Ink isn't flowing in a Lamy safari

[Esther.O]

I've been using Lamys as my pens for school for seven years. I've never had any problems. However, my most recent purchase, which I've been using for about two months, has the same issues that stopped me using the previous one.

I use these pens a lot, probably changing my cartridge every two to three weeks. I rely on my pen a lot as a student and I need it to work otherwise I'll have to turn to *shudder* ballpoint.

Essentially the ink stopped flowing as easily as it used to, skipping on upstrokes or horizontal lines. Then it got very very hard to work. So I rinsed the whole of the pen, removing the nib and blowing very gently to push water through where the ink goes (I think it's the feed).

It worked- for a day. Now it's gone back to being very pale and scratchy even though it's got enough ink and the nib seems fine?

I'm so frustrated by this as pens aren't cheap and I've only had it for two months! I love fountain pens so much- what can I do to fix this one?

 

Soak it? But I don't see how the ink could have dried up during such regular use? The nib is fine, not bent or anything. aargh, please help me!!!

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by Esther.O

[Fermata]

People will come up with their own suggestions but I go through a process of eliminating the potential causes starting with the most likely.

 

• The nib. Try another nib, beg borrow or buy an alternative. Before that have a really close look at the nib to check that all looks good
• The cartridge. Make sure that it is seated properly. Does the barrel have any sign of ink. Try a new cartridge and stand it nib down in a small pot with a damp tissue inside, leave it for at least an hour and you are looking for signs that ink is flowing down the nib and into the damp tissue.
• The feed. I see that you have removed the nib and flushed the pen and it looks ok.
• The section. I resume no signs of cracks and you haven't dropped it.

Has anything else changed, for example different paper or a change of ink?

 

[Esther.O]

2 hours ago, Fermata said:

People will come up with their own suggestions but I go through a process of eliminating the potential causes starting with the most likely.

 

• The nib. Try another nib, beg borrow or buy an alternative. Before that have a really close look at the nib to check that all looks good
• The cartridge. Make sure that it is seated properly. Does the barrel have any sign of ink. Try a new cartridge and stand it nib down in a small pot with a damp tissue inside, leave it for at least an hour and you are looking for signs that ink is flowing down the nib and into the damp tissue.
• The feed. I see that you have removed the nib and flushed the pen and it looks ok.
• The section. I resume no signs of cracks and you haven't dropped it.

Has anything else changed, for example different paper or a change of ink?

 

No changes in paper or ink, I just use the Lamy ink cartridges. I'll try and shift the nib to one of my old pens.

 

Thanks so much for the speedy reply!

[Fermata]

You are welcome and good luck.

 

It is odd that the pen has started misbehaving during the life of the current nib, which makes me doubt the cartridge, perhaps check that it is all good with no leaks and properly seated in the section.

[Esther.O]

25 minutes ago, Fermata said:

You are welcome and good luck.

 

It is odd that the pen has started misbehaving during the life of the current nib, which makes me doubt the cartridge, perhaps check that it is all good with no leaks and properly seated in the section.

Yes, this is probably the problem. When I reinserted the cartridge after the first time I cleaned it and took it out there was a lot of watery ink in the section. The water is probably because I didn't dry it properly but the ink is worrying. The cartridge seems all good, I swapped it but the problem persists...