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dominiquejames
20
Aug 25, 2015
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EleVen
112
Aug 25, 2015
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dominiquejames1) Doing any sort of nib smoothing generally tends to void any warranties that the pen may have. Do so under caution, If you know what you're doing then it should be fine. I personally don't have much feedback on my Fine nib.
2) You can remove the nib unit from the section by screwing it out. Removing the Nib unit and feed from what I read is pretty hard to do as the nib unit is clamped down by a brass ring
3) I think shmidt converters work. I have a standard international converter off hand and I tried to stick it on, but it wouldn't fit. Look into schmidt standard international converters.
2) You can remove the nib unit from the section by screwing it out. Removing the Nib unit and feed from what I read is pretty hard to do as the nib unit is clamped down by a brass ring
3) I think shmidt converters work. I have a standard international converter off hand and I tried to stick it on, but it wouldn't fit. Look into schmidt standard international converters.
dominiquejames
20
Aug 25, 2015
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EleVenHi, thanks for replying. I appreciate hearing from knowledgeable community members such as yourself. Based on your reply, does this mean that, after all the wait time we have all been made to, and willingly on our part--endured, I may have received a somewhat less than satisfactory, or even perhaps a defective unit, one that may have gone past the company's unusually stringent and extraordinarily high level of quality control standards, and my best option would be to return the pen to the manufacturer for repair or replacement? Who should I contact and inform--Massdrop or the brand's manufacturer, or both? Also, I wonder how other community members might react to circusmtances such as the one I'm in.
Jamerelbe
93
Aug 25, 2015
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dominiquejamesI haven't received my pen yet (it's somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, I think!), so can't comment on the ease or difficulty of adjusting the nib, but I agree that if the nib and feed are out of alignment, you shouldn't try to smooth the nib - the misalignment may be the problem! Unsatisfactory as it is, I'd be contacting Massdrop (as the vendor) and asking them what recourse you have to resolve the problem. If the nib unit is a screw-in, they may be able to send a replacement?
ironhelixx
155
Aug 25, 2015
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dominiquejamesCan you take some close up shots of the feed and nib? We may be able to help you better determine what is at issue then.
EleVen
112
Aug 25, 2015
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dominiquejamesIf anything, you can contact Massdrop in order for you to get more information on repair/replacement. If anything Retro 51 will probably send another nib unit as the pen body itself seems to be okay.
Personally, I would just take the micromesh to the nib and work with it. Considering this is still a steel nib and it is replaceable, I don't consider it a problem as long as you know what you're doing. The nib unit is a Schmidt 452. If you don't want to spend an extra 20 dollars USD on it, then Massdrop or Retro 51 might be able to help you better with the nib situation.
Personally, I would just take the micromesh to the nib and work with it. Considering this is still a steel nib and it is replaceable, I don't consider it a problem as long as you know what you're doing. The nib unit is a Schmidt 452. If you don't want to spend an extra 20 dollars USD on it, then Massdrop or Retro 51 might be able to help you better with the nib situation.
dominiquejames
20
Aug 25, 2015
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EleVenToday, I gave the pen a try. I used it the whole day, the way I normally would. And it's really scratchy. Writing on the usual paper I use, and applying a typically light to medium pressure, the scratches on the paper are so deep that the underside exhibited incredible bleed-through that is normally almost invisible with all the other pens that I use, many of which are more affordable or reasonably-priced, and has buttery-smooth writing characteristic with very minimal feedback.
dominiquejames
20
Aug 25, 2015
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ironhelixxThe packaging of the Retro 1951 Tornado Fountain Pen - Custom Edition is truly, truly delightful. You can sense the incredible talent, thought and care, and the precision of execution, that went into the making of the packaging so that owners will have a delightful introduction to the product. As a customer, am I wrong to expect, and now to wish, that this high level of talent, thought and care, (not to mention, precision) also go into the manufacture and assembly of the product itself--particularly the most important part of the pen, the simple process of making sure that the alignment of the nib and feed is optimal in order for the ink to flow properly? Although not really clear in the picture, you might also notice that the nib's tip appears to be somewhat jagged--could this be the reason why the writing is scratchy and with feedback? By the way, I read in one particularly glowing review that everything about the Tornado is perfect, except for one thing: its grip section, the area with which to actually hold the pen in use, saying that, for all the sleekness and utter beauty of the pen's body, the feel is disappointingly plasticky, perhaps, like holding a Bic ballpen.
