Cleaning Out a Renew Point

[dayonfire]

Forgive a newb question. I am pretty new to fps and even newer to Esterbrooks.

 

I picked up an Estie at an antique store recently. the sac seemed fine and it had a 9668 nib. Not a bad gamble for $7.50, I said.

 

The renew point is in great shape except for there is no air flow at all. It seems to be completely clogged with what I would guess is old ink. I have soaked it for a day, but it still won't budge.

 

I'm sure this is no new question, but if someone could point me in a direction...

 

If I could get the point cleaned out, I think it would make a great daily writer.

 

Thanks!

 

michael

[FarmBoy]

Forgive a newb question. I am pretty new to fps and even newer to Esterbrooks.

 

I picked up an Estie at an antique store recently. the sac seemed fine and it had a 9668 nib. Not a bad gamble for $7.50, I said.

 

The renew point is in great shape except for there is no air flow at all. It seems to be completely clogged with what I would guess is old ink. I have soaked it for a day, but it still won't budge.

 

I'm sure this is no new question, but if someone could point me in a direction...

 

If I could get the point cleaned out, I think it would make a great daily writer.

 

Thanks!

 

michael

You can try an ultrasonic cleaner. If you don't have one, try soaking with household ammonia and water (1:10). You can also try soaking in Rapidoease. You can also use any of these in the sonicator if you have one. Also try pushing and sucking liquid through the point by using a dropper bulb.

 

Todd

[Paddler]

Unscrew the Renew Point from the pen and look at the back end of it (the back end of the Renew Point). You should see two rectangular holes near the edge. These are the channels through which ink is fed to the nib (and air goes back to the sac). These channels each extend straight through the unit and out under the nib, almost to the end of the feed under the point. You can push a .009" or .010" guitar string through those channels and remove an obstruction, unless it is really solid dried ink or shellac from India ink. Sometimes the wire hangs up on the back of the nib and you have to fiddle with it, but it should go through.

 

Paddler

[dayonfire]

I see one hole at the back, and that is clogged solid. I have no sonicator and am relegated to soaking and pushing. It just seems solid in the hole. Need to soften it and push a string through...just now sure how to soften it enough.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Michael

 

Unscrew the Renew Point from the pen and look at the back end of it (the back end of the Renew Point). You should see two rectangular holes near the edge. These are the channels through which ink is fed to the nib (and air goes back to the sac). These channels each extend straight through the unit and out under the nib, almost to the end of the feed under the point. You can push a .009" or .010" guitar string through those channels and remove an obstruction, unless it is really solid dried ink or shellac from India ink. Sometimes the wire hangs up on the back of the nib and you have to fiddle with it, but it should go through.

 

Paddler

[Highbinder]

nvm re-read first post :embarrassed_smile:

Edited January 12, 2010 by Highbinder

[ZeissIkon]

Unfortunately, if the pen was filled with India ink, clogged, and then allowed to dry out with the India ink still inside, the only chance you have of even softening that clog enough to ream without (probably irreversibly) disassembling the nib unit is Rapid-O-Eze; it's sold where technical pens are sold, and is made specifically for cleaning India ink out of those pens; it's the only substance (that I know of) that will soften or dissolve India ink without damaging pen materials. With what you have, if the clog isn't softening with overnight soaks in water, the next step is probably to soak the nib unit in full strength Rapid-O-Eze (fill a small bottle with a sealing cap, drop in the nib unit, close the lid) for several days -- this is assuming you don't have access to a sonic cleaner, in which case you'd put some full strength Rapid-O-Eze in a small plastic cup, set that in the cleaner's filled tub, and put the nib unit in the cup before sonicating (very likely repeatedly).

 

Unless the nib unit is a rarity, now might also be a good time to start shopping around for a new one, as I'd be quite surprised if you were to restore that unit to full function unless you're lucky enough to be able to get it back together after knocking the nib and feed out of the collar (which would allow you to dig the hardened ink out of the feed's channels with something like a #11 X-acto blade or, to placate the experts, the corner of a .002" to .005" thick brass shim). I've cleaned up feeds this way, very successfully -- but it's not possible with the nib and feed still bound in the threaded collar, and the history isn't good on getting them out and back in again without destroying the collar.

