Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

  1. #1
    Member Octavius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Posts
    33
    Thanks
    35
    Thanked 17 Times in 8 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Pelikan 140 drys up after a couple of lines.
    So I flushed the pen (using the piston) with soapy water, rinsed and tried another ink - Pelikan Violet.
    Same thing happens.
    Can I put the nib unit (it unscrews) in an Ultra Sonic Cleaner with soapy water?
    Or is this a problem with the piston?

    Pelikan.JPG

  2. #2
    Senior Member INeedAFinancialAdvisor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    636
    Thanks
    882
    Thanked 671 Times in 277 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    I’m no Expert but i suspect your pen isn’t drawing ink in and you are only getting the feed filled/saturated and that’s why it runs dry so quickly. So my guess is the Piston isn’t sealing/drawing in ink

    Try filling from a sample vial if you have one. The smaller volume will make it to see if the piston is drawing ink in.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to INeedAFinancialAdvisor For This Useful Post:

    Octavius (June 17th, 2020)

  4. #3
    Member Octavius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Posts
    33
    Thanks
    35
    Thanked 17 Times in 8 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Wow! Thanks for that. Never entered my mind that the pen isn't even filling up.

  5. #4
    Member Octavius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Posts
    33
    Thanks
    35
    Thanked 17 Times in 8 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Well, I held the pen up to the light and it looks like it has a good supply of ink in it.
    To confirm, a nice clean bamboo skewer, used as a dip stick, shows about 3/4" - not as much as I would have expected, but hey.

  6. #5
    Senior Member INeedAFinancialAdvisor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    636
    Thanks
    882
    Thanked 671 Times in 277 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    ok. so it's filling. thats good.

    i think it was Richard Binder who described a fountain pen as a "controlled leak"

    this video by Nathan Tardif (of Noodlers') shows what is SUPPOSED to happen
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqO3wRmk6DA#t=10m53s

    so, you HAVE ink, but maybe it's not flowing from the barrel to the feed?...

    I'm hoping someone who knows more about ultra sonic cleaners and pelikan nibs will hop in here and tell you if it's safe or not to put it in the US cleaner. my gut says yes, a minute or two at a time but i own neither a Ultra Sonic cleaner, or a pelikan of any kind... and i don't want you to screw up your nib. So i am not in a position to provide advice.

    Sorry i can't be of more help. I hope someone else chimes in here who has more experience with this pen and/or ultra sonic cleaners.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to INeedAFinancialAdvisor For This Useful Post:

    Octavius (June 17th, 2020)

  8. #6
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    On a hill in Puerto Rico
    Posts
    1,698
    Thanks
    2,214
    Thanked 1,817 Times in 797 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    It's completely safe to clean a Pelikan nib unit with an ultrasonic cleaner. I have done it many times.

  9. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to carlos.q For This Useful Post:

    AzJon (June 18th, 2020), Chrissy (June 17th, 2020), INeedAFinancialAdvisor (June 18th, 2020), Octavius (June 17th, 2020)

  10. #7
    Senior Member fountainpenkid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Nouvelle Angleterre
    Posts
    3,675
    Thanks
    3,483
    Thanked 1,222 Times in 598 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Try the ultrasonic cleaner for sure. You could also disassemble the nib unit itself (press down with both thumbs on the nib collar with the butt of the feed on a flat surface) and examine the ink channels. If upon reassembly you're still having no luck, it might be an issue with the way the feed is set.
    Will
    If my p.m box is full, feel free to email me at dabantur@gmail.com.

  11. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to fountainpenkid For This Useful Post:

    AzJon (June 18th, 2020), Octavius (June 17th, 2020)

  12. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    369
    Thanks
    115
    Thanked 247 Times in 125 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Before fiddling with removing the nib unit at all, check to see if the nib unit collar is the clear plastic type or the black type. The clear ones can be very brittle and require extra care. If the piston is moving smoothly and pulling up a full barrel of ink, I'd be inclined to continue a flushing regimen using a diluted ammonia/water mixture before trying to pull a nib unit that has one of those clear plastic collars. After flushing with the mixture, flush with plain water to get any residual ammonia/water mix out. If the piston needs a re-grease or the flushing fails, I'd only then move on to removing a nib unit with clear plastic collar. I keep a bag of replacement collars on hand for this purpose. I've had probably 60% of those clear plastic collars break or crack on me when trying to remove them. The black collars don't seem to have had as much trouble with this.

  13. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Ray-VIgo For This Useful Post:

    fountainpenkid (June 17th, 2020), Octavius (June 17th, 2020)

  14. #9
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,404
    Thanks
    6,876
    Thanked 10,363 Times in 3,978 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    If you're not skilled in resetting nibs to feeds I would suggest that for now you only go the more careful route of unscrewing the nib unit and soaking it or giving it a whizz in an ultrasonic. See if that works before you attempt to pull the nib and feed out of it's collar and risk breaking something.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  15. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Chrissy For This Useful Post:

    INeedAFinancialAdvisor (June 18th, 2020), Octavius (June 18th, 2020)

  16. #10
    Member Octavius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Posts
    33
    Thanks
    35
    Thanked 17 Times in 8 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Many thanks to all who responded.
    All is well!
    The bath in the sonicator done the trick.
    Cheers!

