Flushing Dolphin 500 cartridge. Pen

[Catpaws]

Hi everyone!

I am trying to flush out a Dolphin cartridge  pen . It is slow going. I am being patient and have use a couple of different techniques. I have used warm water, water and ammonia solution, bulb syringe. I have found that one of my Faber Castell converters fits the nipple end of the section. So I have been drawing warm water into the section. It seems like the must still be a clog in the section because there is pressure. The knob on the converter is not twisting freely like it does when it is off the section. It does twist and draw water through the section but very slowly. Does this sound like there is still gunk obstructing  the flow or does this seem like a normal dolphin section? There is no more ink coming out. Thanks for any input.

[Sailor Kenshin]

First: I always wanted a Dolphin!  Second:  Do you have an ultrasonic cleaner and/or Rapido-Eze?  These might help.

 

The converter's not a bad idea if you only have the Rapido-Eze.  You could draw some in and let it sit.  I don't advise taking the nib off, even if it's possible.

 

Best of luck.

[Catpaws]

Thanks! I do have some Rapido-eze! I'll try that next. I am afraid of braking it...so I don't  want to take it apart.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Ron Zorn would probably know what to do!

 

I also found this, not sure of they're talking about the Touchdown or version you have.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/256677-sheaffer-dolphin-disassembly/

 

(Though I still recommend against disassembly)

[Catpaws]

Thanks!

[Catpaws]

So I used the converter to shoot some Rapido-eze into the section. Nothing is coming out. I tried drawing up some ink after several flushes with water. Once the nib used all of it's ink, the pen would not write. Ink from the converter was not getting through the section. So I am back to soaking. We tried to apply heat and twist open but it is not budging. Right now I am trying to draw water up though the section with the converter to work on that blockage. It has had 2 converters full of Rapido-eze. I'm wondering  what is clogging this pen. India ink?

[Sailor Kenshin]

Do you have an ultrasonic cleaner for just the section/nib?

[Catpaws]

No....I might be able to persuade my husband that we need one. He repairs vintage fishing reels and maybe he could use it, too.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I do suspect India ink at this point.  We've had Osmiroids that were clogged with it, but the ultrasonic might work.  

 

Did you say you could draw and expel liquid with the converter?  And have you had a look down in the section with a loupe or magnifying glass?  If so, did you see anything that might be obstructing the flow, like a clogged or broken cartridge piercer?

[Catpaws]

Hmmm... My husband is open to getting a cleaner.

Yes I can draw and expel fluid. But it feels like there must be a tiny path for the fluids. The nib can shoot off the converter from the pressure. I just drew up some Rapido-eze through the nib. Going to let it sit.

 

There is no way to see really what is going on via the nib. The piercing tube has a tiny hole but I can't see much. I tried inserting a  guitar string but it won't  go very far.

 

I appreciate  your help Sailor Kenshin.

[Sailor Kenshin]

As no further gunk is emerging... and I hope I'm not coming off as overbearing, but if this was my Dolphin, and it draws/expels fluids, I might try inking it (with a nice well-behaved ink, and letting it sit a while.  Maybe dipping in same ink to get it writing.

 

Depending what kind of feed a pen has, some of them can take forever to actually start writing.

[Catpaws]

I am kind of wondering how much the feed in this thing holds. I didn't  really mess with it today. I hope I am surprised by a huge ink cloud.

[Sailor Kenshin]

If the ink cloud doesn't appear, it could be that your feed takes a lonnnng time to ink itself.  I just spent hours coaxing a Lamy Safari to write.  I had to resort to repeatedly dipping in ink.

[Catpaws]

So the dolphin is in the sonic cleaner and it is so cool to see clouds of ink coming out!

[Catpaws]

It's  like watching an underwater volcano or sea vent

[Sailor Kenshin]

😆

 

I know the feeling.

[Catpaws]

It's amazing!  Is there a rule about how many times you can ultra sonic a nib?

[Catpaws]

So thanks to the ultrasonic bath a lot of ink came out but it seems there is lots more in there. I'm going to keep soaking and using the converter on it and the sonic cleaner. Sailor Kenshin Thanks  for your help!

[Sailor Kenshin]

1 hour ago, Catpaws said:

It's amazing!  Is there a rule about how many times you can ultra sonic a nib?

 

I'm not sure!  I know we've done a single nib a 'few' times.  Good luck and I hope it writes well.  (Eyeing one on fleabay now).

[Catpaws]

😁 good luck!