Metal Inner Cap Oxidisation

[grainweevil]

Looking for best practice to solve an odd but irritating problem.

I'm over-hauling my brother's long-neglected Delta 20th Anniversary LE, and surprisingly (to me) it apparently has an inner cap of metal; possibly aluminium or some sort of alloy. When I came to unscrew the cap the section was absolutely covered with fine white dust/particles of what appeared to be oxidised metal. Now he seems to been using an iron gall ink (and let it dry out) which might possibly have exacerbated any oxidisation, but having cleaned it up (I thought) and put a more friendly ink in it (Diamine Oxford Blue) after a few days it's once again exhibiting a section with its front edge covered with lose white dust every time I uncap it. I presume, now it's got the idea, the water content in any ink is going to cause problems. This is clearly Not Good.

My current thought is to clean up the inner cap as best I can (in situ, because I really don't want to have to try and take it apart) and then put a coat of Renaissance Wax on it to try and prevent a recurrence. Is this a good idea, bad idea, or does any one have a better idea? Please and thank you.

Cheers, Al

[TennesseeTrash]

I'm not going to say this stuff is your solution, because I don't know that it is. I'm not that far into the fountain pen hobby. The reason I am posting this is because I use this stuff for oxidation in mechanical applications and I'm curious if it would work for you or if it won't, then why not.

 

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.188/.f

[grainweevil]

TennesseeTrash, thanks for that; I'll look into it but am wary. I'm possibly unreasonably nervous about what I use for the job simply because the pen is not mine, and getting a replacement would be next to impossible. Horrible visions of melting caps dance in front of me!

[TennesseeTrash]

I hope somebody with some knowledge can help us out. They make a version of this deoxit stuff that's supposed to prevent future oxidation.

 

I have some of the deoxit for gold connections that I've used on electrical connections of all types. The ingredients are:

 

1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (CAS 460-73-1)

Isopropyl alcohol (CAS 67-63-0)

Hydrocarbon propellant (CAS 68476-86-8)

 

Hopefully that makes it easier for someone to help you.

[grainweevil]

Thanks. Hopefully someone can make sense of that - I gave up chemistry at the earliest opportunity!