Review: ACKERMAN PUMP PENS - Pens using Hunt 101, G-nibs, crowquill nibs and more!

When I was searching high and low for a flexible nib pen in the past, I wondered if anyone had managed to invent a fountain pen that uses regular steel nibs. I mean, it can't be that hard right? Just make a barrel and feed that fits a regular steel nib. And when the steel nib wears out, just stick a new one in. So I asked around and got a few reasons for why it was not being done. (If you are a nib expert, you might know better.) But still, I heard rumors that someone actually tried to do this. So after months of searching in forums and review sites, I finally found the Ackerman Pump pen site (https://www.ackermanpens.com/en/). It's a company based in Berkeley, California.

As it turns out, a Charles Ackerman managed to attach standard steel nibs (G-nibs, hunt, crowquill, etc) on pen bodies he makes himself. But it works differently from a regular fountain pen - You have to pump the ink onto the nib whenever the ink runs out on the nib. The "pumping ink on the nib" thing replaces the action of dipping your dip pen into an ink bottle. Since pressing a button on your pen is quicker than dipping ink into a bottle, it does make things a little more convenient. You would also be able to carry the pen out when you travel. And withOUT a glass bottle of ink (added weight). Here's an analogy. It's like using a mechanical pencil. You need to "pump" the lead out every time the lead "runs out".

I ordered the pens from his website on April 10th 2012 using a credit card. I was amused to notice that the shipping of the pens cost a flat US$2 anywhere in the world. Cheap!

While waiting for the pens to arrive, I did research on the Ackerman pens. To my horror, I found a LOT of negative reviews about the Ackerman pump pen company. Some people were complaining that they waited and waited for months. Some claimed that they received pens with missing parts. Others claimed that when they emailed Charles Ackerman, the inventor, they seldom got a reply. They claimed he'd give an apology and sometimes took forever to follow up on his promises. Granted, some of these complaints were many years old and he could have improved his customer service by then. So I emailed him to check on the status of my pens since it'd been a couple of weeks with no word. A few days passed and no reply. After 3 emails, he replied that he thought he had sent the pens off a week ago but he had to double check and get back to me. He explained that he has a day job and he only tries to reply his emails on weekends. (It sounds like it's a solo business and he has no assistants during the week.) Days passed again, and always, after a few emails he would reply once with very short messages. Finally, he gave me a US customs shipping number displayed on my account page in his website. That's when I realised that he wasn't going to give me a proper tracking number. There was no way to track my package. And there was no website to check if the shipping number was a real number. That's why his shipping only cost $2! All I could do was wait.

Today is May 18. And the package finally arrived. It took 38 days but it arrived! I was so relieved.

I ordered 3 pens as you can see here. They came in 2 slightly smashed up boxes with the receipt and instructions.

I bought 3 pens. They are Ackerman pens with a G-nib section, a crowquill nib section, and a Hunt 101 nib section.

These hard plastic pens feel sturdy and a little heavy. But lighter than a metal pen. They feel like a good quality product with a matt finish. The pump button is thick green rubber. It feels like Mr Ackerman used good materials to build these. These are generation 6 pens. He has revised these pens and worked out the bugs up till now.

The pen bodies are the same. But the front sections are made different for each nib. They come with the nibs. (but you can easily buy these nibs elsewhere when they wear out)

As you can see, the feed is also designed differently for each pen.

I pulled the cap open (very stiff) and found that it is a very long cap. It covers more than half the body of the pen. It covers the rubber pump button and well as the front section. You can't cap it on the back because it just doesn't fit. So you have to put it somewhere while you draw.

The pen cap can be extended for longer nibs. (A nice touch)

The pen cap also has an air vent which you can open and close by rotating the clip. (Another nice touch)

Let's start with the Hunt 101 pen:
I dismantled the pen (by pulling) into it's 3 basic parts.

I also dismantled the nib section into it's smaller components for easy cleaning.

After that, I used a syringe to fill the pen. Instructions say you can also fill the pen by pressing on the knob at the back with the nib in a bottle of ink. (I used a syringe because it's quicker and probably neater). I filled it full.

