Parker Refill Leaking Ink Cartridge

[repoman576]

hello

 

ive own a parker 75 since the 70's. this pen set was given to me by my father when i graduated HS. so ive had this pen nearly 40 years. needless to say it has sentimental value to me. this pen never leaves my desk. about 2 years ago the ink catridge leaked. what a mess. parker decided to clean and replace the cartridge for me. this process took about 2+ months but it was ok as they cleaned out the mess. so here i am...thinking thats the end of the story but guess what??? the very same ink catridge they put in the pen leaked again. again i email parker and told them their ink catridge leaked. basically they didnt really care and sent me a pdf of retail pen repair places and told me to pick one.

 

i have 2 questions:

 

1. have the quality of these ink catridge and parker pens gone down? this sort of stuff never used to happen. to have this happen 2x in the span fo less than 2 years really disappoints me, not to mention peeved me off. btw...in case you want to know these are genuine parker refills...the present one was put in the pen by parker themselves when they serviced it

 

2. what do you guys do to clean out the barrel and other part inside this pen?

 

im afraid to use any solvents cause im not sure if there are any plastic parts inside the barrel.

 

i tried to post a pic but the image was too large.

 

any info would be appreciated...

 

thank you

Edited June 9, 2013 by repoman576

[Eccles]

When you say 'cartridge' I am guessing you mean converter; the former is usually a single use throw-away (unless you refill with a syringe), the latter you refill as many times as it lasts.

Since the replacement was recent, I'm again guessing that they supplied either a simple sliding mechanism converter or the so-called 'de luxe' twist-action version.

I've had trouble with the modern Watermans twist action equivalent of late, and have seen mention of similar issues with Parker... they are part of the same overall company these days, so it makes sad sense.

And yes, the quality has fallen; they used to last for many years, and I have pens with the original 50s & 60s squeeze converters that still work.

Warm or even cold water with a drop of mild detergent should get the inside of the barrel perfectly clean; you can assist with either a fine bottle brush or even a twisted length of paper towel rotated inside the barrel &/or cap.

Similarly, soaking and flushing the section using the converter to push the water/detergent through seems to work with pens that have not been neglected; dilute ammonia seems to be a cleaner of choice otherwise, although I've never used it. At least with your 75 you can easily remove the nib and feed for cleaning, unlike some models.

I have small and relatively 'mild' ultrasound cleaner that does a great job with just water in most cases; you can find them on eBay amongst other places.

A search on FPN will reveal a wealth of more detailed advice on cleaning. I've simply run through what usually works for me.

Glenn.

[repoman576]

hello

 

the refill im referring to is what i think is called a parker jotter??? which is their self contained non refillable ball point ink cartridge.

 

the parker 75 is what parker told me i had...its a sterling silver pen set of which the non fountain pen is the culprit.

 

my apologies if i was a bit vague and thank you for your reply

[TorPelikan]

Hello,

 

I'm sorry you cannot use your beloved pen while the leaked ink stay inside.

It's rather difficult to clean, when the ballpoint pen leaked.

 

According to my little experience,

First, remove the refill from the barrel, and also remove the spring if possible.

Then, I use a small piece of paper towel or cotton swab to clean the ink.

Oil based ink is hard to remove. Sometimes, small amount of ethanol will work, though I don't know whether it is harmless to your Parker 75.

Warm or cold water is almost of no use.

Please be patient, repeat cleaning until you can see no ink on the paper towel or Q-tip.

 

Hope your pen become useable soon.

 

 

 

Tor

[sammyboy]

I've had a similar problem with my vintage steel Parker BP - a genuine refill leaked inside.

 

I used alcohol hand gel which has worked a treat in cleaning out the ink, doubt it'll damage plastic parts but be careful. Think I still need to do a few rounds with a tissue and the hand gel as the top (it's one where the whole lid clicks rather than just a button) now gets stuck until clicked a couple of times - then gets stuck again when not used for a little while.

 

Just needs a bit of time and patience and you should be able to recover your pen.

