Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'maintenance'.
Found 23 results
-
Hi All Appealing to your collective wisdom. My daily driver is a MB 144. About six weeks ago it started acting like it was "running out" the whole time (I haven't dropped it or exposed it to any significant trauma that I recall). By that I mean there was ink in the piston converter but as I was writing, it wasn't flowing through the pen and on to the paper. The line therefore got lighter and lighter until it started skipping. I am able to fill the pen OK and it will continue to write if I force ink into the nib using the piston converter. So far I have cleaned out the pen with water and also a dilute solution of ammonia and detergent. I have also manually cleaned off a lot of gunk and had a look at the nib under 20x magnification. From what I can see, the tines on the nib appear to be aligned OK. Before I send it away to get fixed does anyone have any other suggestions of fixes I can try at home? James
-
Hello, recently I got a Pilot Custom 74 and it was my most expensive purchase in the hobby so far. I really like the pen, and am having a good time using it so far, but one thing I noticed is that the screw that connects the section to the barrel is a metal on plastic interface. Now, I know that it's not something I'll be opening all the time and that I shouldn't apply much torque when closing it, but I wanted to know how long time users of this pen and other pens with a similar construction have had them hold up over time, and what cares should I take with the pen to reduce unnecessary wear on it. I'm only 7 months into the hobby so not really much time to really wear much of anything out. For now I have put a tiny bit of silicon grease on the threads, since I figured a bit of lubrication to reduce friction couldn't hurt, but that's the only thing I've done so far since it's a cartridge/converter pen and there shouldn't be much else to worry about. That is, other than maybe cleaning it for the first time. I'm used to removing the nib and feed to rinse them off every time i change inks, but the stakes are a bit higher with a gold nib. So what are some tips you guys got from your experience with fancy pens? And here's some pictures so the post isn't too boring：
-
desaturated.thumb.gif.5cb70ef1e977aa313d11eea3616aba7d.gif)
HongDian N7 does not come with a disassembly tool
A Smug Dill posted a gallery image in FPN Image Albums
-
To the point: any advice before I start using a Parker 75 bought used? One with the thinner section, fine size nib. Longer story: I'd given up on the 75 given that I have no way of trying them in person, and they are apparently thinner than Sonnets, of which I have two. But... I came across one for a low price, which seemed in good nick, and in the design that intrigued me the most, milleraies (yes, ciselé looks awesome too). So... Instead of wisely saving for the one pen missing in my collection, a Waterman Carène, there I go blowing the budget... Which was already seriously dented by a Pelikan m205 and a couple of Lamy Studios... Soooo... This might take a while to get to me, but since it's a used pen, what would you recommend? 1. Dunk the section overnight, nib and all in water before anything else, to loosen any dried ink? 2. Try to remove the nib and feed first, by pulling it out, and cleaning them separately? It pulls out straight? This is what I would do with most of my pens, but I don't want to break anything. I did break a feed inside a Sonnet section, probably my fountain pen low point. 3. I understand the nib and feed are not easy to disassemble so better leave them well alone? 4. Very specific info: are these pens rather dry or rather wet? I am very particular about how inks come out, so for instance Ama Iro and Ajisai looked terrible (to me) on most (wet) pens, look consistently great with EF Studios, while Tsuyu Kusa really came into its own with a wet Professional Gear. I will definitely stay away from difficult inks which leave crud or sediments, like Rouge Hematite or Équinoxe 6; if you're happy or unhappy with the ink in your 75, please tell me about it. 5. I think this is silver coated? How does one clean that, if needed? 6. Will a modern Pelikan Parker converter work fine with these? Any other tips? Hopefully it won't be too thin for my L glove sized hands, otherwise... I suppose I'd have to give it away, and I'll probably never hear the end of it. Thanks in advance!
