Fountain Pens 101: Why different feeds can make or break a fountain pen
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- Опубліковано 30 лип 2024
- In this video, I explore the three different types of feeds that we often see in the fountain pen industry and discuss how and why they effect the writing experience. I will also discuss the benefits and negatives of each.
I hope this helps you understand why our pens don't always perform to our liking.
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Interesting personal approach. A fountain pen is a controlled leak device. The feed channel serves two purposes, allowing ink to reach the nib & allowing air to move to the reservoir. If air can't get to the converter/cartridge ink can't flow out, ink starvation. The two-channel feeds are actually better at this than the single channel. Look at a vintage Waterman's Spoon feed. That is the best ink flow feed I've ever used. Another challenge is how feed facilitates ink flow. This is a function of feed design & material. Why are ebonite feeds consider the best by many? The dimples on the Jowo feed are not connected to the channel hence they do not hold ink. Finally, what are the purpose of all the fins? The Spoon feed doesn't have any. In my view, all these 3 are cheap injection-molded modern plastic feeds. The difference in costs between them less than a penny.
I've not seen any videos even coming close to seeing this subject. Thanks a bunch for the video! It's nice to have context to what we use, but rarely see.
Thanks for the comment! Good to hear from you! Hope you’re well, and stay safe man!
Great video. Thanks for touching on an overlooked but integral part of the pen function. As a follow up it would be great to see how plastic stacks up to ebonite feeds.
As someone who is recently ravenous about learning all things fountain pens, your channel is one of the best sources for educational purposes.
agreed ❤️
Thank you so much for this! I would like to see more feed videos (ebonite and maybe what works best with flex), but there aren't a lot out there. I'm glad you mentioned that "rod" thingy that goes into the ink source. I had always wondered about that. The Platinum "rod" for their music nib is longer than on their normal feed and I think it's to help with the ink flow for such an ink hog. "Cheapie plastic feed" is now part of my pen lexicon!
Awesome! I love that you're going to use my words. Its spelled "Cheap-y". Yeah... I got good words.
@@PenBoyRoy The bottom line is to communicate in manner that is understandable to your audience. Your lexicon is superlative! From my POV, you talk real good! Please keep making these great videos.
I like how you spot on little details in your reviews. I find this video to go one step further in that direction and I think it's just cool. I'd like more of those personaly. I think you're the most writers-oriented pen youtuber compared to most of the others more looks-and-material oriented, and I like that! Thanks for your great work
Roy is really upping the game here in terms of content!
I don’t like the looks of the cheapy but it’s the best and wettest in my experience, don’t know why.
what about ebonite feeds?
Where can one buy feeds?
Thank you so much for this! As a new-ish fp fanatic I have had a hard time finding concise, reliable information on various feeds in modern pens. This video was great. Thanks for your consistently excellent work!
Thank you so much for the very informative video. Everybody talks about nibs, but I am glad you decided to focus on the feeds. I learned a lot.
Much appreciated.
I appreciate your appreciation for the topic!
Can't see how the length of the pipe on the Bock feed would enable a faster ink movement- I don't think the science would support that. But good to have a video on feeds for a change!
Great video. Thanks, Roy.
Hey man. Thanks for the compliment!
Agreed = )
I have seen a lot of fountain pen review videos. However, I never saw a video on nib feeds before. This was a super informative video for me. Basically the nib performance can only be as good as the feed beneath. Feeds are the unsung heroes of a fountain pen's overall performance. Thank you so much to taking the time to make this video. (y) (y)
What a great lesson. I’ve never had the differences in nibs explained. Fountain pen 201...the next level!✒️🖋
Glad it was helpful!
Very cool and useful. Explains some of the problems in the past with Conklin/Monteverde.
Thanks for feeding us this food for thought!
Excellent! Thanks for this! Very helpful!
where is my favourite, the "ebonite feed"?
I love ebonite feeds!
@@GonzoTheRosarian great, even I do
Thanks for all the great videos you've been putting out lately. This is a helpful reminder that feeds do matter. You may have noticed this, but in the bespoke pen maker community there's a lot of talk right now about Jowo feeds cracking, causing leaking. One maker reported about 40% of Jowo nib units ending up with cracked feeds. So there may be some kind of QC issue going on right now with Jowo.
