Adaptors are devices that adapt our pens to small nibs. Our pens were originally designed for popular large flexible drawing nibs, such as the Brause Rose and Manga G nibs. These nibs require a large feed to work correctly. Many people who draw, sketch and letter prefer using smaller nibs, so we provide adaptors for the following:

• Crowquill adaptor for most crowquills, including the Hunt 102
• Hawk Quill adaptor  for most hawk quills, which are larger than crowquills, and include the Hunt 107 and Hunt 108 Litho Hawk Quill. 
• Gillott 303 adaptor for Gillott 303 nibs, perhaps the worlds most popular drawing nib

Each adaptor consists of the adaptor shell or body, a feed matched to the nib, and the nib. 

For crowquill and Hawk quill adaptors, the nib contains the feed. For Gillott 303 adaptors, the nib rests on top of the feed.

Assembling and inserting quill adaptors

1) Insert the feed into the nib - make sure the tip of the feed covers the air hole in the nib. The feed shown to the right has not yet covered the air hole. You would push this feed further forward.
2) Insert the nib with feed into the adaptor shell. Be sure to press the nib and feed all the way into the shell and seat it securely. The back end of the nib should sit deeper than the slits on the side of the adaptor shell, as shown on the right. If you need extra security, we also sell adaptor shells without splits.
3)The assembled adaptor is shown on the right. We flipped the pen over so you can see the feed.
3) Press the adaptor containing nib and feed into the front of your Classic pen. Be gentle - make sure it seats securely. You can twist it a bit if that helps insert the adaptor. The lip of the adaptor shell should be 1mm or less from the pen. We flipped the adaptor shown on the right to display the feed.

You can leave adaptors in your pens as long as you want to use the nib. We suggest you remove and clean adaptors from time to time.

Removing and disassembling metal quill adaptors

To remove and disassemble a metal quill adaptor:

1. Grip the lip of the adaptor shell, twist the adaptor to make sure it isn't stuck in place with dried, then slide the adaptor out of the pen. The grip can be firm so you might want to push the adaptor out from the other end using a chopstick or similar soft but rigid rod. 

2. Pull the nib and feed out of the adaptor. 

3. Slide the feed out of the nib.  

4. Clean the nib and feed, then reuse them or replace them with a new nib and feed.

Assembling and disassembling Gillott 303 adaptors

The only difference between a metal quill adaptor and the Gillott 303 adaptor is the Gillott 303 nib sits on top of the feed like a standard fountain pen.

To assemble the Gillott 303 adaptor:

1) Place the Gillott 303 nib on the feed - make sure the tip of the nib extends slightly over the tip of the feed.

2) Insert the nib with feed into the adaptor shell. Be sure to press the nib and feed all the way into the shell and seat it securely. The back end of the nib should sit deeper than the slits on the side of the adaptor shell.

3) Press the adaptor containing nib and feed into the front of your Classic pen. Be gentle - make sure it seats securely. You can twist it a bit of that helps insert the adaptor. The lip of the adaptor shell should be 1mm or less from the pen.

Reverse these steps to dissemble the Gillott 303 adaptor.