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nikongod

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Posts posted by nikongod

  1. On 12/6/2015 at 10:12 PM, nikongod said:

    Hello Head-case. 

    It is with great happiness that I type some more about my pen. 

     

    As you can see, I have had this pen for a bit over a year now, and have used it daily. I did some reversible mods to it (sort of) which I reversed and am actually pretty happy with the pen's overall performance - out of the box!

     

    My previously mentioned concerns about the finish of the pen were largely unfounded. The finish has held up QUITE nicely - it did indeed get a little shiny (and has *still* not gotten uniform...) but has not scratched through, except right at the tip where the pen has been dropped onto the floor countless times. I was also concerned about the pocket clip, and it has stood up well. I recently started clipping the pen into my man-satchel, so the clip is getting used, and it is holding up well.

     

    As previously mentioned I put a few standard parker refills in the pen. They fit without modifications if you are careful to align everything well. I started with a few refills salvaged from free pens you get at trade shows.... This was a mistake & I am happy to say that there are worse refills than the Goliath :P . Then I had the pen using a Quink refil for a few weeks. This was a HUGE mistake, as the Quink is verry non-waterfast, and a few drops of water erased some work I was working on at work. Oops. I reverted to the OEM goliath cartridge. The cartridge is still a bit on the "stiff" side, but for a cartridge that has run for basically a full year I gotta give it some credit. Please make no mistake, I am anxiously awaiting the day it finally fucking dies so I can put a Fischer refill in without being wasteful but I'm not so disgusted that I cant use this one up. 

     

    All in all, I am happy with this purchase. My only complaint is that the Goliath cartridge lasts too long, and is not bad enough to just throw away. Even it has its merits. 

    It is with improved feelings that I again type about my Caran D'ache 849 pen. 

     

    To start, after about 3 years of regular use the Goliath refill did acquire an increased measure of smoothness and "flow." Its still not as smooth as a Fischer, but its also been the only pen I have really used for close to 5 years (Maybe 4.5yr if you count experiments with other cartridges.)

     

    Last night while out to dinner and doodling mindlessly on the place-mat they gave me because they know I'm basically a large child, the pen stopped working. This has happened a few times over the past years, and my short lived joy at getting to FINALLY use a Fischer refill in the pen was quickly silenced by my memory of the other times the pen has died and promptly come back to life. The pen came back to life approximately 6" of scribbles after pooping out.

     

    The finish on the pen is not really any worse off than it was 4 years ago, aside from ALL of the paint being chipped off of the very tip of the pen-hole, due to being dropped... Despite this embarrassingly regular abuse the pen-hole is still quite circular and the pen opens and closes as smoothly as one would expect from a sub $20 pen. The finish on the rest of the pen has a few superficial scratches but doesn't show bare metal anywhere but the tip. The pocket clip has seen regular use for the past 4+ years holding the pen securely in my man-satchels and shirt pockets, because I often wear button down shirts like an adult now. The "Swiss made" paint (between the clip and clicker) has faded slightly, but the "Caran D'ache 849" text (UNDER the beautifully sculpted pocket-clip) shows no wear. To be fair I often rub the pen between the clip and clicker as an idle habit which probably didn't help the "Swiss Made" text. 

    • Like 2
  2. Thank you all for the birthday wishes!!

     

    I started using "not my birthday" on forums (and soshul media) years ago to slow identify theft, Its different everywhere!!

     

    My birthday is now: "The second Tuesday of May, whatever number that happens to be."

    • Like 4
  3. On 10/20/2014, 1:25:01, nikongod said:

     

    So I have had this pen for just under 3 weeks now, and have been using it as my primary pen, with the Zebra F-701 with Fisher refill as a backup. 

     

    My impressions are as follows. 

    The good:

    The pen its self is great. I was not sure how I would take to the hexagonal barrel, but I find it quite comfortable. It is slightly slimmer than the barrel of the 701, which I knew going into this, and was also a little apprehensive - the 701 was always quite comfortable to write with and this pen is too. I have had Rotrings and the 701, which are both on the heavy side since just about forever and really got used to them. After a few days writing with the 849 it became pretty easy. Although the Rotrings & F701 have a more substantial feel, I think they kind of develop momentum and "get away from you" moving whichever way they feel like... The lighter pen is very controllable. 

     

    The "silent" clicker is pretty cool. "Silent" is in quotes, because you know, but if you are a habitual pen clicker this pen will probably save your co-workers some aggravation. 

     

    This pen has what could be the most badass pocket clip EVER put on a $25 pen. Like wow. I'm not sure how durable it is (I don't use pocket clips) but the way the angular band wraps around the hexagonal barrel is really cool. 

     

    The pen will take a Parker style refill. I got them both to work without any mods (fisher with the little adapter thingy they include) although some reports on the internet say the plastic tops need to be filed down a few mm to fit.

