Jump to content

Ink Won't Flow Properly In My Lamy Safari.


Blazing

Recommended Posts

It seems that my Lamy Safari has a few problems. It's ink isn't exactly flowing properly and I've noticed that I had to work it like a ballpoint pen to get the ink to work sometimes. I've been pressing lightly against the paper like you should with a fountain pen, so I'm not sure why it's doing this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 22
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Blazing

    4

  • webmaster

    4

  • ac12

    2

  • gammada

    2

How new is the pen? Have you had it a while or is it brand new? Has it always behaved like this or has it only just started? Does the nib feel stratchy against the paper or smooth?

 

First thing to do is to clean the pen. If you are using a converter this is easy. Get some water with a drop of dish washing detergent in it. Take the section out of the barrel and submerge the section in the water. Then, using the converted, start filling it with water and then dispersing it (it should be able to take in water and disperse it with easy. If it is hard then there is likely gunk stuck in the feed). Keep doing this until the water runs clear with no more ink.

Now get some new water and add the dish washing detergent as above. Now remove the converter from the pen and submerge the entire section and converter in the water and leave it there to soak. A good 30 minutes should be enough.

After 30 minutes take the section out and give it a pat down to help is dry (make sure you use something like a lint free cloth, so that you don't get any fibres stuck in it). Now remove the nib from the feed (it slides straight off) and ensure that the nib is clean and clear, and that the channel in the feed is clear.

 

Now leave the pen to full dry. Once dry fill the pen with ink (make sure your ink is fine and doesn't have any gunk in the bottle. If it does you can be sure it will gunk up your pen and cause it to stop working) and see how it writes.

<p>Currently collection:<strong>Lamy Safari's</strong> x5, <strong>Lamy Al Star's</strong> x3, <strong>Lamy Studio's </strong>x2, A <strong>Lamy 2000</strong>, <strong>Kaweco Sports/AL Sports</strong> x7, <strong>Noodlers pens (Konrad and Ahab)</strong> x10, <strong>Noodlers Konrad Ebonite</strong> x2, <strong>Hero 616</strong> x10, <strong>Reform 1745</strong> x10, <strong>Sailor 1911m</strong> x2, <strong>Sailor 1911 Realo</strong> x3, <strong>Sailor Pro Gear Realo</strong> x2, <strong>Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black</strong>, <strong>Sailor 1911 Sterling Silver</strong>, <strong>Visconti Opera Club Cherry Juice</strong> (M <span>Dreamtouch</span> Nib), <strong>Visconti Opera Elements </strong>x3 (Amber and Black with M <span>Dreamtouch</span> Nib, Blue with M Gold Nib), <strong>Visconti Homo Sapiens Steel Age Maxi</strong>, <strong>Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age</strong>, <strong>Montblanc 146 Le Grande</strong>... Plus I am sure I have forgotten some.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How new is the pen? Have you had it a while or is it brand new? Has it always behaved like this or has it only just started? Does the nib feel stratchy against the paper or smooth?

 

First thing to do is to clean the pen. If you are using a converter this is easy. Get some water with a drop of dish washing detergent in it. Take the section out of the barrel and submerge the section in the water. Then, using the converted, start filling it with water and then dispersing it (it should be able to take in water and disperse it with easy. If it is hard then there is likely gunk stuck in the feed). Keep doing this until the water runs clear with no more ink.

Now get some new water and add the dish washing detergent as above. Now remove the converter from the pen and submerge the entire section and converter in the water and leave it there to soak. A good 30 minutes should be enough.

After 30 minutes take the section out and give it a pat down to help is dry (make sure you use something like a lint free cloth, so that you don't get any fibres stuck in it). Now remove the nib from the feed (it slides straight off) and ensure that the nib is clean and clear, and that the channel in the feed is clear.

 

Now leave the pen to full dry. Once dry fill the pen with ink (make sure your ink is fine and doesn't have any gunk in the bottle. If it does you can be sure it will gunk up your pen and cause it to stop working) and see how it writes.

 

Brand new. I haven't really had the chance to test it until now, but now it feels stratchy.

 

I don't have a converter, nor understand the concepts of one. I use cartridges.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The converter is basically a cartridge with a piston inside of it so that you can suck in bottled ink with it. With my first safari, I had a lot of trouble getting it to start flowing with the cartridge. Try forcing some water through the pen. It can be a bit more tricky without a converter, but there are some good ways. Here is a link to the Goulet's suggested method (also works very well for cleaning pens quickly)

 

http://www.inknouveau.com/2010/04/ink-nouveau-22-flushing-fountain-pen.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The converter is basically a cartridge with a piston inside of it so that you can suck in bottled ink with it. With my first safari, I had a lot of trouble getting it to start flowing with the cartridge. Try forcing some water through the pen. It can be a bit more tricky without a converter, but there are some good ways. Here is a link to the Goulet's suggested method (also works very well for cleaning pens quickly)

 

http://www.inknouveau.com/2010/04/ink-nouveau-22-flushing-fountain-pen.html

 

+1 to this.

