Plastics Degradation In Fountain Pens?

[enchiridion]

Polymers of all kinds can degrade. Most absorb humidity, that's why pellets during injection moulding polycarbonate (PC), polysterene (PS) or polypropylene (PP) works with hoppers and dryers before warming and injecting (humidity would become gas and create bubbles and inclusions in the polymer).

Most also are or become static and attract dust. Dust and humidity are a feast for micro-organisms and some plastics are just eaten away. Some become brittle because additives (such as dyes, plasticizer or fluxing medium) evaporate or dry out. UV light, oxygen etc all cause changes.

For expanded polymers (such as styrofoam etc) air is mixed with the material to get more volume without adding weight and to get some crumple zone (in packaging). None are made to last forever.

Most plastics are carbon based chemistry or organic chemistry. Polymers exist naturally (shellac, silk, amber, wool, cotton) and synthetic. So the aging problems occurring to silk or amber can occur in some synthetic ones.

Finally there are chemical reactions due to all kinds of causes. Reversing these issues is practically impossible, stopping it would involve vacuum and UV-free storage at specific temperatures or other measures. Coating could be an idea but perverse effects might occur.

[Says]

OOoohhh never thought of that...

 

I probably can easily create a vaccum like storage for the pen... Though I think the best is just simply to keep it in rotation...

[Ray-Vigo]

Common sense goes a good distance. Keep the pens out of direct sunlight, write with them like a reasonable person, and clean them before storing. Don't do anything exotic - use and maintain the pen like a sane person. Don't do anything foolish like leaving hard rubber in the sun, exposing celluloid to harsh cleaning chemicals, etc. If it's a pen particularly prone to discoloration (jade, black & pearl, etc), go to a silicon sac or else keep on top of changing out old rubber sacs before they go downhill. Yes, some of these materials degrade naturally over the course of time, but don't let it stop you from enjoying and writing with these pens.

[Bristol24]

I'm arriving late to this discussion but want to add that the issue of vintage plastic and rubber deterioration is also evident in dealing with old, vintage Hammond Organs. My company works with new and vintage Hammond Organs. 15 or 16 years ago we started hearing from an occasional service technician that the interior wiring on some old units was becoming "gooey." This was not universal by any means but some units were really going to pot. Today the deterioration of rubber and plastic components, while not universal, is quite common with the internal wiring of some instruments becoming unsafe due to a breakdown in the insulation. Interestingly, I have yet to see a vintage Hammond organ, the oldest of them manufactured in 1935-37, with deteriorating keys which makes me wonder what plastic formulation was used on them. From a vintage pen standpoint, based on the comments in this discussion, I'm beginning to think that I need to somehow make certain that my pens are ventilated in some fashion while in storage. I would hate for one pen to begin going south and take others along for the ride.

[Says]

Sounds like the key difference might have been heat (Internal wiring) and maybe ventilation...

 

ok I am going to fashion some sort of display case that is not airtight.

Just bought a bunch of pen slots from go.pens. I kind of like what "Entertainment" did

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/342478-clear-acrylic-storage-cabinet/?hl=muji

 

Time to go antique shopping for beautiful boxes and get some handy craft done...

[BaronWulfraed]

Also, wiring typically has a flexible insulator -- much different from hard keys.

 

I've had rubberized mice (and of more concern to me given the cost -- a blowback CO2 BB pistol with rubberized grip https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/SIG_Sauer_P226_X_Five_Open_Combo/2373 ) get slimy and sticky. Never have found a product that can clean it (tried GooGone, but the rag just sticks and leaves fibers in the slime).

[Ron Z]

 

 

Never have found a product that can clean it (tried GooGone, but the rag just sticks and leaves fibers in the slime).

 

Try naphtha. Not lighter fluid, but VM&P Naphtha. A dedicated paint store is sure to have it, Home Depot has it in quarts.

[Bristol24]

Ron is right. Naphtha is a great cleaner solvent with so many practical uses. We drive to Reno at least once a year to buy it and other solvents (MEK, for example) banned here in California.

 

Cliff