     

    The bad: 

    The Goliath refill that the pen comes with is kind of blah. It does not write as dark as the Fisher refill without serious downforce (it might work better in a heavier pen) and it has more drag than the Fisher - which is about the highest I'm willing to put up with. They claim it will run 8000M (600 pages!), but if it writes like this who cares?...

     

    The finish on the pen does not feel quite as durable as my old Rotrings. It has not scratched through (yet) but it went from flat black to shiny black in spots within a day of putting it in my pocket with more spots getting shiny since. The pen would look great in gloss black - if it were uniform, but of course since this is wear it's not. The pen is apparently available in "raw" aluminum which may look nicer. 

    Hello Head-case. 

    It is with great happiness that I type some more about my pen. 

     

    As you can see, I have had this pen for a bit over a year now, and have used it daily. I did some reversible mods to it (sort of) which I reversed and am actually pretty happy with the pen's overall performance - out of the box!

     

    My previously mentioned concerns about the finish of the pen were largely unfounded. The finish has held up QUITE nicely - it did indeed get a little shiny (and has *still* not gotten uniform...) but has not scratched through, except right at the tip where the pen has been dropped onto the floor countless times. I was also concerned about the pocket clip, and it has stood up well. I recently started clipping the pen into my man-satchel, so the clip is getting used, and it is holding up well.

     

    As previously mentioned I put a few standard parker refills in the pen. They fit without modifications if you are careful to align everything well. I started with a few refills salvaged from free pens you get at trade shows.... This was a mistake & I am happy to say that there are worse refills than the Goliath :P . Then I had the pen using a Quink refil for a few weeks. This was a HUGE mistake, as the Quink is verry non-waterfast, and a few drops of water erased some work I was working on at work. Oops. I reverted to the OEM goliath cartridge. The cartridge is still a bit on the "stiff" side, but for a cartridge that has run for basically a full year I gotta give it some credit. Please make no mistake, I am anxiously awaiting the day it finally fucking dies so I can put a Fischer refill in without being wasteful but I'm not so disgusted that I cant use this one up. 

     

    All in all, I am happy with this purchase. My only complaint is that the Goliath cartridge lasts too long, and is not bad enough to just throw away. Even it has its merits. 

    • Like 1
  4. http://www.redbull.com/us/en/bike/events/1331684160070/uci-mtb-world-cup-2015-round-5-leogang-austria

    1:50:51 in on the replay of the 2 hour live stream, Aaron Gwin (#1 in the world) starts his run in the finals. Listen for the crunch a few seconds in as his chain snaps on the first pedal stroke, and then watch the next 4 minutes. This kid is ridiculous.

    **BRENT**

     

    Happened last year too... 

     
     
    I wonder if this will become a strategic weight saving method :P
  5.  

    Interestingly, the lower current section actually matches the datasheet, so it's definitely not a consequence of aging. The dashed section has about twice the rated gm; clearly, the circuit is very good at forcing AC balance.

     

     

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/160312-balance-ccs-long-tailed-pairs.html

     

    The only thing that matters to AC balance is the matching of the plate resistors, and that you have a tail-CCS.

    DC balance is subject to tube parameters, but who cares in a cap coupled circuit? 

  6. You can probably figure out a replacement battery without tooo much work. 

     

    No idea what it *needs* but are there any markings on the battery? Google that. 

     

    If you can figure out what voltage the battery was, and dont mind having something kind of ugly, it should not be too hard to find a not-quite-drop-in replacement that works perfectly. 

  7. I think I'm finally figuring out how to take portraits. 
     
    16429479243_fdcca634ab.jpg
    NYC 2015 Easter Parade by Lord Nikon 12, on Flickr
     
    17049644225_db287c5026.jpg
    Fire Hydrant Portrait by Lord Nikon 12, on Flickr
     
    16863413069_b667a440a8.jpg
    NYC 2015 Easter Parade by Lord Nikon 12, on Flickr
     
    The trick for people is to use the 14mm lens, and get less than 2ft away. With this technique failure is impossible. 
     
    For fire hydrants, you should make some noise while at a distance of approximately 30-45ft so as not to startle the creature. Then approach slowly and in silence never breaking eye contact even for an instant. The fire hydrant can see your trepidation. If you need to look at your camera to adjust settings the Fire Hydrant knows and is laughing at you. Anyways, once you get to within shooting range of the fire hydrant, crouch down low so that you are at its eye level, and in one smooth motion bring your camera to your eye and fire. The Fire Hydrant will make a funny face if you wait too long to take its picture. I once heard a fire hydrant mutter something along the lines of "like a tourist who gets all his friends together, clears the sidewalk, and then starts to look for the camera app on his phone" to a photographer. 
     
    Seriously, Easter parade photos are up on my Flikr page. 
    Click for all the photos
     
    16863414039_faa8bd565d.jpg

    Guggenheim NYC by Lord Nikon 12, on Flickr

    • Like 5
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