About feeds and flow
The nib seems like the most important part of a fountain pen, but there are several other parts that are just as important. One of these parts is call the ink feed located under the nib. The feed controls the flow of ink from the ink reservoir inside the pen to the tip of the nib by constraining two controlling the flow of air back into the pen to compensate for the lost ink. Plug up the air flow and you'll never get any ink out of the pen. Open up the air flow, and ink will flow out uncontrollably. The feed is really an "ink/air feed" controlling both the flow of ink out of the pen and the flow of air into the pen in a balanced fashion. That's a lot to expect from a part that doesn't adjust or move.
We provide a variety of feeds for our pens based on the way they control the air/ink flow in the pen. The feed has to be matched closely to the nib, the pen, and the flow you desire. The interface of nib to feed must be precise so ink is transferred from the feed to the nib without leaking.
Standard feeds
We provide two types of standard feeds for pens containing flexible pointed nibs, such as Brause Rose, Hunt drawing nibs, and two types of Manga G nibs - Nikko and Tachikawa.
- F3 standard flow for standard fountain pen inks
- F4 thick flow for India ink and most paints
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Standard feeds are traditional feeds shaped like a rod where the ink channel runs along the top of the feed. You can slip nibs in and out of the pen easily using this feed, but there is a slight chance that ink will leak from the feed because press-fit parts don't always seat properly. |
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Squeeze feeds
We provide three types of feeds for pens containing Zebra Manga G nibs:
- F2 thin flow for very thin inks, like walnut ink
- F3 standard flow for standard fountain pen inks
- F4 thick flow for India ink and most paints
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Squeeze feeds are a new type of feed we developed for Zebra Manga G nibs. This is our most popular flexible pointed nib, and it provides a uniform shape to work with. Squeeze feeds are designed to grip the Zebra nib from top and bottom, hold the nib securely inside the feed, and feed ink or paint to the tip of the nib in a more secure and leak proof manner. |
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We intend to expand our line of squeeze feeds to support more nibs.
Feed flow is not an exact science
Feeds control the flow of ink and paint based on the viscosity or "thickness" of the ink/paint. Other factors contribute to ink flow, including how quickly you draw or write, the absorption of the paper you're drawing or writing on, the warmth of your hand, the ambient air pressure, even the electrostatic charge and potentials of the inside surfaces of the pen, which can vary.
Viscosity charts
Here's a short list of charts that describe various forms of fountain pen inks and their viscosities.
