Teflon Paste For Eyedroppers

[theoneanalog]

Does anybody have experience with using Teflon paste (TFE paste) to seal eyedropper threads? It's rated safe for ABS plastics, of which the Kaweco Sport I'm planning on purchasing is made, but I'm wondering if it might be reactive to any fountain pen inks. I couldn't find any silicone grease or other non-hardening thread compounds at the local hardware store, and this stuff is designed for pipe threads so I imagine it's safe but want to be sure.

[mhosea]

I don't know about Teflon paste, but pure silicone grease is available from many vendors online. I bought a small vial from a pen seller, and then later I bought a larger container from Amazon to be done with buying it for a long, long time. If you really must buy locally, try a dive shop. It's used on o-rings.

Edited January 24, 2013 by mhosea

[FarmBoy]

I would recommend that you do not use teflon paste in pen repair.

 

Todd

[ravantra]

I tried teflon tape on a pen once and it worked in sealing the threads for a while but the ink eventually worked its way past the tape and threads. The pen was a preppy with BSB. Made quite a mess.

[watch_art]

silicon grease from lowe's in the plumbing dept. 100% pure stuff only. It's sticky.

[pokermind]

I have no experience, but teflon itself is very non-reactive and hydrophobic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytetrafluoroethylene), and therefore shouldn't cause you any pen or ink problems. However, I would be concerned about the "paste" composition and wouldn't be comfortable using it without more research.

[watch_art]

The problem with teflon tape is that it makes the section threads effectively thicker and can put stress on the barrel and cause cracks.

But yeah - I don't know about the paste - but why not just use silicon grease? It's only a couple bucks...

[watch_art]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_53861-1366-88693_0__

[viclip]

Back in the day a light coating of "bee's wax" was commonly used to seal up eye droppers. I understand that there are candles made from it, which may be readily available.

[Leftytoo]

Back in the day a light coating of "bee's wax" was commonly used to seal up eye droppers. I understand that there are candles made from it, which may be readily available.

I have and use both beeswax and silicone grease (from a dive shop). They have opposite effects. I prefer the beeswax for sealing threads because it is sticky and prevents threads from opening during use; it acts as a gentle "loc-tite" (grease has the opposite effect). You can get a small stick of pure beeswax on ebay for about $4, and it will last you forever. I think Binder also sells a thread sealant, but have never used it.

Bob

[brahmam]

Instead try RCP. As far as I know, RCP is the best. Don't use teflon or silicon grease - dangerous. Beeswax is also dangerous. Fine particles of wax could clog your feed.

 

http://www.fountainp...32#entry2576432

 

Cheers!

Brahmam

Edited January 25, 2013 by brahmam

[red52ripple]

Instead try RCP. As far as I know, RCP is the best. Don't use teflon or silicon grease - dangerous.

 

What's dangerous about silicone grease?

[brahmam]

Silicone Grease is a lubricant and not a sealant. Therefore, we might inadvertently over-tighten and damage the plastic threads. Plastic threads require leak-proof sealing, not lubrication. I had explained in detail in the link supplied.

Best wishes.

Cheers!

Brahmam

 

Instead try RCP. As far as I know, RCP is the best. Don't use teflon or silicon grease - dangerous.

 

What's dangerous about silicone grease?

[ravantra]

The problem with teflon tape is that it makes the section threads effectively thicker and can put stress on the barrel and cause cracks.

But yeah - I don't know about the paste - but why not just use silicon grease? It's only a couple bucks...

 

Good point watch_art.

 

I only used the tape once and it was "only" a beat up Preppy.

[FarmBoy]

Silicone Grease is a lubricant and not a sealant. Therefore, we might inadvertently over-tighten and damage the plastic threads. Plastic threads require leak-proof sealing, not lubrication. I had explained in detail in the link supplied.

Best wishes.

Cheers!

Brahmam

 

Instead try RCP. As far as I know, RCP is the best. Don't use teflon or silicon grease - dangerous.

 

What's dangerous about silicone grease?

I have no idea what RCP is unless you are shouting to the user to make a remote copy in Unix.

