Does A ‘New’ Pfm Need Serviced Just On Principal?

[Tseg]

I have a previously owned PFM III arriving in a couple days proported to be in good working condition. It is not being claimed to be newly restored. Should I just start using it if it appears the filler has good compression or should I send it in for service to be safe?

Edited June 6, 2018 by Tseg

[corgicoupe]

I bought PFM III and decided to have Danny Fudge restore it just to be sure. $20 pus shipping.

 

TheWritePen.com you'll feel more confident using it.

Edited June 6, 2018 by corgicoupe

[ThomasB]

Just to be safe I would have a new sac, o-ring, and seals installed.

[JonSzanto]

Restore it. It's the only way to be sure (well, except for nuking it from orbit...).

[3rdlakerobert]

Installing the seals, O ring, and sac does not a restoration make. Some prefer unrestored original condition, like an antique. If that's you, just have the wear parts replaced, but don't let it go without at least that.

 

If you want a like-new pen, discuss that with your chosen pen repair person. You can have the nib adjusted for the ink flow you prefer, the plastic and metal surfaces refinished, and some will be able to take care of plating issues.

[Tseg]

Thanks for the replies. I probably should not have referred to restoration. I did mean renew filling system parts that wear. Other than the OCD of wanting peace of mind all parts are up to snuff, if the pen appears to be filling and writing perfectly, what is the true risk of using the pen? I suppose an early warning sign is the pen appears to not hold much ink and a catastrophic result is the pen leaks, but nothing that could not then easily be fixed with normal service at that point, correct?

 

Is it like the debate of a watch collector that will send their fine watch watch in for service every 3 years, like it or not vs. the collector that will send it in when the time keeping starts to whack out (perhaps upwards of 10 years - rarely is there a catestrophic watch event from wear) when the renew service fee remains basically the same for either situation? The benefit of proactive service is the timing of all is controlled, the downside is over time it may cost more money, but certainly there is less time in hand of the item if it is regularly being serviced.

 

Finally, when the filling parts are serviced, how frequently until they malfunction again... is it more a function of wear or time - a couple of years or a decade or more? I assume it is more about time than wear, with the rubber bits degrading, likely more due to lack of use and improper cleaning.

Edited June 7, 2018 by Tseg

[3rdlakerobert]

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/331438-sheaffer-snorkel-maintenance-tips/

 

This thread may relate to your questions, especially the last paragraph of post #15 by Ron Zorn, who is moderator of the Repair forum and a longtime pen "mechanic."

 

Earlier in the thread he discusses sacs, and that may also relate.

 

Of course service life of wear parts is quite variable and depends on so many factors: use, ink, environment, and quality of the part itself. Suffice to say, with Snorkel filling systems it's important not to leave the pen unused with ink in the sac. Always flush before storing.

[3rdlakerobert]

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/334290-pvc-sacs/

 

Another good thread, esp. Post #9.

[Tseg]

Thanks for this, I think this makes a fair case to maintain the sack... a leaking sack may be worse than just making a mess. I arrive from out of town this evening so will be seeing what I have to work with as the pen arrived at my house today as well.

Edited June 7, 2018 by Tseg

[crescentfiller]

Send to Danny Fudge.

Send directly to Danny Fudge.

Do not pass Go.

Do not obtain an inky pocket!

[Terry Brack]

Here is another point of view. It is supposed to be working. It probably is fine. Learn how to fill it. Extend the snorkel, pull up the blind cap and filling tube, place the snorkel into a glass of water, depress the blind cap and filling tube, wait 30 sec pull up the blind cap and tube again an try to squirt the fill of water out of the pen. It should come out in a stream and shoot several feet (or a 100 cm). If it does that it is probably fine. Fill it again with ink. Write with it. Check for leaking. Give it a good field test and enjoy it for the many years it should continue to work until it does need that restore job. If it anit broke.....just saying.

[corgicoupe]

Wow! I read Terry and the Pirates as a kid.