Yes!!!!!! Thank you Pen Boy Roy!!
🖊 👦 🥤
This was interesting. I know I have a Stipula with what you call a "cheapie plastic feed." I switched it out a few times and greatly improved the pen from god-awful to merely awful. Why would such an expensive pen use such a feed? And what is the difference in such feeds that made such a huge difference?
Of course, you know that now you need to delve into ebonite vs. plastic and vintage vs. modern feeds!
I'll defer to you, professor, in regard to the vintage stuff. Good to hear from you.
@@PenBoyRoy I'm no professor, but it would be fun to do a video on feeds. Darn it, you've added another video to my list!
I also have a couple of stipula pens, and wonder if i can replace the cheapie feed with the bock feed?
@@eyemelkay1 They are different shapes. I looked at doing that, but felt nervous doing it in a pen at this price point.
@@WaskiSquirrel i purchased a bock #6 nib and feed, and received it today. I have placed the bock feed and the stipula #6 steel nib in a stipula etruria rainbow green piston filler and testing it out.
Great video, and great explanations!!!
Super helpful thank you so much!!!!
Thanks for the nib contour information. I never considered this. The rest of your information was also great! 🤗❗
thanks for sharing your knowledge
My pleasure
cool ❤️❤️👍❤️❤️
I'm so glad I watched this
Very informative
so many things I didn't knowwwww
✓That yellow pen IS GORGEOUS~!
Love it. 💘 I'd love to have one just like it. Please let us know what brand and model it is. Thank you.
Ey I leaned A LOT~!
Thank you for your video = )
If one wanted to upgrade their feed, where would you go to purchase a better feed and how would you know if it fits the pen and nib that you have?
All the Lamy feeds are the same (except the 2000) and they are dual channeled and they do a great job at giving a 1.9 mm stub nib more than enough ink to write wonderfully, so... Yeah
Very good informational video. Thank you
Very welcome
I have only one pen with double ink channel, delike newmoon 2, it skipping all the time. Ink feed quite unstable, sometime is saturated, sometime is dry, I pull out the nib and feed to check, slightly kiss cut the two channel, press a bit the nib tine make it little wider, it write better but skipped still happen especially when ink is low or write on nice smooth paper.
Not sure I agree with everything you say, Roy, but it’s an interesting and thought-provoking video. Kudos to you.
If everyone agreed with me, then we would all screwed. Im glad it was thought provoking!
Roy, great overview / discussion and informative.
Not sure if this is a relevant question, but what happened to the Ebonite feeds? Will they be covered in a different video?
Again, thanks for doing this.
In which feed can I use Carbon Platinum Ink & inks like it & India inks. Thank you
Where Would one go to get a new feed?
Thanks for the video. I haven't tried a Bock feed, but I have the other two. I also have an Ebonite feed and it is hands down better than the other two that I have.
Enjoyed the video, I thought you did a good job explaining the feeds and their differences. I have a Leonardo Momento Zero Grande 2.0. During a long writing session it tends to run dry. A few shakes and it is back in business for a short while. What do you think the problem would be? Thank you for your time.
Niceeeee loves it!! Thank you for the explanation 🙏 I got a question what about ebonite feed? What’s the difference?
Where can we buy that Jowo feed? I'm not seeing it anywhere. ??
Very informative and interesting! didn't hear the word "ebonite" (maybe I missed it), which comes up so often in feed discussions. I'd be interested to know, how does that fit into these 3 classifications?
dude I'm trying to find how to remove the nip of the Wordsworth & Black fountain pen it really does not show the way and find if I can find the feeds made of ebonite
Interesting. Thanks.
How do we fix the cheap-y plastic feed. Or what can we replace it that will fit into existing products
I am really happy because your video actually focused on how the nib shape and construction can affect the ink flow in a fountain pen. Honestly, I have a fountain pen that used a plastic feed but it isn't much of an issue for me as a fountain pen newbie. Technically, certain feeds like those made by Bock and JoWo are excellent quality; however, there are plastic feeds that also perform just as well in spite of the very cheap price. Personally speaking, it all boils down to the way fountain pen feeds are made and the attention to detail. Hence, even if the fountain pen uses a plastic feed, as long as the nib writes well and the ink flows efficiently, then there should be no issue whatsoever. Still, it's best to ask a professional nibmeister or fountain pen repair man regarding the best kind of ink feed that will suit your fountain pen.😊
what does the number mean on the very 1st nib on the left?
what about the Pilot Vatsity or Pilot Petit 1 , they have some kind of ink nozzle that looks like it's made of a brush
What about Ebonite feeds? Are they what you call "Yobo" feeds?
