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Showing results for tags 'repair'.
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Well, the subject says it all, but still... I always had this love to fountain pens since school in that early days of my life, I had no chances of having a really luxury pen but I always wanted one. Until one day I received a special gift set of two Parker Sonnets. During my student years, I managed to destroy or lose serious amount of pens, but these two remained by my side. With the start of my career, they started received less attention (you know, keyboards) but they were not forgotten. In the recent times, however, I realized that keeping a solid set of skills is fundamental way to ensure myself I'll stay current, this is why I started enrolling in various MOOCs and spend more time on my professional knowledge set. I had to take notes on a daily basis for which I relied on my favourite ballpoint trio Jotter, Vectors and my lovely Sonnet. Not that there aren't any other good pens from other brands to pick but A: I had those for a long time and they were the few that lasted and B: Parker is basically what you get from any bookstore around. So far so good until I foolishly injured my hand that made writing with a ballpoint pen painful at times. And this is where I rediscovered my love to fountain pens as they allowed me to write longer without a strain. Until the day I had my lovely fountain pen experienced a "malfunction". Yes, I needed this pen because it was comfortable and still, I had some other ones, but they were all lower-end models and this one was special for me. In a condition of an emotional breakdown, I contacted Parker without much hope. Contrary to my expectations, I got prompt response with a UPS label attached and instructions how to send my pen on the other end of Europe to have it fixed. The communication was absolutely smooth and fantastic. And in no time, I had my pen fixed and sent back to me, and even the packaging was amazing - they have put even a fresh convertor and an ink cartridge... You might receive the same attitude and attention to details from your favourite local seller but hey, I'm living in a small country with miserable market compared to the "west". So, for me, this is impressive. What is the takeaway? Well, being happy that I can count on good aftersales experience, I ended up with 8 new Parkers in about a month, including two new Sonnets, to be on the safe side. I also decided to try some other brands I had no experience with, like Lamy. And I sourced some monstrous amount of various inks cos I'll need to feed all these pens with something. And Parker is not the only one to blame for my extraordinary expenses, this great forum is as much guilty! (Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with Parker in any way and I this post is based entirely on my personal experience)
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Is There Any Fountain Pen Repair Or Vintage Fountain Pen Shop In Bangkok, Thailand?
varoonv posted a topic in Repair Q&A
Hello guys, This is my first time here at FPN. Just entered this fountain pen world a few months ago. I'm looking for a repair shop and vintage fountain pen shop in Bangkok, Thailand. Thanks a lot. -
My black diplomat aero which I bought in the netherands has a cap that starts spinning when I post it and I don't know if it is normal or if it is broken. If it is broken, does annyone know how to fix it or how to get a replacement. Thanks already.
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I have an English Parker 61 from the early 60's whose barrel and section tend to fall apart when I open the pen. Is there anything to do about it? I have a 75 with the same problem and that has been rather easy to solve at least on a temporary basis, but the threads of the 61 are a lot finer and it does not seem like a possibility just to wrap something around the threads like I have done with the 75...
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How Do I Get The Filler Out Of An Aerometric P51 And Replace The Sack?
Ursus posted a topic in Repair Q&A
I have just got a beautiful English aerometric Parker 51 from 1965, but when I flushed out the dry old ink the press-four-times filler slowly started letting out water at the opening where one pushes. I assume that the pli sack has gone loose and either has to be replaced or re-glued with shellac - which leaves me with some questions: 1) How do I get the filler out? (It certainly is not easy to get it out and I don't want to use to much force.) Is it correct that it is not screwed in? Does it help putting it in warm water? 2) Any advice on what size of pli sack I should get will be appreciated, as will any advice on what brand of shellac to use and any details with regard to the procedure in general. I have looked all over FPN but I have found very little on the subject, so if you are experienced in these matters please give me as much advice as possible. Best regards Ursus -
So I finally bit the bullet and bought a Pelikan m800 this weekend at a pen show. It writes wonderfully, I got a pretty good deal on it, and seems like a fantastic pen. One problem: although it's brand new, I brought it home to realize it's got some scratch marks, particularly on the metal part of the cap. I figure this is probably because it was laying out at a few pen shows before I bought it, so people were handling it, their rings and things scratched it, etc. It's otherwise in pristine condition. I should be able to return it, but I'm wondering if these are scratches that I could remove myself and return it to a more pristine condition. I have been collecting and using fountain pens for about a year but don't have any repair or scratch removal experience. Any advice on whether--and how--I should try to repair it? The scratches don't seem deep at all, but I don't want to mess up the plating of the pen or anything. Thanks for any thoughts!
