How To Reinsert A Nib Safely?

October 27, 2017

Hi folks,

How do you safely reinsert a nib?

I need to knock out the nib from a Parker Royal Challenger because ink won't flow through the feed. I've ultrasounded the section assembly several times and left it in a diluted ammonia solution overnight, but the feed is still entirely clogged. In the past, I've fixed many pens with this problem by knocking out the nib and feed; usually there's dried ink clogging the feed's channel. Once the channel is cleaned out, I reinsert the nib and the pen works well.

Sadly, over the years, I've bent or broken my share of nibs while reinserting them. I now only try this procedure if prolonged soaking and ultrasounding fails.

So, before I go back to the wars with this pen, what's the best practice method for reinserting nibs?

Thanks,

Richard

October 27, 2017

I don't have strong hands, so I bought a ring vice from a jewellery repair supply place. The leather covered jaws clamp the nib and feed and I tap the nipple with a small plastic mallet until everything is correctly seated. It's been very helpful.

October 27, 2017

Thanks, Pen Lady. Is this the tool you're referring to?

https://www.amazon.com/JEWELERS-SINGLE-HOLDER-JEWELRY-LEATHER/dp/B00XD5GQXO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1509136967&sr=8-5&keywords=ring+vice

October 27, 2017

it's mentioned often that marking or noting the pre-removal position of feed and nib will enable you to replace in the same location - the advantages are obvious, although mostly I forget my own advice and only remember afterwards.

We also speak of using dry heat to warm the barrel before replacing the section - it may be useful in a similar way to use the hair drier on the section prior to replacing said parts - although have to say I've not yet tried that.

I suspect that a variety of pliers adapted with sufficient leather around the jaws might be used to grip the nib and feed to assist with the push home, or even two pieces of flat faced wood with similar leather might be o.k.

October 27, 2017

To the OP: Yup, mine's a bit different, but the Amazon one looks fine. Paul made a good point about marking the section (I use masking tape with a line on it) so that the nib and feed can be re-inserted in the same spot. Very often the section will deform enough over the years to make it pretty vital to put things back in exactly the same orientation. Best of luck.

October 28, 2017

Richard, the Parker advice per their older repair manuals was the use of a pair of Bernard pliers (parallel action pliers,smooth jaws). Nib and feed are first inserted into section carefully by hand. Of course you need to find the previous insertion place and the assembly will go in easily at that spot. Then you pad them with a piece of hose and grip them between the pliers parallel jaws and push the pen so that the nib feed are seated at correct depth as per space inside inner cap.

This method has worked very well for me whenever hand strength proved inadequate.

Have you already tried using a very thin stiff wire to clear the block in-situ?

Hth

October 28, 2017

I knocked the nib and feed out of an Omas because there was a problem with the feed. I also noticed that the nib and feed didn't line up with the tool removal holes in the collar, so I was trying to adjust them slightly to one side of where they had been when they came out.

No amount of manual pushing was ever going to get them back in fully. I had to keep heating the section, and tapping the other end with a small hammer until they went far enough in. I found it difficult to believe that some are really that tight.

Patience and care will eventually pay off.

October 29, 2017

I've had the best success in this procedure doing it by hand -- I can feel everything better that way and generally have the strength for the job.

(first, I don't knock out any nib that doesn't have to come out, and generally a thorough flush and USC get the old ink out)

I try to remember to mark the center of the nib on the section before knocking it out, to get the nib back in its home in the section. I use a little bit of very skinny tape, marked with an arrow (perhaps my only use for a ballpoint pen) to mark the center point.

First, apply dry heat to get the section a little pliable.

Then start nib and feed into the opening together to get them into the right spot.

Then, while maximizing leverage, hold the pen with your off hand, firmly, with fingers down on the section and the pen resting against the hand, hold the feed with the dominant hand's thumb and nib in first finger and just push straight in until it stops; it may need another push to get the last little distance.

Yes, it often gets a bit painful and takes a bit of lower arm strength on the push, so I've found that loud grunting and cursing often helps. The discomfort dissipates pretty quickly. But hey, the nib is back in!

There are times when it's just too tight. But, I tell myself that it came out of there, so has to go back in. I punch nib and feed back out again, and give the section a second good cleaning. Sometimes I'll give the section a very light interior scuffing with a round sanding stick; that often gets out a bit more old ink dust or scrapings that the USC didn't dislodge, then a final USC cleaning to wash it out. Hard to believe, but it doesn't take much to keep a nib and feed from fitting back in.

Tim

Edited October 29, 2017 by tmenyc

October 29, 2017

Have you already tried using a very thin stiff wire to clear the block in-situ?

Hth

To the OP - PM me if you haven't done this and would like some of the wire. I bought some years ago to rebuild hinges in lever fillers and have enough to last several lifetimes.

I use one of those rubberized pads originally designed for opening stubborn jar lids to grip the nib/feed when reinserting same into the section. That and judicious application of heat to the section and (when I remember) marking original orientation of the assembly on the section as previous posters recommended. Heat is especially important with vintage pens lest the stress of reassembly crack the section.

October 29, 2017

Thanks very much to all for the replies.

As it turns out, the Royal Challenger nib returned to the section like a lamb returning to the fold. I marked the original position with masking tape and a pen, knocked out the nib and feed, cleaned out the feed, and reinserted the nib using my fingers and a cloth. I put very little pressure on it, and it slipped right in.

Next time I have a more troublesome nib, I'll use some Bernard pliers that I own and try to reproduce the jeweler's ring vice technique, tapping gently with my small hammer.

The use of wire to clean the feed without removing it is a great idea. I have a lovely tool that is a small length of piano wire inserted into a champagne cork (as a grip) that would work great. I use it to clean Sheaffer Snorkel tubes. I don't know why I didn't think of that for the standard feed channels!

Thanks again!