Also, I just checked. All my Jinhao x450, 992, 599, and #5 nib 51A cheapy plastic feeds have a single ink channel. The x450's #6 feed is fairly wide, and maybe a little deeper than the #5 feeds as well. (might be why they can keep up with a G nib conversion?)
Awsome content subbed
Very informative video.
Glad it was helpful!
What function do the fins on the feed serve? Many thanks for this easy to understand video.
Thank you! This is very helpful. Great demonstration of your well-spoken descriptions and explanations. I wonder about the respective virtues of a good plastic feed versus an ebonite feed, which I think of as being wetter. However, I am a fountain pen neophyte. When the ink flows out, how does air get in, without burping, I wonder? Excellent video, Roy!
Awesome video very informative and unique. I have not seen other pen reviewers tackle this subject. Would you think about including a ebonite feed comparison for the next one?
I’m open to the idea!
Any feed replacement for Moonman C1?
Very informative video about feeds thanks for that. I would also like to know about ebonite feeds.
Are the feeds interchangeable in pens could I put a yovo feed on a leonardo
JoWo*
One more question. When manufacturers offer a variety of nib options, do they change the feed depending on the nib? I would assume one feed can't handle the full range of nibs. Example, a feed for EF, F, M versus one for B, BB, Stub where you would need a higher ink flow.
With very rare exceptions they do not. These three feeds are used for all nib widths.
Personaly I find that the feed makes a greater difference than the nib, nibs can be tuned, adjusted and reground but feeds on the other hand are alot more difficult to adapt. Jowo feeds are my favourites in general but my most favourite feed is on my GOAT pen the Lamy 2000 because of how intricatly and thoughtfully it has been designed to worm in the pen and it does work extremely well.
"Worm in the pen"?? Ha, I meant "work in the pen"! autoincorrect on the Kindle Fire is the worst I have used and I can't turn it off!
Where to buy it
I'd love a detail explaination of the Noodler's Ahab feed with its two channel (top and botton) and the straw!
Could you get a video with the same contents but without the disgusting claws?
No Noodler’s ebonite feed?
I think the double must be better. Narrow ink channels mean more capillary force. Maybe If you think not aligning causes issues connect the two tines with a razor near the nib and make it join and even add a line in the middle at the end?
Double thin sounds just like a great way to have a more even channel and more force
In my narwhal tho tbh one of the channels aligns with the middle strangely
If I had the kind of access to replacement feeds I'd try this myself I hope I can try it one day tbh
I love jowo nibs unit❤
Thanks for the education Roy. That was quite an eye opener and helps in troubleshooting some writing issues. We need a follow up video on modifying feeds for best performance especially when swapping nibs.
But we worry about you. What's with your thumbnails? Are a nervous nail gnawer? Are you raising baby beavers? Are you testing chain saw sharpness? We need to save your thumbs because your vids are two thumbs up!
That's actually on point. I have something called "Habit Tic Deformity", a form of median nail dystrophy in both my thumbs caused by habitual scratching at the thumb cuticle. I didn't even know I was doing it. But now I do, and the deformity will reverse in about four months. Thanks for asking.
@@PenBoyRoy Glad to hear that you are OK.
Interesting ideas. However, I make pens, and own pens that have the double channel feed ("cheap plastic feed), and they write just as well as the JOWO nib and feed pens I own.
What's the deal with ebonite feed materials? Is there an advantage to them? As usual, very informative!
