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Pilot Vanishing Point Leaking Inside The Barrel Assembly

Harkness

By Harkness
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Harkness New

Harkness

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SO I recently acquired a new Pilot Vanishing point a few weeks ago and I've noticed that it is starting to leak quite a bit inside the barrel assembly.

 

I don't know if this is normal for this pen but it has caused me a bit of concern not to mention it is messy! (I know that is par for the course for most fountain pens but the amount of leakage seems excessive)

 

As far as I can tell it doesn't seem like a normal thing because there is so much ink leaking that already about 2/8 of the ink inside this recently filled con 50 converter has already been expended and it is not due to actual writing.

 

On top of being a brand new fountain pen it bothers me to know there is so much ink getting leaked out inside the barrel assembly so alas I am probing here on the forums for any fellow owners of a Pilot Vanishing Point for a bit of advice as to whether or not this is a normal for the pen in question.

 

Also it seems that so much ink leaks out that whenever I click it to deploy the nib it flicks some ink out each time.

 

Thanks!

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PAKMAN Ancient Artifact

PAKMAN

Posted
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I experienced this at one time with one of my VPs. It turned out that I wasn't pushing hard enough when installing the converter and wasn't getting it fully seated.

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Harkness New

Harkness

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I experienced this at one time with one of my VPs. It turned out that I wasn't pushing hard enough when installing the converter and wasn't getting it fully seated.

 

Dang just how hard do you need to push on these converters! What kind of indicator should I look for to know when its fully seated and sealed- or should I try re-seating it?

 

I did actually press on it really hard to make sure it was completely seated or maybe I need to step it up a notch.

 

Also if I wanted to clean out all that excess ink inside the barrel assembly would something like isopropyl be a good fluid to flush it out with? (because it evaporates quickly) or would water be ok?

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effrafax Extremely Rare

effrafax

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Water is fine. I've run my VPs through an ultrasonic cleaner from time to time without any problems. By all means use isopropyl if you're a bit iffy with water, but it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure you let the barrel dry properly. You can shake out the excess and dry off the outside with a cloth or kitchen paper towel.

 

As for the ink leaking into the barrel, that's pretty unusual. It's quite common to get a smear of ink on the nib section itself, with saturated and free flowing inks such as Noodlers and PR. Usually not a problem. As I said, it's just a smear. It rubs off from the trapdoor as the nib is extended outwards.

 

As suggested by Pakman, you need to make sure the seal between the converter and nib section is nice and tight. I've found that sometimes they do take a bit of shoving! If you have a cartridge available, you may want to try running one through the pen, and see if you still get the problem. If not, maybe the converter needs replacing. If you do, then it may be that the nib unit itself is dodgy. Best talk to the supplier about that one.

Cheers,

Effrafax.

 

"It is a well known and much lamented fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it"

Douglas Adams ("The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - The Original Radio Scripts").

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Harkness New

Harkness

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Water is fine. I've run my VPs through an ultrasonic cleaner from time to time without any problems. By all means use isopropyl if you're a bit iffy with water, but it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure you let the barrel dry properly. You can shake out the excess and dry off the outside with a cloth or kitchen paper towel.

 

As for the ink leaking into the barrel, that's pretty unusual. It's quite common to get a smear of ink on the nib section itself, with saturated and free flowing inks such as Noodlers and PR. Usually not a problem. As I said, it's just a smear. It rubs off from the trapdoor as the nib is extended outwards.

 

As suggested by Pakman, you need to make sure the seal between the converter and nib section is nice and tight. I've found that sometimes they do take a bit of shoving! If you have a cartridge available, you may want to try running one through the pen, and see if you still get the problem. If not, maybe the converter needs replacing. If you do, then it may be that the nib unit itself is dodgy. Best talk to the supplier about that one.

Hey thank you so much for taking your time to reply, such an informative and reassuring post! I will take note of all your points! And its just weird that it is leaking so much inside the barrel and I just got this fine writing instrument too.

 

The pen did come with a single cartridge I'll go ahead and test it with that and see how it turns out, its just a shame I'll have to give up my J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor ink for now.

 

Thank you!

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Needhelp Extremely Rare

Needhelp

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I have a vanishing point decimo and though it did not leak it spat a couple of drops of ink on the page and it was annoying but after some time maybe a few days it stopped. I don't know why it happened.

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effrafax Extremely Rare

effrafax

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Hey thank you so much for taking your time to reply, such an informative and reassuring post! I will take note of all your points! And its just weird that it is leaking so much inside the barrel and I just got this fine writing instrument too.

 

The pen did come with a single cartridge I'll go ahead and test it with that and see how it turns out, its just a shame I'll have to give up my J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor ink for now.

 

Thank you!

 

My pleasure. Hope you get this resolved okay. They are such convenient pens to use.

Cheers,

Effrafax.

 

"It is a well known and much lamented fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it"

Douglas Adams ("The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - The Original Radio Scripts").

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Needhelp Extremely Rare

Needhelp

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My pleasure. Hope you get this resolved okay. They are such convenient pens to use.

I agree. But its just those little flaws that spoil the good feeling.

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Harkness New

Harkness

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My VP was leaking like crazy into the barrel assembly for no apparent reason.

 

It suddenly stopped when I changed ink.

I hope it has more to do with the converter being improperly seated or faulty than it has to do with the actual viscosity of the ink I am using, I really like this ink. I still haven't gotten around to changing the converter out for cartridge just yet though. It just seems faulty if its spewing out so much ink inside the barrel- I'll know soon enough though.

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Memory Near Mint

Memory

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This behavior is very unusual. I have quite a few Vanishing Points that have been carried in my pocket at lab, so they were pampered like my pens are now. That said, I did always travel with the nib up.

 

Are you using the older Con50 style converter? It'll have more metal and a metal plate thing to avoid surface tension. Pilot recently discontinued them for the Con40 converter that is transparent and has 4 metal balls to break surface tension.

 

I've used the Com40 several times and can't seem to get the hang of it no matter what I do. Reading on forums, it sounds like others fo too. I could syringe filter it, but at that point, I just use an old cartridge instead.

 

The ironic part? I just received a Decimo that doesn't even have a converter. It only came with an empty ink cartridge. Assomine who has a hard time using up ink cartridges, I was really stoked!

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bdez Near Mint

bdez

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The only thing i can add to the above is my recent experiences with my VP.

 

Never leaks other than when Ive travelled with it in a Visconti pencase inside my laptop bag. I think its from multiple taxi trips, air trips etc etc in the one day and it must get shaken around a bit too much and leaks a little. Its the only thing I can put it down to as it doesnt leak when desk bound.

 

Not sure if that helps.

Edited by bdez
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Wolverine1 Antique

Wolverine1

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Harkness- the Pilot VP is a Japanese made pen, it is not a USA made pen.

Please post your question in the Japanese Pen sub-forum, a lot of people who are experts on the Pilot VP pen will see your question and will respond.

Anyways, I bet your pen is leaking due to the convertor not being seated properly.

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Drawing61 Extremely Rare

Drawing61

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Take heart and don't give up on your favorite ink or your VP. I have used Emerald of Chivor and several other "sparkly" inks in a Vanishing Point with no ill effects. I suspect Pakman is on the right track.

Love all, trust a few, do harm to none. Shakespeare

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