very slow leak in a sheaffer vacu-fil

November 5, 2004

I have a really pretty ebony and pearl Sheaffer Balance Vacu-fil. I think that's the name. To fill it, you unscrew the end and pull out a long rod. Then put the nib in the ink and push the rod back in, sucking up the ink.

This pen has a very slow leak... in other words as I'm writing, it gets a little ahead of me and I have to wipe it on something and continue. Is this just something I need to deal with or can this be fixed. Is this what you'd call sweating? Isn't sweating when beads appear on the nib? In this situation, the ink seems to accumulate between the nib and the section...

Ok, and part II, if this is just something I need to live with, would it make a difference if I only filled it say 1/3 of the way?

It's a beautiful writer and a beautiful pen... I'd like to use it.

November 6, 2004

It sounds like you might in fact have a small air leak which will allow ink to seep out around the nib. On a vac-fill this can be back at the packing where the rod goes through or it could be around the nib. Another location could be between the section and barrel. On my Balance the section screws in and I have it sealed with silicone grease. Also, if the nib is not sitting right on the feed you can get the same result. The nib should be right down on the feed.

On my FP I can unscrew the rod, pull it all the way back and then push it almost all the way back in ( but not to the point where it releases the vaccuum ) and then release the rod. The vac is so good that the rod springs all the way back out!

One thing that will agrivate a small leak or a poor nib / feed fit is that the barrel holds the ink and the heat from your hand wants to expand the air and ink in the pen. Where will it go? It will follow the path of least resistance ----> the nib / feed.

You might want to consider sending the pen to our resident fix-it guy for a work over with his "magic fingers".