-
Maintenance Advice Needed For The Pilot Custom 823 (Greasing Seal)
Heretechnocrat posted a topic in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop
Hello all, I am pondering a possible acquisition of a Pilot Custom 823 and I only have one concern. I have recently become more sensitive to being able to maintain my pens over the length of time I own them. Specifically, I want to be able to address common issues that are likely to emerge for a pen over its operational lifetime. With the Custom 823 and other pens with filling mechanisms that use a seal (viz. piston-fillers), it is likely that the seal will lose its lubrication and cause the operation of the mechanism to become stiff. It happened before with my Lamy 2000 but I was able to unscrew the section and access the interior of the barrel, enabling me to apply a dab of silicon grease to restore full smoothness to the piston seal. As far as I know, pilot does not advise unscrewing the section with the barrel to reach the rod's seal without removing the whole housing from the rear of the pen. I know it is possible to do this, but I am uncertain of the risk that it entails. Based on your experience with the Custom 823 (if any), how difficult is it to lubricate the seal if it causes the mechanism's operation to become stiff? Do I risk serious damage or causing performance issues with the pen if I unscrew the section with the barrel (viz. cracking the resin) to perform this maintenance task? Thank you for reading, I look forward to your responses. -
Interchangeable Parts (Nibs, Sections, Feeds, Caps) Between Models
Addertooth posted a topic in Waterman
I play around with 0552 1/2 V or LEC, 452 1/2 V or LEC, Lady Patricia sized Watermen pens. Is there a table/chart/list which shows interchangeable parts with the older 12 1/2, 32 1/2 (or other 1/2 sized pens)? I am thinking about getting up a modest spares inventory of parts. -
Waterman Gentleman Ink Flow Issue Due To Some Unknown Reasons.
FauzAhmad posted a topic in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop
Hello guys, I picked up this Waterman Gentleman a while a go. It has some issues with the nib. Though the nib looks very fine to me but it writes super dry. it delivers ink only when I apply a little pressure. its a gold nib, in case youre wondering, and its very smooth. I still haven't found any specific angle that it writes fine at. I have serviced the pen a few times but it just doesn't work well. I suspect the problem might be due to its tines having a small gap between them after the breather hole and then joining at the writing tip. ill attach some pictures of the nib and the quality of writing. Also, I think its worth mentioning that if I dip it into some ink, it works well for a few lines. Thank you all so much in advance. Looking forward to receiving your thoughts and opinions!
-
Apologies if my question has already been answered. I did a search and didn't find what I want to know. I have the Sheaffer pictured (I hope) below. I've used it a couple times without problems, but now the filler mechanism has become almost impossible to move. I looked up a couple videos on servicing touchdowns, but none were quite like the one I have with the window. The barrel of others in the videos seemed to unscrew from the feed section easily; mine won't budge and before I try to persuade it further, I thought I'd ask here if anyone knows whether the section and barrel are supposed to come apart on these models. If not, do I merely need to lubricate the metal tube of the mechanism to get it to move again? What questions should I be asking? Thanks in advance for any advice anyone has to offer. Ruth
-
Hello All, I have a CON-70 on a Pilot 742 and it doesn't suck up ink.... It used to work a year ago but I tried it yesterday and nothing. I have taken it apart, gently, and silicon greased the white piston's edges and it seems to move up and down smoothly but it still doesn't work any more. I have more than one CON-70 and know how to fill them. Aside from taking the sleeve off and opening up the main chamber, is there something else I can do or is this it?
-
Hey everybody! I've been a long time user, but first time ever posting anything on FPN. You guys are all great resources. Anyway, I've recently bought a Sailor King of Pen Ebonite (still not here yet), and I wondering what's the best way to maintain the pen so it doesn't discolor or smell, and the usual do's and dont's of having an ebonite pen. Thanks for all your help so far! Katsoccer92
-
Hey everyone! I'm currently in the market for a pen and the Pelikan M605 Translucent White has caught my eye. From what I understand however a white lacquer pen is a hard thing to keep clean. Does anyone have experience with how much of a commitment keeping a white pen white is? EDIT: My main concerns are with staining and yellowing. I've heard that red ink can stain the interior of a demonstrator before and I'm concerned about something similar but on the exterior of a white pen.