 

Silicon grease makes a fine sealant. It was once called Vacuum Grease by Dow Corning and was used to make air/liquid tight seals where glass to glass/metal joints were required.

[pajaro]

Does anybody have experience with using Teflon paste (TFE paste) to seal eyedropper threads? It's rated safe for ABS plastics, of which the Kaweco Sport I'm planning on purchasing is made, but I'm wondering if it might be reactive to any fountain pen inks. I couldn't find any silicone grease or other non-hardening thread compounds at the local hardware store, and this stuff is designed for pipe threads so I imagine it's safe but want to be sure.

 

Are you anticipating that the Kaweco Sport is going to leak?

 

I would never have touched an eyedropper with a ten foot pole, but someone gave me an inexpensive Noodler's eyedropper, and I inked it and have left it upside-down for years so as to keep ink in contact with the feed. It has never leaked. So, my confidence in the type has grown, if this cheap pen will not leak. No sealant was applied, no silicone, nothing.

 

So, I surmise these pens are fairly good. Would that be right, or do you need to use sealants?

[ravantra]

RCP

Reinforced Concrete Pipe

 

Royal College of Physicians

Really Cool Pen

Rubbermaid Commercial Products

Remote Control Panel

Rules of Civil Procedure

Reflected Ceiling Plan

Rapid Crack Propagation

Right-Hand Circular Polarization

 

???????

[theoneanalog]

Thanks for your input, everybody, but I think I'll try the Teflon paste anyway, for science. I don't think anybody has brought up any chemical issues with it, and the physical issues (re: overtightening or thread deformation) I should be able to handle. I'll let y'all know if anything awful happens to the pen. Kaweco Sports aren't exactly expensive, anyway.

 

Does anybody have experience with using Teflon paste (TFE paste) to seal eyedropper threads? It's rated safe for ABS plastics, of which the Kaweco Sport I'm planning on purchasing is made, but I'm wondering if it might be reactive to any fountain pen inks. I couldn't find any silicone grease or other non-hardening thread compounds at the local hardware store, and this stuff is designed for pipe threads so I imagine it's safe but want to be sure.

 

Are you anticipating that the Kaweco Sport is going to leak?

 

I would never have touched an eyedropper with a ten foot pole, but someone gave me an inexpensive Noodler's eyedropper, and I inked it and have left it upside-down for years so as to keep ink in contact with the feed. It has never leaked. So, my confidence in the type has grown, if this cheap pen will not leak. No sealant was applied, no silicone, nothing.

 

So, I surmise these pens are fairly good. Would that be right, or do you need to use sealants?

 

Eyedropper conversions to the Kaweco usually include some sort of thread sealant or O-rings; Brian Goulet just uses silicone grease while Swisher used to sell eyedroppers with O-rings. I do want to be sure that no ink leaks when I'm using the pen as an EDC.

 

 

RCP

Reinforced Concrete Pipe

 

Royal College of Physicians

Really Cool Pen

Rubbermaid Commercial Products

Remote Control Panel

Rules of Civil Procedure

Reflected Ceiling Plan

Rapid Crack Propagation

Right-Hand Circular Polarization

 

???????

 

He's referring to a rosin/castor oil paste, I believe.

 

@brahmam

I will take account your warnings about thread deterioration. The teflon paste isn't that lubricating, I believe, so I should be fine in that regard.

[viclip]

He's referring to a rosin/castor oil paste, I believe.

 

Rosin/castor oil mixture is both a sealer & an adhesive. It should not be used on an eye dropper due the adhesive property. Otherwise dry heat will need to be applied to remove the section whenever it's time to add ink.

[mhosea]

Eyedropper conversions to the Kaweco usually include some sort of thread sealant or O-rings; Brian Goulet just uses silicone grease while Swisher used to sell eyedroppers with O-rings. I do want to be sure that no ink leaks when I'm using the pen as an EDC.

 

I use both with all my EDs. An o-ring is, IMO, a good way to avoid the temptation to over-tighten. You know you've reached the o-ring well before the threads are tight.