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View Full Version : Waterman Fountain Pen - How to nib part stuck - How to fix?



khfpgusr
April 30th, 2020, 04:28 AM
Found my old Waterman pen which seems have been leaking ink with the result that the grip is stuck in the cap. I've placed to soak in water managed to get it down so most part disassemled but still the grip is the part which I want to check how to best get out of the cap without too excessive force and damage.

Here is a photo of the fountain pen:

53662

And an photo of the grip stuck in the cap which I haven't tried with kind of tools to pull out:
53663

And on the topic, this fountain pen was given to me 25 years ago - anyone know what model it is?

Chrissy
April 30th, 2020, 04:46 AM
The pen looks like a Waterman Preface.
Very sadly the nib unit has broken off of the end of the section/grip and the remains are stuck inside the cap. If you can manage to get it out with some needle nosed pliers, I believe you will need a new and complete section including the nib. Not easy to find as the pen has long been discontinued. :( It's worth getting out though as the gold nib would have a resale value even without the grip.

grainweevil
April 30th, 2020, 04:55 AM
I think it might be a Preface (http://dirck.delint.ca/beta/?page_id=5657).

Ways and means of getting it out of the cap I'll leave to more experienced members - what I might try and what I might recommend being two different things!

ETA: I type too slowly, but will post for the sake of the link. Preface sections do seem to appear on Ebay at not impossible money, fwiw.

khfpgusr
April 30th, 2020, 05:42 AM
So, using needle nosed pliers and some cloth between the plier I managed to pull out the remains:

53664

And I see now how the construction is supposed to look like and yes it's pity that it broke and I'm actually a bit puzzled how it actually broke since it been boxed for several years without usage - which by itself might be the cause and the issue here.

53665

amk
May 1st, 2020, 06:12 AM
That's a lovely nib! well worth doing the work.

I don't know the Preface, but I know other Waterman pens often used common components that you can swap between pens. I wonder if a section from one of the other Waterman tubular pens of the time would fit, or even the Hemisphere?

Chrissy
May 1st, 2020, 07:45 AM
That's a lovely nib! well worth doing the work.

I don't know the Preface, but I know other Waterman pens often used common components that you can swap between pens. I wonder if a section from one of the other Waterman tubular pens of the time would fit, or even the Hemisphere?
You can pull the nib and feed from the Preface sleeve and put them into a Hemisphere, but you can't swap the sections or complete nib units as the internal parts inside their caps are never interchangeable with other sections

khfpgusr
May 1st, 2020, 08:49 AM
Would it be even possible to glue the broken piece together using the right glue and ensuring the surfaces are totally clean from old ink - Could it be considered? It's not that I'm trying to cheap here since the pen is cheap model as I recall it. But, it's more IF it's actually possible to repair and maintain the original parts that would be great. It's just how I usually try to think when repairing stuff which I do with old computers from the eighties.

Chrissy
May 1st, 2020, 09:28 AM
Would it be even possible to glue the broken piece together using the right glue and ensuring the surfaces are totally clean from old ink - Could it be considered? It's not that I'm trying to cheap here since the pen is cheap model as I recall it. But, it's more IF it's actually possible to repair and maintain the original parts that would be great. It's just how I usually try to think when repairing stuff which I do with old computers from the eighties.
No adhesive will work. You would have to pull out the nib and feed then glue the sleeve parts together. Even if you did it really, really carefully and managed to get no glue anywhere other than the very thin break line of the sleeve, that tiny line would break again as soon as you tried to push the nib and feed back in or when you tried to screw the sleeve back into the section forepart.

Johnny_S
May 1st, 2020, 09:38 AM
A new nib and section is around £50, a new complete pen is about £100.

In view of the above comments you may feel that you have limited options.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterman-Preface-Nib-Unit-Medium/184158143505?hash=item2ae0ae4411:g:5CgAAOSwGaVeOAn 0

Chrissy
May 1st, 2020, 10:42 AM
I wonder if any intrepid repair person with a 3D printer might be able to make a sleeve of the right size that would fit the nib/feed/section for less than £50/$56?

azkid
May 1st, 2020, 08:08 PM
If it is as simple as I think, it would be possible to turn a new part on a micro lathe.

amk
May 2nd, 2020, 02:23 AM
I think I'd be tempted to put the nib in another pen for the meantime, and save the parts in case the right spares do eventually come up on ebay.

suri
April 19th, 2023, 07:36 PM
You can also try applying heat to the nib section with a hairdryer or by running it under hot water. This can help to expand the metal and loosen any debris.
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