-
Hi, I write in English, Korean, Japanese and math, so I've always used Japanese EF nibs (Pilot and Platinum). These nibs being so fine, I've found them also prone to inconsistent flow and gunk that happen to get stuck between the tines. Most of the time flushing the pen in warm water fixes it, but sometimes that's not enough. Of course I turn to the all-knowing Google, but most advices I find (in English, at least) seem to be for much thicker tips. Pressing down on the nib to spread the tines apart sounds like kinda stupid to begin with, and it doesn't work with these EF tips because the nib bends before the tines spread, etc. So I turn to here and seek your wisdom how would you fix inconsistent flow for tips so fine that you can't see the gap when you hold it up to a light? (no puns intended in this entire post!)
-
Hi all, tia for any input you're able to give me. I have a Noodler's Konrad, that I've kind of been through the wringer with, when I got it the nib was disastrously stuck. I ended up smashing the fins on the feed trying to get it out, and needed to order a replacement. Fast forward a year or so, the plunger mechanism(at least I assume that's what it's called- the twisty bit under the cap on the end to draw ink into the body of the pen- excuse my relative noob-ness) is so tight that I feel like I'm going to break it when I ink it up, with how much I have to torque it to get it to turn that first bit. My rather long winded, question is: is this normal, is there a problem with my pen that I've been oblivious to, and is there anything I can do to make the piston turn a bit smoother? Could the tightness in the body/piston of the pen be related to how tight the nib/feed was when I first purchased the pen?
-
Mb 146 Platinum Line - Scratches On The Platinum Part Of The Pen
michael1204 posted a topic in Montblanc
Hello, I just want to explain the problems I had with the pen, and then would like to ask your advice on how to proceed. I bought my MB on October 17, 2017 so it has not even been one month since purchase of the MB pen. At first I experienced babys bottom but when I bought it to the boutique I bought it from they were borderline trying to shoo me away. The babys bottom issue is now resolved after using the pen for a while and learning to write holding the pen with the breathing hole going straight up. However, the experience left a bad taste in my mouth as to how the boutique is so I dont want to go there unless I know I will receive the help I need. If you see the attached photos, there is a rather large scratch. It looks more like a grind of sorts to me. At first I thought it was a rather large finger print, because the whole pen is full of my finger prints, but when I cleaned the pen with the cloth you clean glasses with, I actually discovered, to my dismay, those finger prints were actually scratches. Now I know that this is a rather unnoticeable cosmetic scratch but it has only been one month since I bought this pen. I took good care of my pen, taking care to store it in a clothed environment, that is, inside my breast pockets, inside glass cases(cases you put your glasses in), etc. This is supposed to be platinum! Platinum does not scratch as easily as silver or gold. Theyre much more durable and I have made sure not to expose my pen to a 'dangerous' environment. I also have no idea how such a scratch may have come to be. Would I be able to get service warranty on this? The boutique is a fair distance away so I dont want to make my way over there unless I can get something done.
-
Best Repair And Client Service Ever!
