Leaking Fountain Pen [From The Converter]

[Blazing]

Hello,

 

It's been a while since I last posted as I've been very busy lately, but one of my main concerns that I have for my current fountain pen [italix Parson's Essential] is that it seems to have a leaking problem from the converter.

 

I know that it can't be an issue of the pen being mistreated as I've been keeping it in a leather pen case either in a pocket or in a rucksack which is tightly packed [due to other stuff being inside it pretty much filling up the rucksack].

 

I'm probably wrong here, but it's to my understanding that the Italix Parson's Essential uses a converter from China which may be a cause for concern as the method for making converters may be different there/poorer quality parts may have been used.

 

The leaking problem seems to come from inside the pen. I've noticed this nearly every time when I open the barrel to check my ink usage, and there always seems to be some ink splattered around the transparent plastic, ink stuck in between the threads where I screw up the converter up/down and ink inside the barrel.

 

Any help will be appreciated.

Edited September 22, 2014 by Blazing

[NedC]

Converter leaks can come from the screw mechanism, usually a bad seal, a crack or the nipple. On better converters like Schmidt, Kaweco, Faber-Castell branded ones you can unscrew the metal collar at the screw end and pull out the piston lubricate and seal with pure silicone grease and be all set with a smooth non-leaking converter. It may be worth it to get another converter and try that out.

[Blazing]

Converter leaks can come from the screw mechanism, usually a bad seal, a crack or the nipple. On better converters like Schmidt, Kaweco, Faber-Castell branded ones you can unscrew the metal collar at the screw end and pull out the piston lubricate and seal with pure silicone grease and be all set with a smooth non-leaking converter. It may be worth it to get another converter and try that out.

Thanks! That definitely looks like a good option right now.

 

Any more suggestions?

[michaelcockerham]

Contact Peter Ford at MrPen - he's courteous and extremely helpful.

[SteveE]

I would usher that converter right to the dustbin. The others are right, decent converters are not all that expensive. Switch to a good one and I'll bet your leak stops.

[Randal6393]

Not that familiar with the Italic Parsons but you may also use a cartridge vice a different converter.

 

Best of luck,

[Blazing]

Contact Peter Ford at MrPen - he's courteous and extremely helpful.

I'll be sure to do that.

 

I would usher that converter right to the dustbin. The others are right, decent converters are not all that expensive. Switch to a good one and I'll bet your leak stops.

Perhaps I should try reusing an old cartridge to see if it actually is the converter, as it might actually just be the nipple?

 

Not that familiar with the Italic Parsons but you may also use a cartridge vice a different converter.

 

Best of luck,

I'll try that.

 

EDIT: It also leaked again today; and I have a feeling that the leak is coming from the part where the converter connects with the nipple.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Blazing

[Blazing]

I've refilled a cartridge to use and so far it looks like it's been the fault of the converter. I'll report back in a few days just to confirm.

[Blazing]

It's been a few days so far and it looks like it was the converter at fault. Anybody know why this could be?

[SteveE]

Why? Because it is a converter. Converters are really "consumable supplies." They come with pens but are readily available from almost every pen shop, just because they wear out and/or they are cheaply made. No slam of the pen manufacturers intended, as they almost all buy their converters from another company as one of the parts assembled into their pen.

 

Some after-market converters are better than others. I have a modern Conklin c/c pen that just wouldn't write dependably. I tossed the converter, and went to a local pen shop. The converter that fit best was one sold as a replacement part for a Cartier pen. Very fancy, with a gold emblem on its knob, but it just works. Whoda' thunk?

 

I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that some years ago I had a modern c/c pen that split the nipple of its converter more than once. After several phone calls with the manufacturer's customer service person (actually the then-owner of the company), they sent me a few converters and some packs of cartridges to keep the pen going. That pen, with one of the replacement converters, is still doing fine years later.

 

As the others have suggested, try to get a couple of replacement converters and see what fits snugly but not too tightly. If possible, take the pen to a pen shop and have them help you to fit a converter. You can just continue to refill cartridges, but I find that to be an unnecessary bother.