Drafting/technical Pen?

[ddustinn]

I won a drafting/technical pen from a very reputable seller on eBay - an Ernex Piston Filler. It arrived today, and I cleaned it and inked it up and tried to write with it, and nothing happened. I couldn't get any ink to come out unless I shook it very hard or put on the cap (for some reason, putting the cap on got ink all over the section.)

 

Is there something I'm not getting? Or is this pen not functional? I don't really know anything about these pens.

[TMLee]

Post some pics so we can better help you

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Pens of that designation typically have a 'wire in a tube' nib. Depending on the condition of the pen, that may have succumbed to dried-out ink or reached the end of its life-cycle. As draughting inks are not the same as FP inks, cleansing the nib and pen just might take more than the usual water+surfactant rinse.

 

Perhaps more information & ideas may be gathered from Post № 19 onward, LINK

 

Bye,

S1

[ken belanus]

Sandy1 is correct in advising that these pens have a pin in a tube nib. This is connected to a valve that allows the ink to flow only when the pin is actuated by contact with the paper. If you shake an empty pen and you do not feel the little check valve and pin traveling up and down, the pen is not going to write.

 

These pens are indeed used with drafting inks that are essentially India inks that we know are not suitable for fountain pens. Dried ink has frozen the valve and pin. You will need a pen cleaning solution such as Higgins or Dr Martins. I have repaired many of these for customers of a stationery store where I worked during high school. Your likelihood of success is very high. These solutions work great and the bottles were set up with a screen so you could use the whole bottle as a soaking station and then retrieve a bunch of parts in a little basket. Ultrasonic cleaners should also work wonders if you have one, use it.

 

Good luck with your restoration. when you are successful you will be delighted with a great pen that excels above all others in providing perfectly consistent line width while delivering miles of ink with very dark and wet coverage. You may find that the pen requires a more vertical presentation than used with fountain pens. Any architecture student will know how to help you, as will some engineers who are at least 60 years of age. Enjoy.