140 - Ink Trapped In Plunger

[chromantic]

​So, I went to flush the 140 I got at Xmas to try a different ink and discovered there is ink trapped in the space between the two rings on the piston (plunger?). It doesn't appear to have seeped past the rear ring into the mechanism area, so that's a small blessing. It seems likely that some will seep into the chamber and adulterate whatever ink I now fill it with and, of course, the trapped ink is Kana-cho.

 

Any advice, other than sending it in for service?

[Bo Bo Olson]

Just try the lighter ink, and see if there is any color change....in the space............hell, I'd never noticed there was a space on my two 140's.

 

Kana-cho....“gesundheit”............if an ink, what color? Why should it matter?

[chromantic]

​Thanks for the reply, Bo Bo. I filled the reservoir with water and let it sit and it was drawing a bit of the ink out. Then I spent a few minutes twisting the knob and moving the piston up and down a bit and that has cleared pretty much all of the ink out (replacing it with water, it appears), although now there looks to be a small ring of water around the inner side of the rear ring (mechanism side) which will eventually evaporate, I hope. Emptied the water out and letting it dry.

 

Kana-cho is a very​ dark blue-black, which I could easily see affecting a lighter color.

[Driften]

You should put some silicone grease (from a dive shop) inside to lubricate and seal the piston. I have had the piston pens leak past the seals and that fixes it. On my Pelikan M200 I just used a toothpick with a very small amount though the section with the nib removed. It had not leaked between the seals but was stiff turning after owning it for 10 years. I also did this with a Montblanc 146 that had leaked past the seals and on that I was able to unscrew the piston unit to clean it all out and grease the piston seals directly. It works perfect now.

 

That said I have not had a 140, but expect it would be like a m200.

[chromantic]

​Thanks for that suggestion, Driften. Silicone had crossed my mind as a way to prevent future seepage and there's a pool supply store near me. I'll let the pen sit for a week or two to dry completely then give that a go.