Clean ink out of lids and body sections

[Rusty888]

So I found a pen of mine that was misplaced in a golf bag that I hardly use. The converter came off and thankfully the ink contained within the barrel however it has some stains in it.

Does anyone know any good way to get it out. The pen is a sailor Professional gear Sapporo slim.

This one shows it in the butt end threads. I can't unscrew this.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1411895435.048852.jpg

This one shows it under the grip section.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1411895477.036940.jpg

[Lady Onogaro]

Rusty,

I have the same problem with a pen I bought second hand. I've looked through the threads a FPN, and so far as I can tell, the only solutions suggested are patience and water if you can't take the pen apart. I have tried the Goulet flush with mine and had minimal results. Every few days, I try again by letting the cap soak overnight. So far, the stains are pretty stubborn.

[Rusty888]

Rusty,

I have the same problem with a pen I bought second hand. I've looked through the threads a FPN, and so far as I can tell, the only solutions suggested are patience and water if you can't take the pen apart. I have tried the Goulet flush with mine and had minimal results. Every few days, I try again by letting the cap soak overnight. So far, the stains are pretty stubborn.

Thanks. Soaking helped a section. I'm sure if I heated it up slightly I could make it malleable enough for water to leak.

Oh well

[Laura N]

Did you try to unscrew the nib? It normally unscrews easily, and then the grip will come loose, and you can just rinse it, and everything else. Watch for the metal washer.

[Rusty888]

Hi Laura.

Being my first sailor i had a quick go but not sure if sailor nibs screwed in.

Can you confirm the pro gear is a screw in nib.

Regards

[Laura N]

Hi Laura.

Being my first sailor i had a quick go but not sure if sailor nibs screwed in.

Can you confirm the pro gear is a screw in nib.

Regards

Absolutely, positively. I believe the barrel unscrews clockwise and the nib counter-clockwise. Or else the opposite. That metal coupler contains threads for both the nib (on the interior) and the barrel (on the exterior).

If that ink inside the section has dried it may have hardened, of course, so keep that in mind. Just like with a Pelikan, hold the nib and section gently, kind of between the flat of your thumb and forefinger and turn gently. Or, you could even try unscrewing the section itself. If I've overtightened the barrel I'll sometimes unscrew the section by accident when I'm trying to unscrew the barrel.

[Laura N]

P.S. - if you look at your excellent photo, you can see the threads of the nib assembly as they disappear into the metal coupler.

[ac12]

Such is the problem with clear pens.
You see things that you will never see with solid pens, even though the same thing happens on solid pens.
The problem is, many of those pens parts are not meant to be user serviced.
This is changing my mind about getting clear pens.

[Chrissy]

Apart from soaking with a 10:1 water/ammonia solution, or using a branded pen flush, you could also buy yourself an ultrasonic bath or cleaner. They aren't expensive and clean pens very well. There are some available on Amazon. If you decide to get one then try to avoid ones with buttons on the top.

[Rusty888]

Apart from soaking with a 10:1 water/ammonia solution, or using a branded pen flush, you could also buy yourself an ultrasonic bath or cleaner. They aren't expensive and clean pens very well. There are some available on Amazon. If you decide to get one then try to avoid ones with buttons on the top.

Might be the go. I really need an ultrasonic cleaner for my watch.

[mhosea]

The grip section has protrusions (visible) that fit into slots in the feed casing. The grip section makes a very poor and fragile wrench, however. IMHO, there is a risk of cracking when the parts are unscrewed in this manner. I think you definitely want to press firmly on opposing protrusions/slots. I suspect Sailor has a tool that either fits in place of the nib and feed (which can be easily pulled first) or, more likely, a tubular spanner wrench "screwdriver" that fits into the metal part and and contacts the feed casing in two opposing slots there, where it could be unscrewed by twisting clockwise. When I finally got mine apart once, I greased the threads to make sure I could easily get it apart again. I've also stopped using a bulb syringe directly on Sailors (I had forced water in there at my first flushing) and instead cut off a spent cartridge and now use that as an adapter when flushing with the bulb. Another thing to do is to take advantage of the fact that it's supposed to be possible to fill a Sailor with the nib only inserted to the breather hole. IME, it sucks a little bit of air that way, but even if it does suck a lot of air in on the first attempt, you can fill the converter if you cycle it a few times.

[ac12]

An UltraSonic Cleaner (USC) does not work well or at all for liquid ink. It appears to work on solid/dry ink or goopy/paste-like ink, but not liquid.
I have put feeds thru multiple USC cycles till no ink comes out, and yet had ink come out from an overnight soak.

[mhosea]

An UltraSonic Cleaner (USC) does not work well or at all for liquid ink. It appears to work on solid/dry ink or goopy/paste-like ink, but not liquid.
I have put feeds thru multiple USC cycles till no ink comes out, and yet had ink come out from an overnight soak.

What is the wattage of your cleaner? And do you use ammonia and photo-flo in the tank or just water?

[Laura N]

An UltraSonic Cleaner (USC) does not work well or at all for liquid ink. It appears to work on solid/dry ink or goopy/paste-like ink, but not liquid.
I have put feeds thru multiple USC cycles till no ink comes out, and yet had ink come out from an overnight soak.

What is the wattage of your cleaner? And do you use ammonia and photo-flo in the tank or just water?

I have heard of people adding Photo-flo to ink to increase ink flow, and that makes sense, since it's very slick. This is the first time I've never heard of using it as a detergent when cleaning a pen, or in an ultrasonic cleaner. Can you explain that further? What's the advantage, versus using Rapido-eze or just soaking in water?

I have a lot of Photo-flo.

[mhosea]

In fact, I don't happen to know whether Foto-flo can function like a detergent or not. The purpose I have in adding it to the water in the tank is to make the liquid in the tank more penetrating into nooks and crannies of the fins of the feed.

It may not be necessary in my case since my brand of clear ammonia has "surfactants" already added (as does JB's Perfect Pen Flush), but the point is that while water theoretically works alone in the ultrasonic, water can't clean what it can't reach, and it will reach more in some cases with surfactants on board.

[Woody]

I think a 50/50 ammonia water solution would help that barrell. Fill the barrell and leave it upright for a time. You can always add a dash of detergent as well. Soaking is important. It'll seep into the bottom. As for the section soaking would help there as well. Ammonia actually dissolves the ink. I don't have a sonic cleanser but I'm thinking of getting one. As Mike says they're very handy. I'm wondering why the end doesn't screw out? I may try it with mine and report back.

[mhosea]

I'm wondering why the end doesn't screw out?

My Sailor 1911L demonstrator unscrewed without much hesitation, as did my King of Pen Green Mozaique. I'm having trouble remembering, but I know that I still haven't gotten at least one of my two black 1911L's unscrewed. I think it's only because they are a bit tight, but as I have no need to unscrew those, I am not eager to torque very hard. The risk is is potentially cracking the grip section if the tabs rotate out of their positions. At least with the demonstrator you can see where to press in on the grip section to keep the little tabs in their grooves. In the photo above, it's on each side of the nib.

I'm a little reluctant to recommend greasing these threads as I did. The reason is that torquing down the barrel after filling will tend to tighten up the grip section. A lubricant on the threads is not good in cases like this. What it probably needs, rather, is a rosin-based thread sealant. I also have this, but mine would not be inconspicuous, so I would have to be very precise about the quantity and placing on a demonstrator so that it would not be extruded into the visible area.