A converter basically sits where the cartridge does and allows you to fill the pen from a bottle of ink. Simply means you get a wider range of colours and brands that you can use in the pen, as apposed to being stuck with the ones Lamy provides.

Without a converter just using something like a Syringe or Eyedropper to push water through the Feed and nib and clean it. Same process as above, you just need to hold the Syringe or eyedropper against the Cartridge nipple to force the water through.

 

Does it feel like it is really scratching and digging into the paper or just a bit of friction along the paper? A little friction (known as feedback) is normal, but digging intot he paper could be a sign of other issues (although with Lamy's this seems to be fairly rare).

A scratchy nib could mean that the tines are misaliegned or not perfectly flat (aka baby bottom). If after you have cleaned the pen you still notice that there is a lack of ink, hard starts, skipping while writing, this could very well be the issue. If so your best option is to either contact the place you bought the pen from or the Lamy Distributor in your country. They will either replace your pen, replace the feed, replace the nib, or replace both the nib and feed. Lamy are fantastic to deal with in terms of warranty support, so you don't have much to worry about in that regard.

<p>Currently collection:<strong>Lamy Safari's</strong> x5, <strong>Lamy Al Star's</strong> x3, <strong>Lamy Studio's </strong>x2, A <strong>Lamy 2000</strong>, <strong>Kaweco Sports/AL Sports</strong> x7, <strong>Noodlers pens (Konrad and Ahab)</strong> x10, <strong>Noodlers Konrad Ebonite</strong> x2, <strong>Hero 616</strong> x10, <strong>Reform 1745</strong> x10, <strong>Sailor 1911m</strong> x2, <strong>Sailor 1911 Realo</strong> x3, <strong>Sailor Pro Gear Realo</strong> x2, <strong>Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black</strong>, <strong>Sailor 1911 Sterling Silver</strong>, <strong>Visconti Opera Club Cherry Juice</strong> (M <span>Dreamtouch</span> Nib), <strong>Visconti Opera Elements </strong>x3 (Amber and Black with M <span>Dreamtouch</span> Nib, Blue with M Gold Nib), <strong>Visconti Homo Sapiens Steel Age Maxi</strong>, <strong>Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age</strong>, <strong>Montblanc 146 Le Grande</strong>... Plus I am sure I have forgotten some.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The converter is basically a cartridge with a piston inside of it so that you can suck in bottled ink with it. With my first safari, I had a lot of trouble getting it to start flowing with the cartridge. Try forcing some water through the pen. It can be a bit more tricky without a converter, but there are some good ways. Here is a link to the Goulet's suggested method (also works very well for cleaning pens quickly)

 

http://www.inknouvea...untain-pen.html

 

+1 to this.

A converter basically sits where the cartridge does and allows you to fill the pen from a bottle of ink. Simply means you get a wider range of colours and brands that you can use in the pen, as apposed to being stuck with the ones Lamy provides.

Without a converter just using something like a Syringe or Eyedropper to push water through the Feed and nib and clean it. Same process as above, you just need to hold the Syringe or eyedropper against the Cartridge nipple to force the water through.

 

Does it feel like it is really scratching and digging into the paper or just a bit of friction along the paper? A little friction (known as feedback) is normal, but digging intot he paper could be a sign of other issues (although with Lamy's this seems to be fairly rare).

A scratchy nib could mean that the tines are misaliegned or not perfectly flat (aka baby bottom). If after you have cleaned the pen you still notice that there is a lack of ink, hard starts, skipping while writing, this could very well be the issue. If so your best option is to either contact the place you bought the pen from or the Lamy Distributor in your country. They will either replace your pen, replace the feed, replace the nib, or replace both the nib and feed. Lamy are fantastic to deal with in terms of warranty support, so you don't have much to worry about in that regard.

 

Meh, I'll only be writing with blue/black so I suppose cartridges would be the better option.

 

I'll go clean the pen up now, thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome Blazing : )

Sorry to hear you're not having the perfect experience straight out of the manufacturers box. With Safari, most do work well straight away. But it is always possible for the pen to have manufacturing oils, or a bit of crud in the feed, which is why it's often suggested to give a new pen a thorough flush, under the tap, or with a childs earbulb (available at your local pharmacy store).

Once the pen is dry after flushing... If still writing dry with simple insertion of the cartridge, rather than press the nib hard against the paper, first give a gentle squeeze of the cartridge to fill the feed with ink. The Safari feed holds a lot of ink, and once filled should write well with a fairly light touch, without skipping.

Try this method before thinking of tinkering with the nib.

What size nib did you purchase?

Btw, save your empty cartridges - they can be refilled using a syringe, and bottled ink. (bottled ink = savings over cartridge prices).

Edited by pen2paper
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Meh, I'll only be writing with blue/black so I suppose cartridges would be the better option.

 

I'll go clean the pen up now, thanks.

 

I have had one Safari where the nib hadn't been seated properly and it acted like this. Peer at the nib and see if it's on straight. It's worth taking it off (there's Youtube videos for this if you're not sure) and then refitting it. Also give it a good wash out, Lamy do test their pens and if it's been sitting about the ink might have dried up in the feed somewhere.

