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View Full Version : Opera Crystal Maintenance Question, major transgressions of a newb.



HrubR
April 12th, 2014, 03:57 AM
Dear Sirs and Madams,

I have my Opera Crystal No. 738 (say, doesn't SBRE Brown have No. 724??) for about less than 12 hours now and I have made a mess trying to fill then clean it. My source of information is SBRE Brown's power filler shootout, where he takes the Opera Crystal apart as far as he can.

WHY did I do this with a brand new Opera Crystal? I wanted to try a different ink. I had Edelstein Garnet in there (like it!) and wated to try Amber. Yes, that's very silly. I had no idea that cleaning this pen would be such a pain in the derriere. My Lamy st. never gave me this much trouble.

Let me recount my idiocy:

1) The nib and feed are unscrewed from the section, using your fingers just turn. Seemed simple enough.
2) The nib is pulled out of the feed. Oops, didn't think about what it would entail to _align_ them again and how to get them back into the pen. Ash on my head.
3) Using a tool (in my case a screwdriver that is broad enough for this purpose) the plastic mid-section / insert / seal inside the pen which the feed screws into and which itself then screws into the pen and providing the seal between the section and the resevoir, is then removed. The idea being to be able to get into the pen body to clean the resevoir. SBRE Brown did it. This is what happens when the inexperienced look upon the actions of the mighty and think they can do the same.

So, I did that. Now you know and can be horrified as I am.

Here are some newbie questions, as I stand here with ink all over my hands, entirely marked by my failure, with a pen that is neither cleaned nor put back together.

A) Well, how do you clean out the main resevoir? There's ink behind the plunger that just doesn't go away and won't run down on its own by gravity, and I can't get a paper towel back there. -Fill in distilled water-? Is that okay? In fact, how are you supposed to maintain the plastic plunger and get some silicon in there?
B) How do you dry the main resevoir, say, if you've filled it with water to flush it out?
C) After you put the plastic mid-section/seal/whatever its called back into the body, turn it in by hand as far as you can. Then use your tool and turn it into the body until it is firm. Yes?
D) How do I get the the nib and feed aligned properly (Yes, "experience" I am guessing - fiddle with it until you've figured it out and have it working how you like, I can accept that, that's life.)
E) Oh, but now saying you've aligned that nib and feed, how do you screw it back into the pen without messing up that nice alignment you just did? Using my fingers to turn the nib/feed into the body pushes the nib about and twists it relative to the feed and sadness ensues.
F) How far do you turn the nib/feed into the body? Do you screw until it stops? Just far enough to have it "in there"? It seems if I screw far enough it starts to push the feed about under the nib and messes my alignment up again.

Oh man. I've made a mess of my Opera Crystal. Have mercy upon me. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me wash me.

-H.Rubr

HrubR
April 12th, 2014, 02:52 PM
Well, as Deckard said to Rachel, "I've been walked out on before, but not when I was being so charming." If nobody can help me, perhaps I can help myself, and maybe I can help you!

The Visconti Opera Crystal is unique (ofcourse, aren't they all?) in some ways, one of only two Visconti models sporting the neato tubular Chromium 18 nib and the nifty piston filling mechanism. The filling mechanism makes it unlike all the other pens Visconti makes and will cause you some consternation when you try to clean the pen. SBRE Brown has already discussed how to take it apart (its the only information I had to go on, thanks SBRE Brown!) so here are my pictures specifically dealing with the special construction of the pen.

