Celluloid Piston Filler Affecting Ink In The Barrel

[Bobby Check]

You may find The following pages interesting:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/206514-cristallized-celluloid-pens-a-tibaldi-trasparente-ruined/

 

http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/jaic/articles/jaic30-02-003.html

 

I lost 2 Trasparentes to this.

 

Bobby

[fountainbel]

You may find The following pages interesting:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/206514-cristallized-celluloid-pens-a-tibaldi-trasparente-ruined/

 

http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/jaic/articles/jaic30-02-003.html

 

I lost 2 Trasparentes to this.

 

Bobby

 

Very interesting, thanks Bobby !

Would like to add this old post :

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/253178-tibaldi-iride-cracked-pump-housing/?hl=%2Btibaldi+%2Bpump+%2Bfiller

 

Francis

[OMASsimo]

Thanks a lot for the interesting discussion and the tremendously educational links. I have a very soft spot for celluloid pens and a significant number of them. That is the reason why I'm very interested in this subject. I'm also a chemist, which is another reason why this topic fascinates me. I actually searched the literature quite a bit for serious chemical information on this topic but didn't find much.

 

What I found is that there is photodegradation but mainly by breaking the glycosidic ether bonds rather than the nitrate ester bonds. I also found that nitric acid and sulfuric acid contamination usually originates from poor manufacturing standards. My chemical understanding tells me that once there is a strong acid in the material, this catalyses the de-esterification setting free even more nitric acid. This is called an auto-catalytic reaction. A similar effect would be caused by presence of lye which also catalyses the de-esterification. But in this case, the produced acid would neutralize the alkaline lye at some point and the degradation would stop. These reactions do not necessarily require an aqueous environment, so keeping the material dry probably doesn't help very much. On the contrary, I think the only way to stop the degradation is to wash out the acid as much as possible. I think one would be better off washing the pen in water with frequent exchange of the water. The tests of the OP actually show that the pH is going up considerably by washing. I would submerge the entire pen and change the water more frequently and hope that this rescues the pen.

 

So far I was lucky that I never had a pen with celluloid rot. But on the other hand, I use all my pens on a regular basis and this means frequent flushing with ink and water. Could it be that the regular use for which those pens were meant prevents the celluloid rot?

[Gasquolet]

Many thanks all for the interesting links and reading, some of which I had seen before - Tom's story of the crystallised Trasparente is scary. Fortunately my Iride seems to be in reasonable health but I'm well aware of it's weakness now.

 

I an continuing to flush out this pen but have stepped up the routine, leaving out the recording lately so will give this more time and see what comes of it.

 

OMASsimo's idea about using the pen being of benefit is to my way of thinking too. My Bononia was described as un-inked and while I can't be sure of this, it had all the indications that it had not been used much, if at all.

 

I have a few other Tibaldi's from this era but they employed a number of different filling mechanisms and materials, mostly isolating the ink from the celluloid barrel, none of which were the same as this Bononia so I have no other benchmark for this material.

 

I have also failed to get the nib collar out out it so am unable to strip the pen completely. I'm a little wary of compete immersion but am trying it with the lower half of the barrel, flooded inside and out in water to see what happens.

 

I would describe the Bononia construction as similar to OMAS, with the piston moving in the barrel material and the piston mechanism screwing into the back of the pen, retained by the feed/ nib collar which stops the piston and therefore prevents it's mechanism disengaging from the threads in the back of the pen. With the nib collar removed this allows the piston to be removed at the bottom of the barrel and the piston knob at the top.

 

I agree with the principle of the auto-catalytic process, this was my interpretation of what was happening with this pen too. I am fascinated and upset, not quite in equal measure but still, am determined to use this pen while I can, not have it convalescing throughout my ownership!

 

I am now certain of a light, chalky deposit forming in two places on the outside of the pen, one on the pen barrel in the area of the ink chamber, the other on the cap above the cap bands, I imagine this is the same deposit that has discoloured the nib. It can be wiped or brushed off very easily with seemingly no impact on the material underneath it and takes several days to reappear,

Is this acid/ salts depositing on the surface as the reaction continues, even in the dry cap, as suggested?

 

I'll keep going with the flushing and testing and update again for the benefit of anyone interested.

 

I'll do a review too as suggested, but may struggle to keep this little issue out of it...

Edited May 15, 2018 by Gasquolet

[Bobby Check]

My Tibaldi Bononia seems to be okay so far.

I will certainly keep an eye on it thanks to the information in this post.

Incidentally, I keep my Tibaldi celluloid pens in a wooden case with ventilation and I open the drawer every other day. I confess, often just to admire them.

Thanks,

Bobby