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I recently purchased a vintage Aurora 88 fountain pen at the Chicago Pen show and I am having some ink flow inconsistencies. When I fill the pen and begin writing, the ink flows out from the nib like a river. I like a wet writer, but this is far too wet for my tastes. Then as I continue to use the pen, the ink flow begins to become more of a dry writer and even skips a bit (railroading here too). Any advice how to correct it, or who might be able to adjust this flow, would be appreciated. Thank you.
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I recently found this vintage Sheaffer. I'm kind of a novice when it comes to Fountain Pens, so I was wondering how I could get this pen up and running again. I think there is ink dried up inside, so how can I clean that out? Thank you very much for your precious help, Henri Cosemans
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Hi everyone ! Last week I was so lucky to find a vintage Pelikan 100 for a very low price. Since the piston was stuck I set myself to the task of repairing the poor thing. Everything went well so far; I managed to get the piston moving and out of the body. Now I want to replace the washer with a cork. My question (see picture) : Can the end of the piston (where the arrow is pointing) be screwed of, and if so do I turn it clockwise or counterclockwise ? If it can't be screwed of then how do I put the cork in place ? Since I am new at this any help is welcome. Best, Peter
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Hello All, I am working in China, and traveling to Vienna from July 14th-August 4th. i have a Pelikan M200 that needs its piston lubricated, a Sheaffer Valiant Snorkel with a non-working Touchdown filler, A Sheaffer school pen that needs servicing (dropped on its nib), and Mont Blanc 221 that has a cracked grip. Does anyone know where I can get these pens repaired in Austria during my stay? A user on FPN referred me to http://www.grasshopper.at/ They seem to work on pens made before 1960, which means only one of the pens listed can be serviced. Are there any other options, or individuals who can help? Thanks,
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I bought my Vac700 in late March 2015 (i.e. just over a year ago) and it has seen moderate use. The large ink capacity makes it ideally-suited for use at conferences or on longer trips, and I enjoy writing with it. The pen has probably been fully inked-up and subsequently cleaned out about half-a-dozen times, perhaps as many as ten times since I got it. There is now a specific problem with the pen, and I have a few questions for you: 1) Have you experienced a similar problem? 2) Is my diagnosis correct (could there be something else causing it, and if so, what?) 3) Any suggestions on how best to proceed? Here's my problem: When I last tried to fill the pen, it would not fill - it somehow failed to make the necessary vacuum, and couldn't get more than a dribble of ink into the barrel. I disassembled the pen for the first time, made sure everything was properly clean and lubricated and properly reassembled. Of course, the problem persisted. So I took it apart again and looked at everything under a loupe. I discovered that there are actually two O-Rings on the end of the barrel (the part that screws in). The larger O-Ring is the more obvious, and the smaller O-Ring is easier to overlook. The problem seems to be with the smaller O-Ring. It actually seems a little flimsy, and it has become a little 'floppy' or stretched over time. That is, it no longer makes the necessary tight fit with the thread. See picture. (Image: end-of-barrel unit, with O-Rings highlighted) I was surprised to see this part failing so quickly, particularly if it is crucial for the pen's operation. I don't know why a problem with that O-Ring should cause the vacuum to fail - the larger O-Ring is fine, and should be sufficient by itself. But in the absence of any other obvious cause, I'm assuming that the perished smaller O-Ring is indeed the problem. I am therefore looking to replace it. It's only a small part, and I can probably find it cheaply at my local DIY/hardware store, but that's a hassle (the store is not all that local). Also, I'm wondering whether this is a potential issue for others, and whether I should approach the company I bought my pen from. Any thoughts in response to my questions? Have I missed something? Thanks!
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My father recently gifted me with an ancient Sheaffer Lifetime fountain pen. As you can see from the photos, the sack became brittle and burst. I would like to know whether it is worth trying to replace the sack and make the pen usable again, or whether I should put it back together and leave it in the past where it belongs. (With apologies for the huge image. I attempted to resize the image, but the forum broke my BBCode.) Detailed images: The three pieces in close to their correct color The sad pieces and sack remains Nib detail in grayscale Inside of body showing lever. Nib section held in hand showing where sack attached.