Here we have the parts laid out:
http://www.devo.com/xtian/pens/P4120403-large.JPG

The Nib and tubular feed:

There is a very slight indentation in the "tube" of the tubular nib and likewise an indentation to match it on the feed, but it is not a tight fit and there is enough play there that you can twist the feed about inside the nib (sounds funny, but with this tubular nib the feed is inside the nib) and you can mis-align them quite easily.
http://www.devo.com/xtian/pens/P4120406-large.JPG

This is the "nib collar", having been removed from the section. The nib collar screws into the section, and the nib + feed screw into that. It provides the vacuum seal between the resevoir and the feed:
http://www.devo.com/xtian/pens/P4120405-large.JPG

Here is the nib and feed mounted (screwed) into the nib collar:
http://www.devo.com/xtian/pens/P4120407-large.JPG

Now, what I've had to find out is that, as the saying goes, "after tight comes loose", and this nib collar is plastic, meaning that you can't really tightly screw in the nib + feed. You can screw it in firmly though, but my advice is to screw it in "finger tight", and leave it at that. If you over-tighten it nothing terrible happens, the threads in the nib are rather blunt, the threads in the nib collar are plastic => it'll jump the threads, and you can tighten them again. But you know, don't overdo it. ;)

How did I get the nib collar out of the section? I used a big screwdriver that fit right into the slits in the walls of the nib collar. And from my experiments looking for other things that would fit, I can also suggest using the inner feelers of a micrometer, which you can adjust to have a spacing matching the exact diameter of the slits in the walls of the nib collar. I shall ilustrate.

Here the nib collar is already screwed out almost all the way so you can see better:
http://www.devo.com/xtian/pens/P4120409-large.JPG

http://www.devo.com/xtian/pens/P4120408-large.JPG

http://www.devo.com/xtian/pens/P4120410-large.JPG

No, you can't unfortunately screw the whole nib + feed + collar unit back into the section, simply because there is too much friction involved and you can't apply enough force on the whole unit to screw it in; if you try turning the unit by applying pressure on the feed/nib area then you'll end up over-turning it and it'll jump out of the threads in the collar (see note above.) So although I have a picture of the nib + feed + collar mounted together as a unit outside of the section, you can't actually put the pen back together like that. You have to screw just the collar back in, by hand as far as it goes, then with your tool of choice until firmly screwed in, then screw in the nib + feed <--- and do that without mis-aligning your nib in the process, eh? But that last bit probably is the same issue with any fountain pen, especially one that doesn't simply have a friction mounted nib/feed that you can pull out and push back in and have to screw in. Such is inovation I guess.

Hope that this helps the next Opera Crystal owner clean his pen.

Sincerely,

H. Rubr

tandaina
April 13th, 2014, 01:55 PM
I can't imagine that the nib and feed must be removed to clean the pen!

Just expel the ink, fill with water, expel, fill with water, etc. Do that enough and it will clean up. Pulling the nib and feed every time you need to clean is just asking for trouble!

HrubR
April 13th, 2014, 02:08 PM
You may be right. I saw SBRE Brown's reviews before I got the pen, and he evidently takes apart his pens, even this one, when he cleans them. Some piston vacuum fillers are however much easier to take apart... the next ink change I will try as you suggest, just sucking up water. Then I will see what's more of a pain: taking the pen apart and putting it back together, or sucking up two gallons of water 'til the pen gets clean. =)

I have now gotten to the point where I can align the nib to my liking and keep it that way when I re-assemble the pen. Practice. I also put some silicone grease on the nib collar, which makes it a bit easier to remove and install. Still, plastic parts will wear out eventually.

tandaina
April 13th, 2014, 02:37 PM
I know that SBRE Brown does deconstruction videos, IE tutorials about how to take the pen apart. I don't think he means that to imply that they must be taken apart for cleaning, but rather in the case of some extra maintenance being needed!

alc3261
April 13th, 2014, 08:59 PM
I have a Typhoon - essentially the same pen but swirled blue not clear. I would not even consider taking it apart unless there was a problem!!

Jeph
April 14th, 2014, 12:11 AM
Could you please post a link to the video where SBRE Brown disassembles this pen? After your post I went to find it to try and help but could not find it. I found some pens that were close, but not this one.

I am a big fan of disassembly for restoration, although sometimes not even then, but not for maintenance. Even with pens that are designed to come apart.

One of the neat things about that pen is the dual reservoir system. The trade-off is that it makes it hard to clean. For everything there is a price.