After pumping a number of times and checking that the nib and feed were back in place, it worked. I drew and wrote until the ink thinned down. And then I pumped a few times again. I pumped too fast and hard once and the ink splattered out. After a little while, I got the hang of it. Just pump gently until you see ink bubbling up through the nib's air vent and it should continue flowing. If it's not enough ink, just pump a bit more. Not a problem.


Next was the G-nib pen:
There were a few false starts. I also didn't put the nib and feed back in its proper position. After pumping many times and having ink drip here and there, it finally worked for awhile. But the flow kept stopping. (Take note that when using this pen initially, pump it somewhere else. Not over your drawing.) I tested the same nib on a regular dip pen holder and found that the ink collects in blobs on the nib. That means that there is oil residue on the nib (most steel nibs have oil residue on them). Holding the dip pen over a kitchen flame, I QUICKLY passed the nib over the flame once or twice. After that, I tested it still in the dip pen holder and it flowed nicely. The flame had burned off the oil. I put it back into the Ackerman Pump pen and it worked flawlessly. Remember this when you are using these pens!

Next was the Crowquill pen:
This is the smallest nib. And the feed is white in color. And the design is different from the other feeds. Dismantling it was rather tough. I had to take extra care not to damage the nib. Again, after a few initial drips and controlling this new pump system, I got it to work. Note that I used chinese ink in the pen, not regular fountain pen ink. In fact, you can use ANY ink in this pen. Even india ink, because each pen part is washable. And so there is nothing that will clog your pen permanantly.

This is the result of all my testing. As you can see, it takes a while to get used to pumping just the right amount to it doesn't drip everywhere. And also getting used to the rhythm of pumping and drawing, pumping and drawing.


All in all, I think these pens are a fresh and innovative invention. They feel and look good. And they work. They may not be a necessary tool if you enjoy dipping dip pens in ink. (It isn't that much hassle, really) But if you want to try using steel nibs in a different way and perhaps outdoors (without a bottle of ink) you should try these. It is also an interesting alternative to a vintage flex nib fountain pen if you don't have the budget to afford one. It isn't the same of course, but the experience is 3/4 ways there. Steel nibs are sometimes a LOT more flexible than fountain pen nibs. Just less durable. Also these pens allow you to use any ink you want. Even india ink. (Fountain pens can't do that)

Each pen costs US$19.95. You can also buy the nib sections separately for US$15 if you already have a whole pen. Mr Ackerman has also invented a Double Ended Pump Pen. (Like Darth Maul's lightsaber) if you are interested.

But one thing you should be VERY prepared BEFORE you order his pens.
1) Expect slow customer service (He is usually busy with his day job to attend to all his customers quickly. He might not reply too.)
2) Expect the pen to be mailed out a couple weeks after you order. (I think he makes them himself so it's slightly slow.)
3) Expect a month or more for delivery. (You will need LOTS of patience.)
4) Expect NO tracking for your packages. (I'm not sure what happens if your mail gets lost)
5) Expect an interesting pen
6) Expect that you will take some time to get used to the pumping.

I'd like Mr Charles Ackerman to improve on only one thing. I would like him to set a option on his website for customers to choose and pay for an international shipping tracking number (US$20). I feel that will solve almost all the frustrations customers have with the Ackerman Pens.

You can buy the Ackerman Pens here: https://www.ackermanpens.com (Nowhere else for now)
You can purchase Hunt 101 nibs on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Speedball-Hunt-Pen-Nibs--Imperial-No/dp/B004BNH9E...
G-nibs: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kuretake-Zig-Cartoonist-Ink-Nibs/dp/B006ZJ6PV8/...
Crowquill nibs: https://www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-crow-quill-dip-pen-and-nibs/
If you are in Singapore, you can also find these nibs at Straits Arts Co.

Also check out his other products on his site. My friend Don bought the brush section from him. Perhaps he will do a review on it soon.

UPDATE MAY 28

I've had the Ackerman Pens for 10 days now. So here are my observations after carrying them around and using them.

1) Ink does leak out into the cap if it has been bouncing in your bag either sideways or upside-down.
My recommendation: Always keep`them upright when travelling with them. Use the clip to secure it if you have to.
But even then, expect a bit of ink to mess the nib and inside of the cap a little. Especially if there is leftover ink puddled in the feed when you keep it.