Ebonite is a different material than plastic .It has a lower surface tension so it can be more easily wetted by ink and the ink can flow more easily. Also ebonite feeds have a lower tendency to dry out. But ebonite is slowly degraded by UV light. Contrary to modern plastic feeds ebonite feeds can be "heat set" to adjust a feed to a new nib. It can't be injection molded so feeds have to be cut therefore the fins are broader than the ones on plastic feeds. It's also more brittle when cold so parts of the feed can break off more easily under force. Ebonite slowly discolours over time which is more a problem for other ebonite pen parts like the barrel. To sum it up ebonite has some advantages but it's also more likely to age over time.
interesting!
my fountain pens also contain a slim long white thingy in the middle of the feed, that helps with ink distribution. why don't your pen have those?
The wick feeds are rare and considered by some not to be true fountain pen feeds. They have the advantage of staying wet for years, but only work with simple inks (no shimmer or permanent inks). More importantly, they might stain and are very difficult to clean, so they are only used in fountain pens where you are not supposed to change the ink (i.e. disposable, e.g. the pilot varsity, v-pen and petit) .
@@GPngts ah thanks for the explanation, am new to the scene
I'm a sucker for ebonite feeds. In my experience, they have the best flow and as a bonus, the ink channel can be enlarged (very slightly) to get an even wetter flow which is what I did with my Noodlers Neponset with its music nib. I have to agree with those that say the ebonite feeds are the best.
Ebonite feeds are nice but you have to be more careful with them. Under normal conditions ebonite is far more brittle than plastic so take care when touching the fins for example when pulling/unscrewing a nib. Also ebonite degrades slowly over time especially when exposed to sunlight. Long exposure to water also isn't helping.
Great video. Some of the explanations logically fit with my real world experience. First, JoWo nibs consistently write well out of the box without being too dry or hard starting (flexible, sheer amount of reservoir capacity). Bock nibs, when they work, are very wet. Yafa pens (cheapie plastic) may or may not work.
Great to see you come out of the gate hard after the hiatus. Project Farm and PenBoyRoy are the undisputed champions of UA-cam.
I have actually seen "cheapy plastic feeds" with a single channel, though they are rarer than the double channel ones
Yeah Jowo did a good job with making theirs flexible. The contour acts in a similar way to a properly heat set ebonite feed. Jowo, Pilot, and Lamy, and Flexible Nib Factory make the best plastic feeds. Ebonite is still the king tho
The disantvantage of the Jowo softer plastic is that it is a lot easier to break. If it gets stuck in a narrow section or collar, there is no getting it out in one piece. So it will only safely work in their own nib units.
ebonite feeds? Lamy feed?
My feed contains a fibre rope in it don't know why?
Interesting theories indeed. However, in the case of the "cheapie plastic" feeds, the theory doesn't match the actual function. My pens with those feeds flow just as well as my pens with JoWo feeds. I get good flow even when pairing a cheap plastic feed with a JoWo nib. Maybe I'm just lucky. But if that's the case, I'm lucky a lot.
Count the fins of the feed is there any reason is it has 10, 20 or more? What is the science? Single channel feeds vs everything else. PenBoyRoy explains this but poorly. That cheap nib feed actually deliver just as much ink as the other two feeds.
I generally dislike the cheap feed. I have purchased too many with this, and having learned more avoid it where ever possible. I generally need to use poor quality paper, thus cheap pens, but unless using just the right ink Jintao etc will bleed with everything. I attempted to do a Penbbs nib to moonman nib swap, leaked.
I'd love to see a comparison of the big three Japanese maker's feeds, with a final winner declared. :-) There is a lot of talk about the nibs of the Japanese pens, but not much about their feeds.
The Japanese feeds are relatively simple, but very precisely made and engineered perfectly. I never, ever, had ink flow in my Japanese pens.
this makes and broke my pen.... had I know these variants, I wouldn't have chucked the entire unit.....
Jinhao feeds always keep up. Sooooo...
What's with the nails my guy damn
What the hell happened to his thumb nails?
That’s called “habit tic deformity” a form of median mail dystrophy caused by a bad habit of picking at the thumb cuticles with the index fingers. It resolves after stopping this bad habit, but takes a full nail growth cycle to return to normal. That takes about 6 months. Funny thing is I never realized I was doing that and didn’t understand why my thumbs were so messed up. Now that I know, I stopped, and am on the road to recovery! Dumb people do dumb things until they stop. Then they aren’t as dumb anymore!
You should swallow away from the microphone :)
You have no idea what are you talking about.
why do you say that?
enlighten us