I personally would not put silicone grease anywhere near a nib, feed or nib unit threads. There is no rule that says you can't, but I offer it up as something to think about next time you are in that position.

The important thing is that you have it back together and working! The rest is secondary.

jackwebb
April 14th, 2014, 12:48 AM
Could you please post a link to the video where SBRE Brown disassembles this pen? After your post I went to find it to try and help but could not find it. I found some pens that were close, but not this one.

I am a big fan of disassembly for restoration, although sometimes not even then, but not for maintenance. Even with pens that are designed to come apart.

One of the neat things about that pen is the dual reservoir system. The trade-off is that it makes it hard to clean. For everything there is a price.

I personally would not put silicone grease anywhere near a nib, feed or nib unit threads. There is no rule that says you can't, but I offer it up as something to think about next time you are in that position.

The important thing is that you have it back together and working! The rest is secondary.


I believe this is the video he was talking about http://youtu.be/TGhvHnF9zG0 and the Opera Crystal disassembly starts at the 9:40 mark.

HrubR
April 14th, 2014, 03:30 PM
Yes, thats the video. Its the "Pens That Suck" video. =)

In the mean time I have tried to clean the pen WITHOUT diassembling it. I see that it is possible to get the ink out of it by doing alot of sucking up of clean water, and the piston actually makes it possible to force out the ink pretty well. It takes quite some time and quite a bit of water.

The major issue after cleaning it is: GETTING THE WATER OUT. I do not as yet have a solution to this problem: how to dry the pen.

tandaina
April 14th, 2014, 03:36 PM
When I flush my pens I expel the water the same way you would ink. Some that means a little bit of water is left in the pen. If it matters to me I'll just let it air dry (leave it uncapped overnight, the water will go away). Or I'll just fill anyway, I don't find the tiny amount of water left after flushing a pen really affects the ink.

Tracy Lee
April 14th, 2014, 07:25 PM
Yes, thats the video. Its the "Pens That Suck" video. =)

In the mean time I have tried to clean the pen WITHOUT diassembling it. I see that it is possible to get the ink out of it by doing alot of sucking up of clean water, and the piston actually makes it possible to force out the ink pretty well. It takes quite some time and quite a bit of water.

The major issue after cleaning it is: GETTING THE WATER OUT. I do not as yet have a solution to this problem: how to dry the pen.

My power fillers take extra time, but then I put the nib against a paper towel and it is amazing how much water it pulls out. Just leave it a few minutes, then I pull the piston out and let it pull some more water out. I prop it up ever so slightly to let gravity be my friend. What little is left behind has no discernable impact on the ink that I can ever tell. I have never disassembled my Visconti so this whole thread made me cry, and feel physically sick. I am glad it is back together and working. This is part of why I don't care for clear pens. What I can't see won't hurt me!!!

opus7600
April 15th, 2014, 09:05 AM
Here's an old idea for getting water out:
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/12704-drum-roll-the-salad-spinner-centrifuge/

HrubR
April 15th, 2014, 01:17 PM
The Opera (and as has been noted, the Typhoon as well) could use such a gadget!

However, here's the big problem: the water collects behind the plunger. What you see here in the picture is all water that you can not physically get at. If you pull the plunger out all the water is "gone", pushed back to the end cap. Pushing the plunger back in and it gets spread out along the walls of the resevoir again as seen here.

Spinning the pen would also not help, because the seal of the plunger keep its all behind itself.

http://www.devo.com/xtian/pens/P4150415-large.JPG

Now obviously the seal of the plunger is not 100% else there wouldn't be any water behind the plunger, yes yes. Still, I don't know if shaking this pen or spinning it will help.

Perhaps as tandaina and others have suggested: live with the water. You have no other choice with these Visconti power fillers anyway.

