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Sheaffer Pfm Iii Writing Problems


L-B-Hart

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Dear Ladies and Gentlemen of the Fountain Pen Network

 

Not too long ago I bought a marvelous black Sheaffer PFM III. The pen came with an architect nib but was advertised as an extra-fine. Well I bought a new old stock nib unit in extra-fine.

 

Unfortunately my pen writes only for about two pages of normal DIN A4 coppy paper before running dry. I had cleaned it two times which increased the range of my pen from about half a page to two pages. Maybe the change from Pelikan 4001 blue black to Montblanc Mystery Black helped as well. I also used a thinn wire and ran it through the snorkel tube as well. But the wire wasn't thinn enough to be able to clean the slit in the feed of the snorkel.

 

Before continuing with difficult cleaning procedures I wanted to ask how many pages of DIN A4 coppy paper you can approximately write with your PFM's? And if you run dry does your pen still shoot ink out when you operate the filling mechanism like mine does?

 

Best regards and wishes, sincerely,

L. B. Hart

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This is too short a range for a PFM, though even working perfectly I've found the range short. 8-10 A4s if memory serves?

 

Anyway, better not to poke things up your snorkel. There is a fine hard rubber piece in there that can become misaligned or damaged, and then you'll need to find a new one (not terribly easy).

 

When were the sac and the seals replaced? Just because you can squirt ink doesn't necessarily mean that there is enough to write with; for example there could be a little in the tube but none in the sac, which could affect flow. Or you might have damaged something with your wire. Or the sac could be perished and you could be drawing ink up into the body with piston suction, which is a bad thing.

 

For these pens I'd really recommend biting the bullet and sending it off to get repaired. It's a complex filling system, and until you've pulled a few apart you won't really know what to look for.

 

However, one last thing to try would be sticking your snorkel (in extended position) into a glass of water for a couple of days, so that at least you can be confident that there's no dried ink in the snorkel, which doubles as ink intake system and the way that ink gets to the feed.

 

Hope this is helpful!

 

Ralf

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The sack and seals were replaced shortly before I bought it.

 

Well it seems like I have to send it to good repair shop. I guess the ones mentioned in "Announcement: Authorized Sheaffer Vintage Pen Repair Centers" are the ones to consider?

 

Sincerely,

L. B. Hart

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The sack and seals were replaced shortly before I bought it.

 

Well it seems like I have to send it to good repair shop. I guess the ones mentioned in "Announcement: Authorized Sheaffer Vintage Pen Repair Centers" are the ones to consider?

 

Sincerely,

L. B. Hart

I have no idea who did the restoration but before you panic and send it off please try something.

 

With snorkel based pens it's essential to make sure the feed is saturated. That simply doesn't happen during normal filling so if a snorkel has been sitting unused for awhile it is recommended that during the first filling the nib and feed also get submerged in the ink. Once that is done only the snorkel itself needs to be put in the ink as long as the pen continues to be used regularly.

 

BUT, filling through the snorkel does not saturate the feed so anytime the feed is allowed to fully dry out it needs to get submerged again.

 

My Website

 

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I've no idea where you are located, but if you are in the USA, I suggest you send it to Danny Fudge at The Write Pen. He does excellent work, his prices are reasonable, and the turnaround time is modest.

 

Good luck!

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This is too short a range for a PFM, though even working perfectly I've found the range short. 8-10 A4s if memory serves?

 

Anyway, better not to poke things up your snorkel. There is a fine hard rubber piece in there that can become misaligned or damaged, and then you'll need to find a new one (not terribly easy).

 

When were the sac and the seals replaced? Just because you can squirt ink doesn't necessarily mean that there is enough to write with; for example there could be a little in the tube but none in the sac, which could affect flow. Or you might have damaged something with your wire. Or the sac could be perished and you could be drawing ink up into the body with piston suction, which is a bad thing.

 

For these pens I'd really recommend biting the bullet and sending it off to get repaired. It's a complex filling system, and until you've pulled a few apart you won't really know what to look for.

 

However, one last thing to try would be sticking your snorkel (in extended position) into a glass of water for a couple of days, so that at least you can be confident that there's no dried ink in the snorkel, which doubles as ink intake system and the way that ink gets to the feed.

 

Hope this is helpful!

 

Ralf

 

I would like to know what kind of nib you have on your PFM that writes 8-10 pages. Would you please enlighten me?

 

Cheers

L. B. Hart

Edited by L-B-Hart
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  • 2 weeks later...

My PFM works great now. I have let it soak for a few hours in soapy water after I filled it with soapy water so every part where ink would normally be is submerched in soapy water. Then after that I let all the soapy water out and let it dry over night. After I submerged the nib and feed in ink it worked like a charm.

 

Thanks for all the help! I can write 8+ pages with an extra-fine nib.

 

 

Cheers

L. B. Hart

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My PFM works great now. I have let it soak for a few hours in soapy water after I filled it with soapy water so every part where ink would normally be is submerched in soapy water. Then after that I let all the soapy water out and let it dry over night. After I submerged the nib and feed in ink it worked like a charm.

 

Thanks for all the help! I can write 8+ pages with an extra-fine nib.

 

 

Cheers

L. B. Hart

Sounds great. Remember you only need to saturate the feed if it has been allowed to dry out fully. If you keep the pen in rotation then just stick the snorkel in the ink.

 

My Website

 

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Great stuff.

 

Didn't know that about saturating the feed.

Lots of folk don't and so many feel the snorkel is broke when it is just the user.

 

http://www.fototime.com/9EE85DCE945B48F/large.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/E1D83539C4D8C8E/standard.jpg

 

My Website

 

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My PFM works great now. I have let it soak for a few hours in soapy water after I filled it with soapy water so every part where ink would normally be is submerched in soapy water. Then after that I let all the soapy water out and let it dry over night. After I submerged the nib and feed in ink it worked like a charm.

 

Thanks for all the help! I can write 8+ pages with an extra-fine nib.

 

 

Cheers

L. B. Hart

 

 

Great news! I'm delighted it worked out. Yes, I usually use an XF!

 

Cheers,

 

Ralf

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  • 2 years later...

Lots of folk don't and so many feel the snorkel is broke when it is just the user.

 

http://www.fototime.com/9EE85DCE945B48F/large.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/E1D83539C4D8C8E/standard.jpg

 

Nice - Turns out I should read the actual directions instead of assuming I know everything I need to know about pens!!

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