Can Plastic Feeds Be Heat Set?

[Ron Z]

Would this method fix a M800 Pelikan nib with a hard start problem? I have already checked that it's not caused by a baby bottom.

 

I can't say - there are a number of reasons why a pen could be hard starting. If you can slide a piece of paper between the nib and feed, it's a good candidate though.

[s_t_e_v_e]

 

 

I realize this is an old thread, but I thought I would mention that I tried the boiling water method on a plastic feed yesterday, and it worked perfectly.

 

I purchased a food thermometer at the local grocery - the kind with the dial and indicator needle. I also had a pile of purchased plastic feeds - $1.00 each, so I decided I could sacrifice one to science.

 

I boiled a cup of water in the microwave, and waited until the temp had dropped to just above 200°. The feed bent, and after running cold water over it, stayed bent.

 

So, after the experiment, tried it with the actual, expensive pen. My new Pelikan 101N Lizard, which had trouble with a feed placed too far away from the nib and maintaining flow.

 

the adjustment worked fine. And, unlike using a heat gun (which I have done in the past but will now never do again) the feed fins weren't damaged. Pen works great!

 

FPN is always a source for invaluable information. Thanks to all and Ron Z.

 

(BTW, since this is best done in the kitchen, where the microwave and running water are, suggest you pick a time when the wife isn't home... saves a lot of explaining.. )

 

 

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This procedure worked on my Conklin. Thank you all who provided help and suggestions.

 

I did it in the 1/2 bath close to the kitchen when the wife was in the shower. Done and cleaned before she was done

[Ron Z]

As pointed out by one person last year, you need remember that the water is really hot, so don't get your fingers too close to the water. Evidently some people have forgotten this and have dropped their pen in the water, which doesn't turn out so well. Back of the pen, nib and feed only in the water for 30 seconds.

[Benpiggy]

Thank you for the above advise.

 

I took the feed out, dip in boiled water for 60 secs, press the plastic feed and nib together, and viola !

 

I did use a clipper to get the nib out of the hot water, instead of using my fingers.

 

The poor pen has been sitting in the drawer for > 1 year as the nib was too narrow to my liking. Thanks to the above, I have a nice, wet and broad #6 JoWo B nib in a Levenger True Writer Select.

 

Best,

[MidSouthern-Dad]

Reviving this thread again.

I read on an Amazon review that some plastic feeds will soften with rubbing alcohol.  I used 70% isopropyl alcohol.

Tried it on a Wancher wood pen with a #5 JoWo feed.  I had made adjustments to the nib tines and the feed no longer contacted the underside of the nib.  15 seconds of dipping just the feed and nib into alcohol, mild finger pressure on the feed while washing away the alcohol with running water under a faucet.  A perfect “heat set”! 
 

BTW, the little plastic cup on the mouthwash bottle works great for this.  Mouthwash has a high alcohol content.  Thus, that cup is impervious to alcohol.

 

If you try the boiling water method with a Sheaffer No Nonsense feed, the plastic will discolor white.  Attempting use of dry heat led to melting of the feed.  I think that alcohol setting may be the way here.  I have not actually tried this yet.

 

Not all plastic feeds respond to alcohol.  I tried to alcohol set a Lamy Safari feed, which is ABS.  Even after 1 minute in alcohol it didn’t change shape to conform to the nib.  I used hot water out of a kettle, in a coffee mug, for 45 seconds, then with finger pressure on the feed, the new shape was set using cold running water.  Result was a perfect heat set.

 

To summarize, with a plastic feed, try the alcohol first.  If the plastic is not going to respond, then no harm done.  You can then resort to hot water, and “freezing “ the set with cold running water.

[Ron Z]

No, bad idea. I would not use alcohol to set a plastic feed.  Some plastics dissolve in alcohol, or can be damaged by the solvent.  Hot water to set plastic feeds.

[alexwi]

I've never dared to heat set anything (I know it's a matter of time before I do and more of my pens land in @Ron Z's hands), but a while ago I was thinking of using the sous vide (place part in zip bag, place bag in hot water) technique to heat the slightly bent barrel of a parker 45), and now that I'm thinking about it again, something else came to mind...

 

Back in the 80's, my cousin had an eyeglasses store and in that trade, bending plastic is quite common.

 

For this, she had a device that had a tank filled with glass beads that were kept at a constant temperature. She would "immerse" a plastic frame in it for a few minutes and it would come out soft and pliable.

 

I ran a search and could only find one on ebay, since it seems that nowadays they use hot air for this purpose. Here's the link (I put it in archive.org, so it's reachable forever): https://web.archive.org/web/20230828164033/https://www.ebay.com/itm/325781632050

 

Another way to accomplish the same could be to put the beads and a thermometer in a bot and warm that up on the stove until it reaches a certain temperature (someone else will have to indicate what's a good temperature for this).

 

In lieu of beads, I imagine that rice might work. I thought of sand, but that'll definitely scratch plastic.

 

Alex

 

 

 

[Ron Z]

I had a frame warmer back when Richard Binder and I were experimenting with ways to take the packing unit out of Sheaffer pluger fillers safely.  We never found one by the way.  I had a commercial unit with variable temperature, but it was still too hot for celluloid pens.  They didn't burst into flame or smoke, but they did distort.  I found the heating to be uneven, hotter of course in the bottom, and cooler at the top.  I found that it wasn't very useful for pen repair so I quit using it.

 

The hot air frame warmers used now are used on much thicker material (glasses frames) and harder plastics than is used for feeds.  I've melted feeds with hot air - both a heat gun and a hair dryer.  Boiling water provides even heating of the plastic while preventing the feed, especially the corners and other sharp edges from melting and distorting before the thicker parts get hot enough to bend.

 

All that is needed is to immerse the nib and feed (not the section too) for 30 seconds and no more in the boiling water to soften the feed enough press it against the nib.  Hold it for several seconds or chill under cool water.

 

Warning:  The water is boiling and there is steam coming off of the water.  Watch your fingers!  Wear a glove, and hold the nib unit (or pen) back far enough that you don't burn  your fingers.  Folks have forgotten this and dropped their pen into the boiling water with predictable results.

[pen lady]

I use a shot-glass and heat the water up in my microwave to re-set feeds.  The water is shallow enough for just the nib and feed and not the section. Heat resistant rubber gloves are also a ''good thing'' as Mr. Zorn advises.