German Ero

[lreiley]

Any ideas of how I can get it to screw back in all the way? Then at least I can fill it by unscrewing the nib.

[whych]

Can you take a pic of the pen with the blind cap on.

Also, does the piston move when you turn the knob?

[lreiley]

Is this what you mean by blind cap? If I take a kabob stick and stick it through the nib hole to push the plunger down toward the other end, then I can twist the broken twisty part into the plunger, and yes the plunger will then move. The picture shows how far the blind cap will twist in. It's the darndest thing.

[whych]

It looks like the piston sleeve has been pushed out of the body.

It needs to look like this (sorry not my pic, but one I found):

 

You now need to gently warm the end of the pen body and then push the piston into the body. Use a mug of warm water round 60 to 70 Celsius to warm the end and push in.

 

Don't use too much heat - the decoration the body is stick on.

[Fountainer]

Interesting. I have a similar Ero, except the clip which looks more like a Pelikan clip in my pen. What is the warming trick? Is there glue to be melted or do you try to expand the barrel temporarily? I have never pulled out the piston and would like to try. Should i try when piston up (filled mode) or down (empty mode)? It's not really necessary for me to disassemble this pen but i have one other that could benefit from this skill and i like tinkering anyway.

I screwed off the nib unit so many times that i got careless doing that and finally lost the small white gasket in to sewer! Now i'm trying to replace it somehow but haven't got perfect result quite yet. I keep trying because i liked the performance of this pen and would use it. I'm cutting some rubber O-rings with a belt hole piercer thing right now...

[whych]

Warming it makes it softens the barrel a bit and easier to push out without cracking it.

 

You can clean the pen out, including any old ink that is on the top end of the seal by soaking the whole pen and working the piston.

 

Like the Pelikan M2xx/4xx/6xx range, the piston doesn't need to come out really, so rather leave it unless the seal has gone. Pushing it out too often will only expand the barrel over time, or it may even crack.

[lreiley]

Whych--am I trying to push the piston sleeve or the piston itself back into the body? Other than the broken piston knob, the rest of the piston seems to be inside the pen. I think I need to take a look at a diagram of all the parts of the pen Once I do this, can I just fill it by unscrewing the nib and shooting ink in from that end with a syringe? This piston seems very delicate. Are all piston fills this problematic, or is this just because piston is plastic. The pen is so pretty otherwise!

[whych]

I screwed off the nib unit so many times that i got careless doing that and finally lost the small white gasket in to sewer! Now i'm trying to replace it somehow but haven't got perfect result quite yet. I keep trying because i liked the performance of this pen and would use it. I'm cutting some rubber O-rings with a belt hole piercer thing right now...

Perhaps this nib will work:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Feder-Senator-fur-Fulfederhalter-1-A-Qualitat-kein-Pelikan/331439820544?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28815%26meid%3D6863529f68564087acd76031dfa9aa43%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D18%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D111574038199

[whych]

Whych--am I trying to push the piston sleeve or the piston itself back into the body? Other than the broken piston knob, the rest of the piston seems to be inside the pen. I think I need to take a look at a diagram of all the parts of the pen Once I do this, can I just fill it by unscrewing the nib and shooting ink in from that end with a syringe? This piston seems very delicate. Are all piston fills this problematic, or is this just because piston is plastic. The pen is so pretty otherwise!

If the blind cap is flush with the top of the sleeve, when you have screwed it down and the piston moves OK, try warming the body and push the whole blind cap and sleeve into the body of the pen.

[jisip]

I love how these pens keep popping out every now and again. A local bookstore over here sells the Ero #1 nibs for a quarter each, but I've never seen the corresponding pen in person. I use them to replace broken third tier pen nibs, and even fitted one to a Duofold Junior when the nib cracked along the breather hole. It wasn't pretty but it worked.

 

Ireiley, hope the pen gets fixed! Worst case you could always use it as an eyedropper.

[amk]

I have two of the marbled Eros, which are great little pens. I also have a pen which looks very like Thomas's pink Ero, but is actually a Senator: I will have to find it and do a detailed comparison (from memory, the clip is different) but I am wondering whether Senator simply rebadged the existing pen when they took over.

 

But i also have a lovely vintage one in a stripy celluloid;

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t411/amk-fpn/ero.jpg

 

Since I can't afford the new Pelikan grey stresemann this year, the Ero will have to do!

 

The piston is different from the plastic threaded one on the later Eros. It's also broken, alas. There is a metal screw thread attached to the piston knob (which I can't manage to get off), and a black plastic shaft that has a metal screw threaded ring at the top end. The plastic has shrunk, or the metal corroded, and consequently the plastic is split. If I try to screw the piston up, the split part is too large to pull back into the piston housing, and threatens to split it. Metal + plastic - not a good mix.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t411/amk-fpn/eropiston.jpg

 

I am thinking I can possibly use the pen as an eyedropper if I can plug the piston knob joint securely. But then I will be putting pressure on the barrel threads, which are not intended to take much use. Is there any way of mending the piston, I wonder - or cannibalising?

[Fountainer]

Warming it makes it softens the barrel a bit and easier to push out without cracking it.

 

You can clean the pen out, including any old ink that is on the top end of the seal by soaking the whole pen and working the piston.

 

Like the Pelikan M2xx/4xx/6xx range, the piston doesn't need to come out really, so rather leave it unless the seal has gone. Pushing it out too often will only expand the barrel over time, or it may even crack.

 

 

Perhaps this nib will work:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Feder-Senator-fur-Fulfederhalter-1-A-Qualitat-kein-Pelikan/331439820544?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28815%26meid%3D6863529f68564087acd76031dfa9aa43%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D18%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D111574038199

 

 

Thanks for the heat treatment advice. The piston is not the best one on earth and i had the will to learn something new, but decided then to obey the old wisdom: "If it's not broken, don't fix it."