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Hi all, I know this isn't a fountain pen topic but thought I'd give it a whirl since I'm trying to find a repair option. Please feel free to suggest an alternate place to post if this isn't appropriate for this forum. I have a small Kreisler ballpoint pen which I found in my mother's old desk. By small, it's akin to the Parker Jotter size (at least the ones I have). It seems there's not much info out there about Kreisler pens and mechanical pencils. I found that the still existing Kreisler Industrial Corporation started out in early 20th C manufacturing among other things, pen and pencil sets. Think they stopped making writing instruments around the time of the Second World War when more pressing manufacturing was called for. Anyway, I would like to use this pen but the ballpoint ink barrel 1) doesn't advance out the tip when the outer pen barrel is twisted (it moves around freely inside as if not connected) and 2) is out of ink or is so old ink isn't viable anymore. Can anyone suggest a reputable repairer of ballpoint pens? Plus a place to obtain a refill, even if not a true Kreisler? I'm in the San Francisco area. And if you know anything about Kreisler's history as a pen maker, please share! Many thanks. Liz
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Help Repairing & Id'ing A Mabie Todd
skyeph posted a topic in Mabie Todd Research/Special Interest Forum/Group
Hello everyone! I was walking around town today and decided to walk into a old collectible shop and found this babe along with others! http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq23/Skye_El-Rahi/IMG_1137_zps7lul9dgd.jpg I was able to fix the other pens I got from him but this one needs a pressure bar and I'm interested in the history of the pen. Can anyone help ID this fountain pen and let me know what parts it had originally so I can try to restore it as best as I can to its original state? As far as I can tell its BCHR and has some ripple patterns similar to the Conklin 20p Crescent Filler. Here is the picture of the writing on the side: http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq23/Skye_El-Rahi/1204c00a-a2f5-4c32-b229-3f719dd60136_zps29pgyjgo.jpg This is my first Mabie Todd and man I need to have more! Any information would be greatly appreciated! All the best, Skye -
Hello! My mother just showed me her old Lamy (ca. 1980) which has a broken nib, and asked me if it is worth repairing. I would like to know what Lamy model it is, and how much it is worth, can anybody help me out? Thanks!
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Hello all! I'm a long time reader, first time writer on this forum. I figured that, with the vast pool of knowledge in here, this issue might have been addressed, but I cannot find it anywhere. so here goes. I recently bought a waterman 52, "wood grain" pen. it is very flexible for what I was expecting. Not too much and not too little. but i'm noticing a serious issue with it. The nib and feed, when starting a line. begin parallel. "====" like this. But as I apply pressure to flex the tines a bit, the nib and feed are pressed away from each other. closer to a "<" sort of shape. This angle is exaggerated to be sure, but it is still extreme enough to cause the ink to travel away from the tines. which causes railroading for a line, then a completely cut from all ink stores. This is all resolved with a simple tap on top of the nib to restore it to the parallel position. So my question is this. Is there any way that I can fix this in a way that would not involve shellac? I've heard a thin swab inside of the section will resolve most loose nib and feed issues, but I'm a little timid to perform this. And I don't necessarily want to send it to a professional restoration place just yet. PS. the pictures that I added (if it works) are of the nib and feed. The one pointing to the side shows a "before writing" position. nib and feed are nestled in close to each other. the one pointing to the camera shows the nib and feed separated just enough to stop writing. Hope the pictures and description help with getting ideas. Thank you.
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As luck would have it I finally hit a show stopping snag with my ever increasing flock of later gen Pelikan 100N's. I recently received one which looked pretty pristine from the outside (cap & barrel were A-OK) but had a problematic nib (tip missing, other tine creased & bent). Knowing the nib issue I paid a lot less than market value but when I received the pen I found that the internals were pretty much shot. As in, the piston mechanism base (which holds the shaft and spindle) had a big chunk missing on the barrel end and it seems that someone had mistaken the end of piston shaft (where the piston seal is attached) for a chew toy... it wasn't pretty. Fortunately I already had one base that I recovered from an otherwise junked 100... but no piston shaft. Hence the need to find a replacement piston shaft, the whole piston shaft and nothing but the piston shaft. Anyone in the know for a source? I already sent an email to David Nishimura @ Vintagepens about this but thought of asking also here. Thank you most humbly for your attention, Mana
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EDIT: I ended up getting the section in using some careful beating from the back end of a screwdriver. Don't see any way to delete posts here... Still very unsettling pounding the feed into that little brittle plastic section. Being newer to fountain pens I finally just bought my first vintage pen which is a Waterman's Crusader with an open stub nib. The pen was advertised as working but I wanted to make sure since the seller didn't mention the condition of the ink sack only that the pen worked. So I took my time and took the section off by twisting a bit and carefully pulling a bit and twisting a bit more for quite some time. Sure enough the pen "worked" but the ink sack was torn: http://i.imgur.com/g8BHY8ml.jpg So I ordered 2 #16 sacs after doing some research (an extra "just in case") and some pure talc and went out and bought some Zinsser Amber shellac. And I took the pen completely apart and started assesing the job in front of me. I punched the feed out very carefully and cleaned everything up. I also took the cage out of the cap as the cap wiggled on the pen a good bit so I figured maybe I could bend the sections of it that grip the pen back in some to get a tighter grip. http://i.imgur.com/R7VJ5AYl.jpg I'm ready to start putting it back together but I noticed that the feed is extremely tight going into the section even though its clean. There is no way I will be able to get it in by hand, even without the nib on the feed I wouldn't be able to get just the feed alone in all the way by hand.. How should I go about putting the feed and nib back in? Should I heat set the feed first? I have a heat gun that I could use to heat the feed up. I assume this feed would be Ebonite correct? I don't know how to tell, it feels a little more grippy than the plastic feeds on my cheap Jinhao pens and it is a vintage pen so I would assume its ebonite and can be heat set. If it is ebonite should I heat set it so it fits better in the section and the nib fits better on the feed? http://i.imgur.com/if4TREml.jpg Thanks! And I can't wait to get to use this pen after I get it fixed up. This will be my first time using a vintage pen like this.
