Any Alternatives To Montblanc Bubble Gum Sealant

[macball]

What is the problem with using GE Silicone II (neutral cure) clear silicone as a sealant? I have been using it for years as a replacement for MB pink sealant. A very small amount prevents leaks and does not act as an adhesive so that parts can be easily taken apart again.

[storyteller]

You might have answered your question.

 

If you have used it for years, if it works, if you can easily dismantle sealed parts without damage and it has not had any detrimental effects on the resin then there is nothing wrong with it. Up till now that is.

 

The thorny and eventually conflictual issue concerns long term effects. What is going to happen in 15, 20 or more years to a pen serviced with Vaseline, silicone, 'pink bubble gum,' beeswax etc?

 

The answer is no-one really knows for sure except for those who have successfully maintained their pens without deterioration for this duration. Everyone would like to help and no-one wants to make a mistake, for obvious reasons.

 

For example the 'pink bubble gum' has had no effect on my pen over the 25+ years it's been in there. If I service my pen, I now personally replace it with beeswax, but I do not know for sure what this will be like in 25 years from now, nor even if the beeswax seal will last that long.... I might not last that long.

 

We lack information concerning the exact formulation of Montblanc 'precious resin,' the exact composition of the piston seal etc. What do Montblanc use for the lubrication and sealing of their pens? Do we have access to what they use? Have they noticed long-term problems with some interactions? For the most part, they keep quiet on these subjects.

 

What I like on this forum (amongst other things) is the possibility of benefiting from the shared experience of members. I do not always agree with everyone but I always appreciate everyone's input.

 

Ultimately, only I am responsible for my pens and that includes deciding to send them back to the manufacturer for servicing or not.

 

I try not to forget that at the end of the day, my goal (when using all these damn fountain pens), is to benefit from maximum pleasure for minimum hassle.

[siamackz]

 

Just to keep this thread and information updated...

 

I have used Fountainbel's piston tool on my Montblanc pens for many years now, with absolutely no problems. Thank you Francis.

 

However, I have only just plucked up enough courage to tackle the nib unit on my 149 (18K from the late 1980s with a split ebonite feed). It has been in use almost constantly since I purchased it new and has been fed a very varied diet of inks including iron gall and some other reputedly dodgy inks......

 

Much to my surprise it unscrewed with only the slightest of pressure exerted on the tool and was removed together with the bubble gum sealant without further ado. Quite boring actually after all the horror stories I had read about. I even had a spare barrel and section standing by, just in case (thanks here to Sue and Tom at Penboard). The tool left no mark on the nib/feed housing notches either, a feat some professionals cannot guarantee.

 

Anyway, the only problem remaining was how to re-assemble the pen after inspection and cleaning. Should I bid on eBay for more of the pink bubble gum and risk having a more difficult removal in the future, or should I opt for something a little more "sustainable."

 

I opted for the "improved" beeswax formula that Fountainbel outlined in this thread. Getting the right consistency is crucial - it has to be solid enough at normal temperatures but soft enough to be used as a thread locker/sealer. As a starting point, I used 1 teaspoon of 100% pharmaceutical grade liquid paraffin mixed into 1 tablespoon of liquefied ("au bain marie") beeswax pellets. I let the mixture cool and it was right first time.... second bit of luck..... As you can imagine, your mileage may vary depending on your ingredients and you have to be careful to only apply it where it is needed....

 

However it works.

 

Screwed only finger tight!

 

I should also point out that I use the "Vaseline" (actually, in France, I use 100% pharmaceutical grade petroleum jelly) ritual for lubricating the piston.

 

For information, the pen showed absolutely no signs of deterioration or residue, neither to the barrel, nor to the seal, nor to the ebonite of the feed where it joins the ink reservoir. I rinse the pen frequently, once a week (every fill), but it would appear that the all iron gall ink (and petroleum jelly) that I have used has had no ill-effect on the pen.

 

Prior to my first intervention on the piston, I had noticed a spot of corrosion on the brass mechanism behind the seal; this has never occurred a second time.

 

Thank you again Francis

I melted some beeswax, and made a formula of 1:3 beeswax and olive oil as read on many online DIY tutorials. While its hot and still liquid I poured it over the nib collar. But the thing is that it solidifies as soon as it comes in contact with anything!

 

So, my questions are

1. Should I adjust the wax:oil ratio so that the formula remains a semi liquid solid state always?

2. Do you put the wax on the collar threads or somewhere else l, just like one would put silicone grease on say Pelikan nib collar threads?

 

The reason I am asking is because I tried putting the solidified formula on the threads and I reassembled and inked the pen, but it leaked from the section.

 

Thanks!

Edited October 8, 2017 by siamackz

[storyteller]

It is rather difficult to be of much help on a practical level. We all have to use common sense as a guide when actually doing something without a perfect recipe.

 

The beeswax/paraffin paste that I made cooled down to a thick shoe polish or window putty consistency. It did not make tightening the section difficult.

 

If the sealant is too thick - forcing the section to seat properly on the threads could lead to cracking. Too thin and there would be no seal....

 

I had a bit of luck.

 

For once

[orepenfanatic]

My first post on FPN! My accolades and thanks to all who contribute to FPN forums...I have learned so much from the experience of others, and I hope what I'm able to share helps out someone else.

