What Can Cause Ink To Temporarily No Go Into The Feed?

[andreasn]

I was just using my Lamy safari and sunddenly got the problem that the ink seemed to not want to go into the feed, then I squeezed some ink in there with my converter and now It works perfectly.

 

What could have caused this? I've never experienced it before, normally it writes perfectly.

 

It had to have been something with the place the converter is connected to the feed.

 

As I said It works perfectly now, I'm just curious.

[FedericoMedina]

air bubble possibly.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Yes, it may indeed be an air bubble.

 

When using a converter to fill the pen, ensure the nib is fully immersed in the ink, then cycle the converter plunger up-down a few times. That will fully flood the feed+collector and expel air bubbles. After that I usually remove the pen from the bottle, hold it over the open bottle to expel a few drops, then invert the pen (nib pointing up), and raise the plunger on the converter (at 'rest' position.) Doing so clears the airway of ink so the pen can breathe, which just wiping the nib after filling might not achieve. It does lower the amount of ink in the pen, but only by a few drops.

 

As these things can be a bit tricky, and there may be other causes, please let us know if that works for you.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited October 20, 2014 by Sandy1

[soum]

I've had that happen with inks that have a comparatively higher surface tension. In that case, when you start writing, the ink in the feed flows out first while the rest of the ink is stuck to the other end of the convertor. Usually a little tap, or a slight twist of the convertor gets the ink flowing again.

[ac12]

I all of my cases, so far, it has been as soum said.

When I store the pen in the normal way, nib up, the ink moves to the back of the converter.

When I pick up the pen the next day, the ink is stuck in the back of the converter, with an air bubble between the ink and the feed.

Tapping on the converter or pen will break the surface tension and cause the ink to fall to the front of the converter.

 

There is something about the converter that causes this behavior, as I have never had this happen with a cartridge, including cartridges that I have syringe loaded. The only common thing is these converters do not have a steel ball (or similar) inside the converter to break the surface tension.

 

I have taken to storing my Lamy joy horizontal on the desk to prevent this.

 

Happens with:

• Sheaffer ink, in Sheaffer converter
• Sheaffer ink, in Lamy Safari converter
• Waterman ink, in Lamy Safari converter
• Waterman ink, in generic international converter
• Pelikan ink, in generic international converter

[UDog]

I have had great success with Levenger international converters.

[Icywolfe]

Surface tension?

 

Something is blocking the feed nipple.

[ac12]

Surface tension?

 

Something is blocking the feed nipple.

 

Nope, not mine.

When you look at the converter, you can see the ink stuck in the back, with nothing but air between the ink and the nipple.

OK "air" is blocking the nipple.

Tap the converter to make the ink fall to the front of the converter and in a bit the pen writes.

It happens enough times that I am 99% sure what I am seeing.

I have to do that to my Sheaffer calligraphy pen every day, so that I can use it.

And it used to happen several times a day with my Lamy joy, when I stored the joy nib down. No longer happens since storing the joy horizontal.

[soum]

 

There is something about the converter that causes this behavior, as I have never had this happen with a cartridge, including cartridges that I have syringe loaded. The only common thing is these converters do not have a steel ball (or similar) inside the converter to break the surface tension.

 

 

I agree, it has never happened with cartridges even when I've syringe filled them. I guess the convertors are finished in a smoother plastic on the inside than the cartridges. I now wash the convertors with very dilute dishwash and then rinse it just once with plain water, taking care to not rinse the dishwash very thoroughly. That seems to resolve the problem.