Parker 180 With Dried Up Ink

[Raskovnik]

Hi All,

 

Just received a parker 180 from ebay, everything looks good, until I tried to fill it. The whole nib and section is packed with what looks like dried up permanent ink, I'm currently soaking the section in a mixture of ammonia and water, but I'm wondering what else I can do to get it working again. I don't have an ultra-sonic washer (sadly), so unfortunately that is not an option.

[Ernst Bitterman]

In the absence of ultrasonics (and someone here showed how to press a toothbrush into service, although I'm jigged if I can search it up), waiting for the soaking to penetrate is all you can really do. If there's any passage at all, you can hurry things along with pressurized shots of the solution, using an ear bulb trimmed to the right opening for the cartridge nipple. It also hides under the name "Infant Nasal Aspirator", so look in both the ear care and baby tending sections of the local drug store.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/takematsu/earbulb.jpg

[Raskovnik]

In the absence of ultrasonics (and someone here showed how to press a toothbrush into service, although I'm jigged if I can search it up), waiting for the soaking to penetrate is all you can really do. If there's any passage at all, you can hurry things along with pressurized shots of the solution, using an ear bulb trimmed to the right opening for the cartridge nipple. It also hides under the name "Infant Nasal Aspirator", so look in both the ear care and baby tending sections of the local drug store.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/takematsu/earbulb.jpg

 

Unfortunately there is zero passage, the thing is rock solid. I used a slider parker convertor to try and force the solution through, did pull out a few drops with the pumping but I still know what the Turks felt against 300.

 

Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll do that when I do have passage

[Ernst Bitterman]

Hey, a few drops means there's a hole of some sort. That's the time to send a few mounted archers around to a better vantage point.

 

I promise to stop torturing metaphors.

[Raskovnik]

Hey, a few drops means there's a hole of some sort. That's the time to send a few mounted archers around to a better vantage point.

 

I promise to stop torturing metaphors.

 

Member of another forum introduced me to rOtring cleaning fluid, some of the reviews online sound promising. I'm letting it soak in this cleaning fluid overnight, will post here with results.

[Sasha Royale]

Dried ink is the enemy. Water makes it liquid again, so it can be flushed away. This didn't happen over night.

Be patient. Fixing years of neglect is worth a week, or two, of patience. Soak, flush, dry. There is no shortcut

to soaking. However, here is a shortcut to the other two.

 

 

Trim the tip in small increments, until it fits snuggly over the section. Slowly force water through the nib.

Reverse to "back-flush". Blow air through the section to dry. .Wick dry with a paper towel.

 

Which "double nib" did you get ?

Edited July 31, 2014 by Sasha Royale

[Raskovnik]

Dried ink is the enemy. Water makes it liquid again, so it can be flushed away. This didn't happen over night.

Be patient. Fixing years of neglect is worth a week, or two, of patience. Soak, flush, dry. There is no shortcut

to soaking. However, here is a shortcut to the other two.

 

 

Trim the tip in small increments, until it fits snuggly over the section. Slowly force water through the nib.

Reverse to "back-flush". Blow air through the section to dry. .Wick dry with a paper towel.

 

Which "double nib" did you get ?

 

A little worried that soaking the section for a full week might damage it somehow, any risk there? The nib is marked XM, didn't know the nib size in the bid (seller is an estate liquidator), just wanted to get my paws on a 180 XD

[Raskovnik]

The rOtring worked, but now I dented the steel triangle on the nib trying to pull it out Is there anyway I can fix that or do I have to buy a new nib?

[ac12]

New nib

 

NEVER force anything

Be VERY careful when using pliers or similar mechanical devices.

[Raskovnik]

bleh, that sucks. The pen still writes, the flow is bad but I suspect there is more dried ink that needs to be soaked out. I'll stick with this until I can get a new nib for a good price.

[Sasha Royale]

Soak for a few hours. Push through a bulb-full of water slowly. Have some tea. Repeat.

Each time, the opening grows, as a little more ink is washed away.

 

Did you grasp the nib with PLIERS ? Did you hit your pen with a HAMMER ?

 

The Parker 180 is a rare pen to be loved. Love is patient.

[JonSzanto]

In situations like this there is no tool, no liquid solution, indeed no silver bullet that is better than patience. Every time I've ever messed something up on a pen was when I simply wouldn't wait for things to happen in the right time.

 

Patience. And a new nib, I think.

[Raskovnik]

Soak for a few hours. Push through a bulb-full of water slowly. Have some tea. Repeat.

Each time, the opening grows, as a little more ink is washed away.

 

Did you grasp the nib with PLIERS ? Did you hit your pen with a HAMMER ?

 

The Parker 180 is a rare pen to be loved. Love is patient.

 

Pliers, I'm sorry :( Would you happen to know where I can get a replacement nib for a good price?

 

In situations like this there is no tool, no liquid solution, indeed no silver bullet that is better than patience. Every time I've ever messed something up on a pen was when I simply wouldn't wait for things to happen in the right time.

 

Patience. And a new nib, I think.

 

The rOtring is working like magic at the moment, a few more soaks to try a loosen the nib, then I need a new nib...

[ac12]

I've seen 180 nibs on eBay.

And there is a place in England (I think) that sill has some.

[JonSzanto]

You should check here to see if they still have the nibs available (look for "Parker Classic"). Also, search the FPN site for threads on the 180, there are a couple about pulling the nib, etc, that would be of help to you.

[ac12]

I have a few 180s and Classics.

If the nib does not come out under hand pressure, I leave it alone. I'm not about to damage a hard to replace nib.

 

Sometimes, you really need the correct tool.

To get out old dry ink, I really have not found a replacement for an ultrasonic cleaner (USC).

And an USC is really not very expensive. I've seen them on Amazon for less than $40.

Edited August 3, 2014 by ac12