Lamy Safari needs help!

[foxtail1]

My beautiful flame Lamy Safari isn't perfect! I wondered why every time I uncap it, I find ink at the very end of the section (in that little ridge closest to the nib). I just got serious with a magnifying glass and found a small crack! Actually, there may be two, one on either side. They are small, but enough that ink leaks out consistently.

 

Is this something that I can fix, or have fixed? (My solution to all things broken is usually superglue, so I might not be the right person to do it. ) I thought if I emptied the pen, cleaned it, and let it dry completely, a judicious application of glue (on the end of a toothpick or something similar) might fill the cracks.

 

Normally, I would return the pen, as I'm sure it arrived that way, but this one was purchased for me as a favor by a friend in Canada, so I don't feel comfortable returning it.

 

Advice welcomed!

Kristi

[OboeJuan]

Oh, Kristi! I am so sorry! If it helps any, I put Dakota Red in mine and am finding the same thing. It wasn't doing it the other inks I had in it. I will experiment with mine and see if I can come up with something. You can send it back, though. I wouldn't fault you for it.

 

Kath

[rlukcs]

Don't use superglue! I learnt that the hard way: by trying to fix a Waterman Forum (a school pen, luckily) with the same problem. No luck: every single part stuck to all other parts, but it remained leaky.

[OboeJuan]

You know, I wonder if an oboe solution is needed here... To cure leaky reeds, a dab of clear nail polish was applied to the offending leak. I am going to think about this some more and maybe give it a try tomorrow.

 

Kath

[foxtail1]

You know, I wonder if an oboe solution is needed here... To cure leaky reeds, a dab of clear nail polish was applied to the offending leak. I am going to think about this some more and maybe give it a try tomorrow.

 

Kath

 

 

Keep me posted! That sounds logical to me...but then, I would have used superglue!

 

Kristi

[Ernst Bitterman]

With a Safari, nail polish will probably do the trick. I find I'm starting to prescribe shellac as a panacea, and in a thinned solution it would probably be the idea for this purpose, or possibly (again, because it's a Safari) liquid model cement. Superglue just gets out of the way of ink, so avoid it.

 

Before applying any of the above, you want to remove the point and feed. First, the point; either apply a piece of scotch tape to the top of it and pull is straight forward, and it should slide off, or get a fingernail in behind it to slide it (fingernail won't harm the pen; other tools might). Once it's off, you should be able to slide the feed out after it. Once those are clear, whatever you use to seal the leak can't get on them and cause mischief.

 

edit-- assumes pen without cartridge in place, already clean and dry. Who'd take the point off of a full pen?

Edited April 22, 2008 by Ernst Bitterman

[foxtail1]

With a Safari, nail polish will probably do the trick. I find I'm starting to prescribe shellac as a panacea, and in a thinned solution it would probably be the idea for this purpose, or possibly (again, because it's a Safari) liquid model cement. Superglue just gets out of the way of ink, so avoid it.

 

Before applying any of the above, you want to remove the point and feed. First, the point; either apply a piece of scotch tape to the top of it and pull is straight forward, and it should slide off, or get a fingernail in behind it to slide it (fingernail won't harm the pen; other tools might). Once it's off, you should be able to slide the feed out after it. Once those are clear, whatever you use to seal the leak can't get on them and cause mischief.

 

edit-- assumes pen without cartridge in place, already clean and dry. Who'd take the point off of a full pen?

 

 

Thanks! Okay, I've got the point off as you described. Should the feed pull straight out? with finger-pressure?

 

Kristi

[Ernst Bitterman]

That's all it should take; it's not going to just slither out, but it also shouldn't put up too much of a fight. When time to replace it comes around, note that there are little alignment rails to guide it into correct alignment.

[MJSchuelke]

Any results yet? My Safari Flame (and only the Flame, none of the others) has exactly the same problem, and has had it for ages...

[foxtail1]

Isn't it strange that it's just the flame with which we're having this problem? I have had Safaris for years and not had anything like this.

 

As to results, not me. I couldn't get the feed off. I knew if I kept going I was going to get frustrated and damage it, so I put it aside for now. Maybe Kathryn has had some luck.