2) The cap is pretty tight and very long. If you just pull it out hard, the air pressure and the force of the pull may splatter ink if there is leftover ink on the nib.
My recommendation: Pull the cap off slowly`in a twist motion or at least do a slow careful pull a bit at a time.

3) The nibs do not perform well after ink has collected on them after a few days. Plus my hunt nib had rusted and began skipping. Ink needs to flow down the nib smoothly and without obstruction.
My recommendation: When not in use, take the nib off, wash it and keep it separately from the pen. Only put it back on when you are going to use it for the day or hour.
This seems to be the standard practice even when using these nibs on regular dip pen holders. The nibs are easy to pull off. They slide right off. But when it comes to the crowquill, you will need to pull off the whole front section together with the nib. That part is more challenging to dismantle.
After you store the nib somewhere dry, Keep the body of the pen in an upright position so ink does not flow out.

4) The feeds of the pens have wide chan.els. So there is no worry of it clogging. I don't see any problems with the feeds in general. Little can go wrong. Only the nibs seem to need some troubleshooting when left on the pens.

5) I noticed that the top feed channel for my g-nib wasn't cut all the way to the tip but my hunt nib was. And I was facing some flow problems. So I used a pen knife to cut the channel all the way to the tip and the G-nib worked a lot better.

6) I think we should take note that the Ackerman Pens are home-made pens. They are made by hand at his residence or workshop so I think it is reasonable not to compare it to a perfect mass produced pen by a big company. Usage wise, I'd see the pen somewhere between a dip pen and a fountain pen. But definately not to the level of fountain pens in terms of convenience and lack of hassle. But in my opinion, it still works well to a good degree, especially if you keep the nibs clean and seperate after every use. And it is the only pen I know of that allows me to use regular steel nibs without dipping in a bottle of ink. But if you are the kind of person with zero patience to troubleshoot pens, it might be better for you to stick to dip pens or a good vintage fountain pen.

UPDATE MAR 1, 2013
The other Parkablogs reviewer for this pen still has not gotten his pen since April 2012. That's almost a year. We sent a few reminders to Charles Ackerman and he said he has sent the pen off. But nothing. Mr Ackerman mentioned in a recent newsletter that he has hired a new staff to handle the customer service. I've tried emailing that staff several times. But it's been near a month and still no reply. Interesting product as it may be, you may never receive it in the mail. I recommend that no further purchases be made from Ackermanpens. The delivery is inconsistant. Customer service is still dismal. Until you see that he has included a proper tracking system in his pen delivery, included a customer accounts page so customers can keep track of their purchases, and emails are responded to promptly, and you hear that people are receiving their pens on time (within 2 months) please STAY CLEAR of this seller to avoid disappointment.

UPDATE APR 1, 2013
Ackerman has set up a customer tracking page. Please look into it if your order is delayed. https://ackermanpens.com/shop/customer-issue-tracking

UPDATE APR 23, 2013
My friend, Don, has finally gotten his pen. But as it turns out, it wasn't Ackerman's fault. Don did not give the right address. So there. Please make sure your address is correct when ordering the pens. After he corrected the address with Ackerman Pens, the pen was delivered within 3 weeks. This is a good sign that Ackerman Pens is doing something to fulfill all those overdue orders. I might be ordering another pen soon to see if a repeat order will be as quick or as consistant as Don's.

Check out other fountain pen reviews at https://www.parkablogs.com/tags/fountain-pen-reviews

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43 Comments

Hi Parka!

Hi Parka!
Why do you have choosen the Hunt 101, mange G Pump and the crowquil? Why these and not others of Mr. Ackermanns assortment?
cheers karsten

Hi karsten, i wrote the

Hi karsten, i wrote the review. I chose those 3 nibs because i already use these nibs in regular dip pens and they can be easily replaced at a local art store. They do wear out so you would want to choose nibs you can replace easily. These nibs are also the most popular among comic artists.

Hi together! Thanks for your

Hi together! Thanks for your fast reply! I think that I will order only the Hunt 101 to give them a try. I love these kind of products which gives new possibilities... I have to see if the nibs are also available here in Switzerland, otherwise I order it from the staates..Thanks for your help. Parka is always the first which I read on the my google reader...

I had horrible leaks with the

I had horrible leaks with the Ackermans. However I have fallen on love with the Noodlers Ahab flex tip pens. Not quite the same flexibility of the standard dip pen nibs, but it is a fabulous pen, great quality and makes a great daily writer too.

