ink loss in safety pen

[fountainpen51]

Hello everyone, I bought a Safety pen, but it has an ink leak in the bottom, in the rotating mechanism. I have cleaned and disarmed it, except the nib that does not come out. There is also ink on the thread below, although I have put some silicone grease and it seems that it does not come out in that area anymore. With the pen retracted and turning it down the ink sometimes comes out ... When writing it does well, but very wet.

Any idea what it could be?

I have taken an internet photo of the same model so that it shows where the ink comes out.
Thank you.

https://ibb.co/f5ujM5

[fountainpen51]

https://imgur.com/a/k7PFX

[EMQG]

Has the pen been restored? If not, it probably needs to be

[fountainpen51]

Has the pen been restored? If not, it probably needs to be


No, it has not been restored, it has not been used for many years. When I have disarmed all the pieces are whole, and the mechanism turns perfect.
What part do you think may need repair?

[Jon Szanto]

There is a possibility that somewhere in the back of the pen there is an air leak from a crack or other opening. This would allow ink to flow out of the reservoir. These type of issue are *very* difficult to diagnose through written descriptions and even photos. You might consider sending the pen to a repair/restoration person to have it put in good order.

[D Armstrong]

There is a cork seal inside, which prevents the ink from seeping out the end, like yours does. The bottom end will need to be fully disassembled, and the seal replaced with either cork or a properly-sized o-ring.

There is a good explanation, with diagrams, at Richard Binder's web site, at: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/anatomy/safeties.htm

[fountainpen51]

Ok, I've replaced the cork with another cork but it has not been well and the ink is still coming out. I have put the silicone on the tip of the insulin syringes and there is no more ink (although the turning mechanism does not have the same smoothness).

Now there are two doubts:

1 The locking thread of the mechanism I have put silicone grease so that there is no ink, but it comes out a bit ...

2 When putting the pen face down with the pen, the ink comes out, is this normal?

[fountainpenkid]

Ok, I've replaced the cork with another cork but it has not been well and the ink is still coming out. I have put the silicone on the tip of the insulin syringes and there is no more ink (although the turning mechanism does not have the same smoothness).

Now there are two doubts:

1 The locking thread of the mechanism I have put silicone grease so that there is no ink, but it comes out a bit ...

2 When putting the pen face down with the pen, the ink comes out, is this normal?

Something's still wrong. If you like the pen, I really suggest you send it to a professional.

[Jon Szanto]

Something's still wrong. If you like the pen, I really suggest you send it to a professional.

I agree completely. Pens of this age can be very easily and irrepairably damaged by not knowing exactly how to work with them. I, too, suggest sending this to someone with experience in pens of this era for proper restoration.

[fountainpen51]

I think he's going to make the choice, even though at the time he's typing, he drops a few drops in the bottom closure...

[Dhruv]

Honestly, I would suggest sending it to a restorer (if you have any intention of keeping and using the pen) rather than trying to figure out the reason of the problem yourself. It'll do more harm than good.

Safety fillers, especially the old ones are delicate writing instruments. I'm not even sure whether using the silicon grease was a good idea. I have some Japanese Eyedropper pens, including Namiki Emperor, and Namiki has told me to keep Silicon Grease away from it.

[fountainpen51]

Yes, I will take the advice of taking it to a specialist as it is not a simple adjustment, thank you.

[D Armstrong]

Fitting a new cork (or o-rings) is not easy to do. It must be quite tight, but not so tight that it puts so much pressure on the parts that they crack. These tolerances are something that only experience can teach you, so you had best find a repair person who has restored such pens before.

Dhruv is correct in his feeling about silicone grease. It should be used as a lubricant only, and not as a leak prevention agent. It is best to properly repair the underlying cause of a leak, rather than try to plug it with grease. When it comes to eyedropper pens, they can be tightened down enough to prevent ink seepage. If they still leak, there is another issue which needs to be addressed.

[Dhruv]

Yes, I will take the advice of taking it to a specialist as it is not a simple adjustment, thank you.

Great. Goodluck.
Japanese eyedroppers are wonderful pens, and my preferred filling system. If possible, I'd definitely like to have more Japanese eyedroppers in my collection than other filling systems combined.

[fountainpen51]

Yes, thank you all for the advice