Going In.. Last Second Advice?

[Pravda]

Hi guys and gals.. Read the material, made my paper clip and got my oil.

 

Setting out to lubrictae my 146 piston. It's become really tight lately.

 

Is it allowed to wash the barrel from the inside while I am it? I know not to get water on the piston mechanism, but the resin barrel empty is fair game no?

 

Also, just lube the side of the piston as shown in numeroius posts. What about the brass? Thinking giving it a drop or two.

 

Wish me luck

Edited August 21, 2014 by Pravda

[ziptrickhead]

I rinse out my barrels and use tissue on a dowel to completely wipe out the inside of the barrel. Then I let it completely dry before reassembling. If its an older pen I'll sometimes jam a bulb syringe into the end and power flush out the nib and feed. Just be careful with the paperclip. I took apart 3 MBs with mine and when it got to my 4th it wouldn't budge and I had to make myself a wrench.

[Pravda]

I rinse out my barrels and use tissue on a dowel to completely wipe out the inside of the barrel. Then I let it completely dry before reassembling. If its an older pen I'll sometimes jam a bulb syringe into the end and power flush out the nib and feed. Just be careful with the paperclip. I took apart 3 MBs with mine and when it got to my 4th it wouldn't budge and I had to make myself a wrench.

Thanks! I wrote my post and then stood by my iPad waiting for a reply lol I wasn't sure if it was okay to clean the barrel though it's a fairly new 146 but thought wth.

[ziptrickhead]

Oh also be very careful with the spindle attached to the piston knob. I haven't had one break on me yet *knock on wood* but apparently they're pretty fragile and once that breaks off there's not much you can do about fixing it other than sending it back to MB for a new part. And you're going to have quite the adventure trying to position the piston in a way to get the most ink capacity while being able to fully screw the piston unit back in haha.

[Pravda]

Really? That's an issue?

 

Oh well, my paper clip isn't any good.. Won't budge. Tried hair drier on it still no effect.

[Komitadjie]

Oh also be very careful with the spindle attached to the piston knob. I haven't had one break on me yet *knock on wood* but apparently they're pretty fragile and once that breaks off there's not much you can do about fixing it other than sending it back to MB for a new part. And you're going to have quite the adventure trying to position the piston in a way to get the most ink capacity while being able to fully screw the piston unit back in haha.

 

I found a rather easy way to do that when I took mine apart. I picked a spot and threaded it together at random, about in the middle. It was too short, so I backed it off until the plunger came loose again, let it "slip" by one thread while "unscrewing" the blind cap, and tightened it up again to see how much of a difference it made. Took about four "slips" of the thread, just one notch at a time, until it was adjusted perfectly.

 

Also, for the paperclip, I had good luck holding it in a pair of large pliers close to the side of the pen. *DON'T* use the pliers on the pen! The pliers hold the paperclip, and keep it from buckling as you gently turn the pen barrel with your fingers. It's not as good as a proper tool, but a lot closer than just a bent paperclip alone! I couldn't get mine loose that way, the paperclip wasn't rigid enough to avoid sort of crumpling up as the torque hit it.

[Pravda]

It worked FINALLY. Thanks guys..

 

What's that thing about the piston position I should put in mind while putting it together?

[Pravda]

Last question.. Put it back together but piston doesn't 'stick' when closed like it used to ie top black part keeps spinning.. Did I put the ring wrong or something?

[Komitadjie]

Er... dumb question, but did you pull the piston itself? I don't see it in your pictures there, and if it is still inside and not connected to the threaded rod, the filler wouldn't operate, of course.

 

The brass ring goes around the outside of the brass bit you removed, it closes the outside of the spanner holes.

[Pravda]

Okay seems I closed the piston on the pen incorrectly and now everything is stuck

 

Worked perfect few times and kept trying to make it better then seems I closed the barrel with piston extended and there's no gap to pull it out again.. Screwed!

[Komitadjie]

Honestly, at this point, I'd just suggest sending it off to the service center. They can put it right for you, no sweat.

[Pravda]

Got it out! Ooooof

 

Ok to close the pen you do it with piston in position of filling pen or writing with it?

[Pravda]

Done!

 

1. All back in place

2. No visible scratches or damage

3. Piston buttery smooth after oil

 

No idea if position is right for maximum ink fill

No idea if any oil spots or dust in barrel, best effort attempt

[Komitadjie]

Well done! When the pen is opened and closed, the piston should be NEARLY in the "Filled" position, with the blind cap typically screwed down gently onto the top of your spanner wrench or paperclip. To determine how close to correct the piston position is, you just "fill" the pen with the piston assembly out. If it is set correctly, when the blind cap is tightened lightly, the piston should be retracted fully. If it's still protruding any significant distance, you're not going to get full fill.

[Pravda]

Well done! When the pen is opened and closed, the piston should be NEARLY in the "Filled" position, with the blind cap typically screwed down gently onto the top of your spanner wrench or paperclip. To determine how close to correct the piston position is, you just "fill" the pen with the piston assembly out. If it is set correctly, when the blind cap is tightened lightly, the piston should be retracted fully. If it's still protruding any significant distance, you're not going to get full fill.