I've brought the ackerman

I've brought the ackerman pens out in my bag for 2 days now and used them outdoors and even in the bus. No leaks so far. And no nasty drips since I've learned to control the pumping. When did you buy the pens? Perhaps, it was an earlier generation ackerman pen? Earlier models had leak problems. The present model is a generation 6 pen. So i think that problem has been remedied, hopefully.

Oh but if you are referring to some ink splatters in the pen cap after carrying it around in your bag(sideways or upside down). I think that happens to most fountain pens. Since, it's like shaking a fountain pen forward, some ink would tend to come out. But it should not be staining your fingers and dripping everywhere. That has not happened with the Ackerman generation 6 pen yet. Will keep you updated if it does.

I also have a noodlers ahab flex. It works fine. But flexibility-wise, it's still a little too stiff to be very expressive when drawing. I'd still recommend a vintage flex pen if you are going for a fountain pen or an ackerman pen if this current model has no leak problems.

Exceptionally slow and

Exceptionally slow and erratic delivery - I ordered some in 2008 - arrived in the UK a month later. Ordered new ones in 2011, but they did not arrive & no replies to emails. Thankfully I used PayPal so I raised a complaint on there & got my money back. Personally I shall be looking into copying the pen & making it with injection-moulding - that way I can at least provide a decent supply chain - I have raised this idea with Mr Ackerman, but, as usual no reply - so I guess he's not bothered about an alternative supplier. Any comments on this are welcomed.
Besides, he'd never get to grips with European laws if his manufacturing techniques are anything to go by ;-)

I have a double ended pen

I have a double ended pen that will not hold ink at all. It runs out as fast as you put it in. I've tried everything to use this pen, but it will not hold ink. I don't know what is wrong. I've called and emailed Mr Ackerman and he said he sent me a replacement, but I never received it. I placed the order on July 9, 2012...it is now September 13, 2012 and I am still waiting for this situation to be fixed. The single chamber of this pen seems to be a bad idea as there is too much air and the pen cannot hold a vacuum. The two reservoir model seems a better idea. The Ackerman website said a single reservoir could be requested, but I did not request it and I did not receive the Manga G nib as stated in the website. I have a Gillott's 170. I wouldn't mind these differences from the specs if the pen was usable. I have no idea why the ink just runs out.

I order manga G-nib pump pen

I order manga G-nib pump pen and it come to me in a month .at first I feel that this pen really bad ink flow but after I follow your suggestion about use flame on the nib to take the oil out and use pen knife make a Chanel Top of the feed it become more better but have to writing slowly on capital letter (Spencerian) . I accept that fountain pen is more and more better ....am a fan of fountain pen too but if you Love dip pen and want to carry around day you will feel OK. With this pen.Thank you very much for your very usefull and very nice review .

I bought ackermanpens years

I bought ackermanpens years ago and they were horrible. time passed and he updated the design which made then usable. the new design looks better but i don't trust the seller anymore.
Plus current 3d printing will soon make it possible for me to design and order these pens myself. i have design improvement that make ackerman irrelevant. i do hope somebody beats me to the punch 'cos i rather be drawing then inventing :)

Sadly I won't even try to

Sadly I won't even try to sell any pens because of patent violation lawsuits. I can't afford all the legal services becoming a seller would require. But if I am able to buy a 3d printer [like the one here https://www.solidoodle.com] and my designs really work I would post the 3d STL file. That way anyone could just print their own. Years ago when I first saw 3d printers the first thing I thought about was a way to make a pen that would accept dip nibs!
It seem the stars are lining up for this. I can't believe Ackerman doesn't do this already! He has written that all his pens are designed in 3D software. With minor tweaks he could come out with a pen better design quickly and start printing and selling NOW.

Dears Sirs,

Dears Sirs,

I sell all machineries for fountain pens nibs by the famous firm “Globus the house of nib”.

My father was supplier for many companies and after start to produce cases.

Please let me know if someone will be interested in.

Thank you and Best Regards, Fabrizio Cecchini

I would not recommend buying

I would not recommend buying pens from him. I received 1/2 of an order after 1/2 a year. After inquiring for months about the rest of my order, he finally said he had shipped it. It never arrived, he never responded to my requests for a tracking number, in fact he never replied to me after that. He's a crook. He may not be out to intentionally steal, but he's so disorganized/overworked that he took my money, did not give me all of my products, and never issued a refund.

