Pelikan 400 Not Filling Completely

[Snamellit]

Hi,

 

I have a vintage Pelikan 400 from the early 50's which is in working order.

 

I have noticed that when I 'briskly' fill the pen with water during cleaning, the barrel only fills 2/3. When I turn it slowly, it fills completely and only leaves a small airbubble.

 

Is this a problem?

 

thanks,

 

Peter

[AndrewC]

Kind of standard with piston fillers AFAIK. Doesn't sound any different from what happens with my 15-20 PFs. Same thing happens when you use a converter, right? Just view the PF pen as a giant converter with a nib stuck to it. Besides, if you are going to take the time to use a pen to write with, might as well take the time to fill right. Slow down and enjoy the process.

[carlos.q]

Kind of standard with piston fillers AFAIK. Doesn't sound any different from what happens with my 15-20 PFs. Same thing happens when you use a converter, right? Just view the PF pen as a giant converter with a nib stuck to it. Besides, if you are going to take the time to use a pen to write with, might as well take the time to fill right. Slow down and enjoy the process.

+1

It's not a flaw. It's a feature!

[sargetalon]

I always get a better fill with a slow and deliberate stroke than with a rapid one. As long as ink is not leaking from the piston knob, I wouldn't be concerned about it and just fill a bit more slowly to get a more robust fill.

[Snamellit]

Thanks Andres, Carlos, Sarge,

 

This sets my mind at ease.

 

That's what I needed to fill the pen, slowly and deliberately, to use and enjoy. :-)

 

Peter

[DrCodfish]

Keep in mind that the PF fills as a result of the creation of a vacuum in the ink chamber. creating this force quickly increases the force of the vacuum, possibly causing air to come into the pen through a very minute gap in the seal. It may be time to lube the pen with a touch of silicone grease. If nothing else forcing a rapid vacuum may exacerbate that small (if it even exists) leak. agree with the consensus, slower is better, though I would be interested to find out if a little silicone solved this problem.

[Snamellit]

I ordered some silicone grease last night, together with some other maintenance supplies. Should have arrived by the time I get back from my business trip. Then I need to figure out how to get the piston out to apply the silicon grease. I have seen under the blind cap a screw with a flat face ground on it, which indicates I'll need some special tool I guess.

 

Well more to research :-)

[pmn]

(...)Then I need to figure out how to get the piston out to apply the silicon grease.(...)

 

Simpler than that.

Unscrew the nib unit, (if it does not unscrew, just leave the pen over night in a glass of water, nib submerged)

Keeping the pistion fully retracted, use a toothpick to place a (very) small amount of silicone grease arround the edge of the piston seal.

Careful not to contaminate the section inner thread with that silicone!!

Travel the piston a few times and you're done.

Edited April 14, 2015 by pmn

[carlos.q]

No need to remove the piston (as pmn just wrote). For a tutorial on unscrewing the nib and lubing the piston check out:

http://thepelikansperch.com/category/how-tos/

[DrCodfish]

Keep in mind, I'm no scientist just a common sense appraoch. But even if lubing does not solve the problem it can't hurt (if done properly) and when PMN said a very little grease think this way: You almost cannot apply too little silicone. This is one case whee if a little is good, a little less is better.

[Snamellit]

Thanks, this makes a lot of sense.

[Snamellit]

No need to remove the piston (as pmn just wrote). For a tutorial on unscrewing the nib and lubing the piston check out:

http://thepelikansperch.com/category/how-tos/

 

This is a great resource, thanks for sharing.