New Hemisphere With Flow Issues

[MartinPhilipson]

Hello!

 

I'm new on FPN, and mostly new to fountain pens. I've used cheap pens, but nothing more serious until now.

 

I have just bought a new Waterman Hemisphere, but I immediately found it has some flow problems. Specifically, it is a hard starter, the first letter of a word is usually missing. Not exactly every word, but always the first word when I start writing. It can also skip in the middle of a line, though this is more uncommon.

 

I have already googled a bit, and I have read this topic on FPN:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/259353-hemisphere-flow-issue/

 

 

I know enough to keep it capped when not using it, so I don't think it is because of ink drying.

I have tried washing it, first with water, and then with water and a drop of dishwashing liquid (and then more water afterwards to remove dishwashing liquid), but it hasn't helped.

I use a converter filled with Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite ink, could this ink be at fault?

 

Finally, I live in Sweden and bought the pen online. I have absolutely no idea where to find someone to look at or fix my pen in Sweden, fountain pens seems to be unknown here. So I very much hope that this is not "baby's bottom", because if it is I don't know what to do about it.

How do I diagnose the problem?

[RMN]

First some "diagnostic questions" ...

 

 

No, scratch that, first: welcome to FPN

 

Second the questions.

 

1: You said the pen was new. Did you flush it before first use?

2: Cartridge or converter?

3: Right at the beginning of writing, or only after about half a page?

4. Did you look at the nib with a loupe? If so, where the tines looking even?

 

D.ick

[MartinPhilipson]

First some "diagnostic questions" ...

 

 

No, scratch that, first: welcome to FPN

 

Second the questions.

 

1: You said the pen was new. Did you flush it before first use?

2: Cartridge or converter?

3: Right at the beginning of writing, or only after about half a page?

4. Did you look at the nib with a loupe? If so, where the tines looking even?

 

D.ick

Thank you

 

I did flush it with water, and later flushed it with water and a drop of dishwashing soap, then clean water.

I use a converter, from Waterman, I got the option of buying it with the pen.

More in the beginning of writing than later, and more in the beginning of a word, but it can also skip later.

I don't have a loupe I'm afraid, but it seems I should get one. What level of magnifying would be needed?

[RMN]

Ok, you did good on the flush.

 

I actually am not sure which loupe is best. I have a few magnifiers around which help, and I have a magnifier (from Eschenbach) that I can clip to my glasses which says 4x.

Some people use a jewellers loupe you can clamp over your eye, some one of these small folding things. Do a search on loupes/magnifiers, there have been topics about them.

For checking on a nib any magnification helps, of course.

You should check for baby bottom, uneven tines and too narrow or too wide slit.

 

Try your pen with a Waterman cartridge with blue/blueblack or black ink. These inks are well behaved. (by the way which ink do you use now??)

Chances are your problem is the converter. If the pen works fine with the cartridge, your converter is the culprit. If the problem stays, check on the nib.

Converters often get airbubbles which prevent a good inkflow. There are some tricks against this, like a metal part in the converter (small ball-bearing or a small piece of ballpoint spring)

 

Oh, you asked about a pendealer in Sweden. There is Niklas Dahl of Nordic Pen Imports (NPISE) who is a member here. I don't know where he is located, and if he also has a fysical shop. He does have a webshop. You'll see some of his topics in Market Watch. Don't know any shops in Sweden. I know a place in Oslo, but not in Sweden.

 

Hope this helps.

 

D.ick

[Left FPN]

I would certainly try another ink...Watermans own to start with. Did it not come with one or two cartridges.

 

You do not say what size the nib is.

 

Don't mess with it if you intend returning it.

 

You could post it to NRW for them to sort out but you will have to ship it secure and tracked which obviously costs.

[MartinPhilipson]

The nib is a size M. It's rather wet when the ink is flowing!

 

The pen did come with a cartridge, I haven't tried it yet but I will. If the converter is at fault, how is that fixed? Buy another converter?

I did not really understand what you, RMN, wrote about tricks against air bubbles. Did you mean that I should insert something into the converter?

[RMN]

Yes, insert something in the converter. Some brands of converter already do that.

Montblanc has a spring-coil, but the changed the form of the converter, making it unsuitable for other brands.

The Monteverde mini converter comes with a little ball, as does the -proprietary- cheap version of the Parker converter.

You can unscrew the piston end of the Waterman converters (the metal cap there) and insert something.

Also some members draw up a soapy solution, empty that but do not rinse. The sop residue will alter adhesion to the converter-wall. I have not tried that.

 

Other possibility, if your cartridge works fine, is just keep using carts and refill them with the ink of your choice. You would need a syringe and a (blunt) needle for that, both to flush the empty cartridge and to refill it.

 

D.ick

[MartinPhilipson]

The pen might actually write worse with the cartridge of Waterman ink, compared to the Pelikan ink I had in the converter

But I have sent a message to Niklas Dahl, to ask if he knows someone in Sweden who could take a look at it.