Thanks buddy will inspect it in the morning (it's 1:30AM here) and to be honest I am afraid I may not be seeing scratches just because I am not getting enough light where I'm sitting.

 

Had I known this was also an issue as ziotrickhead warned me a few seconds too late maybe I wouldn't have done it.

 

But to be honest, it feels darn good doing this oneself and not sending it for Montblanc. Here they keep it 14 days just to decide whether or not they will accept working on an item THEN they will charge you and maybe take another week to do.

[Komitadjie]

It really is! I just finished my own first Montblack restoration about a week ago, myself. And I asked most of those same questions, and had them answered by the good folks down in the Brand Focus forums. Mine, unfortunately, is off at the Service Center right now. It was completely blocked with reacted ink, and in restoring it I had to drive out the feed and nib. Went fine, cleaned it up (I've done that several times before on other pens, so no real new stuff there) but as I was putting it back together, my hand slipped while I was pressing it back into the holder. Managed to break three fins off of the feed!.

 

I really wish you could just order spares!

[Pravda]

It really is! I just finished my own first Montblack restoration about a week ago, myself. And I asked most of those same questions, and had them answered by the good folks down in the Brand Focus forums. Mine, unfortunately, is off at the Service Center right now. It was completely blocked with reacted ink, and in restoring it I had to drive out the feed and nib. Went fine, cleaned it up (I've done that several times before on other pens, so no real new stuff there) but as I was putting it back together, my hand slipped while I was pressing it back into the holder. Managed to break three fins off of the feed!.

 

I really wish you could just order spares!

Ouch! Sorry about that, after all that hard work I would've cried. Almost did today when mine got jammed- still no idea how it happened or how it released shortly afterwards.

 

Thank you so much for your help today and the explanation how to check the ink reservoir. Think will enjoy it for tomorrow then inspect the levels after, don't want to depress myself after today's ordeal lol

[ziptrickhead]

I set my piston for when the barrel is completely filled. Basically screw the spindle into the end of the piston all the way and see if the knob actually tightens all the way down. If not, then like previously mentioned I unscrew the piston out and let it slip for as many positions as I need. Basically my goal is to have the turning knob screwed all the way down while having the piston seal as close to the piston assembly as possible. Then with the knob tightened all the way I lubricate the piston seal and push the whole assembly into the barrel until the threads make contact and then screw everything down finger tight. Then I unscrew the piston knob to get clearance for the wrench and then tighten down everything just a hair more from the original finger tightness. If you just screw down from finger grip there's a chance that when you go to unscrew the piston knob the entire assembly will start to unscrew from the barrel.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about ink capacity. That's just the OCD part of me that gets me every time. So long as you're okay with the capacity without thinking too much about it and you can unscrew the knob enough to fit the wrench back in for next time then you're fine. All the MBs I've worked on were pretty old and used (minus a 90th anniversary 149 that was basically dry from the factory and super tight to turn), so I didn't mind so much about scratches. Definitely wouldn't want a deep gouge in the resin though but slight surface marks as just part of the life cycle of a workhorse pen.

[Komitadjie]

I set my piston for when the barrel is completely filled. Basically screw the spindle into the end of the piston all the way and see if the knob actually tightens all the way down. If not, then like previously mentioned I unscrew the piston out and let it slip for as many positions as I need. Basically my goal is to have the turning knob screwed all the way down while having the piston seal as close to the piston assembly as possible. Then with the knob tightened all the way I lubricate the piston seal and push the whole assembly into the barrel until the threads make contact and then screw everything down finger tight. Then I unscrew the piston knob to get clearance for the wrench and then tighten down everything just a hair more from the original finger tightness. If you just screw down from finger grip there's a chance that when you go to unscrew the piston knob the entire assembly will start to unscrew from the barrel.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about ink capacity. That's just the OCD part of me that gets me every time. So long as you're okay with the capacity without thinking too much about it and you can unscrew the knob enough to fit the wrench back in for next time then you're fine. All the MBs I've worked on were pretty old and used (minus a 90th anniversary 149 that was basically dry from the factory and super tight to turn), so I didn't mind so much about scratches. Definitely wouldn't want a deep gouge in the resin though but slight surface marks as just part of the life cycle of a workhorse pen.

 

Yup, that's precisely how I do it. Works great!

[Pravda]

I think this happened with me with sheer luck, i.e the piston seal closely stuck to assembly unit as I started sealing the pen closed so doubt will have issues with ink assembly.

 

It's the easiest thing in the world to do once you know what you're doing and the starting point or entry isn't tightly sealed as if it's the first time. This morning noticed a couple of hairline scratches, ever so faint that only appear in direct sunlight so it doesn't bother me. They wouldn't have happened except when the whole thing got jammed and was trying to find a way in the pen again. Meh..

 

Didn't figure it out though, how did I reach a point where the pen is fully closed/sealed and the piston won't turn to open any more. That's a nightmare for any newbie. Think plunger was fully down (as opposed to up) while piston was down.