Well I haven't gotten around to "tinkering" with my Noodler's Ahab, but I did order some notebooks and a new ink from Goulet, and what a difference changing inks has made! I was using Private Reserve "Invincible Black", and switched to De Atramentis "Atlantic Blue", and the nib, feed and contact points are no longer saturated, seeping, or leaking. The flow and feel is improved, and now I don't feel the need to tinker.