[Note: The attached photo was shot with an iPhone 6 Plus camera through a no-brand magnifying glass bought from Walmart. Please click on the photo for a bigger size, to see more details.]
[Note: The attached photo was shot with an iPhone 6 Plus camera through a no-brand magnifying glass bought from Walmart. Please click on the photo for a bigger size, to see more details.]
Jamerelbe
93
Aug 26, 2015
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dominiquejamesI wrote a reply to this last night, but my tablet somehow 'swallowed' it - sorry this is a little late! The picture clearly shows what you were saying at the outset, namely, that the nib is misaligned to the feed. That will almost inevitably result in misalignment of the tines - and applying micromesh is not going to fix it.
I agree with other posters that, on the one hand, if you have the know-how you can probably fix this yourself. If it's a Schmidt nib unit, the nib and feed will be VERY firmly wedged (friction fit) into the assembly, but it CAN be removed (though it can ALSO get damaged if you don't do it right!). On the other hand, this isn't something you should HAVE to fix for yourself - and unless you're confident in your abilities, I'd recommend just getting in touch with Massdrop (via their support page) and asking them what THEY can do to fix the problem.
The moment you start pulling the nib apart, you void your warranty - so if it were my pen, as frustrating as it is, I'd be dealing with Massdrop (as vendor) and asking them to work it out with the manufacturer.
I agree with other posters that, on the one hand, if you have the know-how you can probably fix this yourself. If it's a Schmidt nib unit, the nib and feed will be VERY firmly wedged (friction fit) into the assembly, but it CAN be removed (though it can ALSO get damaged if you don't do it right!). On the other hand, this isn't something you should HAVE to fix for yourself - and unless you're confident in your abilities, I'd recommend just getting in touch with Massdrop (via their support page) and asking them what THEY can do to fix the problem.
The moment you start pulling the nib apart, you void your warranty - so if it were my pen, as frustrating as it is, I'd be dealing with Massdrop (as vendor) and asking them to work it out with the manufacturer.
JonasHeineman
5987
Aug 26, 2015
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dominiquejamesHey @dominiquejames,
You and everyone else waited a long time for this, it should be perfect out of the box.
I'm glad you love the packaging, but let's make sure you love the pen even more. Please use the link below to contact our Customer Support team so that we can exchange this unit for a brand new one, and send this to Retro 1951 for inspection.
https://www.massdrop.com/transactions
You and everyone else waited a long time for this, it should be perfect out of the box.
I'm glad you love the packaging, but let's make sure you love the pen even more. Please use the link below to contact our Customer Support team so that we can exchange this unit for a brand new one, and send this to Retro 1951 for inspection.
https://www.massdrop.com/transactions
dominiquejames
20
Aug 26, 2015
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JonasHeinemanThanks to the supportive and informative messages of some members of this community. I value all your feedback and suggestions.
I am also grateful for the reassuring message of support directly from Massdrop’s Jonas Heineman. It’s good to know that a formal recourse with which my concern may be properly addressed is open to me.
And before anything else, I’m glad that to know that my particular case appears to be isolated, as many are coming out of the woodwork to report satisfaction with the pens they have received.
Regrettably, it is with a feeling of hesitation and a sense of trepidation that I bring this matter up immediately and directly to Massdrop and the brand manufacturer/distributor through the official channel provided.
My experience with the handling of a previous complaint has been less than satisfactory.
In particular, I brought up a complaint regarding a premium fountain pen that starts with a letter P and rhymes with the word “Mexican” bought through Massdrop. Unfortunately, it appears that “handling my complain” meant giving me an endless run-around of email messages being exchanged between Massdrop, the distributor, and the manufacturer, which eventually left me ragged and exasperated. I decided to discontinue communicating with them, and to this day the problem remains unresolved because I just didn’t have the time and energy to play the game. In that particular complaint, my purchase was for an F nib. The product came with a nib marked F but in reality was writing like a B nib, which, for all intents and purposes, is clearly a manufacturing defect.
