P25 Leaking Ink When Capped

[ellisbodds]

Hi,

 

I'm new here

 

I recently found a Parker 25 that I've had for years (I think it belonged to a relative) and decided to get it up and running, so I cleaned it out and bought some Quink washable blue cartridges (in hindsight, after comparing the costs, I wish I'd bought a converter and a bottle of ink).

 

I've not used a fountain pen before and I like writing with it, but I have an annoying issue where ink collects in the cap - every time I remove the cap after leaving it for a while it looks like this:

 

http://i.imgur.com/dzbmDFtl.jpg

 

This means that I end up getting ink all over my fingers unless I have something handy to wipe the pen with - but every time I recap it it becomes covered in ink again...

 

It seems to be a bit better when stored with the nib facing up, though I'm still not sure it gets rid of it entirely. Is there any reason this happens, or is it just something I have to deal with?

 

Thanks!

[Inkysloth]

Re: ink, you've not lost a great deal by buying cartridges - they won't go off, and are useful to have stashed in your pencil case. Buy yourself a converter which you can use to flush clean water through the pen to clean it, and at some point you can try bottled ink too.

 

Re: the leaky pen, this isn't something you'd expect from a well behaved fountain pen, but it could have a couple of causes (and I don't know all of them.)

 

Where is the leak coming from exactly? if you clean it off, hold a tissue to the point where the grip meets the metal part nearer the nib, and if no ink is coming through there, try the next joint between edges. if it's neither of those, I am stumped...

[View from the Loft]

The first thing I would do is rinse out the cap, pack it with kitchen towel and then let it dry out overnight. This way you will know whether the pen is really leaking ink or it was a one off that got ink into the cap that has been transferred to the pen.

 

Clean and dry the nib and section of the pen as well. Now when you recap the pen, leave it horizontal on the desk overnight and see what happens. If all is well, try carrying it around as usual for the day to see if the leak appears.

 

Another simple one is when you unca the pen, break the seal, wait a moment and the uncap the pen. This allows the pressure to equalise and helps prevent ink from being pulled through the pen.

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere that P25s can develop a leak around the steel collar at the nib end of the section. If this is what is happening, I'm sure one of our resident repair gurus will be along to explain the how's and wherefores.

[ellisbodds]

Thanks for the replies.

 

Re: ink, you've not lost a great deal by buying cartridges - they won't go off, and are useful to have stashed in your pencil case. Buy yourself a converter which you can use to flush clean water through the pen to clean it, and at some point you can try bottled ink too.

Re: the leaky pen, this isn't something you'd expect from a well behaved fountain pen, but it could have a couple of causes (and I don't know all of them.)

Where is the leak coming from exactly? if you clean it off, hold a tissue to the point where the grip meets the metal part nearer the nib, and if no ink is coming through there, try the next joint between edges. if it's neither of those, I am stumped...

 

Ah, this was pretty obvious but somehow I didn't think of it. Ink is coming from the crack between the plastic grip and, as you put it, "the metal part nearer the nib" (I have no better way to describe it ).

 

EDIT: Forgot the rest of what I was going to say Yeah, you're right about the cartridges. Much more convenient than bottled ink, but more expensive and not available in as many colours/varieties, I guess.

 

The first thing I would do is rinse out the cap, pack it with kitchen towel and then let it dry out overnight. This way you will know whether the pen is really leaking ink or it was a one off that got ink into the cap that has been transferred to the pen.

Clean and dry the nib and section of the pen as well. Now when you recap the pen, leave it horizontal on the desk overnight and see what happens. If all is well, try carrying it around as usual for the day to see if the leak appears.

Another simple one is when you unca the pen, break the seal, wait a moment and the uncap the pen. This allows the pressure to equalise and helps prevent ink from being pulled through the pen.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that P25s can develop a leak around the steel collar at the nib end of the section. If this is what is happening, I'm sure one of our resident repair gurus will be along to explain the how's and wherefores.

 

I have already tried cleaning out the cap - I didn't dry it overnight, but I dried it enough that any tissue I shoved inside was coming out clean and dry. Given that I can hold a tissue to the area that I described above and take it away to find ink on it, it seems that you're right about it having developed a leak

 

Anyhow, thanks again to both of you for the tips. Any ideas (or anyone else) about how to stop the leak?

