Platinum #3776 Century Leaking

[insparato]

Hi,

Recently bought a Platinum #3776 Century UEF with ink converter, since using J Herbin Black ink in the pen, I can not go throughout a day without getting ink all over my hands, managed to get some on my shirt and has precipitated me posting. Looking for a bit of advice about what may be the problem. I have done no repairs and alterations so far, I'm pretty new to fountain pens in general.

I've tried ink cartridge's and definitely much better, don't seem nearly as much ink, but the whole point of having a fountain pen is to be able to change inks. Some how I have a feeling the ink converter may be abit dodgy, thinking about replacing the ink converter in the first instance. Sometimes opening the pen there's ink all over the front of the nib, seems to end up on the body of the fountain pen. If I shake the pen drops of ink come out of the pen with ease and sometimes with ink changes it just bleeds ink onto the page.

I like the feedback of the nib and how fine it is, may even to a tad too fine for my taste and body is a bit small, but generally I'm happy with the pen itself.

Has anyone had this problem with the platinum 3776 ? Any suggestions ?

[Bluey]

the ink converter may be abit dodgy

 

That would be quite likely because it's not uncommon with Platinum converters.

 

I'm a bit unclear as to how the ink is getting out. Have you tried unscrewing the barrel from the nib section and pouring water in it to see if there is a leak? It could be on the barrel or it could be the threads (perhaps the converter isn't inserted all the way).

 

 

I've tried ink cartridge's and definitely much better, don't seem nearly as much ink

 

I must be missing something here because the cartridge holds a LOT more ink.

[insparato]

Yeah I'm also a little unclear how the ink is getting out myself! I've poured water in the barrel doesn't seem to be leaking, also in the cap too without any leaks apparent. I will say there is ink inside them both when I do pour water into it so the ink is getting into both compartments somehow in the process of using the pen. There is some ink on the threads which I've cleaned today but I think thats probably there due to it some how getting onto my hands and then I'm touching the threads.

I felt sceptical about the ink converter, the seal of the ink converter I felt should be going down to the very bottom mouth of the ink converter, which there's a gap normally. Every time I've been drawing up ink there appears to be a small gap of air inside the converter despite how careful I am about drawing the ink up. On the one hand this may just be how ink converter in general are, but If I were to engineer such a device I'd want the seal to be able to move to the very bottom of the mouth to stop the possiblity of air getting into the ink converter.

Could there be something wrong with the Nib ? Not all together certain how to investigate if that's the case.

I think in the first instance I'll get a new platinum ink converter and try that. Are there other brands of ink converter that I would be able to use in the platinum pen ? Just to see what other converters behave like in the pen.

Edited August 13, 2017 by insparato

[senzen]

If the converter is the same as the one my Platinum Cool/Balance uses, you can take it apart easily, and put it back together. When you put it back in the pen it should go in all the way. An air bubble in the converter is normal, and I dunk my pen into the ink bottle...

[Bluey]

 

I've tried ink cartridge's and definitely much better, don't seem nearly as much ink

 

Coming back to this, I've just realised what you meant here. At first I thought you were saying that the converter holds more ink, but you're saying that the problem is lessened with the cartridge Duh!

 

Well now we've cleared that up. You can equalise the pressure in the converter by filling up the converter with ink, then twisting it back to release the ink back to the bottle again. Repeat 5 times. That will result in both the pressure being equalised and the feed saturated.

The issue doesn't sound like the nib either. The ink getting into the cap and the barrel is probably due to a loose fitting with the cartridge/converter or not being inserted all the way.

 

[hachikomustang]

Hello I would recommend that you try with another different ink to J.Herbin to my black i like Aurora. Inkwell Platinum is permanent. The converter you can try to disassemble it and seal it with silicone grease again, another option is to get the adapter to use the universal cartridges. Greetings

[steve50]

I have a similar situation although not as bad as yours. I happen to have two 3776s and only one converter. It fits one of them tightly but the other one slightly loosely. I suspect that yours is a worse case of this, the converter being very loose and causing the leak? Well since you yourself can't locate the leak I can only speculate... But for your information the converter being loose is not normal, so perhaps you should go and get it replaced.