[usk15]

I've had the same problem with 2 Parker BP pens, and the problem come form the fact you kept the pen in an angle the allow ink to flow backward... the back of the refill is not seal, need air to allow easy flow when write. Witch mean is nothing wrong with refill, is actually your fault. The first one I've clean very slow with cotton swabs, in couple of days...but the second one (happened last week!) i use Alcohol-based hand sanitizers, it's magic! i clean my pen (Parker IM ballpoint) in couple of hours. just pour some small amount on a clean soft tissue and stick to the bottom of barrel, and repeat...on and on and on till is clear. to reach the end you can use a skewer-stick with a tissue (basically like a big swab).

Good luck, and avoid this to happened.

[usk15]

To avoid all the hassle in the future i recommend this type of refills:

 

1. Fisher Space Pen’s Sealed Pressurized Ink Cartridge, came with a spacer to fit Parker pens

http://www.spacepen.com/cartridge.aspx

 

2.Schmidt P950M 3 Megaline Pressurised G2 Ballpoint Refills

http://www.schmidtpenrefills.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=439&products_id=743

 

Both of them are sealed on the end, cannot flow backward...but if you break the tip(nose) somehow(drop on the floor) all the pressure force the ink outside!

I use both of them, but i like Schmidt more...my personal taste.

Edited June 10, 2013 by usk15

[repoman576]

thanks to everyones replies...

 

im going to try to clean it myself

 

btw...this pen is never in an angle..it sits on the top of my desk...i dont even bring it out for fear that i would lose it..its not worth a lot to anyone except to me...

 

when i was younger i would bring this pen with me to classes and everywhere...no leak ever...last 30 years or so this pen sits at home and only the last 2 years...2 original parker refills leaked. i can see it being my fault had i had it in my pocket upside down...

 

 

thanks again

[Flounder]

While I've been surprised by the disappointing, scratchy nature of Parker's ballpoint refills, the few I've used have never leaked.

[pajaro]

I have never had any Parker refill leak, but a Fisher Space Pen refill leaked in a Jotter. I have some Parker 51 ballpoints, some Sonnet ballpoints, Big Reds and a Vector. I would be really incensed if they leaked. I think the Gel refills might be water based and easier to clean up. The only ballpoint refill of any quality I have had a leak with happened when I left it on the dash of a car and it got very hot, probably forcing the ink out. That might have been the Fisher.

[Mike 59]

Hi, This 'leaking refill' subject comes back every so often, and I boasted that I had never seen that happen in all the time I used a Powerpoint ballpen. But this year a new QF refill did leak into a plastic barreled Jotter, and I spent some time looking for some combination of detergents, bleach/cleaner, that would clean it out.

The only liquid that moved the ink at all was about 5% bleach in water, and left overnight. Repeat and again, many times over. But the plastic barrel was changing colour at the same time, so obviously not the answer. (Hand cleaner mentioned above was not tried, but will be if it happens again.)

The leak must come from the junction of the metal tube and the plastic plug/rotator.

My refill did not get hot or cold, just normal, ordinary use and was about two months old when it leaked.

It was bought in a 2 pack of refills, the other one has not leaked. I find they write very well.

Alternatives I have tried, Fisher Space Pen refill (#PR4), and Stabilo ( as in the COM4 ball point pen). Both rich, smooth ink, and reliable.

[usk15]

Inside the refills is liquid content oil based, witch, all liquids is flowing downward no matter if you will keep your pen correct or backward. What I'm saying is impossible to leak if you keep your pen correct, by physics law. It will leak if your pen will stay for a long period backward. Also is important in this period how the atmospheric conditions are, too hot, humidity. The cases with pressurized refills will leak because of pressure, by breaking one of the sealing points.

[repoman576]

Inside the refills is liquid content oil based, witch, all liquids is flowing downward no matter if you will keep your pen correct or backward. What I'm saying is impossible to leak if you keep your pen correct, by physics law. It will leak if your pen will stay for a long period backward. Also is important in this period how the atmospheric conditions are, too hot, humidity. The cases with pressurized refills will leak because of pressure, by breaking one of the sealing points.

ok ...please explain to me this...why this leak only occurred in the last 2 years and not before? its the same pen, same desk, same house....same everything. i doubt the humidity and atmospheric condidtion changed so much only in the last 2 years for this to happen. i understanbd your points, however, i really dont think they apply to my situation. also there are many cheaper free TD bank pens and other parker pens in the same draw as the parker 75.... those didnt leak. if they all leaked i would agree then with you totally. (many of the pens faced the same direction whereas other faced the opposite)

 

btw, alcohol seems to do a decent job though it took a long time.

