Vintage Aurora 88 Mystery

[rwilsonedn]

I've just had a very strange experience with my ancient, and heretofore reliable, 88. I put it back into the rotation this weekend, after perhaps a year off. At first it filled poorly and the ink drained out at once, suggesting a serious air leak. Assuming this was just a dry piston seal, I cycled the piston a few times and tried again. Filled fine this time. I wrote with it for about 15 minutes, no problem.

Last night I picked the pen up again, and promptly found my fingers heavily inked. On inspection, I found a tiny, very neat pinhole through the barrel of the pen, into the ink chamber, with a trail of dried ink coming down the barrel from it. As far as I know there has never been a pinhole there before, and there is no sign of cracking. So it appears that the hole somehow opened during the year in my pen drawer. But that doesn't seem plausible. Any thoughts?

ron

[dms525]

I had a similar problem with cigars. Warm weather and the tobacco beetles hatch and bore their way out of the cigars, leaving pinpoint holes that wreak havoc with the draw.

 

Have you found similar pinpoint holes in the other pens stored with your 88? You might have an infestation of Pen Boring Beetles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. It does sound awful, and if the hole does go straight through to the ink chamber, it's hard to imagine it as a design feature. Hope you solve this one.

Edited April 21, 2015 by dms525

[ttakacs]

If you are referring to the 1950s Aurora 88 with semi-hooded nib -- yes, there is a pinhole. As the piston is drawn up and down the barrel, the pinhole permits air to bleed from the barrel. From your description, it seems as if ink has gotten behind the piston head and is leaking through the pinhole. The remedy is probably to replace the piston seals.

[rwilsonedn]

If you are referring to the 1950s Aurora 88 with semi-hooded nib -- yes, there is a pinhole. As the piston is drawn up and down the barrel, the pinhole permits air to bleed from the barrel. From your description, it seems as if ink has gotten behind the piston head and is leaking through the pinhole. The remedy is probably to replace the piston seals.

 

Ah Ha! That fits perfectly. Thanks for the invaluable information.

ron