TassoBarbasso posted a topic in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop
I was thinking that it would be a nice idea to share the best examples of repair and client service ever received from a nibmeister or a shop. A lot of people express appreciation for pen specialists while talking about something else (eg: "this pen is really cool, wonderful design, excellent work on the nib done by Richard Binder/John Mottishaw/whoever, really good value for money"). But's let's dedicate a whole thread entirely to celebrating the best among our "pen doctors"! Here's mine: I had an Aurora 85th anniversary that my parents bought to me exactly one year ago as a present for my wedding. The pen is gorgeous but the nib has never been able to write properly. First it started to scratch, then to skip, then it had flow issues that forced me to use it with only one ink with very lubricated flow. In one word: a pain. I sent it back to Aurora, which after three months of useless back and forth sent me back the pen more or less in the same conditions. Then I sent it to a famous nibmeister who worked on the pen but couldn't bring noticeable difference to the way it writes. Eventually, completely exasperated by the whole thing, I took advantage of a journey back to my hometown in Northern Italy to bring the pen to the shop where it was originally bought from, Lazzaroni- gioielli per scrivere, in Brescia (not far from Milan). Maurizio, the manager of the shop, kindly offered to work on the pen for free in his laboratory instead of sending it back to Aurora, which we both knew back then would be pretty much pointless. In just half an hour he pulled out all his tools and skills, smoothened the nib to perfection and managed to finally make the ink flow regular, smooth and pleasant. All this while explaining me how he did it and showing me all the interesting stuff he was working on. I was sincerely impressed by the result and I'm now using the pen on a daily basis without all the unpleasant situations I had until a couple of weeks ago Also, I should mention that Maurizio is one of the kindest persons I've ever encountered in the pen business, always manages to make you feel at ease although his knowledge of the pen world is far beyond your own, as opposed to other pen sellers who tend to have a feeling of superiority towards customers. He really knows how to do his job and how to make you spend a nice time chatting about pens. If you are Italian or happen to visit Italy, I strongly suggest to visit his shop in Brescia. (No affiliation, just a very happy customer and so on and so forth) So... what's your experience of impeccable repair and client service? -
Good Morning Everyone, Sorry if this is covered anywhere else... I haven't found it anywhere in my searches. I have a Vac 700 that is getting stiff to plunge for refills. I'm wondering where exactly I should be applying the grease that came with the pen? Do I pull out the plunger, and lubricate the shaft? Do I need to lubricate the o-ring, and if so, how do I go about doing this? Thanks so much in advance, -Portamenti
-
I am relatively new to the wonderful world of fountain pens and I have a question regarding doing maintenance for a fountain pen with a converter. My jinhao 188 ran out of ink, so before putting more in I cleaned by rinsing the nib and drawing and dumping water with the converter until it ran clear. While I was able to clean the pen, I do notice a little bit of residual water in the converter. Will this dry out if I just let the pen sit and will it affect the pen at all? If so, what should I do? Thank you for any help you can provide.
-
The Ultimate Three Step Pen Polish: A Review
77kath posted a topic in Paper & Pen Paraphernalia Reviews and Articles
I bought this package when TLMG offered a sale and a free cloth. I didn't have anything like this, and I knew I needed something to take care of my pens and an unknown lot arriving from the Bay. It came super fast. I opened it and was impressed by the cloth--it's huge and soft. In this photo, the caps have been opened. They were originally secured by the kind of plastic rings you get on pop bottles. No leaking. The instructions are actually for 2-step. I messaged TLMG who confirmed that indeed step 0 is for taking out scratches. It's slightly abrasive, he said; don't use too much. OK. This is an After photo of my first project. I was so pleased that I posted a message about it on the original thread. TLMG asked me to do a review at this point, and I am happy to do so, because I find this a good product. The test pen is one that came with the unknown lot. It's a beat up old Eversharp that writes very well (the beautiful Sheaffer above, alas, doesn't write at all). I had already cleaned it up with water as far as that would go, but it's still pretty dull. It had some scratches above the thread that were a little annoying, and dings everywhere. I followed the instructions. They are pretty straightforward. Now the pen looks like this. The scratches above the threads are still there, but I hardly notice them. I could do Step 3 again, but this is a pretty old pen, after all. Even the nib cleaned up a bit. I didn't do much with it, because the pen is loaded with about the last bit of my old bottle of Pousserie de Lune, which was getting all over the paper towel I switched to. It's pleasant to feel the polished surface of this restored skin. Wish I had something like it for my own scratches and dings. I really like this product. It doesn't smell like brass cleaner--or like anything, in fact. You use just a drop at a time of each step's product. I used two drops for each pen, because I didn't know whether to count the cap and the body separately, and they were in pretty poor shape to begin with. The bottles are tiny and fit in the last remaining niche in my ink drawer. At a drop at a time, I'll probably never use them up. I have no connection with the company or with TLMG (don't even know his or her real name). They did offer me a box of goodies, but I think I have everything I need. If you don't have a pen polish already, get this one. Kathleen
-
I have an open nib Sheaffer's Snorkel and there is a small crack in the section. So far the crack hasn't had any functional consequenses as would be expected of a snorkel. I was wondering if anyone had advice on how I can prevent the crack from becoming something significant.