[Parker51]

I have purchased three PFM. The first had been professionally restored, per the seller who specializes in Sheaffer pens and who has a sterling reputation. No problems since, the pen writes well, fills well, looks good , etc. The second was bought in the wild in its origonal box. It looked great, filled well and writes well. I have not serviced it. The third, also bought in the wild, but without its box, but in excellent condition as well, the same as the second. I also have had a variety of snorkels which have been serviced prior to my purchase, or if not functioning after my purchase. All without problems in the servicing and use.

I do have my pens serviced when they do fail, or if they are purchased needing work. I have had three unserviceable pens fail me in 30 years and one serviced pen that all use a sack fail. They all were Parkers. I have also had a Montblanc fail that is a piston filler, but I believe it was an instant crack or seam failure, as the filling mechanism seems to work fine.

The only time I have had a pen serviced was when it was not functioning correctly.

Pens are not cars. If you fail to replace the tires when they are worn you risk death. With a pen you risk inky fingers and maybe a ruined shirt.

[Tseg]

So it arrived (pictures this weekend). All in all Im happy as I did get a PFM III in the sub-$200 range. I did an end to end micro sanding and polishing, mainly because there were (... wait... wait) teeth marks all over the blind cap (ewww!). A pen chewer. They were not particularly deep and came out very well. The filling mechanism seems to be performing as designed. I can shoot water feet. While I did do a good nib rinse it had a slight skipping problem. As is my practice when nib cleaning does not solve skipping, I gave the nib a quick roughing followed by a quick smoothing and now the nib is writing blissfully. I think it is a fine nib and the nail is writing nice and juicy. I wrote five A4 pages of writing with no issues once the skipping problem was fixed. So now I have one more amazing writing pen. With the comfort of this pen and quality of this nib I can easily write pages and pages with no fatigue. Ill keep putting it through its paces for another few fills and then Ill send it in for service.

Edited June 8, 2018 by Tseg

[JonSzanto]

One thing to keep in mind for future pens: with many materials, bite marks will 'come out' with careful application of heat from a heat gun. When warmed, the plastic will return to it's original, uncomrpressed form. Using this method means that you don't... sand the pen. You don't remove material that you can never replace. It requires a bit of care but isn't quite so agressive as sanding the exterior surface down to meet the compression of the bites. Once you have pulled out the dents made by teeth with the hot air, you can then do a polishing with a far less abrasive material (say, Novus products) and get the pen looking nice without taking off material.

[corgicoupe]

That is analogous to removing a small dent in wood, using a wet cloth and a hot iron.

[3rdlakerobert]

So now I have one more amazing writing pen. With the comfort of this pen and quality of this nib I can easily write pages and pages with no fatigue. Ill keep putting it through its paces for another few fills and then Ill send it in for service.

 

Well done. Love happy endings!

[Tseg]

I have all the paperwork filled out to send to Danny Fudge early next week, but man, am I enjoying this pen. It is my most comfortable pen, period. It is easily in my top 3 nibs, with my Sailor King of Pen and ST Dupont Olympio XL. There is, however, an oddity. There is a pinhole in the barrel towards the blind cap (last photo). It is not even centered. I'm assuming it was added post production for some reason/repair over the past 60 years. Should I have Danny fill it in? Any ideas why it may have been put in?

 

When I consider how much I have spent on pens and pen related accessories, when one acquires a top 3 pen, not in cost, rather in overall positive perception, I'm willing to invest in its improvement. Just don't touch that nib and feed, it is amazing.

 

 

 

 

[adyf]

There is, however, an oddity. There is a pinhole in the barrel towards the blind cap (last photo). It is not even centered. I'm assuming it was added post production for some reason/repair over the past 60 years. Should I have Danny fill it in? Any ideas why it may have been put in?

 

 

 

 

Not an oddity, it's there by design to facilitate the filling system. Sometimes these need cleaning out with a pin if they are blocked.

Edited June 9, 2018 by adyf

[Tseg]

 

Not an oddity, it's there by design to facilitate the filling system. Sometimes these need cleaning out with a pin if they are blocked.

 

So this hole is in all PFM's? I tried online research and could find no reference to them.