Silicone Grease And Stress Cracking

[Pen Nut]

For the sake of all current and future MB owners, I am willing to step up and volunteer for #3 LOL

 

Damn & blast you turkey face......... beat me to it

[Feathers]

 

Damn & blast you turkey face......... beat me to it

Bahahahahhaa You can be my wingman <---- get it?? Yeahhhh, I know, sooooo bad. LOL!!

[meiers]

I have read the thread

http://www.fountainp...ation-question/

But I do not see a definitive answer. There are opinions by experts who have used both lubricants, each for a long time. The original comment was that silicon weakened the resin barrel and caused stress fractures. But there are few cases and the fractures could be due to other causes. It has also been suggested that silicon lubricant might damage the piston elastomer, which has been also suggested to be made of silicon. Again, I am not a chemist so I hope that someone with a scientific background could address some of these anecdotal comments. I don't think that the piston is an elastomer, even though it has been described as such (even by me). An elastomer is a polymer with the characteristic of viscosity and elasticity of two groups: unsaturated (natural and synthetic rubber) and saturated (silicone and plastic). I doubt that an elastomer has either the durability to serve as a piston seal in a pen or the resistance to some of the chemicals used in inks. I think the piston is made of polyethylene based on its color and texture. It would have good chemical resistance to vaseline and very good resistance to silicon. Does anyone ACTUALLY know what the piston is made of, or should this be on the list for reverse engineering with the barrel plastic?

We should ask Max (maxpens). He would know. Edited July 2, 2015 by meiers