Waterman Cartridges And Converters

[Wandering Man]

 

OK. looking at the second picture: Where did it leak? At the point where it is in the section (grip part) of the pen? Or at the shiny end just above the black knurled turning knob?

 

If the latter: That shiny end can be unscrewed. But it may be glued to the clear plastic (NOT glass) Or it may be sticky because of ink residue. So perhaps heating it up to soften the glue and then gripping it in a rubber covered vise to unscrew it. Then you can clean the piston and apply just a pinprick of silicon grease and put it all together.

 

The clear hard plastic can get static, and airbubbles can cling to the sides, thus prohibiting free flow (Cohesion and adhesion working). In cartridges a small ball (that locks the new cart) rolls around and breaks up the bubbles, besides that plastic doesn't get as much static. It's the reason I am not fond of these type of converters. I prefer the older squeeze converters.

 

 

D.ick

 

The end of the converter is open, so the ink got past the piston seal and flowed out of the top of the converter after I'd left the pen on the pen stand, cap-side & nib-side up.

 

I had hoped that the metal piece would unscrew, but I think are right about it being glued. I managed to get the silicon grease down into the back side of the converter when I screwed the piston down. I've worked it up and down a bit, and after two days of writing and standing with the nib pointing up, I've not had any problems.

 

 

The picture above shows the top of the screw sticking out of the top of the converter. The white toothpick is just for contrast and to show where there is a gap.

 

Regarding "a pinprick" of grease ... I'm afraid I packed it in there pretty good. The piston was hard to screw, and it goes up and down much easier now, which was a secondary goal once I figured out that I had access to the screw.

 

So, what are the unintended consequenses going to be now that the back of the cartridge has a nice gob of silicon grease?

[RMN]

 

The end of the converter is open, so the ink got past the piston seal and flowed out of the top of the converter after I'd left the pen on the pen stand, cap-side & nib-side up.

 

I had hoped that the metal piece would unscrew, but I think are right about it being glued. I managed to get the silicon grease down into the back side of the converter when I screwed the piston down. I've worked it up and down a bit, and after two days of writing and standing with the nib pointing up, I've not had any problems.

 

 

The picture above shows the top of the screw sticking out of the top of the converter. The white toothpick is just for contrast and to show where there is a gap.

 

Regarding "a pinprick" of grease ... I'm afraid I packed it in there pretty good. The piston was hard to screw, and it goes up and down much easier now, which was a secondary goal once I figured out that I had access to the screw.

 

So, what are the unintended consequenses going to be now that the back of the cartridge has a nice gob of silicon grease?

 

What cartridge? Or did you mean the converter?

 

Did you apply the "grease" by the route the toothpick is occupating now?

 

 

If you can't unscrew the metal sleeve, you could apply the Silicon grease through the mouth of the converter on the top of the toothpick.

 

Depending on the type of grease you used, and the amount, a glob in the converter could come loose and get into the feed of your pen, producing clogging.

 

 

 

D.ick

[Wandering Man]

 

What cartridge? Or did you mean the converter?

 

Did you apply the "grease" by the route the toothpick is occupating now?

 

 

If you can't unscrew the metal sleeve, you could apply the Silicon grease through the mouth of the converter on the top of the toothpick.

 

Depending on the type of grease you used, and the amount, a glob in the converter could come loose and get into the feed of your pen, producing clogging.

 

 

 

D.ick

 

 

Yes, the converter. Yes, that is the access point I used. It's been several days and there is no leak. Hopefully since the silicon grease is in the backside of the converter it won't migrate past the seal and into the ink. If it does, well it's been fun while it lasted.

[RedRinger]

I recently had a lovely exchange (and actual exchange of cartridges!) with eharriett -- I had a box of "courtes" (~52 mm) that fit his pen, and he had a box of "longues" (65 mm) for mine, and now we have the cartridges for our respective pens.

I did purchase another glass cartridge-taking pen recently and discovered to my horror a THIRD size, 80 mm. Pictures attached of my two pens that take 65 mm, the new pen that takes 80 mm, and a couple boxes of the "longues" No 22 that are 65 mm.

 

Matt

 

 

In the first picture, from left:

65 mm cartridge holder and cartridge, the "Waterman a Super Cartouche" with its 80 mm cartridge, then on the other side of the ruler two pens that take the 65 mm cartridges, and a pack of cartridges with from the box above it.