-
I recently became the proud owner of a LE pen made by Visconti. However, I was dismayed that I got one of the (seemingly innumerable) pens that slipped passed their QC. I have a gap between the barrel and section - not large, not small - just big enough to be a visual blot on the landscape. You know the deal; a small imperfection that, once noticed, can never be forgotten. My question is: is there a filling material I could apply to fill in the space? Should I take it to a jeweler and see what they say? Should I send it back to Visconti and hope I get it back in the next year? Naturally I recognize it's a small thing but I paid a fair amount of doubloons for this thing, confound it! Any advice and info would be appreciated wholeheartedly. F
-
I am a new to fountain pen and am waiting on a Pilot Metropolitan to arrive. I went ahead and bought cartrdges, and a converter. If I wanted to delve into bottled inks, what would you recommend? I've read that certain inks require more and more frequent maintenance for your pen. Not that that's bad, but maybe not the first choice for a beginner. I both write and sketch, so that might be a factor. Any suggestions on brands of bottled inks and colors for a beginner to try?
-
Hey Pelikan Forum, I picked up my first Pelikan a month or so ago, a gorgeous Souveran M805 in black. I absolutely love it, and It's become my daily writer for my notes in college. Despite keeping it in a pen case while it's not in use, it's picked up some very small and fine scratches. They're actually very difficult to see if the lighting isn't right or if you don't look closely. Although I know and accept that this is a natural occurrence in a daily use pen, I'm afraid that I've always been a perfectionist, and like to keep my belongings in the best possible condition. Does anyone here polish their pens to keep them smooth, shiny, and clean? I'd love to hear the methods you take to achieve this. Also, feel free to share any information regarding caring for Pelikans, as I'd like to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge that's now available to me. My current TLC routine is wiping the pen down at the end of the day with a soft cloth, and flushing it with distilled water around once a month. Thanks so much for your help!
-
Howdy from the high desert. I am a returning fountain pen user with a couple of nice pens and lots of questions. I actually began with a pen and inkwell in 2nd grade at St. Rose of Lima in Chula Vista, CA. Before the end of the 1st semester we were using Schaeffer cartridge fountain pens. I used one all through Junior High School and High School in the '60s. I now have 4 fountain pens, a wooden pen of unknown provenance, a sterling silver Parker, a titanium Cross, and a Libelle - probably some kind of translucent green plastic. I use cartridges in all but the Libelle. Because I have no idea what kind of cartridges might work with it. It was a gift from my now deceased mother and came from her collection with no instructions or accouterments. The Libelle is a fairly fat-bodies pen with a screw on cap. It has a screw-in/out reservoir, which I presume may be removed like the other pens. It is my favorite writing instrument, so I have used about 1/2 bottle of ink in the past month and gotten a fair amount on my fingers, especially as the bottle empties. I have been unable to find any information on the pen online (maintenance/operating instructions etc.) Can anyone tell me if the refillable reservoir is replaceable with cartridges?Perhaps, suggest what type of cartridge might fit in the Libelle pen? Is there any particular method to be used in removing the reservoir?- I really don't want to do any damage to the instrument! I'd rather continue with the permanently stained digits. Thanks,Fran McHughWinslow, AZ
