Leaking Etalon - End Of The Line?

[AidenMark]

This blue Etalon is a beautiful Waterman with a great gold nib. Sadly it's leaking from somewhere inside the section and the ink is seeping out around the cap ring. I got the authorisation to send it off to Waterman in Paris but the factory returned it as can't-fix-no-parts.

 

 

There doesn't seem to be a crack in the section - the ink leaks out of the metal / plastic join and must be coming from a bad seal inside the section. So before attempting a solvent weld to repair it would be necessary to separate the section, metal mid piece and feed. However the join is pretty solid - some glue must be involved.

 

 

Has anyone tips on disassembling an Etalon?

 

[Left FPN]

They have a screw nib block which is the very thin black plastic part between nib and the gold band. It must be unscrewed to then disassemble the section. Someone raised this issue many months ago at which time I attempted to unscrew a unit but alas it would not budge. I tried soaking and warming it but still no joy.

 

Yours appears to have a gap between the grip sleeve and hardware which is not right. Was it like that before it went to Waterman.

[AidenMark]

Yours appears to have a gap between the grip sleeve and hardware which is not right. Was it like that before it went to Waterman.

Yes. Twas ever thus.

[senzen]

That's terrible, I would probably ask other pen specalists to quote a fix, if I understand correctly it's one of Waterman's more expensive pens. (Looks at his working but corroded Le Man 100 and sighs).

[Left FPN]

I would think Waterman used a thread locker on the internal parts and with the external feature being so small, without a purchase, it was doomed for any repair work.

 

They may well have attempted to unscrew it but also failed. I would think any 3rd party pensmith will also struggle.

 

The L'Etalon would have been marketed with a Lifetime Warranty which clearly shows 'Lifetime' had another meaning back then.

 

Unfortunately where do you stop spending on what may be a fruitless task.

 

Update: I have tried again this morning.

 

Heated the brass ware with warm air gun and managed to get the grip to rotate about 0.2mm. From this and peering down between the black grip and the C clip, it clearly does not unscrew from the brassware.

 

Then into my heated ultrasonic machine up to 80C for about an hour with no change.

 

The plastic parts either side of the ring are individual parts because the forward most part has a central mould line, whereas the grip does not. As there is so little to grip I think Waterman would have had internal mandrel tooling of similar shape to the feed/nib to screw it in.

[AidenMark]

 

Update: I have tried again this morning.

 

 

It's so kind of you to put in all the effort.

 

From what you say it does seem to be a very difficult pen type to take apart.

 

I checked the history here in the forum and although there are few posts on this type of pen they all seem to mention a similar leaking issue.

[Left FPN]

 

It's so kind of you to put in all the effort.

 

From what you say it does seem to be a very difficult pen type to take apart.

 

I checked the history here in the forum and although there are few posts on this type of pen they all seem to mention a similar leaking issue.

It's no problem and would have been handy to resolve for all owners.

 

What stumps me with yours is that 1mm'ish gap. These are very rugged sections and as I have described take some moving of parts.

 

Have you owned it from new.

[Left FPN]

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/306805-dismantling-a-waterman-letalon-section/

 

and I took part in the discussion...

[AidenMark]

 

Have you owned it from new.

 

 

No, I bought it from a dealer last year and it worked well for a time. It aways had the gap you noticed but first began leaking this summer.

[Left FPN]

Ok. I suspect someone tried pulling the nib/feed without supporting the front end and the block has broken as per the link topic.

I always lever from the front on all bar the Carene obviously.

Most probably the seal has broken or perished in yours or the 1mm move has lifted it from its piston seal surface.

 

Ref the link topic, the block is broken at its lower end which screws into the brass housing. I would have thought it purely passed through the grip sleeve, so what's holding it in place.

 

Unless this sheds some light.

 

[Left FPN]

Now soaking in WD 40.

 

I am going to get this blighter apart, in tact, for the good of the Waterman Forum.

 

The thread locker has given way I just need the block and grip to let go of each other.

 

[AidenMark]

Fascinating - I would have been nervous the WD40 would do more damage than good. I stand on the sidelines eager to learn.

[Left FPN]

I have used WD40 before to aid modern pen feed removal. I am using the ultra super penetration version for this work.

 

It's been soaking for 12 hours now and I am heating the pot to 70C as a final stage. I will not try unscrewing things until tomorrow morning.

[Left FPN]

Update: No movement whatsoever. I used the original nib and feed to provide additional turning support but even so the block and grip on this (my) section are locked. I can only assume that when being assembled the assembler managed to get some of the thread lock material on the inside of the grip thus ensuring a bond between these parts as well.

 

I have not though totally given up and it will remain one of my tasks for 2019.

 

In the words of Peter Green (in the only proper Fleetwood Mac) Ooooohhhhh Well.

[Dutchpen]

Pm send,

 

 

Lennard

[pajaro]

Threadlocker might release with heat.

 

I was told that Montblanc and others use Locktite 290 threadlocker to hold things in place. It does a capillary feed into threads and joints, and releases with heat.

Edited December 27, 2018 by pajaro

[AidenMark]

Just an update on this. I had no luck taking the section apart. Dutchpen offered a replacement section for a reasonable price and I took up the offer. The Etalon lives again.

Edited February 9, 2019 by AidenMark

[RMN]

Just an update on this. I had no luck taking the section apart. Dutchpen offered a replacement section for a reasonable price and I took up the offer. The Etalon lives again.

 

to Dutchpen.

 

 

D.ick

[RMN]

Have a look at this post, may be helpful.

 

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/306805-dismantling-a-waterman-letalon-section/?do=findComment&comment=4165240

 

 

 

D.ick