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Piston Fill

Glossary

Feed

The channel system that delivers ink to the nib.

The feed is the finned (usually black) piece under the nib. A central channel carries ink down to the nib by capillary action while an air channel lets air back into the reservoir — an exchange that keeps flow steady instead of gushing or starving.

The comb fins act as a buffer, holding overflow ink during pressure and temperature swings. Ebonite feeds can be heat-set and tuned; most modern feeds are precision-molded plastic and work superbly.

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