 

I go thinking about the new nib unit. I was happy to my grinding work on this nib so i'm not eager to get a whole new nib for the sake of the small lost seal that can be somehow replaced. It's not a bad advice though. I have two other piston filler pen barrels those could benefit of a nib system.

[lreiley]

Thanks, all. I hope to try the heating trick tomorrow and push the piston back in.

Jsip--my dad is from Cavite City. Only been to the PI once over 40 years ago. I had no idea that fountain pens were a big thing in the PI!

[jisip]

I go thinking about the new nib unit. I was happy to my grinding work on this nib so i'm not eager to get a whole new nib for the sake of the small lost seal that can be somehow replaced. It's not a bad advice though. I have two other piston filler pen barrels those could benefit of a nib system.

 

Fountainer -- where's the seal on the Ero nib? Mine don't have any. Is it a regular O-ring?

 

Thanks, all. I hope to try the heating trick tomorrow and push the piston back in.

Jsip--my dad is from Cavite City. Only been to the PI once over 40 years ago. I had no idea that fountain pens were a big thing in the PI!

 

Ireiley -- cool! There's a revival here and more pen and ink brands are coming in/ returning (Sheaffer, Sailor, TWSBI, Bexley, Diamine, Noodler's, Kaweco, Eversharp) aside from those previously available (Parker, Lamy, Pelikan, MB). The local FP enablers group has around 250 members and hold monthly meets. Unfortunately it's still a hassle to get pens outside Metro Manila as the stores are concentrated there. Thank goodness for international shipping.

[Fountainer]

 

Fountainer -- where's the seal on the Ero nib? Mine don't have any. Is it a regular O-ring?

 

It's visible in the link that Whych gave. It's the whitish ring next to threads of the nib unit. It may come off with the nib unit when unscrewing or possibly stays in the pen barrel. In any case, it should be taken care when cleaning the pen. I lost it as i told and had to make few attempts to replace it. The latest one actually works well, i made it from a piece of hot glue.

 

Perhaps this nib will work:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Feder-Senator-fur-Fulfederhalter-1-A-Qualitat-kein-Pelikan/331439820544?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28815%26meid%3D6863529f68564087acd76031dfa9aa43%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D18%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D111574038199

[lreiley]

Update on the Ero--still can't get the sleeve (?) to push back in the barrel, but I put ink in through the hole where the nib screws out, and it writes beautifully! A nice wet thin line. Perfect for grading.

I tried warming the barrel over steamy water, but the sleeve would not budge. How long should I warm it? Now I really want a German pen like this that has a sturdier piston or different filling system. Suggestions?

[mhguda]

Try the WW II era German piston fillers offered by Lexaf for a while - he's a fellow member here, or catch him on fpgeeks with the same handle. Those are not the same but they are vintage piston fillers too. No screw-in nibs though.

For a modern, inexpensive piston filler, you could do worse than the Indian pens offered by Asapens.in. The usual disclaimers apply, I have several of the Oliver Exam school pens and they work very well. Their nibs are friction fit but can be relatively easily adjusted or even taken out. Chances are that won't even be necessary.

[jisip]

It's visible in the link that Whych gave. It's the whitish ring next to threads of the nib unit. It may come off with the nib unit when unscrewing or possibly stays in the pen barrel. In any case, it should be taken care when cleaning the pen. I lost it as i told and had to make few attempts to replace it. The latest one actually works well, i made it from a piece of hot glue.

 

 

Oooh. I thought that was just a different coloured part of the nib. Weird, mine don't have the ring. Since you're looking for a replacement I assume the pen leaks without?

 

http://media.jonathanslife.com/albums/pen-mania/JDGIsip_45027.JPG

[Fountainer]

 

Since you're looking for a replacement I assume the pen leaks without?

 

Yes. The ink collector in the feed is not huge. Without a good seal it gets flooded soon and starts to blot badly. I don't know about Ero's production, maybe there are models without seals. Other fountain pens i have don't seem to have these sealing rings.

[Bo Bo Olson]

German piston pens depend on what your budget is and where it is they have to mail it too.

 

Could almost call this one, semi-vintage....almost.

There is two for €5 'Reform'* 1745's on German Ebay.. A long posting, thin pen. Good regular flex nib for the money...gold wash...so will evaporate in the air....but just scrub it with a tooth brush and it will be shinny steel. Can't beat it for the price....was a German school pen once. Have one still, sent two to my godchild.

Now made in China, the caps and the bodies sent in different boxes to Germany to be "made" there.

 

Vintage....why screw around with lousy modern nibs, when you can get a lively nib...semi-flex for lots less.

Geha school pen buy for @ €12 on German Ebay...not the rip off of $85 in US Ebay. It has a nice regular flex nib like a Pelikan 120.

 

The 790 is a great buy at if vastly lucky €19....but mostly now €30-35...has a semi-flex nib.Has three ring cap.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B6FmHUwBWkKGrHqEOKiMEyVVGG6IBMwIK6RCg_12-1.jpg

Do not buy the Geha cartridge pens...after Pelikan bought them up, they stopped making the cartridges. Can use a Lamy cartridge backwards.

Pelikan 140 is unless it's got a D/manifold/nail nib, semi-flex but they are going from if lucky €50, more than likely 70-90.

Please read my signature.

 

* Reform....Not to be confused with when this company was a top pen mid-late '50s and before. Refusing to make a lesser pen he closed his factory. Sold it and his name a few years later, and that company made lesser Reforms...Including the 1745, that is now made in China after Mulschner(sp) of Heidelberg went bankrupt, and the machinery was bought up.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Bo Bo Olson