[Left FPN]

How much would it cost you to send it to Waterman UK. Talk with them.

 

Global SAS Consumer Service Representative
NEWELL RUBBERMAID
Parker Rotring Waterman Service After Sales
Email :SAS.UK@newellco.com
Opening hours: from 8 am to 4.30pm

Phone numbers: 020 30276892 and 020 30276893
Fax number: 020 302 76894

[Katana Paul]

Hi guys

 

I'm having similar issues with (what was) a brand new Hemisphere. It was so bad with the Waterman ink I was using that I ditched it in a drawer for a year or two and went back to the Laureat I was using beforehand. However, I've whipped it out again in the past fortnight to see if I can sort it out. Its has a good soak and flush with warm water to remove any ink deposits from the converter, collector, feed and tines. I thought I'd cracked it with a fill of MB Daniel Defoe special edition which arrived with my Christmas present. It wrote beautifully to begin with but having refilled it this week it's writing like it's permanently running out of ink - skipping like crazy and dry as anything.

 

I note the back of the converter is a little difficult to twist when filling. Maybe that's the cheapest place to start?

 

Thanks for any ideas and advice. I'll get the loop out too...

[domnortheast]

Hello,

I've been a happy Hemisphere user on a daily basis for many years. Mine has had hard start and skipping problems from time to time and these have (as far as I can tell) been caused by the nib getting blocked (with fluff or paper fibres) which I have always cleared by pulling the nib and feed out and giving them a good wash - they are only a push fit in.

 

As your pen is new though, it would be more advisable, as Force, has suggested to send it off to Waterman UK, along with a note explaining what the issue is you are having, for them to sort out. I imagine they will either replace the nib or converter or send a replacement. Perhaps a call or email to them first to ask what the procedure is.

 

Dom

[Katana Paul]

Thanks Dom - now I know the nib and feed is a push fit I might well pull it all out and see what's what. The 'running out' of ink experience makes me wonder if it's an air bubble issue.

 

Time for some 'surgery'...

[Bookman]

I recently bought a Hemisphere as a gift. Before actually passing it along to the giftee I tested it and found the flow to be rather dry. I like a wet-ish nib or at least slightly-wetter-than-average, and I wanted to give my friend a pen with that kind of flow. I confess I didn't write more than a line or two: once I realized there was a flow problem I took the next step, the standard new-pen flush. I augment the standard new-pen flush with a drop of Dawn liquid (for its grease-cutting ability; I can't vouch for this procedure if another dish soap is used) in the glass of water and a soft-bristled toothbrush to get into all the nooks and crannies.

 

When I tested it again I was miffed because the flow wasn't much better. The idea of cleaning it a second time—but vigorously this time—seemed a better solution than graduating to tine adjustment or sending the pen in for warranty work or replacement. And so I pulled the nib and feed out and scrubbed each piece with Dawn-soapy water and the toothbrush. I even put a drop of Dawn on the corner of a .002 brass shim and flossed the tines with it, running the shim from one end to the other several times, in effect scrubbing between the tines with soap, not trusting the toothbrush to have gotten in there. I then took a rolled-up corner of a shop towel, dipped it in the soapy water, and did the best I could to scrub inside the section.

 

After a thorough rinse I tested it a third time. Success! The pen finally had the flow I was looking for.

 

I don't know if this helps.

 

(Edit to add: I used Waterman Serenity Blue for my flow tests.)

Edited January 18, 2015 by Bookman

[Katana Paul]

Hi Bookman - it sounds like a good scrub and degrease is in order. No idea what Dawn is but suspect any liquid detergent would have a similar effect when agitated with a soft toothbrush. No 2thou brass shim to hand either so I'll some tinfoil from the kitchen - the thicker stuff my wife used for the Christmas turkey!

 

I'll post back any helpful results later.

 

Edited to address the correct FPN member!

Edited January 18, 2015 by Katana Paul

[Bookman]

Hi Bookman - it sounds like a good scrub and degrease is in order. No idea what Dawn is but suspect any liquid detergent would have a similar effect when agitated with a soft toothbrush. No 2thou brass shim to hand either so I'll some tinfoil from the kitchen - the thicker stuff my wife used for the Christmas turkey!

 

I'll post back any helpful results later.

 

Edited to address the correct FPN member!

 

Hello Katana Paul. Dawn dish soap is a product that sells in stores in America right alongside other dish soaps. But, after an oil spill in the ocean or some waterway in this country, that same dish soap is the cleaner of choice for animal rescuers when cleaning the oil off animals, mostly waterfowl. Anecdotally, Dawn has a wide reputation for cutting grease better than other dish soaps. That's also my own experience. (The secret ingredient turns out be …… petroleum!) I'm providing a link to a National Public Radio story on Dawn dish soap and oil spills.

Edited January 19, 2015 by Bookman