Edited January 13, 2014 by ellisbodds

[J English Smith]

Your best bet is to get a brand-new section and nib from Parker (Newell Rubbermaid). Amazingly enough, they still have those for the 25 - at least they did last year. It was inexpensive and fast. The 25 is a great little pen and if you've got a cap and barrel, you're almost all there.

 

I think the cost was around $12.50 for the new nib and section, and I believe they had XF, F and M nibs available - at the very least, they did have fine, which is my preferred nib on the 25.

 

Your only other test on the current section and nib is to make absolutely sure that the nib is fully seated in the section. That would be one source of a leak, but it's probably more likely that over time the spot where the plastic joins the metal collar has developed an opening...

 

Good luck!

[J English Smith]

Oh, and yeah, do get a converter. I think what they are charging for the Parker cartridges these days comes close to highway robbery. I always keep a few on hand for emergencies, but I certainly don't buy them in bulk anymore. (Their red is somewhat nice.)

[ellisbodds]

Your best bet is to get a brand-new section and nib from Parker (Newell Rubbermaid). Amazingly enough, they still have those for the 25 - at least they did last year. It was inexpensive and fast. The 25 is a great little pen and if you've got a cap and barrel, you're almost all there.

 

I think the cost was around $12.50 for the new nib and section, and I believe they had XF, F and M nibs available - at the very least, they did have fine, which is my preferred nib on the 25.

 

Your only other test on the current section and nib is to make absolutely sure that the nib is fully seated in the section. That would be one source of a leak, but it's probably more likely that over time the spot where the plastic joins the metal collar has developed an opening...

 

Good luck!

 

Wow, I hadn't even considered that they would still sell parts for the 25! From their FAQs on their site:

 

Is it possible to get a spare part?

While we do offer a nib exchange service and do sell most fountain pen nibs and rollerball sections, unfortunately we do not sell other spare parts.

 

It has no mention of where they sell these, so I'm guessing I'll have to phone them. Hopefully they have some in stock - I found another site selling them in the UK but they only have EF in stock and they're £20 (which probably excludes delivery)

 

I don't know what nib mine has but I'm guessing it's M - I think I would prefer something finer.

 

Oh, and yeah, do get a converter. I think what they are charging for the Parker cartridges these days comes close to highway robbery. I always keep a few on hand for emergencies, but I certainly don't buy them in bulk anymore. (Their red is somewhat nice.)

 

Yeah, that was my plan. I'd like to try some black inks anyway - this blue is ok (seems to dry quickly and doesn't bleed through even on thin paper) but it's a bit too light/washed out for my liking.

[Shaughn]

 

The Battersea Pen Home sells sections and nibs: http://www.penhome.co.uk/nibs/parker-nibs/parker-25-nibs.html

 

As for the leaking problem:

 

This pen should not leak that way. Period. I have several and none of them leaks, even if stored filled and lying flat.

 

The cap is not airtight. If it is, rinse it thouroughly until you can blow air through it. All plastic parts are friction fit so if necessary you can push the tassie down to clean. If pulling off the cap creaes a vacuum that sucks the ink out, that should be solved.

 

You may check if the feed and nib are tight. Also friction fit, best is to soak in water and gently pull it out. Clean and push back tight.If this part is loose, it may cause this leakage.

 

It is only seldom that a section is cracked.Yours is full plastic and the metal band has no function other than to click the cap on. So it cannot leak at any joint between band and plastic because of a joint damage. If you replace the section, just keep the nib and feed and try them in the new section.

 

It is thinkable that the nib and feed cause leakage if they don't fit well to each other. It is a one-way fit (so no adjusting) you cab check when you pull the nib and feed out.

 

There is also a faint possibility that warmth causes leakage by expanding ink, when the pen is absolutely full. But the feed design is supposed to prevent that.

 

Finally, but there is no indication for that in the picture: if the tines are bent the pen may leak.

 

So much for now!

 

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/140116-parker-25-variations/ offers a lot more information on this pen!

[ellisbodds]

 

The Battersea Pen Home sells sections and nibs: http://www.penhome.co.uk/nibs/parker-nibs/parker-25-nibs.html

 

As for the leaking problem:

 

This pen should not leak that way. Period. I have several and none of them leaks, even if stored filled and lying flat.