This convinces me that I

This convinces me that I really do not want Mr. A's product, and that a combination of older pens, such as the Osmiroid 65 with the sketch nib, and venerable Rotring Graphos are al I will ever need.

Rusting nibs are a big

Rusting nibs are a big problem with the Ackerman pens. Once you get the pen working properly, you are almost there to having a pen you can count on. If you can find a stainless steel nib that works on one of the feeds, you will have solved the rust problem and all the problems associated with the rust situation.
I like a pen I can pick up after a few days of not using it and have it work. With a stainless steel nib, I can do this. It only takes a couple of days for a regular nib to rust...bummer!

The pens are a nice idea, but

The pens are a nice idea, but the manufacturer/seller is a horrible flake. I sent him money for a pen back in May, and three months (and several emails) later have not received any product. I hope you learn from my mistake and hold onto your money.

Five years later things have

Five years later things have not changed much in terms of poor customer service; delays, incomplete orders, calls/emails ignored, etc.
Product is interesting although not that unique by now and with 3D printing and cheap Chinese; custom made solutions become less of a nuisance than ordering from Charles.

Wish I'd read this review

Wish I'd read this review before I made my order!
I ordered two pens and a couple of adaptors in Jan 1st this year 2020.
After aking where my order was Charles said he had made a few changes to the pump pen and would send my order out in a couple of days. I received a USPS tracking number but the package hasn't moved since the 15th of January.
I sent him an email a few days ago and no reply! So after reading various pen forums and the negative feedback, decided to send him another email, if he doesn't reply I will set about getting a refund for non-delivery of goods!!!

Thanks for posting your comments guys.

Sad really, I get the feeling he is just not good at the business side of things.
Some folk got the pens but with major issues along the way, so maybe he is just not a together sort of guy!

I know this thread is very

I know this thread is very old but I thought I would share my own experience of ordering an Ackerman Pen… in the 2020s!

I always research the heck out of anything I buy, so I was well aware of the problems that others had encountered with ordering these pens, primarily from this very thread. Elsewhere I had read that the pens had evolved over the past couple of years and that Mr Ackerman had made some effort into improving delivery. I reasoned that $30 was quite reasonable for a hand made pen and decided to take a gamble…

I ordered my pen on January 22 and bookmarked the tracking page. A week later I was dismayed to find that, although a label had been raised by USPS, the package hadn’t been posted. I wrote a courteous email enquiring whether there was a supply issue. After two days without a reply I decided to change tactics and approach him though his face book page. After a further two days without reply, a full two weeks since I paced my order, I decided to text his mobile phone instead. RESULT!

He replied almost instantly and was very apologetic, stating that there was no good reason why he hadn’t posted the package yet as he had the pen in stock. He assured me that he would post it immediately and throw in a couple of extras. Following day I checked to tracking status at USPS only to find that they still hadn’t received the package. I sent him another text, this time using a tone that I normally reserve for my teenage son when he needs to complete a school assignment (encouraging but firm), pointing out that it was now a full two weeks since I placed my order. RESULT!

Thereafter things moved very quickly. Within two days the package had travelled from Albany CA to San Fransisco, hopped on a plane, crossed the Atlantic and landed at Heathrow Airport in the UK. It sat in the airport for a day (it was a Sunday) and spent another at the customs department, but then, much to my surprise, it was delivered today.

So, 20 days after placing my order I have my Ackerman Fountain Pen. True, if Charles had got his act together I could have had it two weeks ago, but I’m used to orders from Japan taking significantly longer, although I’ve never had to employ coercive emotion blackmail before! Also I was lucky - the average time parcels are held at customs in the UK is usually a week or even two, sometimes even longer in the run up to Christmas.

In the end these pens are artisanal products born of passion and affordably priced. Charles Ackerman is a technical writer who makes his own pens as a hobby, probably in a shed in his backyard. He does not have a factory, nor does he have a team of employees to back him up.

I knew what I was letting myself in for when I placed my order and I’m pleasantly surprised with how it worked out.

A continuation of my

A continuation of my experience with Charles Ackerman. 2020.

