Has anyone ever broken a piston mechanism?

**mustud52** · February 5th, 2015, 02:53 PM

I received a black 100N the other day, and for the first time with a Pelikan (or MB for that matter) found the piston to be seriously stuck. The barrel was quite clean and I wondered if an oversize seal had been fitted. It was so tight that I was on the verge of giving up turning the piston knob, even after soaking and praying.

It did start to move in jerky steps in the end and some silicon grease fixed things after that. Fortunately the nib unit screwed out easily. Up to now I have never felt the need to obtain a spanner to disassemble a piston assembly but I did think this might be a first time. I have always avoided this because of advice from knowledgeable people to not tinker unless absolutely necessary.

This did make me wonder, however, how close I came to breaking the mechanism. Has anyone had this happen to them?

**Robert** · February 5th, 2015, 04:53 PM

I had a problem with the piston on my Omas Extra Lucens early last year. The piston completely separated from the "shaft" of the mechanism. I returned it to Classic Fountain Pens for repair, and the pen was promptly fixed and returned to me at no charge - even though the CFP warranty period had expired.

**Jeph** · February 6th, 2015, 03:05 AM

I have encountered dozens of broken piston mechanisms. Most I am confident that they were like that when they arrived, some I am pretty sure were already broken and I made them worse and a couple I am positive that I broke all on my own. I have seen just as many cracked barrels. (That is for all German piston fillers, not just Pelikan.)

I did cut one pen apart to try to figure out why I could not get the piston out since the pen was a loss anyway and discovered that the way that the pen was assembled precluded ever removing the piston mechanism again without removing the section from the barrel. That was not a Pelikan though.

I have always managed to remove threaded Pelikan piston mechanisms with gentle heat, a thin leather strap and patience.
(Press-fit Pelikan piston mechanisms involve gentle heat, a properly sized rod and a prayer.)

**mustud52** · February 6th, 2015, 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by Jeph

Press-fit Pelikan piston mechanisms involve gentle heat, a properly sized rod and a prayer.

Yes, I understand the need for prayer. I think if I were more patient then I might require less prayer. Unfortunately some of my mistakes were not worthy of forgiveness.

I am not aware of spare parts being available for old Pelikan pistons - except for seals, of course. Is cannibalisation the only option?

**Jeph** · February 6th, 2015, 03:52 AM

Yes, as far as I have been able to find cannibalization is the only route. There are people out the that have some spare parts but they guard them jealously.

That is why I get to see so many broken ones. I go after the crap at scrap prices and every now and then land one to salvage parts from. I fixed the seal on my 100N with a modified seal from an old 140. And that is why several of my M200's also wear 140 nibs.

**mislav** · March 25th, 2015, 07:53 AM

I broke piston mechanism on Pelikan 120 fountain pen. Not sure was it cracked before I tried to resemble it, but now is broken...

That's way I am afraid to resemble piston on Montblanc 264 fountain pen...

**Chrissy** · March 25th, 2015, 09:17 AM

Thankfully, I've never broken one, but I think I came quite close the other day.

My Mb146 had been serviced in a boutique by shall we say a keen manager who liked to be 'hands-on' with pens. I hadn't used it much since then but I filled it and wrote with it and then decided I wanted to change my ink colour. So I was emptying and filling with water to clean it out in the sink, when I noticed that the top cone carried on and screwed right off. I immediately stopped to see what was going on but the plastic piston rod had come completely out of the cone. Fortunately I managed to locate the tiny metal split washer on the rod.

I have a piston removal tool, that I bought on ebay, but have been worried about using it in case I caused any damage. The moment had obviously come to use this, since I had no other way to fix the pen there and then.

I had no problem unscrewing the piston. The main problem was that I didn't know how or where to locate that split 'C ring' in the cone, and I couldn't see anything down in there to show me. It seemed to only drop down in one position, so I used a tiny screwdriver to carefully push it around the piston rod as far down inside as it would go. I suspect that the boutique manager hadn't located that 'C ring' in position properly and it just came out.

Getting the piston back in took me hours. It has to go in the right position or the top cone doesn't screw all of the way down. I did it eventually but I was feeling very anxious about the whole thing as time passed. I remembered to put some silicone around the end and along the twisted bit before reassembling it, and all seems to be well now. The tricky parts were getting the 'C ring' in and getting the piston in exactly the right position before screwing it all back together.

It isn't for the faint hearted. I'm glad I managed to get from A to B but I hope to not have to do it again.

**mustud52** · March 26th, 2015, 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by Chrissy

...Getting the piston back in took me hours. It has to go in the right position or the top cone doesn't screw all of the way down. I did it eventually but I was feeling very anxious about the whole thing as time passed. ...
It isn't for the faint hearted. I'm glad I managed to get from A to B but I hope to not have to do it again.

Chrissy, I had a lot of trouble a few weeks ago when I did this for the first time. Fortunately I read about this challenge and was prepared. Since then I have repaired (well, lubricated actually, however I needed to get to the other side of the piston seal so I will call them "repairs")two other vintage Pelikans and it was much easier than the first time - even allowing for taking extreme caution.

Don't let your first go put you off!

**Chrissy** · March 26th, 2015, 03:25 AM

Originally Posted by mustud52

Originally Posted by Chrissy

...Getting the piston back in took me hours. It has to go in the right position or the top cone doesn't screw all of the way down. I did it eventually but I was feeling very anxious about the whole thing as time passed. ...
It isn't for the faint hearted. I'm glad I managed to get from A to B but I hope to not have to do it again.

Chrissy, I had a lot of trouble a few weeks ago when I did this for the first time. Fortunately I read about this challenge and was prepared. Since then I have repaired (well, lubricated actually, however I needed to get to the other side of the piston seal so I will call them "repairs")two other vintage Pelikans and it was much easier than the first time - even allowing for taking extreme caution.

Don't let your first go put you off!

My main problem is that if I slip with that tool I'm breaking a very expensive piece of kit that will cost me a lot to get fixed.

**mustud52** · March 26th, 2015, 03:47 AM

Originally Posted by Chrissy

Originally Posted by mustud52

Originally Posted by Chrissy

...Getting the piston back in took me hours. It has to go in the right position or the top cone doesn't screw all of the way down. I did it eventually but I was feeling very anxious about the whole thing as time passed. ...
It isn't for the faint hearted. I'm glad I managed to get from A to B but I hope to not have to do it again.

Chrissy, I had a lot of trouble a few weeks ago when I did this for the first time. Fortunately I read about this challenge and was prepared. Since then I have repaired (well, lubricated actually, however I needed to get to the other side of the piston seal so I will call them "repairs")two other vintage Pelikans and it was much easier than the first time - even allowing for taking extreme caution.

Don't let your first go put you off!

My main problem is that if I slip with that tool I'm breaking a very expensive piece of kit that will cost me a lot to get fixed.

True, very true.