 

The cap is not airtight. If it is, rinse it thouroughly until you can blow air through it. All plastic parts are friction fit so if necessary you can push the tassie down to clean. If pulling off the cap creaes a vacuum that sucks the ink out, that should be solved.

 

You may check if the feed and nib are tight. Also friction fit, best is to soak in water and gently pull it out. Clean and push back tight.If this part is loose, it may cause this leakage.

 

It is only seldom that a section is cracked.Yours is full plastic and the metal band has no function other than to click the cap on. So it cannot leak at any joint between band and plastic because of a joint damage. If you replace the section, just keep the nib and feed and try them in the new section.

 

It is thinkable that the nib and feed cause leakage if they don't fit well to each other. It is a one-way fit (so no adjusting) you cab check when you pull the nib and feed out.

 

There is also a faint possibility that warmth causes leakage by expanding ink, when the pen is absolutely full. But the feed design is supposed to prevent that.

 

Finally, but there is no indication for that in the picture: if the tines are bent the pen may leak.

 

So much for now!

 

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/140116-parker-25-variations/ offers a lot more information on this pen!

Thanks! I've found everyone to be very helpful so far, even regarding a lesser-known (if, it seems, reasonably well liked) Parker.

Yes, that was the site I was referring to. Sadly, it does seem a bit expensive and they only have the EF nib in stock (not sure if they will be getting more of the F).

The cap does appear to be airtight, actually - I can't blow through it. The tassie will not budge (no surprise, because it could have been in place decades) so I'll have to find a way of loosening it. The cap does not seem to be causing the leakage, though, because I can uncap the pen, clean any ink off, and then hold a clean tissue to the area where ink seems to be leaking from - the tissue will start to collect ink.

As for the rest of your suggestions: I have half a cartridge of ink left which I don't particularly want to throw away. At the same time, the pen is not particularly good as an everyday writer at the moment (having ink all over my hands is not very convenient) so is it advisable to remove the cartridge and attempt to use it later on?

I don't think the temperature could be an issue for a couple of reasons: the cartridge is currently half full and it is continuing to leak and it's not very warm here at the moment.

As I said, this is my first FP, but the tines don't look bent to me.

Also, my pen has no breather hole but a dimpled top and "Made in England", so it looks like it is a later Mk 2. I haven't read through the rest of that thread though.

Cheers

[Inkysloth]

If you drip a little water into the cap, through the opening and let it sit and soak a while, that may help start to loosen any ink that's crept into the inner cap / tassie interface.

 

To get the tassie & inner cap out, take a small, flat bottomed stick (like a dowel) and press it through, into the cap. Don't do what I did and press with a slightly pointed object, because I stabbed straight through the plastic the tassie is made from! Ahem.

[ellisbodds]

If you drip a little water into the cap, through the opening and let it sit and soak a while, that may help start to loosen any ink that's crept into the inner cap / tassie interface.

 

To get the tassie & inner cap out, take a small, flat bottomed stick (like a dowel) and press it through, into the cap. Don't do what I did and press with a slightly pointed object, because I stabbed straight through the plastic the tassie is made from! Ahem.

I was trying with the top of a BIC Cristal cap

 

Anyhow, I'm at work now, before I left this morning I disassembled the pen (put some tape over the top of the cartridge) and I'm leaving the whole lot to soak. Hopefully that will loosen the cap somewhat so that I can give it a proper clean, and also loosen the nib+section so I can try and investigate the actual leak itself.

[Shaughn]

An empty cartridge works also, if necessary with a ligt hammer. A few light strokes will do.

 

Removing the nib and feed can be done with a very small screwdriver or something like that. Just put it in the hole under the nib and try to push the feed and nib assembly out. Be careful, the plastic is soft and edges are easily damaged.

 

By the way, you can always try this if you can't get the nib you want: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/84172-my-souped-up-parker-25-fountain-pen/

 

I tried, it works fine!

[ellisbodds]

An empty cartridge works also, if necessary with a ligt hammer. A few light strokes will do.