The last photo shows an ad for the "Super Cartouche" (ad from 1954)

 

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2020 by RedRinger

[pajaro]

I have often put tiny bits of silicon grease into a piston converter by careful use of the grease on the end of a toothpick. Once in I smeared over the inside and worked the piston.

[kpembo]

I have a Waterman Executive fountain pen that I recently bought.  The seller described it as NOS, but it appears used (signs of buildup in the section where you insert the cartridge, and a scratch on the cap) and came with a modern, long Waterman cartridge (same cartridge I use in my Expert 3).  The cartridge appears too big to fit, and did not seem to advance with normal pressure. I used a micrometer to measure the outside diameter of the cartridge and the inside diameter of the pen. The diameters are 6.2 mm and 5.8 mm respectively.  I contacted the seller, and he said "it should be correct cartridge please push in as hard as you can, don't be afraid."  It's not my nature to push that hard on expensive small items that don't appear that sturdy.  Does the advice make sense?  

[chromantic]

I just got a Lady Charlotte. It was delivered to work so I took in a Montblanc cartridge to ink it for immediately use. Cart pooped onto section firmly but butt-end was too big to go into barrel. Carefully sealed cart with shipping tape (Corn Poppy Red, so didn't want to waste it.) Tried a non-MB cart when I got home, same thing.

 

Thought I had a Kaweco squeeze converter somewhere, didn't find that but did find 3 little push/pull piston converters, no markings but maybe generic for Kaweco? Probably got them off ebay back when I bought some Sports.

 

Converter snapped on tight, not sure if it's locked on nipple on just into section but seal seems secure (no leaks so far). Tested 1st, the converter fits perfectly into the barrel fully-extended, yay.

 

Used a syringe to transfer the ink from cart to the converter; it holds 2/3 - 3/4 of the cart; stored cart in sample vial to preserve the last little bit.

[gianlorenzo]

Hello folks...! What about the current Pelikan converter, would it fit older Watermans (I mean the Gentleman). I have several old converters which fit but I am wondering if anybody actually tested Pelikan and other converters with this model. Thanks! 

[txomsy]

Haven't tested it on a Waterman but it should work. I used both for my old Montblancs whose converter (not the modern threaded one) is no longer made.

[gianlorenzo]

18 hours ago, txomsy said:

Haven't tested it on a Waterman but it should work. I used both for my old Montblancs whose converter (not the modern threaded one) is no longer made.

Thanks for posting but I really need advice from someone who actually tried it out on a Waterman Gentleman pen. The reason is that Waterman has its own converter and everybody says that Watermans are not compatible with other brands' converters. But the Pelikan looks so similar to the Waterman that I just wanted to double check with someone who actually tested it. Cheers! 

[txomsy]

I think the incompatibility comes from the diameter of the hole in the mouth of the converter, which is the same in Waterman, Pelikan and old Montblanc (and may be Faber-Castell). So in principle any of the them should work on the others. But you are absolutely right that there is nothing like first-hand experience.

[donnweinberg]

I just found out through experience that the old Waterman C/F aerometric converter fits the Waterman Edson FP perfectly.  

 

On eBay, I purchased a ruby-red Edson FP, which arrived and had the Waterman converter that goes with the Edson, but the converter was not in the pen.  I left positive feedback to the seller, as the pen was relatively clean and looked nice.  I inserted the included converter into the section without any problem, but the barrel didn’t come close to screwing onto the section; the barrel’s threads didn’t get close to the section’s threads.

 

I looked inside the barrel with a light, and I compared that view with the view inside the barrel of an Emerald Green Edson without the described problem.  The ruby Edson’s barrel had something extra deep inside, near the barrel bottom — a small metallic ring inside the standard metallic ring.  That smaller metallic ring was blocking the converter (as it did the modern, large cartridge when I tried that).  I was unable to remove that extra ring, which somehow previously must have been lodged there.

 

I have many of the older C/F fountain pens and several of the C/F converters (and the C/F cartridges).  I was able to slip in the C/F converter with ease, as if it was made for the Edson.  I then was able easily to screw the barrel into the section.  That’s a relief.

 

I informed my seller of the defect, but as the seller probably was not aware of it, I suggested that in the future, the seller should make sure any included converter fit into its pen properly, just as a check and to avoid problems with buyers.