Wality 69L Problems

[mysta rave]

I purchased a Wality 69L and the nib and feed were not properly aligned. When I write, it drops huge ink blobs on my paper. I contacted the seller for a replacement and I got another one that did the same exact thing! After this I took it apart and I dont know where to position the feed to prevent this. Anybody have any pictures of where it should be?

 

 

 

 

Thanks

[Univer]

Hi,

 

I wish I were writing to offer a sure-fire solution; but I'm writing, instead, to commiserate. (I assume you're talking about the eyedropper version of the pen, by the way.)

 

My two Wality eyedroppers both have the ink-blob problem. I have searched this forum for fixes, and, based on what I read, have tried all of the following, roughly in this order:

 

1. Reseated nib and feed, making sure to insert feed more deeply into section: no luck.

 

2. Re-reseated nib and feed, making sure to increase the relative distance between leading edge of feed and point (in other words - more of the point end of the nib visible, viewed from the underside): no luck.

 

3. Increased amount of silicone lubricant used on section threads to an utterly impractical quantity: no luck.

 

4. Used hobby knife and file to deepen side fissures of feed: no luck.

 

5. Tried to "close up" the distance between nib and feed by pressing them tightly together under very hot tap water, then switching to cold water to "set" them in position: no luck.

 

6. Replaced nib and feed with the nib and feed from a Wality 52 piston-filler: no luck.

 

If there's something else left to try, I'd love to know about it. I find the pen to be a fabulous writer, but it's simply unusable. Based on anecdotal evidence, it seems that some people aren't experiencing these issues; maybe this is one of those instances where you either get a good one or a bad one, and there's not much you can do about it if you're one of the unlucky ones.

 

The good news, however, is that I've had no problems at all with a 69L piston-filler I recently acquired. It has all the good writing qualities of the eyedropper - so far (knock on wood!) without the problems.

 

Here's hoping you get your pen working properly. If you do, please share the technique!

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

[mysta rave]

Yes I have the eyedropper....well now its 2 of them. They do look good sitting on my desk, but unfortunately thats where it ends.

[Kryosphinx]

I'm a total pen newbie, but is it possible that a full tank of ink is forcing ink out faster than it should, which is causing it to drop blobs? Try filling the barrel halfway or less.

[markh]

This is apparently a common problem with these pens.

 

I think in mine its a thermal problem. When the pen is laying on my cold desk, and I pick it up in my hot hand, the heat expands the air in the pen and forces ink out the nib.

 

The real problem is that there aren't enough cuts in the feed, especially inside the section. I found that when I picked up the pen, and held it nib up small "bubbles" would be forced out of the nib. This indicates to me that there is really no capacity in the feed to absorb extra ink.

 

There is only one "cure" that I know of, short of compeletely redisigning the pen. If you keep the pen in your pocket so there is never much temperature variation between storage and use, the problem will disapear, or at least be greatly reduced.

 

These pens are made in India, a warm country. Perhaps this problem shows up less often there, where the differences in ambient temperature and the tempurature of your hand are less. But that's just speculation.

 

Ultimately, its a cheap pen that writes surprisingly well. If only the ink flow was well controlled.

[mysta rave]

I'm a total pen newbie, but is it possible that a full tank of ink is forcing ink out faster than it should, which is causing it to drop blobs? Try filling the barrel halfway or less.

Nope I filled mine to different levels

[MrSnrub]

I have two Wality 69Ls (a piston-filler and the eyedropper model) that had this problem. First, I tried pulling out the nib and feed with one of those rubber kitchen gripping pads, giving them a rinse, then reseating them in the section with the end of the feed about 1/8" back from the end of the nib. After this, I tried holding the nib and feed under boiled water for 15 seconds or so, before taking them out and trying my best to hold them together while they set.

 

This made things worse, with blobs of ink leaking out with every couple of words I wrote

 

The good news is that I tried the same procedure again, except I moved the feed right down near the end of the nib, and pushed the nib/feed into the section a lot more firmly than I did the first time. Also, when I was trying to reseat the nib against the feed again after heating them up, I held it under ice water (a step I forgot the first time).

 

The good news is that I haven't had a problem with the pen since. I did the same with the other 69L, and this pen is also writing great now. So I guess what I'm saying is that they can be made to write well, and don't give up if the whole procedure doesn't work out the first time

[Univer]

Hi All,

 

MrSnrub, you have revived my flagging hopes. Throughout all my unsuccessful efforts, I never thought to boil the thing. (I realize, of course, that you used "boiled" and not "boiling" water.)

 

I will try your recommended procedure tonight - and I thank you for taking the time and trouble to share it.

 

If these pens weren't such good writers, it would be so easy simply to give up.

 

Thanks again!

 

Jon

Edited January 15, 2007 by Univer

[Guest Saints1976]

I tried all these tips when I had one a few months ago. I gave up in the end and assigned it to the trash

[Rob R]

I have one that does the same thing. I agree that it is a great writer and the size is very nice. But, the ink blob thing is a real PIA.