I ordered two pens and a couple of adaptors in Jan 1st this year 2020.
After emails and promises broken, I finally placed a claim with PayPal and on the 13th Feb 2020 I got PART of my order.
One Pump Pen Kit.
I am still waiting on the remaining items!
Not holding my breath and continuing with PayPal claim to get either the remaining pens or the refund.
Be warned he seems to get a tracking label from USPS, but does not send the items. My label was created 15th Jan 2020 and lists everything I ordered, but only one item finally arrived in the package after much pressure.

I was really excited by what seemed to be on offer from Mr Ackerman!
I'm so over it NOW!!!
Will let you know what happens.

My good news is . . .
I have bought a couple of Jinhao x750 pens and some Zebra G nibs from eBay and found them to be perfect for my needs.

Update on my order with

Update on my order with Charles Ackerman.
I just received a full refund from PayPal for the items that I didn't receive.
Mr Ackerman didn't reply to PayPal who requested for information and so they gave me a refund.
So I placed the original order on Jan 1st 2020
and it has been finally resolved 23rd Feb 2020.

I'm happy it is all over! I will tryout the Pump Pen Kit that I did receive.

My first attempt using it was a bit hit and miss regarding the ink flow and using the pump, but I think I need to get to know the pen a little better.

I won't be trying to buy from him again, sad really, it could have been a good experience if he had been true to his word.

So glad I used PayPal as they handled the situation very well with me.

I thought I'd add to my post

I thought I'd add to my post above with a little review of the pen I received.

Unlike everyone else in this thread I ordered the fountain pen with a Zebra G nib rather than the pump pen. I read somewhere (I forget where) that the design had been improved and that it was better for drawing.

I'm happy to report that it works brilliantly well, with no skips, splotching or leaks, and manages to keep up with speedy sketching. True; I have to slow down a bit if I want to do a bit of cheesy Spencerian script, but otherwise it works exactly as I'd hoped.

I had previously been using a modded Jinhao X450 with a Zebra nib which worked (after a fashion) but was very temperamental and needed regular flushing and reinking. The Ackerman seems to work straight away even when it's been sitting idle for a couple of days.

I'm only really interested in the G nib but I did try out the others in the pack. The Brause Rose worked well but was very thirsty and very wet – you need decent paper stock and need to be careful not to smudge it. The Sketch Nib was nice and smooth, but not terribly exciting. I didn't have too much success with the Music Nib, I probably should have used the "rich" feed or perhaps it's better suited to the pump pen...

I'm very pleased with my pen - it's now my favourite drawing tool and I will be ordering another as I'm paranoid that I might lose this one. It might take two weeks, it might take two months, but I think in the end it's worth it.

After reading of all the

After reading of all the problems people have had getting the pens, am glad I found them on Amazon, sold by Amazon.

Took a chance on them, and simply love them.

There may be knock offs, I haven't looked, but these are, for me, amazing pieces of craftsmanship and simplicity.

Hello,

Hello,

I know this was written 10+ years ago. Thought I'd report back in 2023. I haven't used the pen yet (came here when researching care of the pen). But I just received mine today. It seems the company has probably grown since you've written this. Here was my experience.

I visited the site there appears to be numerous types of pens and accessories (piston pens, non pump pens, etc.), though many are out of stock. I wanted the G-Nib pump pen, and that was in stock. I had the option to add an "overfeed" which allows you to get the most flex for thicker lines. Sounded neat, so I added it on. Put my order in.

Shortly thereafter.. next day or so... got an email said it shipped and had tracking info. After that two weeks went by and there was no movement. It appeared the pen never got put in the mail. I emailed and inquired. Within a days time I received an email from someone at the company (employee? relative? unknown), telling me the overfeed was out of stock and not going to be back in stock for a long time, and that was holding up my shipment. No big deal, only it would have been nice to have been told this.

Anyway, I didn't need the overfeed, it was a nice-to-have, so I said just ship it without the overfeed please, and they did and I had it within a few days.

So, I think it's just run by a family or very small crew, so maybe they are having difficulty with keeping the site up to date and communicating with customers. Once that issue was resolved though, it seemed like a reasonable shipping time.

Excited to try the pen. Have heard many good things. Thanks for posting all this info. Still good stuff 10 years on!

Matt

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