 

the good news is the customer service at parker asked me to send the pen back to their service center. though i tried to clean it with alcohol, im not sure if i did a good enough job. still cost me $13 to ship it but thats ok.

Edited June 11, 2013 by repoman576

[usk15]

It might be possible that last refills from Parker, the quinkflow ones to use very smooth ink oil based that will leak/flow even if will stand horizontally…

 

I do understand your point, and I do apologies if I offended you.

 

Anyway that’s good customer service provided from Parker, I’m glad that will recover your favourite pen! You can ask them about my theory, and try to keep your pen in a standing position.

Pics with pen when come back.

[repoman576]

It might be possible that last refills from Parker, the quinkflow ones to use very smooth ink oil based that will leak/flow even if will stand horizontally…

 

I do understand your point, and I do apologies if I offended you.

 

Anyway that’s good customer service provided from Parker, I’m glad that will recover your favourite pen! You can ask them about my theory, and try to keep your pen in a standing position.

Pics with pen when come back.

hi, no you did not offend me.....i appreciate your points and your replies. perhaps there is something mechanical in the parker 75 that is causing the refill to leak??? whatever it is...its hard to see what it may be since....its only happened in the last 2 years with the last 2 refills. people have suggested that the quality of the product isnt what it once was. i can accept that explanation since this sort of stuff never used to happen. when i sent the pen in the first time......parker actually tried to suggest that staples...where i bought the refill from sold "old" stuff. that may have been the case, except, the refill they put in after service leaked also. does this suggests that parker stocks old merchandise????

 

as for keeping the pen in a standing position...i may just have to be mindful to do this

 

thank you

[Sasha Royale]

I have always had a Jotter bp around to use. None has ever "leaked". Ballpoint

pens are not fitting instruments for writing, anyway.

 

Remove the ballpoint refill. Clean the pen. Use it as a pretty pocket ornament.

Put a blue-black Quink cartridge in the fountain pen member of the set and write

to your heart's content.

 

(Ballpoint Pen Network ?)

[pajaro]

Ballpoints do sometimes leak. I have had it happen with Papermate piggyback refills, and a couple of others. Stuff happens. While it has not happened to one of my Parkers, who knows whether it might or not. It's nice if you can get someone else to clean it up.

[bkbates]

This thread as been very interesting. I found it after my Parker Gel refill failed, ruining a shirt and leaving a huge ink stain on my belly. The Parker refill was purchased last year. I had the twin of the offending refill in the original package and looked to see where they had been made. The sticker on the back, said that it was made in FRANCE.

 

I had been using this refill for some time and had used it in the morning, returning it to my pocked, as per usual, right side up, pointy end down. When I sat down for lunch, SURPRISE!! I found that the pen had leaked. Upon examinatoin, the leak was issuing from the pointy end of the refill, not the other end. Since there are a large number of choices for this type of gel refill, the PARKER brand is now going on the NO_Buy list.

 

BTW, Parker is owned by currently owned by Newell Rubbermaid, and headquartered in Newhaven, East Sussex, England.

[repoman576]

i have an update on my "repair" situation. after having my pen for several weeks...they have determined that they no longer have the parts to service my parker 75 chiseled. they did offer me a replacement of equal value..a parker sonet chiseled. unfortunately, i had to decline and ask them to send me back my old 75. that pen has great sentimental value to me and as much as i would like a new pen...cant do it.

 

as far as i know, i just needed a thorough cleaning. i have no clue to what servicable parts in the pen that needs to be replaced.

 

though i appreciate the fact that they were going to replace the pen ad no cost, they failed to understand...i can always buy another pen, but i can never get another pen from my dad as he passed in 2001.

 

so they are going to send me back my old pen but why its going to take 2-3 weeks....is anyones guess.

Edited July 4, 2013 by repoman576

[View from the Loft]

 

 

BTW, Parker is owned by currently owned by Newell Rubbermaid, and headquartered in Newhaven, East Sussex, England.

 

Unfortunately for customer service, this is incorrect. Newhaven was closed, with the UK division now located in the north west of England. I did not have a good experience when NR took over.