pen leak

[mchristi]

I was checking the ink levels in my Pelikan 140, and noticed that there was no ink left in the reservoir. (This did surprise me a bit, I knew I was close but didn't think I'd have quite run out of ink yet.) So I started the flush the pen. The plunger moved down to the nib end just fine, but was stiff moving the other way. After some gentle prodding, I managed to get the plunge moving well again, but I noticed that my hands were now inky. I flushed the pen some more. It wasn't coming from the nib end, but my hands were more inky now. I eventually figured out that the ink was coming from around the knob at the back of the pen. As I had used the pen, I hadn't noticed any leaking, or ended up with inky hands. This happened only when I was cleaning it.

 

Any suggestions about what is going on, or how it might be remedied? Is there also any way I might clean any ink from behind the plunger?

 

Mark C.

[Dennis Lively]

Mark,

It sounds like you have a blown seal/gasket. Send it back to chartpak and they will service it fot you no problem. They have fantastic customer service.

 

If you have a "sticky" or difficult to turn piston in the future, go to any auto parts storeand get some 100% pure silicon grease. With the nib unit out take a q-tip coated with a tiny tiny bit of the grease and wipe the inner barrel. Work the piston through the full range ofit's motion a time or 2 and you'll have a silky smooth action in there.

 

It's my guess as you were gently prodding the piston you broke the seal inside. Just give chatrpak a yell andall will be well.

 

Hope this helps some for next time.

 

Dennis

[KCat]

Mark,

It sounds like you have a blown seal/gasket. Send it back to chartpak and they will service it fot you no problem. They have fantastic customer service.

 

 

Dennis

Yes, but will they service a 140 (vintage) in decent time or at all? I would be inclined to contact Rick Propas to find out his turn-around and charge on such a repair.

 

but i suppose contacting Chartpak first would be best. I just don't know how far back (in model years) their service goes. Would it have to go to Germany? If so, my experience with Pelikan Germany has not been nearly as remarkable as with Chartpak. Or Rick.

 

Rick's pen URL is:

 

http://www.angelfire.com/mac/penguin0/index2.html

 

where you will find his email contact somewhere in the left column.

[penguy]

If you have a "sticky" or difficult to turn piston in the future, go to any auto parts storeand get some 100% pure silicon grease.

I had a hard time finding Silicon grease at auto parts stores. In fact, they didn't even know what it was. I got at a swimming pool supply shop. I also found a few SCUBA shops that sell it, so if you can't find it at an auto store try these

 

Peter

[KCat]

Indeed - I went to three auto shops in my area and got baffled stares, chaw-lip mumbling and on one occasion titters as two women next to the cute young man who looked went cross-eyed and said "100% Silicone?" (if we were in LA that line would be better understood perhaps...)

 

anyway - i gave up. Dive shops are too far away. So I called Pendemonium.

[Maja]

Indeed - I went to three auto shops in my area and got baffled stares, chaw-lip mumbling and on one occasion titters as two women next to the cute young man who looked went cross-eyed and said "100% Silicone?"  (if we were in LA that line would be better understood perhaps...)

 

anyway - i gave up. Dive shops are too far away.  So I called Pendemonium.

I went to one auto shop and got weird stares, too! <_<

There was one product in a tube that they said was silicone grease, but there were no ingredients listed so I passed on it....They asked if silicone spray was ok, but I checked the label and it said "Contains petroleum derivatives" or something to that effect, so I passed on that too (since I know that petroleum derivatives are not good for fountain pens).

 

I am going to the local Canadian Tire shop today to look for some spark plug pliers (to see if they will work as section pliers) and also a white grease pencil (for imprint highlighting) so I will look for the silicone too.

[KCat]

I am going to the local Canadian Tire shop today to look for some spark plug pliers (to see if they will work as section pliers) and also a white grease pencil (for imprint highlighting) so I will look for the silicone too.

Hi Maja,

 

i've used spark plug terminal pliers as section pliers and they seem to work just fine. You give up a little in the way of feedback i think. But thus far I've used them on several different pens with good results. Even a very stubborn WM Phileas. The pair I bought here cost me 6USD. Much better than the exact same thing being sold as section pliers by pen dealers. At least in my hick town in Texas I had to specify spark plug *terminal* pliers. Why? heckifiknow.

 

I think you are wise to pass on the grease without knowing the exact ingredients. And definitely on any spray with petrolium distillates.

[John]

My local Crappy Tire has neither spark plug pliers nor silicone grease!

