Tintenkuli Question

[wastelanded]

I have a couple of Tintenkulis that I can't get the piston unit unscrewed, no matter how much heating, twisting, begging or swearing involved. These pistons need lube. One can't go in from the nib end, as there are only two small holes. Does anyone have a trick for getting a touch of silicone grease in there?

 

Ta!

[Pickwick]

I had a similar problem. In the end I wrapped a small piece of cloth around the color coded ring and gently gripped it with a a pair of pliers giving it a sharp twist which worked. The piston isn't attached to the knurled knob and if you succeed the piston may stay in the barrel. I Managed to re-engage mine and gently unscrewed it which kept the piston engaged.

 

Once you've achieved it, you may well find after a thorough cleaning, silicone grease might not be necessary.

[wastelanded]

I had a similar problem. In the end I wrapped a small piece of cloth around the color coded ring and gently gripped it with a a pair of pliers giving it a sharp twist which worked. The piston isn't attached to the knurled knob and if you succeed the piston may stay in the barrel. I Managed to re-engage mine and gently unscrewed it which kept the piston engaged.

 

Once you've achieved it, you may well find after a thorough cleaning, silicone grease might not be necessary.

 

Thanks for replying, Pickwick. I did try that on one of them, and ended up chipping the red ring. I think it's time to head to the auto parts shop for a pair of spark plug boot pliars, aka section pliars. Curved, rubber tipped ends combined with leverage should do it.

[Gorgeousobjects]

So, one can definitely remove the entire red ring part? I've made a threaded c clamp that can take pliers well. I just keep swearing and twisting anticlockwise? I must clean inside my new, vintage tintenkuli special. I can't ink it until it's perfect.

[Stylomeister]

You can always get another ring from a donor pen I guess or weld the chip back - I'm assuming this is a hatched version.

 

Heat is about the worst thing you can use to remove the nib unit from the section as the section shrinks around the unit never to be removed again - this comes from bitter experience. I'm not sure how the main barrel material behaves. I've seen the same with an Onto Minor I picked up for parts a while back where the barrel had shrunk and twisted after an attempt to free the section with heat.

 

Going back to the piston, don't force it if it doesn't want to move - I swear by mineral oil after it was recommended to me over WD-40 not long ago when I had trouble removing the twist mechanism from a BHR Montblanc safety. After soaking for a few days in a 5ml Pyrex beaker it eventually freed itself without any great effort and I didn't trash the pen!

 

The good news with my Tintenkuli nib unit experience was I had a spare Montblanc #4 nib and section and it has become one of my regular users. I've since sourced spare sections and nib units should I want to change back - the older nib units are not so great for writing as they are generally very worn. If you can find them, the clear resin versions are very nice.

 

The piston unit unscrews counter clockwise I'm sure you've already figured that out as most but not all do. Good luck with getting your piston unstuck.