I Just Did Something Something Very, Very Stupid...

[Lady P]

In an effort to make my Waterman Hemisphere suitable for writing (the pen has sentimental value, otherwise it would have been tossed into the trash long ago ), I decided to try to replace the generally poor Waterman converter with the highly regarded Faber-Castell converter. It all started out so well: the converter fit into the section, I inked up the pen, and I just needed to screw the barrel to close the pen. Unfortunately, the converter was a bit too big. But I kept pushing anyway, until I finally screwed the pen closed. When I opened the pen again, the converter is stuck in the barrel and I can't get it out!

Yes, I realize this was a very, very stupid thing to do. But now that it's been done, does anyone have any idea how to get the converter out of the barrel?

Edited February 10, 2014 by Lady P

[lynxcat]

if you're willing to destroy the converter, then careful application of a drill bit may be able to loosen enough pieces. if you want it out intact, however, i'm out of advice.

[Captivelight]

Maybe a paper clip, straightened and with the last inch bent double into a hook would snag inside the converter and allow you to pull it out or wiggle it out?

Edited February 10, 2014 by Captivelight

[Tas]

Dig out an old crochet needle (surely you must have one laying around ) squeeze it in, hook it out.

 

Ta daaa . . .

[Uncial]

Fine point pliers?

[Lady P]

I don't have any drill pieces or crochet needles. I'll try with a paper clip and see if anything good happens.

I'm starting to think though that it may be time to give this pen a proper burial. Look, I tried, nobody can say I didn't try! I bought a replacement nib for it twice, I've tried multiple converters, I've flushed many times, I've experimented with inks... Oh, well. It may be time to come to the terms with the fact that my Hemisphere has died, and to remember it for the good things that it's done for me, namely, it got me reintroduced to fountain pens after a long period of non-usage. Without it, I would never have discovered my beloved Pelikans, which have given me so much joy over the past few months...

[richardandtracy]

Sledge hammer. I find it very effective when used to threaten mechanical equipment. And if the threat doesn't work, then it's a good stress relief toy. OK, the equipment is largely non functional afterwards, but wasn't beforehand either...

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[pajaro]

Maybe you can tap it out. Something stiff and pointy might pull it out. Thanks for the cautionary tale about the Hemisphere, though. I had almost bought one recently.

 

Anyway, you discovered Pelikans. I like them because they stay moist better than most.

[holgalee]

Perhaps you can post a photo of how it looks like now? Maybe you'll get better advice that easy. All the best for your pen!

[Koyote]

It doesn't sound that stupid to me, especially if you have tried everything else that comes to mind.

 

I suggest pliers on the converter end, with a firm hand on the section.

 

Or you could just throw the whole thing in the bin. It seems like it has been more headache than it's worth already.

[mhguda]

Heat it up slightly by immersing, barrel down, in warm to hot water, see if it loosens its grip? Otherwise, I think inserting a knitting needle into the converter and pulling may do the trick. It might mean you sacrifice your converter though.

[Gilberto Castaneda]

Use a sheet metal screw. Turn it in and pull.

[Lady P]

Ultimately... I think I give up. I've tried tapping the back with a Hero box, and, well, the converter didn't come out, but a whole lot of ink did, and it made quite a mess on my desk (I just wiped it off, no big deal, but it was messy).

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions, but I don't really have that many tools, so putting your suggestions into action would require buying new tools, and I don't really want to do that. As I said, the pen has sentimental value (I bought it to celebrate getting my PhD). But that doesn't change the fact that it's been a rather poor writer. So I'm going to keep the cap (which is quite pretty and will remind me of the occasion that I got it for), and I'll get rid of the rest. Yes, I'm a bit sad, but I have a number of excellent pens, and ultimately, I just don't want to invest more time and energy (and money!) into a poor writer.

Now I'm off to write with one of my Pelikans to make myself feel better...

[jameswatts]

If you are going to give up, then I would suggest just putting the pen back together and keeping the whole thing. As you say, it is more for sentimental reasons than practical ones….

 

On the other hand, I've had a number of cartridges get stuck in pen barrels, and have found that tweezers and a firm grip on same often works to remove the offending object.

[Capn]

I have converters in several pens which I've never removed; I just flush them in place when cleaning.

 

Couldn't you just use the pen in its now as-is condition or park it intact in a corner of your desk for display purposes? (Though I understand this pen has given you more grief than joy, it still has those PhD memories.)

 

Hope your Pelikan 'expedition' helped.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Capn

[Ernst Bitterman]

If the converter is still intact, you can treat it as a captive filler. {edit-- as was suggested above, as I typed}

 

My advice; pitch the thing in the fridge overnight, then hold the section to warm it, while holding the back of the converter and both pulling and wiggling it. A sort of gentle oscillation, or a side-to-side action should hopefully walk it out of the section while it's forward portion is still cold-contracted.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Ernst Bitterman

[inotrym]

It's not really a solution to the converter thing, but if you love so much your Hemisphere consider replacing the nib section with a rollerball one.

It won't be a FP anymore, but at least you will be able to use it from time to time.

[Lady P]

Hi guys,

Just to be clear: the converter is stuck in the barrel, not in the section. So no ink can get into the feed. Unless I can get the converter out of the barrel, the pen is well and truly unusable.

Well. I'll try immersing it in hot water, as mhguda suggested. Who knows, it might work(?). If that doesn't work, then I guess that's that for this pen...

[Lady P]

Semi-success! I used a pair of tweezers, squeezed the converter as hard as I could, twisted, and after a few attempts, the converter came out! The bad news is that in the process, I slightly disfigured the barrel, so now it's pretty difficult to screw in the section (it's not totally impossible, but it takes some serious effort).

Well... I think this pen can no longer be used as a pen. But it still looks good, so I'll just keep it (uninked) to remind me of the occasion that I got it for. I also put back the original nib-section unit. That nib is awfully scratchy, but since I won't be writing with this pen anymore, I might as well go for the original nib, rather than a replacement.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice!

Edited February 10, 2014 by Lady P

[Gilberto Castaneda]

Take you pick:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1392049986__sheet_metal_screw.jpg