Cleaning out a Pelikano Jr.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

I suppose that this belongs here rather than in the Pelikan forum.

 

I have a Pelikano Jr. that's having ink flow problems. I've flushed it with water, ammonia and even isopropyl alcohol, but the problem persists.

 

What I'd like to do is take it apart so that I can look at the feed and see if the ink channel has anything physical clogging it or whatever. I'm not sure how to do this, however. I have Da Book and have disassembled some other pens but this is a pretty cheap pen and I was wondering if anyone else had ever taken one apart, and gotten it back together in good working order again? Is it even possible to take one of these apart without breaking it?

 

I know that most people would suggest that I just toss it because it's cheap, but cheap fountain pens are what I write with and I'd really like to just repair this one and keep using it.

 

Thanks for any advice.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Just send it over and I will get it fixed for free.

 

Just a side note, but most pens will dissolve in a few hours in alcohol or possible just a rinse. Be careful!!

 

Dillon

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Hi,

 

Just send it over and I will get it fixed for free.

Thanks. Um, how would that work?

Would you be able to get me the information on pulling the nib and feed? I'm interested in trying to fix this one myself. I just need to know if it's possible to disassemble this pen and if so just how to do it.

Just a side note, but most pens will dissolve in a few hours in alcohol or possible just a rinse. Be careful!!

Really? I've been under the impression that most ordinary plastics and stainless steel will not be affected by isopropyl alcohol at all. I've had all sorts of plastics immersed in 91% alcohol solutions for weeks without the plastic being harmed. In fact a feed I pulled out of another fountain pen was in such a bath for two weeks recently and it came out clean and unharmed. I'm talking about cheap, plastic parts not fancy, expensive pens.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Just wrap the nib and feed in a rubber sheet and pull them straight out.

 

Widen the feed channels and carefully slide a piece of overhead projector film between the nib tines and you are all set. (This is not the way I do it, but the way I do it is very dangerous for the beginner.)

 

Just be careful. The acrylics and plastics of many pens can be destroyed by alcohol.

 

Dillon

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Just wrap the nib and feed in a rubber sheet and pull them straight out.

 

Widen the feed channels and carefully slide a piece of overhead projector film between the nib tines and you are all set.

Okay, thanks a lot. I'll try that out.

 

Just be careful. The acrylics and plastics of many pens can be destroyed by alcohol.

All right, thanks. Luckily, the acrylic pen I have is working all right - so far!

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Just wrap the nib and feed in a rubber sheet and pull them straight out.

Well, I tried that and the nib and feed came out very easily! In fact I'm now wondering if maybe the feed was a little bit out already and if maybe that was the cause of my occasional ink flow problems. So thanks for the advice.

 

Widen the feed channels ....

How do I do that? I couldn't even clean most of the ink channel. I saw that the ink channel through the feed in the Pelikano Jr. is extremely narrow and is, for most of the feed, a deep slice through the middle of a plastic cylinder. I couldn't even get some floss though most of that ink channel. How do I widen it?

 

Just be careful. The acrylics and plastics of many pens can be destroyed by alcohol.

I soaked the aforementioned feed in alcohol for hours and it didn't bother it. Most plastics do not seem to be bothered by alcohol, although some will be. All rubber is damaged by alcohol, I know. Luckily this feed had no problems with it and was quite clean after the soak.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Ok, just press the pen back together and test it again.

 

Dillon

[KendallJ]

Widen the feed channels ....

How do I do that? I couldn't even clean most of the ink channel. I saw that the ink channel through the feed in the Pelikano Jr. is extremely narrow and is, for most of the feed, a deep slice through the middle of a plastic cylinder. I couldn't even get some floss though most of that ink channel. How do I widen it?

Best bet I've seen is to use sheet brass as a flossing agent. 1 thousanth or 2 thousanths depending on how wide the starting slit is. You want width that fits just snugly, not tight. Running the brass up and down the channel will scrape a bit of plastic off the sides. Be sure to make sure the channel is clear when you're done.

 

You don't really widen it too much.

 

I have used a razor blade or Xacto knife in the past, but the blades are too sharp and you risk slipping and cutting outside the channel.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Best bet I've seen is to use sheet brass as a flossing agent. 1 thousanth or 2 thousanths depending on how wide the starting slit is. You want width that fits just snugly, not tight. Running the brass up and down the channel will scrape a bit of plastic off the sides. Be sure to make sure the channel is clear when you're done.

Okay, I'll see if I can score some sheet brass.

 

I have used a razor blade or Xacto knife in the past, but the blades are too sharp and you risk slipping and cutting outside the channel.

As for using a razor blade, I don't have any that aren't way too thick to get into the deep, narrow channel. I don't know that any consumer type of blade will get into that thing.

[KendallJ]

Okay, I'll see if I can score some sheet brass.

Model train shops will have them.

[Paladin]

Thanks for sharing the information. I had an attack of mould of my Pelikano Junior. The ink refused to flow. I was able to pull out and clean the feed. It was amazing to see the amount of mould clogging the feed. Think the pen should be much better after cleaning.

 

Thanks again for sharing.