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Hi guys, This is my first post here. I'm a newbie and I need advice. Sorry to bother. My story is I have this nice (I'm starting to hate it tho) MB146, an oldie but goodie except for the fact that the piston is busted. I mean it won't fill properly (I know it when it does because my L2K works just fine), seems to suck a lot of air and when I force the air out and pump that piston till its filled, it leaks from the back like crazy. Sad. I took it to a local pen store (the only, it seems) pen store here in São Paulo (BR) so the good man there would take a look at it, but he gave it back to me saying I'd have to take it to Montblanc itself (a boutique). So TL;DR my question is this: Here in Brazil the service costs 300$BR (Real), which ammounts to ~73$EU (Euro). I'm travelling to Belgium later in April, so I could go to one of the zillion pen stores in Europe. Do you guys think it'd be better to get it fixed here in BR or should I wait till I get to Europe? I don't know if I want to keep this pen or find a way to exchange it, but whatever I decide I'd like to fix it before anything. Once again sorry for the trouble. Hope you guys can help, specially if there are any European MB enthusiasts here.
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Montegrappa Nerouno Tines Too Far Apart - No Ink Flow.. Help?
7heDaniel posted a topic in Repair Q&A
Hey all, I have a Montegrappa NeroUno Linea that I bought a few months back for my birthday. I had a few flow issues with it, but I put it down to my writing style (I'm a lefty and write hooked) and that the pen just needed flushing and/or getting used to my writing style. Fastforward to now when I took a serious look at the nib. I realised that there is an obvious gap between the tines on the nib. I'm not sure if this is normal, as the nib itself doesn't have a breather hole, but there is a definite gap between the tipping material on the nib.. I'm fairly certain that this isn't normal. I'm not a nibmeister or at all experienced with fountain pen repair. Being that this is an expensive pen (~£450), I certainly don't want to void the warranty or anything like that. There is no flow of ink between the tines unless I prime the feed, and even then it sometimes runs dry (I have flushed the pen numerous times). While it is a solution, it's not a permanent solution. Any help, guys? Really would appreciate any thoughts. -
Dear all, I happened to obtain a few Targa 1004 FPs [i have propensity for Ag-925 ] but 2 of them have the following barrel defects. , with your help I'd love to restore them to their former glory. FP-A : The plastic-sleeve is broken in half, the half that has the threads, comes out of the barrel. The other half is stubbornly sticking inside the barrel FP-B : The jewel (?) / the flat black circular button at the end of the barrel is cracked and I can also see that the barrel top around the jewel is slightly dented. Would any of us here who are experienced in this help me and let me know - the steps to remove the plastic-barrel-sleeve from FP-A and replace it with either a new plastic-barrel-Sleeve or maybe a metal thread substitute that Sheaffer bestoed on later Targa's. - the steps to remove the cracked end jewel from the FP-B - Where could I find the spare parts if I do manage to remove the sleeve and jewel - any special tools that are required to achieve my objective I do have experience in servicing simple mechanical watches and do have some tools that are associated with it, but this is going to be my first attempt at repairing a fountain pen [Not counting grinding/tuning nibs that is...] Thanks in advance and looking forward to your advise -DOL
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I believe great work and good value should be recognized. Recently, I purchased a Bexley Fountain Pen from Jack Lynch listed on the FPN classifieds. The pen arrived as described and very quickly. Included in the package was a business card listing repair services. Although I do many of my own [simple] repairs, I had some Parker vacumatics that I wanted to have professionally restored. I sent eight of those pens to Jack after a brief discussion about his pricing. He did a great job at a very reasonable price and I would highly recommend his services to anyone. I will be sending more business his way!