Llewellyn
April 15th, 2014, 03:43 PM
I think that if the water that was left behind the plunger was a problem then the manufacturers would have come up with a solution for getting rid of it, but it's such a small amount that it's unlikely to have any significant impact on the ink. And if it displeases you aesthetically, then it's time to ink up the pen :) . There's definitely no need to strip down the pen for cleaning

I'm with Tracy Lee on this one - I'm not keen on demonstrators, and this is one of the reasons.

snedwos
April 16th, 2014, 07:36 PM
If it can survive having ink behind the plunger it can survive having water there.

tandaina
April 16th, 2014, 09:21 PM
Yeah that's not enough water to mess with. A huge puddle is one thing, but that's just moisture and you'd never know it was there if it wasn't a demonstrator.

raging.dragon
April 18th, 2014, 07:43 PM
Yes, thats the video. Its the "Pens That Suck" video. =)

In the mean time I have tried to clean the pen WITHOUT diassembling it. I see that it is possible to get the ink out of it by doing alot of sucking up of clean water, and the piston actually makes it possible to force out the ink pretty well. It takes quite some time and quite a bit of water.

The major issue after cleaning it is: GETTING THE WATER OUT. I do not as yet have a solution to this problem: how to dry the pen.

My power fillers take extra time, but then I put the nib against a paper towel and it is amazing how much water it pulls out. Just leave it a few minutes, then I pull the piston out and let it pull some more water out. I prop it up ever so slightly to let gravity be my friend. What little is left behind has no discernable impact on the ink that I can ever tell. I have never disassembled my Visconti so this whole thread made me cry, and feel physically sick. I am glad it is back together and working. This is part of why I don't care for clear pens. What I can't see won't hurt me!!!

I put my pens in a cup with paper towel in the bottom, with the touching the paper, for several hours. This will wick out most of the remaining water. Then I refrain from worrying about the few tiny drops of water left behind.

HrubR
April 20th, 2014, 07:02 AM
Hi, yes, as is the sentiment expressed in the Dr. Strangelove subtitle, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb", if you have a demonstrator you will simply learn to deal with the water that you can see in the reservoir when it's empty and has been flushed out, or you will not have a demonstrator, or you will have a demonstrator that's easier to take apart (the TWSBIs, the Conids, etc.).

The Oper Crystal (and its sister pen the Typhoon, where you don't see into the barrel, it not being a demonstrator) being a bit special in its construction, you can't easily get in there and wipe out the reservoir - which however is possible - and you can't get behind the plunger at all.

- As was suggested here, and also in the comments section of the SBRE Brown review (well one of them featuring this pen), taking off the nib and feed and letting a paper towel wick out the moisture does a decent job.

- You can get access to the reservoir by taking out the nib collar, pictures above. I have learned this is not really necessary for simple ink changes.

- I've also put it in a cup with some silica gel (no silica gel IN the pen! Lordy no. Just some silica gel in one of those little paper pillows like you get in some packaging, in a cup along with the pen) will also do a pretty good job of getting out the moisture.

In general - fill the pen with ink and write with this puppy, it's such an excellent writer!

Thanks to all forum members for all the help with this, my first Italian pen, my first demonstrator, and my first power filler. =)

gclyn
May 30th, 2014, 10:27 AM
Interesting topic. Just wondering, if one was storing the pen, would the moisture and water droplets left behind be a detriment to the pen? Or is it necessary to have the pen completely dry before storing?

tandaina
May 30th, 2014, 11:46 AM
I don't bother completely drying before storing. Hasn't hurt a pen yet. They dry out fairly quickly just from evaporation. And they are pens, they are made to be "wet" (ink is really just dyed water). In fact some of my pens I store full of water to keep old corks hydrated and happy!

gclyn
May 30th, 2014, 06:59 PM
I don't bother completely drying before storing. Hasn't hurt a pen yet. They dry out fairly quickly just from evaporation. And they are pens, they are made to be "wet" (ink is really just dyed water). In fact some of my pens I store full of water to keep old corks hydrated and happy!

Hmm, interesting to know tandaina. I have a Desert Springs Limited Edition that I'm going to store for awhile and am able to completely dry out. The few droplets of water inside the barrel, probably won't harm it then.

Thanks.