 

If you have a 1.9i nib, they can be a bit troublesome! I'd imagine you probably have an "M" nib though and they are normally very well-behaved.

 

Aside - have you seen how many different shades of blue-black there are? :yikes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome Blazing : )

Sorry to hear you're not having the perfect experience straight out of the manufacturers box. With Safari, most do work well straight away. But it is always possible for the pen to have manufacturing oils, or a bit of crud in the feed, which is why it's often suggested to give a new pen a thorough flush, under the tap, or with a childs earbulb (available at your local pharmacy store).

Once the pen is dry after flushing... If still writing dry with simple insertion of the cartridge, rather than press the nib hard against the paper, first give a gentle squeeze of the cartridge to fill the feed with ink. The Safari feed holds a lot of ink, and once filled should write well with a fairly light touch, without skipping.

Try this method before thinking of tinkering with the nib.

What size nib did you purchase?

Btw, save your empty cartridges - they can be refilled using a syringe, and bottled ink. (bottled ink = savings over cartridge prices).

 

I used the Medium nib.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Courtesy of Goulet.. a couple of video's you might find useful

cleaning a new Lamy - using the converter

changing a Lamy nib

edit to add a very involved cleaning video - for several types of pens

note some earbulbs do fit the pen, and so the extra step in the video is not necessary

 

I have a medium nib - this should be a fairly wet writer - again I stress that the feed holds a lot of ink, since you don't have a converter to turn slightly to fill the feed, give a gentle squeeze of the cartridge to fill the feed the first time, think you'll have no problems after that.

All the best.

Edited by pen2paper
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Guys m new here and m vedy glad to join u all..

Here's my problem

My professor gifted me a lamy safari fountain pen which is having medium black nib. He was using it 1 year back and now he gave that pen to me. Now the problem is like the ink is not flowing out properly I have tried soking it in a water with drop of detergent added in it, but no results it is still not working what should I do .please help me I don't wanna loose this pen I have earned

Thank you guys do help me...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try the ultrasonic cleaner. Pens shops often have them and will do it for you.

 

 

That could do the trick.

 

 

 

Guys m new here and m vedy glad to join u all..
Here's my problem
My professor gifted me a lamy safari fountain pen which is having medium black nib. He was using it 1 year back and now he gave that pen to me. Now the problem is like the ink is not flowing out properly I have tried soking it in a water with drop of detergent added in it, but no results it is still not working what should I do .please help me I don't wanna loose this pen I have earned
Thank you guys do help me...

Looking for a cap for a Sheaffer Touchdown Sentinel Deluxe Fat version

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's how I solve such issues.

 

Pull out the nib. Might take some force but it will come out. Use a dry cloth to grip the nib. After removal, clean out the feed and nib thoroughly. If necessary soak the feed in water over night. Once completely clean, make sure you allow the feed and nib to dry completely. This it to minimize risk of mould growing in the pen. I've had it happen before and it really fouls the pen. Note that most inks (if not all) do contain fungicide which helps prevent mould. Better safe than sorry.

http://jonathan.hs.cheng.googlepages.com/SigGoodMen.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys I tried your suggestions but it dosent seems to be working ...I tried to pull nib out and allowed feed and nib to soak in soap solutipn over a night but problem is still there..

I think ink is not coming out of feed what should I do please help me out I m counting on your suggestions please help me out..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys I tried your suggestions but it dosent seems to be working ...I tried to pull nib out and allowed feed and nib to soak in soap solutipn over a night but problem is still there..

I think ink is not coming out of feed what should I do please help me out I m counting on your suggestions please help me out..

 

I may be off track here, but did you make sure you thoroughly rinsed the nib after soaking, to make sure there was no remaining soap in the feed anywhere? Because that will certainly cause problems with getting ink flow back!

 

One other thing to try, if you have a toothbrush around, is to gently scrub the fin to try and 'liberate' any ink or other debris that may be clogging the fins or feed channel. But again, make sure to rinse thoroughly in water afterwards (residual toothpaste will cause the same trouble as residual soap! :P ).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please describe what you mean by when you said "the problem is like the ink is not flowing out properly."

And please describe it as detailed as you can, because we are trying to visualize the pen without being able to see it.

 

Also what ink are you using, specific brand and description on the label?

 

If your professor last used the pen 1 year ago, and it has not been used since, the pen is likely clogged with dry ink. That is your first battle.

As Jamerelbe said, I think it is a clogged ink channel.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you using a converter or a cartridge? If using a converter, try twisting it so that ink floods the feed. If you twist and at some point find resistance, it may be that the feed is clogged. But if ink drops exit the feed under the nib, maybe it's the tines that are preventing ink to touch the paper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok so let me explain my problem. I have a lamy safari fountain pen with medium black nib. It was last used by my professor before almost 1 year or may be less than that. I filled it with Camel black ink (a well known brand of ink in India) and then I tried to write with it. But ink stops coming out of feed after I write 2-3 lines. After filling up with ink it works for little time but then it stops working. I tried to soak feed and nib in soap water but no use problem is still there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you checked tine gap? If it works better when you push hard (spreading the tines) then the gap is too tight for normal use. Spread the tines so ink can get through.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...