Oiling your Pelikan...

[robeck]

I am now the proud owner of an M1000 and have been reading as much info on this model as I can find. The seller I bought it from has a FAQ with the following section in it. The use of oil surely can't be right, can it? I must admit I regularly flush my pens with water and mild detergent but I get the impression this is a bad idea with the sealed pistons in Pelikans as the lubrication of the piston can be removed. How do you more experienced guys and gals clean your Pels?

 

When I turn the filler knob of my Pelikan fountain pen, the piston seems to be more stiff than before. What can I do?

 

It sounds like the rubber bung which seals the piston to the barrel of the pen has lost some of its lubrication. This can happen for a number of reasons, which can include flushing out your pen with hot water or detergent.

 

To overcome the problem, remove the nib of your pen (see video above for how to do this) and put a couple of drops of 3-in-1 oil into the barrel of your pen. Now turn the filler knob fully back and fore several times. This should solve the problem. This process can be repeated if the filler knob becomes resistant again in the future.

 

Be sure to use only cold or room temperature water when flushing out your pen.

 

 

[Bill D]

I wouldn't do it with one of my pens

 

The recommended lubricant is pure silicone grease... and only a tiny amount of that.

 

I do agree with avoiding hot water.

 

There are plenty of threads in here about cleaning and lubricating Pelikans... look around, or use the search function. Good luck with your pen

 

Bill

[Russ]

OMG, I would never use three-in-one oil or ANY such lubricant. Use pure silicone grease. An M1000 is too fine to ruin.

[John Cullen]

This is really interesting, mainly because the website on which that appears is clearly a commercial site that specializes in Pelikan!!

 

I would NOT put oil in the pen. I would think there would be a danger of it getting into the feed and clogging things up. j

[skipwilliams]

Call Chartpak (US Pelikan Importer) and talk to them. Abi in their service dept told me that they lube the insides of the piston barrel with either mineral oil or vegetable oil, I can't remember which. I would not use anything like 3-in-one with petroleum distillates.

 

Skip

 

[twdpens]

Do not do this! If the piston is stiff straight out of the box you should return it for replacement. The pen should not have been supplied in this condition.

 

Alternatively, send me an SAE (large letter) and I will return it with a cotton bud coated with silicone grease. Wipe this on the inside of the barrel (you will only need a tiny amount) and move the piston back and forth before marvelling at its smoothness.

 

HTH,

 

Martin

[MVice78]

It's vegetable oil they suggest as an accepted lubricant. I think she did tell me that pure silicon grease is the preferred product to use if you can get some.

[Garageboy]

How do you keep ink from sticking to the grease? (theres a blue ring of ink colored grease sitting on the nib side of my ink window)

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Just wipe the colored grease off.

 

Dillon

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Vegetable oil would probably be safe (but definitely stick with one that is NOT highly polyunsaturated, as anything with a sufficiently high polyunsaturated fatty acid content will eventually turn into varnish!)

 

Most likely a PLASTIC-COMPATIBLE model locomotive oil would also be safe.

 

Mineral oils, even including medical grade, would almost certainly NOT be safe.

 

But if you can get the recommended silicone grease, that would certainly be the way to go. The manufacturer knows best.

[MichaelD]

This thread is sure timely for me. I just put my M600 in rotation a few days ago. The piston was so tight I was afraid the piston knob

may eventually break. Not having access to 100% silicone I used the vegetable oil for now and the piston moves freely.

I have some 90% silicone but from the hardware store and thought that unsafe. I'll have to try the scuba or photo stores locally

to find some silicone. I was pleasantly surprised how easily the Pelikan nib was removable and then replaced.

 

Thanks to all who have given some good advice.

[Inka]

3-in-1 oil, just like WD-40, is a multi-purpose product that contains solvents for de-greasing and rust-busting and petroleum-based lubricants.

It's not the best for either purpose, runs a middle-ground at that, and I would never use it in a fountain pen, not even a cheap one, never ever.

 

You can find pure silicone grease at Tryphon Enterprises that also contains Teflon [PTFE] for @ $5 and it's probably one of the best silicone products for pen pistons.

If you want it yesterday, get only the pure stuff found in the plumbing section of most hardware stores and make sure it's the pure silicone for potable water fixtures.

If you go with the plumbing type, make sure to get the pure silicone grease intended for potable water lines [food-grade] and not just the waterproof plumbers' grease [there is a difference].

The so-labeled 90% plumbers' silicone grease is probably pen-safe too, just makes me wonder what's in the remaining 10% that they don't advertise.

You could probably use silicone grease made for underwater camera housings, such as Sea and Sea brand or similar; places like B&H Photo of N.Y. carry it but you pay a premium for the use intended.

[Underskoterskan]

You could probably use silicone grease made for underwater camera housings

 

Indeed, this is pure silicon grease that I find easily obtainable and highly suitable for piston fillers.

[barny]

This thread is sure timely for me. I just put my M600 in rotation a few days ago. The piston was so tight I was afraid the piston knob

may eventually break. Not having access to 100% silicone I used the vegetable oil for now and the piston moves freely.

I have some 90% silicone but from the hardware store and thought that unsafe. I'll have to try the scuba or photo stores locally

to find some silicone. I was pleasantly surprised how easily the Pelikan nib was removable and then replaced.

 

Thanks to all who have given some good advice.

 

Hi,

 

If you can access a locale scuba dive shop in your place, chances are they have silicone grease for sale.

[PJohnP]

This thread is sure timely for me. I just put my M600 in rotation a few days ago. The piston was so tight I was afraid the piston knob may eventually break. Not having access to 100% silicone I used the vegetable oil for now and the piston moves freely. I have some 90% silicone but from the hardware store and thought that unsafe. I'll have to try the scuba or photo stores locally to find some silicone.

 

Have a look over at Pendemonium's site where it's $3. Order some ink, a doodad or three, and Bob's your uncle...

 

 

 

John P.

 

[soapytwist]

I thought it was rubbing linseed oil into the school cormorant that wasn't allowed?!

[MichaelD]

I did indeed go to a local scuba shop yesterday and pick up some 100% silicone made by Aquaseal. I have the M600 piston working wonderfully now.

 

The only drawback is, I may have to take up scuba diving and become a plumber to use all of the silicone in my lifetime.

 

[Bill D]

I did indeed go to a local scuba shop yesterday and pick up some 100% silicone made by Aquaseal. I have the M600 piston working wonderfully now.

 

I'm glad it worked out all right!

 

The only drawback is, I may have to take up scuba diving and become a plumber to use all of the silicone in my lifetime.

 

OR... buy lots and lots of Pelikans

 

Bill

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I was pleasantly surprised how easily the Pelikan nib was removable and then replaced.

Major selling point for Pelikan pens.

[shamsuzzamansadi]

As far as I know about Pelikan they officially suggest to use Caster oil (Rizinöl) for their modern fountain pen lines since mostly made out of acrylic. Even in the German fountain pen exchange forum they always have discussion on this.