Author: admin

Founder of Flexible Nib Factory LLC
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Bock #6 in clear cast acrylic

Bock #6 nib assembly in clear cast acrylic is complete.  This one has a steel Bexley nib.

I’m also reverse engineering a Bock #6 with a titanium nib borrowed from Newton Pens. The feed design is different because the nib has a different curvature than the steel Bock nib. The housing is also a little different, but it still fits existing pens that accept Bock #6 steel nibs.

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Bock #6 Prototypes

Each day, with the help of my son, I’m able to work about an or so.  We’ve made prototypes in acrylic of Bock #6 feeds and housings.  The housing is more or less complete; the feed still needs tweaking to fit Bock #6 nibs.

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JoWo #6 nib assembly in clear acrylic

I’m finally well enough to spend an hour or so a day in the factory, with help from my son to operate the Mazak QTU-200MSY live tooled lathe. These are production ready prototypes of JoWo #6 feed and housing in clear acrylic. I will tweak feeds and speeds to make the housing more transparent before offering these for sale. This one has a steel Goulet Pens nib in it.

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Current Standard and Custom Product Status

I have just put up a page for my custom feed services. Please see Custom Feed Fees for a complete list of pricing for custom feed manufacture. Enquire for volume discounts. I expect to restart custom feed making on November 15.

Standard replacement feeds in black and red ebonite, and in clear acrylic, will go on sale around the end of November. I’ve put up a price sheet.

I’ve gotten considerable feedback from my beta testers on the Pilot 743 replacement feed. I’ll begin selling these next month around November 15.

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Current Status

Here’s an update:

  • Ebonite replacement feeds/housings for JoWo #6 nibs are out to beta testers. Results are positive so far; I’ve made two improvements to the feed and housing based on tester feedback.
  • Ebonite replacement feeds for Pilot 743 FA (Falcon #15) nibs are out to beta testers.
  • Ebonite replacement feeds for Pilot 742 FA (Falcon #10) nibs will be shipped to beta testers about October 2.
  • I am looking at creating stores on eBay and Etsy. I have shipping sorted out now, thanks to needing to send feeds, etc. to my beta testers. Replacement feeds for Pilot 743 and 742 FA nibs will be first, followed by JoWo #6 and Pelikan.
  • I have completed my first custom feed design for a customer, and shipped the feeds.
  • I will restart custom feed designs shortly.
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Ebonite feed for Pilot Custom 743 ready for beta testers

I’ll be sending out some invitations to some of my Instagram followers tomorrow to participate in beta testing my new 743 FA ebonite feed.

Platinum Citrus Black ink in a Pilot 743 with FA nib and my new ebonite feed. Love the shading!

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Pilot 743 Feed in Design

This is a replacement ebonite feed for the excellent Pilot 743 pen, in particular, to support the full flexibility of the FA nib, shown below. This feed will become a standard product, along with the slightly smaller 742 feed, in black and red Nikko ebonite. I’m still tweaking the design, but it should be ready for beta testers by next week.

 

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Shipment of JoWo #6 feeds/housings to beta testers

Current status:

  • I’ve finished the design and pre-production of feeds and housings for JoWo #6 and will ship these off to my beta testers next week. If feedback is universally positive, then I will begin sales of these shortly thereafter. These will be available in both black and red Nikko ebonite as well as clear acrylic.
  • Pelikan M2xx/M4xx/M6xx/M7xx feeds and collars will go on sale at the same time as the JoWo #6 feeds and housings. These will be available in both black and red Nikko ebonite as well as clear acrylic.
  • Design of my own flexible nibs proceeds, though more slowly than I’d hoped. I want to have a prototype nib for Pelikan M400 pens by the time of the Dallas Pen Show in September, but there is some risk in this schedule. JoWo #6 flexible nib will follow Pelikan, then I’ll accept custom designs. I won’t have a table at the Dallas Pen Show this year.
  • I have a pretty sizable backlog of custom feed requests to service. I’ll begin these designs once the JoWo #6 and Pelikan M2xx/4xx/6xx/7xx feeds/collars/housings are in production and on my website for sale.
  • I am still working on the Zebra G dip pen nib in a JoWo #6 housing. I’m still not happy with the performance across inks, so I’m not yet able to offer these for purchase. I don’t have a firm date for completion of this product.

Please send me a note at Contact Us if you have questions or comments.

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Turning a Pelikan M200 feed from red Nikko Ebonite

First op on main spindle before grabbing it with the sub spindle, cutting off, and finish machining on the sub spindle.

First op on main spindle, then grab with sub spindle and cut off.

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Second op on the sub spindle is just machining the tip of the feed. The part gets ejected into the parts catcher, the bar feeder advances the rod of ebonite and the Mazak QTU-200MSY makes another one…

Second op on sub spindle to finish Pelikan M200 feed, eject into parts catcher, bar feed, and make another.

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I’m sorting out how to bill and ship so I can start selling these. Stay tuned…