[Tom Pike]

Here's the best solution I've seen for problems like this:

 

Capt. Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure

 

The best part is that it's water-based, so is easy to wipe off of surfaces. It dries clear and is safe on pens.

 

 

Cheers,

Tom

 

 

[TMLee]

How do you remove the feed ? Tried pulling but it seems to require a 'great' force. I didn't want to go further fearing the worst.

 

Is it friction fit?

 

Or is it screwed in ?(which I doubt)

 

TIA

[foxtail1]

How do you remove the feed ? Tried pulling but it seems to require a 'great' force. I didn't want to go further fearing the worst.

 

Is it friction fit?

 

Or is it screwed in ?(which I doubt)

 

TIA

 

I finally gave up- I couldn't get the feed out without resorting to heavy equipment, so I quit before I damaged it.

 

Kristi

[MJSchuelke]

I finally gave up- I couldn't get the feed out without resorting to heavy equipment, so I quit before I damaged it.

How did you try it? I slid the nib off by hand, holding it with a bit of tissue paper for extra friction and less mess. Then I used small pliers with a bit of old bicycle tire tubing to pull out the feed, and it slid out without too much resistance.

 

I now have then pen disassembled, cleaned and dry, and am contemplating whether to try nail polish or go and order Captain Tolley's...

 

Michael

[TMLee]

Then I used small pliers with a bit of old bicycle tire tubing to pull out the feed,

 

Ah yes.... rubber tubing. Keep forgetting this simple method to ensure grip. Tks . will try.

 

 

I now have then pen disassembled, cleaned and dry, and am contemplating whether to try nail polish or go and order Captain Tolley's...

 

I am wondering why avoid superglue. Isnt it fluid enuf to flow into the cracks ? Besides , it does glue ABS plastic right ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2008 by TMLee

[Ernst Bitterman]

Superglue won't take exposure to ink-- it's astonishing how quickly it fails if used in a pen repair.

 

Why, yes, that is the voice of bitter experience.

[TMLee]

Wow, I have been trying to pull out the feed with pliers and rubber grips etc but to no success.

 

Something is not right.

 

What does the feed look like? Does the whole black thing come out , with a wick for a tail ?

 

 

 

 

[TMLee]

Great ! Managed to extract the feed. This is what it looks like ...

 

Get some black rubber - as mentioned by others here - some black rubber tubing material. Thats the black rubber on the top right. Fold the rubber over the front and back and grip the feed firmly in ONE hand, between 2 fingers. Grip tight , then using the other hand hold the body firm. bring both hands close to your sternum and pull apart along axis of pen. It should come out.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/LAMY%20Safari%20feed/DSCF1958.jpg

 

 

This is what the feed looks like.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/LAMY%20Safari%20feed/DSCF1963.jpg

 

 

The top of the feed

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/LAMY%20Safari%20feed/DSCF1959.jpg

 

 

The bottom of the feed

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/LAMY%20Safari%20feed/DSCF1960.jpg

 

 

The side of the feed

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/LAMY%20Safari%20feed/DSCF1961.jpg

 

 

A view of the 'rails' and grooves along the underside of the feed

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/LAMY%20Safari%20feed/DSCF1964.jpg

 

 

Forgive the hastily taken pics. P&S camera. Cropped and tweaked in lightroom.

 

OK , now to find nail polish ......

 

Wish me luck .... !

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2008 by TMLee

[foxtail1]

Great ! Managed to extract the feed. This is what it looks like ...

 

Get some black rubber - as mentioned by others here - some black rubber tubing material. Thats the black rubber on the top right. Fold the rubber over the front and back and grip the feed firmly in ONE hand, between 2 fingers. Grip tight , then using the other hand hold the body firm. bring both hands close to your sternum and pull apart along axis of pen. It should come out.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/LAMY%20Safari%20feed/DSCF1958.jpg

 

 

Forgive the hastily taken pics. P&S camera. Cropped and tweaked in lightroom.

 

OK , now to find nail polish ......

 

Wish me luck .... !

 

Thanks for the great pictures and explanation! Now I'll try again.

 

Kristi

[TMLee]

I applied nail polish on the inside and over the rim to the outside of the barrel just beyond the nib.

 

It seems to be working. It hasn't leaked ink since. Will continue to monitor.

 

Tks for the repair tip.

Edited May 12, 2008 by TMLee