Search the Community

Hello All - I am new to FPN, but not to discussion forums. I have several problem pens and would appreciate your collective wisdom. I will start with this MB 146 problem. My 146 is from the mid-late 1980s. Bought it new, but then gradually put it and the others away as the world turned digital,and then briefly returned to it and others about four years ago. I did flush it out with water using the piston before putting it away, but apparently not well enough. Recently I tried MB blue black and PR Midnight Blues in the 146. I think I bought both bottles about four years ago. Over its life I have mostly used MB blue black. After finding that the pen skipped occasionally, I decided to try to clear all ink out of it until it flows clean. After rinsing the nib/feed externally, I ran water through it using the feed many times - perhaps 30 so far - letting the pen, piston full of water, sit in a glass of water for three hours at least. After a soak, a plunge produces a mildly inky stream. The piston has become hard to turn during these rinses, and close inspection shows a few tiny specks of ink on the wall of the ink window. My guess i that the specs of ink are contributing to the piston drag, if that is the problem. So, 1) is there a safe way to clean the ink out more thoroughly? Is dilute ammonia okay? Anything better to suggest? 2) Have I damaged the piston? Anything to do? 3) Are either of those inks a potential problem for the 146, assuming I am cleaning regularly and thoroughly? 4) Do I need to remove the feed, feed tube and nib? 5) Anything I have forgotten to ask?