[dayonfire]

I do have some Rapid-O-Eze...so I will try a full strength soak now. The nib is nothing special...a 9668. I just don't have the money to spend another $20 on another nib. Trying to make this work instead. I should just save my pennies and get a 9048.

 

Thanks for all the helpful hints, guys!

 

Michael

 

 

Unfortunately, if the pen was filled with India ink, clogged, and then allowed to dry out with the India ink still inside, the only chance you have of even softening that clog enough to ream without (probably irreversibly) disassembling the nib unit is Rapid-O-Eze; it's sold where technical pens are sold, and is made specifically for cleaning India ink out of those pens; it's the only substance (that I know of) that will soften or dissolve India ink without damaging pen materials. With what you have, if the clog isn't softening with overnight soaks in water, the next step is probably to soak the nib unit in full strength Rapid-O-Eze (fill a small bottle with a sealing cap, drop in the nib unit, close the lid) for several days -- this is assuming you don't have access to a sonic cleaner, in which case you'd put some full strength Rapid-O-Eze in a small plastic cup, set that in the cleaner's filled tub, and put the nib unit in the cup before sonicating (very likely repeatedly).

 

Unless the nib unit is a rarity, now might also be a good time to start shopping around for a new one, as I'd be quite surprised if you were to restore that unit to full function unless you're lucky enough to be able to get it back together after knocking the nib and feed out of the collar (which would allow you to dig the hardened ink out of the feed's channels with something like a #11 X-acto blade or, to placate the experts, the corner of a .002" to .005" thick brass shim). I've cleaned up feeds this way, very successfully -- but it's not possible with the nib and feed still bound in the threaded collar, and the history isn't good on getting them out and back in again without destroying the collar.

[gyasko]

It's usually fairly obvious when someone has used india ink in a fountain pen, so unless it looks like it's been used with india ink, i wouldn't jump to conclusions. I think it took two weeks of soaking to remove a stubborn clog one nib unit. I wouldn't give up after one night's soak. Who is tougher? You or that clog? Don't give up so easily!

[dayonfire]

You are right! I'm letting it soak for a few days and will then run a guitar string I have through it.

 

I dipped the nib...writes really well. Hope I can get it up and running.

 

Thanks for your support!

 

Michael

 

 

It's usually fairly obvious when someone has used india ink in a fountain pen, so unless it looks like it's been used with india ink, i wouldn't jump to conclusions. I think it took two weeks of soaking to remove a stubborn clog one nib unit. I wouldn't give up after one night's soak. Who is tougher? You or that clog? Don't give up so easily!

[dayonfire]

Success! I am happy to report that after soaking the nib in full strength Rapid-o-eze, it is fully flushed and writing like a dream. Black J, filled with Old Manhattan Black. Sha-weet.

 

Thank you for everyone's help!

 

m.

 

 

You are right! I'm letting it soak for a few days and will then run a guitar string I have through it.

 

I dipped the nib...writes really well. Hope I can get it up and running.

 

Thanks for your support!

 

Michael

 

 

It's usually fairly obvious when someone has used india ink in a fountain pen, so unless it looks like it's been used with india ink, i wouldn't jump to conclusions. I think it took two weeks of soaking to remove a stubborn clog one nib unit. I wouldn't give up after one night's soak. Who is tougher? You or that clog? Don't give up so easily!

[ZeissIkon]

Cool! Always good to see another one back in the rotation.

[picker77]

Just for trivia's sake, I had the same problem with an Osmiroid italic fine straight nib that someone used with India ink and put away wet. It happens I have a good-sized shop which among many hand and power tools contains welding equipment. I remembered on my welding accessory shelf I had a little tool that's made for cleaning crud out of the tiny holes in the tips of brazing and cutting torches. It's a small flip-lid aluminum case that contains about a dozen carefully graduated sizes of very stiff (probably music) wire that are smooth for the first 1/2", then roughened much like a tiny very fine round file for the next couple of inches. The second wire in the series fit this particular nib ink/air channel perfectly, and allowed me (after some overnight soaking) to completely clean out the channel with ease. The amount of black ink particles that came out of that thing was amazing. It's now in an Esterbrook and is one of my favorite nibs.

 

Not a bad little all-purpose tool to have on the bench when you are messing with pens, I suppose. Any welding supply shop or Big Box store that has welding gear carries them, they're call a "tip cleaner" and they are inexpensive (about $4.00 each).