know of, , it is my personal work ink, because of of very permanent and beaty of color, I am using it with Italix Parsons Essential medium italic, this combo is beautiful.
Brian, thanks for all this and thanks for answering my question! I'm now gonna order my first bottle of ink! :D
--
Caleb aka geekosupremo
You're welcome, thanks for asking! I'd just be a loony with a camera talking to myself if no one asked me any questions ;) -Brian Goulet
Want to remove that ink from your hands or clothing? "Goop" hand cleaner! It works like magic(however,I'm not certain how effective it is on clothing or hard surfaces). You can purchase it at Walmart and it's quite cheap! Check their web-site out: goophandcleaner.com/
No Q&A this week? :(
No, I'm sorry! I was trying to get a hold of Nathan but couldn't, though I have a phone interview scheduled with him this week. So I'll pick the Q&A back up with Nathan for April 4th. -Brian Goulet
That is a large ring! :)
Yup! Virginia Tech class ring, and it wasn't even the biggest one offered! I was in the Corps of Cadets there, and getting a huge ring was 'the thing'. I put on a lot of weight and didn't fit into it until recently when I lost it all! So I'm wearing the ring again, just cuz I can :) -Brian Goulet
Wow, that wasn't even the biggest? Also, congrats on the weight loss!
8 minutes in and no questions answered lol