And then, there was another premium branded fountain pen that starts with a letter P and rhymes with the word “barker” that I also bought through Massdrop with an almost similar problem. But because of my experience, I decided to not bring this up.
Based on these product experiences, would it be fair to say that I am getting the impression that for some brands and products, Massdrop seems to be the venue to dispose of certain models or items at discounted prices? Or, can Massdrop’s policies and procedures in the handling complaints be improved? I'm trying to make some sense of my experience.
In any case, I am now an owner of 2 premium branded fountain pens with nib characteristics that are not my purchase specification and preference.
Before I give the impression that I complain too much, I have a folder that’s almost an inch thick with with nothing but receipts of all purchases I made through Massdrop over the period of more than a year (people from Massdrop can verify the quantity of purchases I made), and my concern about the pen that starts with the letter P and rhymes with Mexican was the first that I’ve ever complained about directly and through the proper channels.
This time, my second complaint, is about the Retro 1951 Tornado, and it is the first that I brought up publicly. And even then, instead of just plainly voicing displeasure, I decided to engage community members with an exploration of possible solutions and its consequences.
So, as you can imagine, I’m in that somewhat unsettling situation of trying to figure out a solution outside of the usual channel. I am, at this point, thinking of investing in the services of a nibmeister.
I am also grateful for the reassuring message of support directly from Massdrop’s Jonas Heineman. It’s good to know that a formal recourse with which my concern may be properly addressed is open to me.
And before anything else, I’m glad that to know that my particular case appears to be isolated, as many are coming out of the woodwork to report satisfaction with the pens they have received.
Regrettably, it is with a feeling of hesitation and a sense of trepidation that I bring this matter up immediately and directly to Massdrop and the brand manufacturer/distributor through the official channel provided.
My experience with the handling of a previous complaint has been less than satisfactory.
In particular, I brought up a complaint regarding a premium fountain pen that starts with a letter P and rhymes with the word “Mexican” bought through Massdrop. Unfortunately, it appears that “handling my complain” meant giving me an endless run-around of email messages being exchanged between Massdrop, the distributor, and the manufacturer, which eventually left me ragged and exasperated. I decided to discontinue communicating with them, and to this day the problem remains unresolved because I just didn’t have the time and energy to play the game. In that particular complaint, my purchase was for an F nib. The product came with a nib marked F but in reality was writing like a B nib, which, for all intents and purposes, is clearly a manufacturing defect.
And then, there was another premium branded fountain pen that starts with a letter P and rhymes with the word “barker” that I also bought through Massdrop with an almost similar problem. But because of my experience, I decided to not bring this up.
Based on these product experiences, would it be fair to say that I am getting the impression that for some brands and products, Massdrop seems to be the venue to dispose of certain models or items at discounted prices? Or, can Massdrop’s policies and procedures in the handling complaints be improved? I'm trying to make some sense of my experience.
In any case, I am now an owner of 2 premium branded fountain pens with nib characteristics that are not my purchase specification and preference.
Before I give the impression that I complain too much, I have a folder that’s almost an inch thick with with nothing but receipts of all purchases I made through Massdrop over the period of more than a year (people from Massdrop can verify the quantity of purchases I made), and my concern about the pen that starts with the letter P and rhymes with Mexican was the first that I’ve ever complained about directly and through the proper channels.
This time, my second complaint, is about the Retro 1951 Tornado, and it is the first that I brought up publicly. And even then, instead of just plainly voicing displeasure, I decided to engage community members with an exploration of possible solutions and its consequences.
So, as you can imagine, I’m in that somewhat unsettling situation of trying to figure out a solution outside of the usual channel. I am, at this point, thinking of investing in the services of a nibmeister.
Jamerelbe
93
Aug 26, 2015
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dominiquejames@dominiquejames, I hear and understand your reticence - but in this instance I'd encourage you to pursue the matter through the official channels. You've been offered a replacement pen - and I'd be confident you'll get one. Bear in mind, too, Massdrop are dealing directly with the manufacturer on this occasion - I can't speak for the previous drop you had problems with, but I wouldn't be surprised if (as you surmised) the problem lay in dealing with a distributor who was offloading excess and unwanted stock.
