I think that makes sense. Do you apply direct heat, as from an alchohol
lamp, or indirect in someway? My fear is that the feed will just burst
into flame if I stick use a lamp.

Perry

QuarterHorseman wrote:

With the feed and nib in the section I think there's too much risk of
winding up with a bridged feed, and then the feed's going to have to
come out anyway. Remember the idea is go get the *entire length* of the
feed to sit up against the nib, not just the last 1/16". I like to have
the nib and feed in hand and be able to eyeball how they look together
as well as individually. I've had to fix several attempted repairs where
the owner tried to heat-set a feed to a slightly-sprung nib, and in all
those cases what came out the other end of those attempts was a bridged
feed under a sprung nib, with the typical hallmark of writing a few
words, then running lean for 2-3 more, then quitting altogether until
the pen was shaken.

The section, feed, and nib comprise an aligned system. If the parts
aren't aligned (straight) individually, they'll never go together right.
Since I want to check on that as well as whether the section hole is
ovaled with age/stress or drilled at an angle or off-center, I always
disassemble first.

I don't claim my way's the best, just that it's the best for me. I like
having a baseline.