Vaseline For Pelikan Piston?

[Garageboy]

Just use pure silicone, it's as inert as it comes

[Makar]

With reference to this issue I wondered what members thought of the information provided on page 11 of this silicone producers product catalogue? Stress cracking and plastics

 

I got in touch with Tom Westerich about this issue in particular and he has verified (as many have alluded to) that MB dropped silicone grease use from their pen production. This was because of stress cracking of barrels over a period of time - a 10% return rate of pens displaying stress cracking. It would appear that silicone is not as inert as we all may think? I have elected to use vaseline for now on my MB 'precious resin' aka plastic or PMMA pens.

 

It would be interesting to carry out a few tests, akin to those suggested by the silicone producer on the link provided, on some pen plastics.

Edited April 1, 2011 by Makar

[stefanv]

It would appear that silicon is not as inert as we all may think? I have elected to use vaseline for now on my MB 'precious resin' aka plastic or PMMA pens.

 

Even if it turns out that silicone (not silicon) is not as inert as originally thought, that doesn't automatically make Vaseline any less dangerous than it used to be.

[Makar]

Thanks for your typo corrections stefanV. Nothing said about vaseline being safe - that is still anecdotal to my knowledge - but it does suggest that silicone grease is not as inert as has been promulgated.

[stefanv]

I wasn't suggesting that you implied that Vaseline was safe, but there have been posts that said, in effect, "because silicone grease can cause stress cracks, I will use Vaseline instead."

 

Looking at the report you linked to above, it appears from the chart that many of the greases listed have resulted in NO stress cracks when applied to plastics. So, it's a matter of choosing the right silicone grease.

[Makar]

Looking at the report you linked to above, it appears from the chart that many of the greases listed have resulted in NO stress cracks when applied to plastics. So, it's a matter of choosing the right silicone grease.

 

 

Sure - I can see that point of view. I would much rather use something that's just right for the plastic in question but I certainly don't want to use something that is known to cause problems. It would be great to run some tests on various pen makers plastics with a few lubricant chemicals and see what results show. I am no big fan of vaseline - I have seen what it can do to my hill walking poles - complete seizure! However, for my needs with MB plastic it would seem to be okay.

[Groat]

With reference to this issue I wondered what members thought of the information provided on page 11 of this silicone producers product catalogue? Stress cracking and plastics

 

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it doesn't seem to say anywhere that those lubricants are made of 100% Silicone grease. Maybe they have additives that ensure they work in certain conditions, but the additives can damage plastics.

[mr goldfink]

can someone recommend a brand of pure silicone paste? the ones I see on ebay all seem to have additives...

[PJohnP]

With reference to this issue I wondered what members thought of the information provided on page 11 of this silicone producers product catalogue? Stress cracking and plastics

 

Short version of the discussion on silicone and the catalogue - these are not pure silicone grease but specialty products for very specific applications unrelated to fountain pen materials. This is an extremely complex subject, but again in short, the additives are likely the incompatible materials with these effects, likely hydrocarbon grease materials added for specific viscosity characteristics.

 

Short version of the discussion on vaseline - hydrocarbon lubricants are incompatible with most fountain pen polymers. Vaseline is a hydrocarbon lubricant.

 

 

 

John P.

[coinlvr]

Can I buy this silicone grease in the Home Depot? How can I tell if it is pure or impure? Any thoughts?

[BillH]

Can I buy this silicone grease in the Home Depot? How can I tell if it is pure or impure? Any thoughts?

 

 

Probably easier to order a small container from one of the pen shops online like Anderson or Goulet.

[sirgilbert357]

I've seen the effects of Vaseline on various plastics, and I'll happily stand behind Richard's banner on this question. Frankly, apart from making horrible messes that defy cleaning, I can't think of an actual use for Vaseline. For pens, stick with the silicone.

 

 

Vaseline is great for starting campfires. A standard cotton ball heavily coated in Vaseline and lit under appropriate tinder can get a very cozy campfire going with minimal fuss.

 

Other than that, I agree on both points: I have no other use for the stuff and I'll trust Richard Binder's advice to only use silicone grease. Isn't that what Pelikan themselves recommend anyway? And if you have a binde on your bird, the material of the inner barrel that the piston actually contacts might not be the same PMMA as the outside (section, piston knob, etc)...does anyone know THAT little detail?

[KellyMcJ]

I would do what Montblanc says to do on Montblanc pens- they'll be repairing it if it goes wrong right?

 

And the trusted standard on everything else.

 

Silicone grease is available very cheaply from Goulet, and a little will last a long time. Keep it in the plastic bag that it comes in, because mine leaked all over inside the little ziploc. No big deal, but better in that bag than my drawer! They really stuff the little container full.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Cheeping out is the biggest mistake you can make in fountain pen....often you don't even save a bar beers worth of money. So go to your bar one glass of air late.

[pen lady]

Dive shops also sell silicone grease. That's where I bought mine.

[DrCodfish]

"Notice that 'possibly' has quotes around it. Someone probably decided that all the MB pens with cracks had been lubed with silicone grease, and therefore that was possibly the cause of the problem. Well guess what, all the (probably many more) MB pens without cracks were also lubed with silicone grease. "

 

Good illustration of the often blurred line between correlation and causation.

[sargetalon]

I use the silicone that comes with TWSBI pens. Works great. Definitely not something to cut corners with as putting impure stuff can be disastrous.

[meiers]

I use silicone grease in my piston fillers. And yes they are Montblancs. I am currently looking for a Pelikan. Variety is the spice of life.

Edited July 11, 2017 by meiers

[tamiya]

Vaseline is great for starting campfires. A standard cotton ball heavily coated in Vaseline and lit under appropriate tinder can get a very cozy campfire going with minimal fuss.

So can a ball of steel wool... don't even need to soak in hydrocarbons!

 

Or soak your cottonball in cooking oil... more chance of me carrying that camping than Vaseline

 

Or the last time I had to start a cooking fire outdoors, I had a butane lighter and a can of canola cooking spray... hehehe... can you say FLAMETHROWER!! kindling, that's for girlyscouts

[mitto]

Is the sillicone grease sold by auto spare parts dealers pure?