Kitless pens

[Phil Dart]

Let me add still more to Eamonn's thoughts.

By far and away the majority of the nibs I sell go to owners of fountain pens around the world who are changing the nib in their shop bought fountain pen for one reason or another. Not a week goes by when I don't receive an enquiry asking something like, "I'm thinking of buying an XYZ pen, but I've heard the nib is poor - can I get a different one from you?" In more cases than you would imagine, I know that the housing of an XYZ pen cannot be removed, usually because its an integral part of the Section - the section performs both functions, not a housing glued in, but one and the same thing. In those cases, if the answer is that I have a compatible nib I tell the customer that it can be done but the new nib will have to be removed from its housing and fitted into the existing XYZ section, with the existing feed. I know through experience that half of those people will reply to me thanking me for my help and explaining that they don't know how to do that, so they're not going to buy the pen.

The moral of the tale is that pens with a screwfitted, removable housing are one obstacle less when it comes to an informed customer's buying decision.

Incidentally, apart from the odd cheap kit pen, I have never seen a fountain pen from the world's pen manufacturers, apart from one - a Kaigelu 316, where the housing, if it's not already integrated with the section, is glued in not screwed in.

 

[Bigblackdog]

Is this a Bock #5 you are referring to Mark? I think you've had the taps for that from me in the past. In which case you may not have spotted the notes on the website about thread cutting for that particular housing? You can't rely on the usual "thread minus pitch" equation to work out your drill size, which theoretically would give you a drill size of 5.8. You actually need to use a 6mm drill. Have a look here and it explains why. http://www.beaufortink.co.uk/Size 5 housing and notes.pdf

Brad is right - the reason you would use the thread rather than shellac is for ease of removal in the future - either to change the nib or even to take it out so you can wash it under the water tap. There's no rule to say you can't fix it in with shellac, but anyone with any experience of using a fountain pen who is buying one with a threaded housing would expect to be able to unscrew it I think, and those buying a kitless pen from you are probably unlikely to be naive about fountain pens I would think.

Thanks Phil,

It was a bock number 5, with the tap from you, but I used Bock's drawing. I think that you are right re the problem. Next one I will drill at 6mm!

 

[21William]

Just to add to the above, I wrote a couple of articles for Woodturning magazine on the subject.

Here are links:

http://www.walterhall.co.uk/images/stories/Kitless_Pens_Part_1.pdf

http://www.walterhall.co.uk/images/stories/Kitless_Pens_Part_2.pdf

Walter, section 11 of your first PDF about tapping internal threads. I start threads by putting the tap in a chuck in the tailstock. Once it's started its removed from the tailstock but kept square to the work by using a tapping guide.

Item. Tapping Guide (Ref: 318221) £5.76 On this page:

Threading Accessories

Or you can make your own, I've made a couple.

 

[Walter]

Walter, section 11 of your first PDF about tapping internal threads. I start threads by putting the tap in a chuck in the tailstock. Once it's started its removed from the tailstock but kept square to the work by using a tapping guide.

Item. Tapping Guide (Ref: 318221) £5.76 On this page:

Threading Accessories

Or you can make your own, I've made a couple.

That looks like a useful piece of Kit William, thanks for the suggestion. Quite a few people responded to my request for suggestions in that article and I ended up buyng a drill chuck tapping attachment from RDG Tools. I used it in this later article (see section 9)

 

[21William]

These are the guides I use. Not sure why I've got three!

 

[Walter]

Not sure why I've got three!

You can never have too many tools.

 

[silver]

One thing to remember is making sure you buy a blank long enough.

150x20x20 are the best as you can make them long enough o take the converter so that bottled ink can be used. Yes that another thing that some FP geeks really like the option to use. Some may never use it in the life of the pen, but they want the option.

You can use the shorter ones but will only be able to use a cartridge.

 

[billyb_imp]

Some excellent pointers here, will have to find time to give it a go, its on my list just need the time

 

[21William]

That looks like a useful piece of Kit William, thanks for the suggestion. Quite a few people responded to my request for suggestions in that article and I ended up buyng a drill chuck tapping attachment from RDG Tools. I used it in this later article (see section 9)

Your articles are always nicely laid out with good use of nice fonts Walter. Do you do it yourself or is it done by the magazine?

 

[Walter]

Your articles are always nicely laid out with good use of nice fonts Walter. Do you do it yourself or is it done by the magazine?

Thank you William. I just write the words and take the photographs. The team at GMC publcations are responsible for the layout and design. The work that goes on behind the scenes is often overlooked.

 

[21William]

I've done only a little DTP work but I can appreciate good page layout. My pet hate are Microsoft fonts like Times New Roman, one of the ugliest fonts you could use.

 

[jcgolov]

god you are so right. You have to dedicate time to learn the right techniques ( I use both a wood and metal lathe) to do the job. Threading is so important. When that is done it is like following a scenario that change with the design....

 

[wm460]

One thing to remember is making sure you buy a blank long enough.

 

[silver]

Incidentally, apart from the odd cheap kit pen kit apart from one -

It’s good to rekindle older threads and add info.

I have several Baron kits that have the nibs glued in position, I believe they are Rizheng kit.