PMark 4

 A fountain pen needs a nib, a feed, a holder for both, a reservoir for holding ink, and a cap. nothing more, not expensive price tag, not branding, not carving. once you have the needed, it is alive.

An online germany nib unit that comes with a cap, a platinum cartridge or a pilot cartridge, and a straw is all you need to create the pen.

 Historical, this should have being PMark 3, but it failed in the field in its initial test run as the body cracked. Until the lockdown, life was too busy trying to get a life. now, i could finally find some time to have the problems solved.

PMark 4. The pen itself.

The nib unit is screwed in, not forced in. it will not leak even without silicon grease.

Some numbers for its length.

10 cm when capped.

9.8 cm when posted.

in comparison with PMark 3

in comparison with PMark 3

how does it assemble, then? in this manner.

1) get a nib-feed unit. i got the online gernany unit, which comes with a cap, which is the next important item, the cap.

2) get a body. i decide to get a platinum cartridge over the pilot cartridge as it looks neater. Just pull the end of the cartridge out with a long-nose plier. you get to access that metal ball which is another plus point.

3) Next, you need a straw. the dimension is as shown. Yes, you are frowning, straws? aren't they a curse object? Not if use them properly. in this case, it doesn't land in the sea, and this is used for a long time.

4) cut straw at 5cm length and insert into the cartridge from the closed end. you cannot do via the open end. the straw is critical to give the extra support needed to ensure breakage do not occur when used in the field.

5) to show you how important the straw is, i used the cracked barrel which was repaired, but since not strong enough. look closely and you can see the crack line. also, notice the screw lines inside. The nib unit is screwed in, not forced in. it will not leak even without silicon grease.

6) lastly, add some clear adhesive tape at the end so that the cap can stay in place when posted.