Pelikan 100 Piston Seized Up!

[yubaprof]

I originally posted this in the Pelikan forum, but I am hoping I might get a few more suggestions. I have a Pelikan 100 that I acquired about a year and a half ago from a dealer in Madrid (1938 vintage). I tried it out in the shop and observed it being filled. It has continued to work nicely until last week. Suddenly (drum roll?) I couldn't turn the piston. Totally stuck. I removed the nib and flushed the barrel but no change. Is there anything further I can do or does it have to go out for repair? Thanks for any suggestions.

Yubaprof

[ralfstc]

Two possibilities: piston seal not moving in barrel (dried ink etc) or the threaded parts not working as they should. In most cases, the easy way to fix this would be to remove the piston mechanism from the barrel, clean everything up, and off you go. Removing the piston on a 100 is dicussed here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/302334-how-to-disassemble-the-pelikan-100-piston/

 

With a 1938 I'd urge caution due to possible fragility of the barrel. In addition, I wonder if the aridity of your climate may have played a part in some dimensional changes over time. In any case, it is a lovely pen, and it would be heart-breaking to hurt it. If you are reasonably experienced at repairs you could try removing the piston to see if it unthreads easily, which would make things much easier. Most likely it won't though, in which case it is worth a trip to a pro.

 

Good luck!

 

Ralf

[yubaprof]

Thanks Ralf. I have no experience at all and if it were a less desirable pen I might take a chance, but this is a really nice writer and in terrific condition so I am going to send it out. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated.

Yubaprof

[FountainNewbie]

Hi YubaProf,

 

If you havent done it before, removing the piston on that pen could be a bit risky as will most probably crack if not heated.

 

if the piston is stuck due to the threads, you could remove the nib section and then with a thin stick (like a toothpick but not sharp) try to push the piston from the section hole (gently) whilst turning/wiggle the knob. This is to unstuck the piston and/or put the threads back in place as sometimes they 'misaligned' when the mechanism is old/worn out.

 

I wouldn't recommend to open it as it could be risky, but if no other option then first option is to send to a professional... otherwise you have to heat it and remember to turn clockwise

Edited August 6, 2020 by FountainNewbie