How To Reassemble Nib, Feed, And Case?

[Wabisabi]

Hi everyone!

I'm new to the forum and am happy to have found this group on Waterman fountain pens! I was cleaning a much neglected fountain pen that I purchased in France probably 30 or more years ago. Long story short, after soaking in water for a day I found that the nib, feed, and case somehow separated from one another just by sitting in a container of water. I have attempted to reassemble it, but it's not proving to be easy (see photo). From reading one of the other posts in this forum, I think this pen is a Waterman Preface Romance Blue. Can anyone confirm that they recognize this pen?

 

More importantly, I am looking for help on how to reassemble this beauty. I don't want to ruin the pen. Any help you can give me would be much appreciated!!!

 

Thank you all!

 

K2

[Bookman]

Hello, Wabisabi. I'm not familiar with your particular model, so if someone with more specific knowledge chimes in I'll be happy to step aside. Meanwhile, I own two Waterman models, an Exclusive from the late 80s/early 90s, and a Phileas from this century. Your nib resembles my Phileas's, and so yours might very well fit together similarly. My Phileas's nib has tabs that correspond to slots on the feed, one on each side. The tabs fit into the slots one way, and when the nib is in place there's no mistake about it. The following two photos show the Phileas's nib and feed.

 

 

 

 

If your nib and feed fit together this way, so much for step one of your reassembly. If they don't, look at the following photos of my Exclusive's nib and feed. The Exclusive's feed has long grooves, one on each side, and the nib snaps or slides into those grooves.

 

 

 

 

 

Once you've got the nib and feed together, you're ready to insert them into the section. Make sure the spindly little extension on the back of the feed is absolutely straight, not bent. Inside the section this is going to slide into a tiny hole just big enough to accommodate it. If this tail (I don't know its proper name) is bent, you might snap it off as you finish the installation. As you can see from one of my photos, I carelessly broke that piece off my Exclusive's feed (I was simply drying the feed with a paper towel after cleaning), and so I speak from experience. (The ink flow is slightly wetter than before, but the pen otherwise works the same.)

 

I can't tell you how your nib and feed fit into your section, but I can tell you how mine fit together. My Phileas's section has a little notch cut into it near the threads. That's my guide: I align the slit between the tines with an imaginary line going all the way across the section to that notch.

 

 

 

 

 

My Exclusive has no notch, no visible guide—at least none that I've found. Instead, it turns out the assembled nib and feed will only go in one way, and I find that path by pressing the back of the feed up against the opening of the section and, while maintaining contact between the parts, I rotate the section until I feel the feed begin to enter the opening. It's a tight fit, but I push the nib and feed into place.

 

 

Let me know if any of this helped.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Bookman

[Wabisabi]

Bookman, thank you so much for your detailed photos and instructions! Very helpful! The nib looks like it slips into some small grooves, but there is nothing to keep it in place so I'll just have to hold it as I work to get the feed into the housing. I believe the "tail" is straight but I have not been able to get it into the hole. I will try rotating the section, as you suggest. Perhaps it's just a tight fit. I didn't want to feel like I was forcing it in and perhaps I have not applied enough pressure. I like the idea of rotating it in vs. pressing, which is how I have approached it previously. I will let you know how it turns out! Your help is much appreciated!

[Wabisabi]

It worked!!! Thank you so much, Bookman! Whew. Now, to try some new inks and paper!

[Bookman]

It worked!!! Thank you so much, Bookman! Whew. Now, to try some new inks and paper!

 

Congratulations, you're welcome, and good luck.

[Broxi]

Some great advice here! That's what makes forums such as these a fantastic resource