 

Removing the nib and feed can be done with a very small screwdriver or something like that. Just put it in the hole under the nib and try to push the feed and nib assembly out. Be careful, the plastic is soft and edges are easily damaged.

 

By the way, you can always try this if you can't get the nib you want: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/84172-my-souped-up-parker-25-fountain-pen/

 

I tried, it works fine!

I have nothing to empty the cartridge with though

 

Also, that's interesting. The only problem is that I would then need to buy a Sonnet or a Sonnet nib

 

EDIT: I've managed to remove the nib and feed from the section without causing significant damage to myself, the pen, or any surrounding objects

 

I've also removed the tassie. I'm going to leave all the parts to soak for a short while before cleaning them, leaving them to dry and then re-assembling them. Fingers crossed

Edited January 14, 2014 by ellisbodds

[Shaughn]

It's a small step to disassemble a pen, but a giant leap to penrepair(wo)menship

 

These pictures may be informative:

 

 

This is what the shell looks like inside. Most shells are like the one at the bottom, full plastic inside. The upper one is rare and you can see the corrosive effect of ink on metal.That might cause irreversble leakage. If you have one like that, I'll happly swap! (I know its weird but after completing my collection of P25s, I'm now after the oddities, so to speak)

 

Hereunder is a full plastic shell that lost its metal band and shows what's under the band.

 

 

Both constructions make leakage at the joint or from under the band improbable but not impossible.

 

edit: bad picture removed

 

 

Edited January 15, 2014 by Shaughn

[Shaughn]

This was meant to be the third pictur in my previous post.

[ellisbodds]

The section of my pen is definitely plastic inside. There doesn't appear to be any damage but I'm not going to slice it in half to get a better look

How can I check for a leak like that without having the "ink ejector bulb"?

I'm still not sure how it's possible for the cap not to be airtight. I've tried re-assembling it and I still can't blow air through it.

The pen is also back together and inked up. So far there's no sign of leaking but it's still writing a bit thin/watery so I'm leaving it overnight.

[Inkysloth]

The section of my pen is definitely plastic inside. There doesn't appear to be any damage but I'm not going to slice it in half to get a better look

 

How can I check for a leak like that without having the "ink ejector bulb"?

 

I'm still not sure how it's possible for the cap not to be airtight. I've tried re-assembling it and I still can't blow air through it.

 

The pen is also back together and inked up. So far there's no sign of leaking but it's still writing a bit thin/watery so I'm leaving it overnight.

There might well be remnants of water caught up in the feed which will dilute the ink until the water is completely flushed out. Doesn't take too long to flush through - a few sentences should do it.

[J English Smith]

I hope this works out for you! Just cool to know others like this model too. I still want to get a black anodized one someday. Good to know that the section is one piece, didn't know that

[ellisbodds]

There might well be remnants of water caught up in the feed which will dilute the ink until the water is completely flushed out. Doesn't take too long to flush through - a few sentences should do it.

 

Interestingly, mine seems to take a while. It did this the first time I tried writing with it, too - it took a while for any ink to flow and even then it was washed out. The parts had been drying for a while but yes, there could still have been water in there. In any case, I've left it overnight and it now seems to be writing normally. There's also no sign of a leak!

I hope this works out for you! Just cool to know others like this model too. I still want to get a black anodized one someday. Good to know that the section is one piece, didn't know that

Yeah, I do like it. It's a shame about the odd looking tapered barrel but at least you can't tell that with the cap posted

 

I agree, the black model looks great. I think I'm ok with one P25 for now though

 

Anyhow, it looks like it has worked out, fingers crossed. So thanks to everyone for your help

[Shaughn]

All caps I have checked until know are definitely not airtight. Some had even a tiny hole in the inner lining. But maybe there has been a airtight batch - there have been may small differences in the course of time.

 

Most likely is imho that nib&feed somehow didn't fit tight enough and by cleaning and reassembling the problem is solved I hope. Enjoy your P25 and when the ctg is empty, do get yourseld a Lamy Z26 converter. It fits better than any parker converter!

 

That tapered barrell - odd? In retrospect, that was what made me fall in love with my first one, long ago in 1976. I was in the army then and the barrel looked like a rifle cartridge.

 

Oh, and instead of that bulb - I used a simple balloon once!