I'm confident that a nibmeister would have no problems sorting out your problems - and give you a customised writing experience to boot (if for example you wanted to 'stub' your nib?)... Or you could source a replacement nib easily enough. It's entirely your call, and given your past experience I wouldn't blame you - but again, given the direct co-operation between Massdrop and Retro 1951, I would expect a very different outcome if you work through the resolution process this time around.
I'm confident that a nibmeister would have no problems sorting out your problems - and give you a customised writing experience to boot (if for example you wanted to 'stub' your nib?)... Or you could source a replacement nib easily enough. It's entirely your call, and given your past experience I wouldn't blame you - but again, given the direct co-operation between Massdrop and Retro 1951, I would expect a very different outcome if you work through the resolution process this time around.
EleVen
112
Aug 27, 2015
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dominiquejamesIn terms of the first pen that you were talking about, after a couple of between the distributor, manufacturer, etc etc, I would have taken matters into my own hands and have the nib worked on by a nibmeister. I actually went into a drop with that intention as I joined a drop for a broad nibbed pen. Tried it out, decided it wasn't for me and went and get an exotic nib grind (Architect nib) for said pen (which is happening at this moment).
In terms of the second company, I have not gotten a pen from them before through massdrop so I don't have any experience with them. I only have vintage models of said company.
Back to the topic of nibmeisters, I recommend Dan Smith, John Mottishaw, Mike Masuyama, Art Van Haselen and Pendleton Brown . All well known in the FPN community and they do good work.
I don't know the inside outs of how Massdrop works with the vendors/distributors, but on certain drops with certain companies, they have limited editions such as this pen, the Bexley drop and currently the Franklin-Christoph which the community is voting on what color they would want for the pen. They might be a dumping ground I don't really know. But they also do offer one of a kind items for its community.
On a side not I love my Retro 51, but I think I might want to get the nib customized so I can have a one of a kind version. But that's just me and my little quirks.
In terms of the second company, I have not gotten a pen from them before through massdrop so I don't have any experience with them. I only have vintage models of said company.
Back to the topic of nibmeisters, I recommend Dan Smith, John Mottishaw, Mike Masuyama, Art Van Haselen and Pendleton Brown . All well known in the FPN community and they do good work.
I don't know the inside outs of how Massdrop works with the vendors/distributors, but on certain drops with certain companies, they have limited editions such as this pen, the Bexley drop and currently the Franklin-Christoph which the community is voting on what color they would want for the pen. They might be a dumping ground I don't really know. But they also do offer one of a kind items for its community.
On a side not I love my Retro 51, but I think I might want to get the nib customized so I can have a one of a kind version. But that's just me and my little quirks.
JonasHeineman
5987
Aug 29, 2015
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dominiquejamesHey @dominiquejames -- I flagged this to our support team, but they are not finding a ticket from you related to this drop. We did find one from back in March, and I've asked someone from our team to be in touch directly so we can get you a replacement ASAP.
JonasHeineman
5987
Sep 2, 2015
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dominiquejamesReposting: I flagged this to our support team, but they are not finding a ticket from you related to this drop. We did find one from back in March, and I've asked someone from our team to be in touch directly so we can get you a replacement ASAP.
*Sorry, a bug that our team is working on right now is collapsing the comment window if the @ tag comes before the rest of the message is posted. Thanks for the reply!
*Sorry, a bug that our team is working on right now is collapsing the comment window if the @ tag comes before the rest of the message is posted. Thanks for the reply!
markeh
11
Sep 4, 2015
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dominiquejames" In that particular complaint, my purchase was for an F nib. The product came with a nib marked F but in reality was writing like a B nib, which, for all intents and purposes, is clearly a manufacturing defect."
=======
Problems like this are now well known with Pelikan pens. About 5 or so years ago, the company was purchased. I think the new owners are Malaysian, or Indian. A little after that, nibs changed. I believe they are no longer made by Pelikan, but instead sourced from one of the major German nib makers (Bock, or Jowo)
With this, the design of the nibs were changed. Since all of my old Pelikans were fine or X-fine, they had a very consistent tipping - two cylinders (or discs) instead of a round pellet. The fines were fine, and the X-fine were very fine indeed.
Since the change, the nibs are now made with round pellets. While it's certainly possible to make a fine or X-fine nib this way, Pelikan doesn't. I don't know why. Three recent Pelikans, ordered with X-fine nibs, came with large round tips that I would describe as medium.
