I love it when a pen comes together! *

I enjoyed two successful solutions this week to pen problems I noted in my last two posts. One success from pure luck, the other from excellent customer service.

First, the lucky one. In my review of the TWSBI Diamond 530 medium nib fountain pen, I complained that the nib just didn't seem to write as smoothly as all the reviewers said it should. I was on my third ink through the pen -- Private Reserve Midnight Blues -- still finding it to be a little dry/waxy feeling when, in the middle of writing, I heard a little "click" and saw a small metal shaving, covered with ink, left on the paper. The nib immediately felt smoother, which makes me think that the shaving was somehow lodged between the tines, blocking the ink flow and making the nib write drier than it should. Or maybe the shaving was already sitting there on the paper, I just ran over it, and I'm imagining the increased smoothness. Whichever the case, I'm now pleased as punch with the smoothness of the nib, and urge you not to let my initial dissatisfaction influence you away from getting a Diamond 530.

Now, for the success resulting from customer service. In my last post, I told you how disappointed I was in the extremely scratchy 2668 (firm medium) nib that came on my first-ever Esterbrook J. The seller happily accommodated my request for another nib, and the new 2668 nib indeed writes very smoothly, validating all the raving I read about the smoothness of Estie nibs. Can't wait to try a 9000 series nib!
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* Borrowing (and slightly modifying) Hannibal Smith's signature line.

I love it when a pen comes together! *