1. How is the nib/feed removed? Is it friction fit or screw out?

2. How can I get to the piston to dab it with Si grease? It is brand
new and takes more torque on the blind cap to operate the piston
filler than I like. If the nib/feed is easily unscrewed the answer to
this lube question is easy, but my expertise stops at screwing and
unscrewing!

I notice two small holes opposite each other in the blind cap. Could
this be a retaining pin that is pushed out to remove the blind cap to
gain access to the piston mechanism?

Difficult to understand why Omas would let a brand new pen get
out with the piston being so hard to operate. Filling with soap and
water, to clean, didn't free it up much, if at all.

Hi,

You need Tryphon Section sealant and Tryphon Silicone grease with PFTE before you begin.

First, unscrew the section, use a toothpick to apply the grease in the inside of the barrel, and work the piston a few times. Once it is all smooth, remove the excess silicone grease, apply some section sealant to the threads, then screw the section back in. After wiping off the excess sealant, your pen is done.

Dillon

I haven't put much force to the effort of unscrewing the section because I wasn't sure that the section unscrewed. That being the case, I guess heat would be in order to unscrew the section. Once that's done the rest is easy.

Do you know whether the nib/feed is screw in? My guess is that it is screw in, but that the collar and the nib/feed come out as a unit because there are two small slots on each side of the collar around the nib/feed. Looks like a small spanner wrench would fit in those slots to enable removal of the collar/nib/feed.

Lastly, what are the two holes in the blind cap?

I'd strongly encourage you to send it to Omas Customer Service. Breaking the seal on the nib section, so I've been told, can be problematic in regards to getting it to reseal. In addition, it's a brand new pen and is certainly a warranty issue.

Omas' US Customer Service is handled by:
LZMH Omas After Sales Customer Service
966 South Springfield Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07081
Phone: 866-273-3469

They did a nib swap on my Venice Blue Paragon - no charge. Expect around a month turnaround time.

You are absolutely right, of course! It just ticks me off that the QC is so darn lousy. You know, full well, that somebody must have known how hard that was to turn before it left the plant.

Similarly, Debbie on the Stylophiles Board wrote that she also has a new one and it has the very same hard to turn knob. For a pen that supposedly has a MSRP of $895.00 it's deplorable.

But it's not like I don't have enough pens to use, so I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Thanks to all!


edit: syntax & spelling

Hi,

There is no heat to unseal the section since Omas uses Rosin sealant.

Just a turn should do the trick. I would also be happy to do it for you.

Dillon

Thanks for your take on this, Dillon, but I'm a bit skeptical that the section even comes off. I looked at the interface where the threads abut what would be the beginning of the section with a loupe, and so help me, I can not see that a junction exists.

I then applied a pretty fair amount of CCW force with my strong hand grasping the barrel and my weak hand holding the gripping area of the section between thumb and forefinger. Didn't budge it one bit.

I could probably have exerted 50% more torque, but the barrel and section are celluloid nitrate and I was fearful of breaking it. Though I won't say that yet greater mechanical advantage might not have worked, I chickened out!

My guess is that the two opposing slots on the collar into which the nib/feed are either screwed in or friction fit into, are the only way into this baby from the front end. I also still wonder what the two opposing holes in the blind cap are? Betcha that is the way in from the rear.

Have you ever actually done one of these or are you going on past experience with other Omas pens? Granted, a family usually will have similar design, but there's always the "sport" to mess up all but the most experienced practitioner.

Hi Roger,
Since I too have a Blue Royal Paragon with heavy piston action I'm wondering how it all turned out?
Mayby there is some misunderstanding on the type of Paragon? The section of the new Paragons can indeed by unscrewed, but I did nt know the celluloid Paragon has a section which can be unscrewed.
And did you lubricate the piston? How?
Enjoy,
/:) Hans.

Greetings Hans,

I'm ashamed to say that I have done nothing about it, yet, that is.

We got pretty busy around here with our son-in-law's cancer surgery followed by a really intense double course of chemo administered concurrently with his radiation treatments. We were trying to be at our daughter's beckoned call at a moments notice. That was superimposed on my dual tasks of acting as co-executor and co-trustee of my mother's estate and her late husband's trust account respectively.

Well, our son-in-law has weathered his storm ; had his first interpretable scans after the radiation that were clean, and my legal duties are 90% finished and at a stage where I don't have to be available to the attorneys at any given time, so doggone it, I'm getting back to my "to do" list nowadays.

After all the above, that you really didn't need to know about my inattention over the last few months , I intend to call them at the number provided by Michael above, and I'm sure that they will merely say, "send it in". I will, and will keep you posted. Appreciate you getting me off dead center!

Hi,

The celluloids have an unscrewable section. I have two of them.

Some force should do the trick. If you are a bit leery of this work, just send it to me and I shall whip it into shape for a tenner.

Dillon

Roger,
For all the good reasons, I sure wish for you to be able to spend more time on your hobbies.
Keep the spirit up and enjoy the company of those you care about.
/:) Hans.

I bought an OMAS ARCO Brown a while back from John Mottishaw. It's a beautiful pen and a wonderful nib. When I had a hard time with the piston being stiff, I wrote an email asking about it. Here is what Pat wrote back:

OMAS deliberately assembles their pens so that the pistons are "stiff" in the beginning. The barrels being made of nitrous celluloid, which will change shape very slightly over time and with use, if the piston were to operate "smoothly" right out of the box, it would become too loose with time and use, and loose leads to leaking.

With use, the piston will free up somewhat, so we'll hope you'll be able to put up with the stiffness until then.

Here's a thought: we have heard from various of our customers that adding a drop or two of dish liquid detergent to your ink CAN lubricate the inside of a barrel slightly.

I have only filled it about twice since then. It is still quite hard to turn.

Dillo, have you solved the initial stiffness with silicone lubrication on a new pen? I would think OMAS would lubricate the piston on assembly.

Any additional insight would be appreciated.
...Lee

Hi,

Omas did my Scarlet Princess, and I did my Green Arco Princess, and my cotton resin vision. It runs smoothly up and down now--not like the mechanical smoothness of a Pelikan, but with its own unique, smooth, and a bit organic feel.

Dillon