In two cases, I reground them to be an X-fine, which certainly most people can't do.
For the third X-fine I had Mike Masuyama (at the S.F. Pen Show) regrind it to a medium left oblique - there was more than enough tipping material to do this, which would seem impossible for an XF nib.
Alas, I don't see this changing any time soon. In my opinion, XF nibs are no longer available from the factory. If you want a very fine nib, it will take some aftermarket work.
It's always sad when any company with a great deal of specialized and valuable expertise throws that skill away to adopt cheaper methods.
Progress, I guess.....
.
Problems like this are now well known with Pelikan pens. About 5 or so years ago, the company was purchased. I think the new owners are Malaysian, or Indian. A little after that, nibs changed. I believe they are no longer made by Pelikan, but instead sourced from one of the major German nib makers (Bock, or Jowo)
With this, the design of the nibs were changed. Since all of my old Pelikans were fine or X-fine, they had a very consistent tipping - two cylinders (or discs) instead of a round pellet. The fines were fine, and the X-fine were very fine indeed.
Since the change, the nibs are now made with round pellets. While it's certainly possible to make a fine or X-fine nib this way, Pelikan doesn't. I don't know why. Three recent Pelikans, ordered with X-fine nibs, came with large round tips that I would describe as medium.
In two cases, I reground them to be an X-fine, which certainly most people can't do.
For the third X-fine I had Mike Masuyama (at the S.F. Pen Show) regrind it to a medium left oblique - there was more than enough tipping material to do this, which would seem impossible for an XF nib.
Alas, I don't see this changing any time soon. In my opinion, XF nibs are no longer available from the factory. If you want a very fine nib, it will take some aftermarket work.
It's always sad when any company with a great deal of specialized and valuable expertise throws that skill away to adopt cheaper methods.
Progress, I guess.....
.
dominiquejames
20
Sep 8, 2015
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JonasHeinemanHi, @jonasheineman !
Thanks for your message. I appreciate your concern. Unfortunately, to date, the so-called ticket from me way back in March that you found has not yet been resolved, and it's been 6 months since. The proposed solution and method of handling my concern was not exactly acceptable, and there has been no follow-up from your customer service team. It might probably have something to do with the policies and the setup of the process of handling customer concerns. This is partly one of the reasons why I'm proactively looking for an alternative way to definitevely address the problem I have with the pen in order to speedily fix the out-of-the-box defect instead of going through Massdrop's usual labyrinthine channel. I'm wary that the same exact thing might happen. If I do bring this up through the usual channel, I will get nothing more than the usual run-around. In any case, my thinking at this point is that I will be better served by bringing this pen to a nibmeister. No drama, as someone commented.
DJ
"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." ~ Bill Gates
Thanks for your message. I appreciate your concern. Unfortunately, to date, the so-called ticket from me way back in March that you found has not yet been resolved, and it's been 6 months since. The proposed solution and method of handling my concern was not exactly acceptable, and there has been no follow-up from your customer service team. It might probably have something to do with the policies and the setup of the process of handling customer concerns. This is partly one of the reasons why I'm proactively looking for an alternative way to definitevely address the problem I have with the pen in order to speedily fix the out-of-the-box defect instead of going through Massdrop's usual labyrinthine channel. I'm wary that the same exact thing might happen. If I do bring this up through the usual channel, I will get nothing more than the usual run-around. In any case, my thinking at this point is that I will be better served by bringing this pen to a nibmeister. No drama, as someone commented.
DJ
"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." ~ Bill Gates
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I got my pen, it's #44, made in Taiwan. This is my first Retro 1951 Tornado. I love the etched pattern, it's construction and weight. It feels great in hand. No doubt, the body of the pen, it's external appearance, is beautifully designed and constructed.
I have some questions, though:
1) Is it recommended that I use a micro-mesh or mylar to eliminate the scratchiness and reduce the feedback of the Bock's F nib for it to write smoothly?
2) If the feed is misaligned and protrudes, can I (should I) do the adjustment myself? Is the nib and feed unit friction-fitted?
3) What kind of converter can I buy and use in place of the cheap, plasticky one that comes with it?
Please help ... thanks in advance.