 

I replaced the fine nib that came with my Meisterstück 149 with a used medium nib I found on eBay. I found the actual nib replacement process to be quite easy. The only problem I encountered with the whole process was keeping the nib assembly from working itself loose and having to constantly retighten the nib assembly because I used silicone seal. As an alternative, I tried using the 50% beeswax and 50% paraffin oil sealer as suggested by another member, but that mixture also failed to keep the nib assembly from unscrewing and loosening from the body of the pen while in use. Further, I was unable to find the sweet spot with either sealing method where I could snug down the nib assembly and it would stay in place while in use. Based on commentary from other members, I didn't overtighten the nib assembly for fear of splitting the thin plastic sleeve that contains the threads for the cap to screw on. As I was getting frustrated with not being able to use my pen, I started experimenting, and found a solution that fully seals the nib assembly (no leaking ink) that acts like the pink seal used by Montblanc (semi-adhesive) and it releases with minimal torque on the nib assembly when uncrewing it...clear liquid latex from Amazon (I used Mehron)...it goes on fairly thick, the excess wipes off easily, and voila, you basically have the Montblanc pink sealer in clear form. After applying I lightly warmed up the nib assembly with a blow dryer, then let it set overnight, and not a leak (or any loosening) while in use since. Liquid latex is fairly inexpensive, and it's only permanent on porous surfaces.

 

One last note: prior to sealing the nib assembly with latex, I suggest using a small brush to apply a very, very thin layer of silicone wherever latex is going to come in contact with any plastic parts...I'm fairly certain the light coat of silicone under the latex keeps from having to apply too much torque (and possibly damaging the nib housing itself) when removing the housing from the body of the pen).

[ljmudit]

Thank you all for sharing tips on resealing the nib unit.

 

Just a noob question - do you apply beeswax/silicon grease/bubblegum sealant just on the threads or on the entire nib collar including the threads before screwing it back in?

[FarmBoy]

Thank you all for sharing tips on resealing the nib unit.

 

Just a noob question - do you apply beeswax/silicon grease/bubblegum sealant just on the threads or on the entire nib collar including the threads before screwing it back in?

 

MB felt it necessary to put it everywhere.

[ljmudit]

I managed to shut off the leakage using the silicon grease I received with my TWSBI Eco package

 

Applied generously on the threads of the nib unit, over the nib unit itself and on the lip of the barrel where the unit screws into. Tightened the entire nib assembly using the tool I recently managed to acquire from Mr Dale Beebe (https://pentooling.com/).

Edited January 29, 2020 by ljmudit

[Ron Z]

Be very careful if using silicone grease. Its a lubricant, not a sealant, so it is possible to to easily over tighten the parts. The section that you see, and the collar that holds the nib, both, are rather fragile and can break more easily than you expect. I wouldn't, and don't use it. A rosin based thread sealant, or a very low shear strength silicone compound would be better.

[Bibliophage]

Be very careful if using silicone grease. Its a lubricant, not a sealant, so it is possible to to easily over tighten the parts. The section that you see, and the collar that holds the nib, both, are rather fragile and can break more easily than you expect. I wouldn't, and don't use it. A rosin based thread sealant, or a very low shear strength silicone compound would be better.

+1

[ljmudit]

Be very careful if using silicone grease. Its a lubricant, not a sealant, so it is possible to to easily over tighten the parts. The section that you see, and the collar that holds the nib, both, are rather fragile and can break more easily than you expect. I wouldn't, and don't use it. A rosin based thread sealant, or a very low shear strength silicone compound would be better.

 

Thank you for the advice sir.

 

Silicon grease was easily accessible to me so I thought I should experiment with it first, before moving on to beeswax and/or other mixtures. Idea was just to eliminate the leakage and keep it easily unscrewable for future. I made sure to screw everything back in with minimal pressure.

[Erik Dalton]

Seems we never tire of this subject. Lots of good and original thoughts here. I’m convinced that eventually we will find the right sealant.

[Ron Z]

Seems we never tire of this subject. Lots of good and original thoughts here. I’m convinced that eventually we will find the right sealant.

I already have.

[FredRydr]

I already have.

 

But is it PINK?

[Ron Z]

 

But is it PINK?

Who cares?

[FredRydr]

Who cares?

 

Certainly not me, but I suspect that's why this thread goes on and on.

[Erik Dalton]

Ron, I’ve used your sealant, and its great. But talking about what others have experimented with is not a slap against you or your products. Its a learning experience. Part of the creativity that makes this place special..

[JCC123]

I have a noob question. I know that Montblanc uses a special seal for the nib. Do they also use one on the other end, the piston side? I was thinking about lubing the piston as it's getting difficult to move it but I don't want to do that myself if it's sealed by Montblanc. Thanks.

[Dione]

1 hour ago, JCC123 said:

I have a noob question. I know that Montblanc uses a special seal for the nib. Do they also use one on the other end, the piston side? I was thinking about lubing the piston as it's getting difficult to move it but I don't want to do that myself if it's sealed by Montblanc. Thanks.

As far as I know Montblanc only use sealant on the nib collar, not on the piston. I've unscrewed a piston with a piston tool bought on ebay. The main points are to not forget to screw down the cone next to  the tool before turning the tool so the tool doesn't slip out and gouge your pen and working out a way of getting the piston back in so that you can fill it with somewhere near the original amount of ink.

[Ron Z]

The seal at the piston end is the piston seal....  Nothing is used on the threads to seal.  Indeed, to try would be futile since the spindle and grip knob have to be free to move, so if enough ink got past the piston seal it would leak through the thread bushing and out around the grip knob.  When we see ink there, it's a sure sign that the piston seal is failing or has failed.

 

The stiff grip knob is  caused by a dry piston seal, which should be lubricated. The discussion of which will open up a whole different can of worms.