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I bought my first fountain pen at an antique stores a few weeks back. I opened it right when I got home, and found that the section and feed were completely shattered, with the nib rattling around in the cap. I (with difficulty) pulled the section out and found the ink sac to be completely deteriorated, and the rubber plug at the bottom (this being the twist-filler model) to be deteriorated beyond repair. The pen is missing its clip and has a few scratches on the barrel, and the brass on the inside of the barrel where the section was fitted is greenish and slightly corroded. My question is this: how can I reconstruct this pen? It's the perfect shape and balance for me and I love the color. I've been looking up nib units from other brands that might fit (as trying to find another Ingersoll dollar pen is out of the question it seems) and the closest contender has been the Sheaffer No-Nonsense section / nib unit ensemble. Then there's the matter of the plug. I'd have to find a replacement for that as wel. The clip is gone too, but I actually like the way it looks without it. What sections / nib units could I use with my Ingersoll dollar pen? I've resigned myself to making a frankenpen, I just want a section that fits and a nib that isn't too bad. Thanks! The place where the section should be: http://i.imgur.com/HuHBNi6.jpg The complete pen: http://i.imgur.com/vRlL27Q.jpg
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I recently had a Mont Blanc Diamond LeGrand fail. The pen was in my travel bag on a trip. When I opened the bag and checked my pen holder, I noticed the barrel had broken off at the end. Either the bag took a sharp impact or the barrel failed. I contacted a local Mont Blanc authorized dealer regarding repair and they indicated there was no option for repair. It was purchased in 2011 in the UK from Herrod's who is an authorized dealer and all of the paperwork, receipts, and boxes are still in my possession. The dealer indicated the pen did not have a repair option and I should look at a new pen. Seems crazy for an $600 pen. The diamond cap and other parts are all still intact. The barrel failed at the spring on the back end. I simply want to order a replacement barrel, not an entirely new pen. What are my options and any suggestions as to an Authorized Dealer who may be able to get parts? Thank you. Chris
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First things first: mods, if this is in the wrong place, please pardon the mistake and move it as necessary. I'm writing to gush some praise at Dan Smith (of FP Geeks fame) and his nib services. About six months ago, I bought a Visconti Homo Sapiens 25th Anniversary (variant on the steel age oversize), with the 1.3mm stub nib, from somebody here on the forums. I got a great deal on one of my grails, and the pen was in beautiful condition when it arrived. This was a huge investment for me as a new hobbyist, far and away my most high-end pen. I was nervous about it given the legendarily unreliable Visconti QC, and boy, this nib sure was true to Visconti form. It was like ticking off a checklist of all the problems I'd read about with the Dreamtouch nibs. Hard starts, check; skipping, check; crazy flow issues, check. I mean I like a wet line, but this thing was pouring ink. None of the typical quick remedies helped (flushes, try a different ink, etc - not even good ol' Waterman Blue helped any). I could never use it for more than a few seconds without wanting to fling it across the room. Well, I finally decided to send it off to somebody who knew what they were doing. I chose Dan, and, wow, am I glad I did. I asked him to do what he could about the skips and starts, reverse a bit of tine spread (don't ask), try and get the flow under control if he could, and narrow it from a 1.3 to a 1.1mm. I got the pen back earlier today and all I can say is *wordless noise of delight*. I finally, finally get what all the fuss is about with these pens. I inked up some Iroshizuku kon-peki (an ink I know very well and trust to be a stellar performer), put nib to page, and hoooo boy. It's still a nice wet writer but the flow is dialed in to "manageable"; the slightly narrower line makes it much more versatile (to me anyway); the nib looks sensational and writes even better. This pen simply dances now. What a treat. Best of all, Dan was a pleasure to work with - great communication, super fast turnaround, excellent customer service all around. I could not be more pleased...and, for the first time ever, I actually have a Visconti Homo Sapiens to write with instead of just stare at glumly! Any nib work I need in the future, Dan's my man. You can find his nib services list and contact info here on FP Geeks. Highly highly highly recommended. (sorry for the mediocre photo quality; just a quick scribble-and-snap with my phone. Mulling doing a longer video review of my experiences with this pen - and Dan's repair job - so stay tuned!)