[Dennis Lively]

If anyone is interested i'm going to go to my local shop where i get my goodies and see if they can sell me a case of both silicon grease and section/spark plug pliers.

 

I'll find out more tomorrow. I'll keep everyone up to speed on the progress.

 

Dennis

[Maja]

My local Crappy Tire has neither spark plug pliers nor silicone grease!

Same here, John!

Today I went there to find:

--spark plug pliers/pullers

--100% silicone grease

--a white grease pencil

--a small "hobby" vice (Keith's suggestion as an aid to section removal)

 

and I found......ZILCH!

 

They said that my best bet would be an "automotive" store (...and this was a huge Canadian Tire store I went to!)

 

I think I'll let my fingers do the walking and use the phone from now on...

Thanks for the tip, KCat and Dennis, please let us know about the supplies situation; I am beginning to wonder if this stuff is even sold up here in the Great White North

[Guest Denis Richard]

Store are so specialized now. In few decades, you might have to go to the spark plug store, then to the grease store, the pencil store,...

[Gerry]

OK Guys, and Gal's - my silicone grease (from an automotive store) is called EZE-SLIDE, made by kleen-flo - Stock # 331. It's a lubricant primarily designed for disk brake applications (but lists drum brakes as well). The properties making it an ideal brake grease (not for the friction areas obviously) is the ability to withstand extreme temperature without melting, and it's excellent water washout characteristics.

 

It is not surprising that many sales persons aren't aware that it is silicone because nowhere on the front of the tube does it say anything at all about silicone. Just in the fine print on the back buried in the instructions. Another of it's desireable properties is that it won't swell or damage boots or rubber bushings (which is the reason it's desirable in fountain pen applications).

 

Whether or not it's a great buy I can't say - it costs about $11 CDN at UAP / NAPA for 170 grams - which is about 2/3 cup. Lots of FP lubrications.

 

Plumbing stores also have silicone grease - they use it in some of the newer faucets - but the quantities I've seen were quite small - a little box maybe 1"x1"x1/2" Can't remember the price of that. I think I saw it at Rona.

 

Gerry

[rsilver000]

Almost any shop that sells snorkeling masks will have silicone grease in a small container for about $3.00. Most major sporting shops sell it . It is a very small amount, maybe an ounce, but how much do you really need? If you have a dive shop locally, they definately will have it.

Rob

[John]

I finally ended up getting silicon grease from Giovanni

[Gerry]

And the newest source is: Rona (CDN version of Home Depot) - selling MOEN SILICONE LUBRICANT 1/2 oz, P/N M6144. Cost - about $5.00 CDN.

 

Gerry

[Maja]

And the newest source is:  Rona (CDN version of Home Depot) - selling MOEN SILICONE LUBRICANT 1/2 oz, P/N M6144.  Cost - about $5.00 CDN.

 

Gerry

Gerry, thank you for the tip----I found the MOEN product at the RONA store.

I was in the store, walking around when I finally found an aisle that was labelled "Pool Supplies".... and "Silicone Lubricant."Wow, this is way too easy, I thought.....and sure enough, the silicone lubricant was there but it was in a spray can and it contained petroleum derivatives I had almost given up hope, when I decided to check the next aisle over, the one with all the faucet supplies and there it was....in a small jar, hanging from a hook at the very top of the pegboard-----silicone lubricant in a jar

 

Now, the only question I have is this: does it contain any petroleum derivatives?? There are no product ingredients listed on the package, so I e-mailed the company (Moen) tonight and should get an answer early next week......I will post their answer here as soon as I find out......

Edited November 27, 2004 by Maja

[Maja]

OK, here is what the MOEN rep wrote back to me:

Hello Maja,

 

Thank you for your email. The Silicone Lubricant does not have any petroleum products and is safe to use. We utilize this lubricant on our cartridges and O-rings on all of our faucets.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Nathalie Lalumière

 

Technical Service Representative

 

1-800-465-6130 ext 293

 

So I will be using this on my piston-fillers and touchdown fillers et al. , for lubrication.....

[Cam]

Does this guy look like it might do the trick?

[Keith with a capital K]

Cam,

 

That does look like it will do the trick but a more economical solution would be to inquire at your local hardware or plumbing shop.

 

Cheers!

[rsilver000]

It is also sold in almost any auto store including megastores such as k-mart or wal-mart as "dielectric grease." It is used on auto electric terminals to protect them from the elements and corrosion. Very cheap and in a handy squeeze tube with a screw on top.

Rob