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Thread: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    I've owned this Optima since new for 11 years. Earlier this year it went to Torino for a section crack repair, and I don't know if just the section was replaced or the entire barrel.

    I've been unhappy with ink flow. Twice I did a thorough flush with solution and the nib/feed inserted into a bulb syringe, but flow was still an issue, even with Aurora ink! So for the first time, I decided to have a look myself. I never disassembled an Optima before. I pulled out my Montblanc tools which are compatible, removed the upper mechanism, the piston and the shaft. Crud fell off the mechanism and barrel threads, reminiscent of cured Montblanc pink thread sealant. The red and white bits have a rubbery consistency. But what of the two colors? Is the white stuff plumber's tape?

    I smeared a bit of silicon on the piston and reassembled. Alas, I have no more thread sealant, and without it the entire mechanism rotates out of the barrel when I turn the piston knob. Therefore, I have to get some sealant just for this pen; I'll likely have to throw it out again after a few years on the shelf.

    IMG_1690.JPG
    Last edited by FredRydr; October 14th, 2018 at 12:46 PM.

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    Senior Member SIR's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Clean it completely clear of sealant and then reassemble and try for performance check... at least then you'll be able to isolate the pen from the sealant in terms of cause of problem, right?

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Quote Originally Posted by SIR View Post
    ...right?
    Indeed.

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Can you get some Montblanc type pink sealant? Or will Ron Zorn have something similar that is just as good?

    At least once you've bought a small amount of sealant you will be able to get the Optima working again, and hopefully you might have fixed the ink flow problem at the same time.

    I've never seen the insides of an Optima like this.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    Can you get some Montblanc type pink sealant? Or will Ron Zorn have something similar that is just as good?...
    I have alternatives to choose from. Funny you should mention Ron Zorn; he is a friend and also in Pennsylvania. I am going to try his Sheaffer formula sealant that he uses "to seal threads on any and all pens that require thread sealant, the Parker 51 being the only exception" (instead of tracking down the mimicked MB sealant that an MB colleague came up with years ago).

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    ...I've never seen the insides of an Optima like this.
    IMG_1692.JPG
    Last edited by FredRydr; October 14th, 2018 at 03:24 PM.

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Nice 'exploded' photo, Fred. I just had to take out an Optima to look at the back end to see how the wrench works. TIL
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    I have alternatives to choose from. Funny you should mention Ron Zorn; he is a friend and also in Pennsylvania. I am going to try his Sheaffer formula sealant that he uses "to seal threads on any and all pens that require thread sealant, the Parker 51 being the only exception" (instead of tracking down the mimicked MB sealant that an MB colleague came up with years ago).
    I knew that both you and Ron were friends and lived in the same state. That's why I mentioned him

    The exploded view is a great asset. I now see exactly what you mean about the sealant. Ron will know if his Sheaffer sealant will work there.

    Good luck with it. Please keep us posted on the eventual outcome.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    I should probably get one of those tools just in case I ever need to do that to my Afrika (basically like an Optima yes?), but I also wonder if Rosin (such as what I have from fountainpensacs before they closed shop and sold as vacumatic thread sealant) would work, since I already use that to keep the cap band on my Afrika from rotating freely. Mainly because it seems to be easy to undo with warmer water (ie: don't need to heat it with a heat gun like with shellac), but holds pretty good in normal cases and only needs a couple dabs around the threads to hold well enough to not become undone just from turning the knob or other parts.

    Loving the exploded view, always wondered how the piston fit into the Optima/Afrika/88.

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    I wish I was brave enough to take my Optima apart like that, but as there seems to be nothing wrong with it I will resist all temptation.

    I was nervous enough taking my Omas Paragon apart.....
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Quote Originally Posted by KBeezie View Post
    ...only needs a couple dabs around the threads to hold well enough....
    A couple dabs of what?

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    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by KBeezie View Post
    ...only needs a couple dabs around the threads to hold well enough....
    A couple dabs of what?
    Rosin, was earlier in the same paragraph :

    "but I also wonder if Rosin (such as what I have from fountainpensacs before they closed shop and sold as vacumatic thread sealant) would work, since I already use that to keep the cap band on my Afrika from rotating freely. "

    You just need to keep it from turning when you turn the piston knob, not sealed completely right?

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Ron Zorn's sticky rosin thread sealant arrived, and the pen is back together.

    The tricky part with the Optima piston is returning the piston shaft to the knob mechanism, making sure of the correct exposed length when screwing the shaft into the mechanism and before threading the mechanism into the barrel. I'm sure the factory techs have an exact length before reassembly, while I had to use trial and error, assembling and disassembling and reassembling over and over again until I had it right. Nuts, I should have noted the length before I filled the pen!

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    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Ron Zorn's sticky rosin thread sealant arrived, and the pen is back together.

    The tricky part with the Optima piston is returning the piston shaft to the knob mechanism, making sure of the correct exposed length when screwing the shaft into the mechanism and before threading the mechanism into the barrel. I'm sure the factory techs have an exact length before reassembly, while I had to use trial and error, assembling and disassembling and reassembling over and over again until I had it right. Nuts, I should have noted the length before I filled the pen!
    I wonder if Aurora's specific tool fits in between the back of the piston and the piston knob exactly so that when it's removed you already have the knob down to where it needs to be before you start twisting it in.

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Is there a specific Aurora tool then?
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    Is there a specific Aurora tool then?
    Looks like there is, and seems to have a specific thickness

    http://www.pentooling.com/files.html

    The pictures show that once you put the tool in, you want to screw the piston knob down tightly onto the tool before removing the piston, that way it can go back in the exact way it came out.


    ITEM #MB-9: A TOOL FOR OPENING UP THE PISTON END OF AURORA OPTIMA + AURORA 88 PENS. The piston system sits very tight into the barrel. It is strongly recommended to warm the barrel before unscrewing the piston system. Also it is strongly recommended that you screw the blind cap knob down after inserting the tool. The tool has to be firmly held into the slots to avoid slipping and sliding during the opening.

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    Interestingly it's called item #MB-9
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora Optima (modern). They do need thread sealant.

    If the spanner serves as a gauge as suggested when the lugs are engaged, you wouldn't be able to extract the tool while preserving the position of the knob. In any event, it's the depth of the piston's shaft in the knob that's the key dimension.

    This spanner was made by Francis Gossens for removing Montblanc piston mechanisms, which I bought when he was making sets of tools for the full range of celluloid and resin Meisterstucks. I tried it on the Optima and it fit, and apparently I'm not the only one who made that discovery. Perhaps it is a metric standard.

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