  17. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to Octavius For This Useful Post:

    AzJon (June 18th, 2020), carlos.q (June 18th, 2020), Chrissy (June 18th, 2020), fountainpenkid (June 18th, 2020), INeedAFinancialAdvisor (June 18th, 2020), Ray-VIgo (June 18th, 2020)

  18. #11
    Senior Member INeedAFinancialAdvisor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    636
    Thanks
    882
    Thanked 671 Times in 277 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    awesome!

  19. #12
    Senior Member carlos.q's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    On a hill in Puerto Rico
    Posts
    1,698
    Thanks
    2,214
    Thanked 1,817 Times in 797 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Quote Originally Posted by Octavius View Post
    Many thanks to all who responded.
    All is well!
    The bath in the sonicator done the trick.
    Cheers!
    We all love happy endings!

  20. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to carlos.q For This Useful Post:

    Chrissy (June 18th, 2020), INeedAFinancialAdvisor (June 18th, 2020)

  21. #13
    Member Octavius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Posts
    33
    Thanks
    35
    Thanked 17 Times in 8 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Thanks all.

    Just to clarify the problem was the nib unit...I put that in the sonicator (after Carlos said it would be OK) and that fixed it.

  22. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Octavius For This Useful Post:

    carlos.q (June 18th, 2020), Chrissy (June 18th, 2020)

  23. #14
    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Flagstaff
    Posts
    764
    Thanks
    1,204
    Thanked 826 Times in 352 Posts
    Rep Power
    9

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Quote Originally Posted by Octavius View Post
    Thanks all.

    Just to clarify the problem was the nib unit...I put that in the sonicator (after Carlos said it would be OK) and that fixed it.
    You can get a stunning amount of gunk in those older nib units. Glad that solved the problem.

  24. The Following User Says Thank You to AzJon For This Useful Post:

    Octavius (June 18th, 2020)

  25. #15
    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Flagstaff
    Posts
    764
    Thanks
    1,204
    Thanked 826 Times in 352 Posts
    Rep Power
    9

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray-VIgo View Post
    Before fiddling with removing the nib unit at all, check to see if the nib unit collar is the clear plastic type or the black type. The clear ones can be very brittle and require extra care. If the piston is moving smoothly and pulling up a full barrel of ink, I'd be inclined to continue a flushing regimen using a diluted ammonia/water mixture before trying to pull a nib unit that has one of those clear plastic collars. After flushing with the mixture, flush with plain water to get any residual ammonia/water mix out. If the piston needs a re-grease or the flushing fails, I'd only then move on to removing a nib unit with clear plastic collar. I keep a bag of replacement collars on hand for this purpose. I've had probably 60% of those clear plastic collars break or crack on me when trying to remove them. The black collars don't seem to have had as much trouble with this.
    If I find one with the clear plastic, I remove it and thrown that trash away. Those collars are a matter of if not when they are going to crack and be an issue. I've used this collar for a number of old Pelikans and they work flawlessly: https://www.custompenparts.co.uk/pel...connector.html

  26. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to AzJon For This Useful Post:

    Octavius (June 18th, 2020), Ray-VIgo (June 18th, 2020)

  27. #16
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    369
    Thanks
    115
    Thanked 247 Times in 125 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Ray-VIgo View Post
    Before fiddling with removing the nib unit at all, check to see if the nib unit collar is the clear plastic type or the black type. The clear ones can be very brittle and require extra care. If the piston is moving smoothly and pulling up a full barrel of ink, I'd be inclined to continue a flushing regimen using a diluted ammonia/water mixture before trying to pull a nib unit that has one of those clear plastic collars. After flushing with the mixture, flush with plain water to get any residual ammonia/water mix out. If the piston needs a re-grease or the flushing fails, I'd only then move on to removing a nib unit with clear plastic collar. I keep a bag of replacement collars on hand for this purpose. I've had probably 60% of those clear plastic collars break or crack on me when trying to remove them. The black collars don't seem to have had as much trouble with this.
    If I find one with the clear plastic, I remove it and thrown that trash away. Those collars are a matter of if not when they are going to crack and be an issue. I've used this collar for a number of old Pelikans and they work flawlessly: https://www.custompenparts.co.uk/pel...connector.html
    If you have the parts on hand and are comfortable doing that, then that's a perfectly good way to go. I have a little bag of those custompenparts collars on my work bench. They're pretty good. I'm hesitant to suggest to someone unfamiliar with Pelikan repair to try fooling with a clear plastic nib unit because what usually happens is it cracks or breaks while they're fiddling with it, they don't have a replacement part, and then they get mad about what happened. Worst case scenario, the collar not only breaks, but a chunk of it stays lodged in the threads. Then you have a newbie with a problem that is a delicate fix. But if you know your old Pelikans enough to have the spare collars and you're fine with replacement, then by all means - the replacement is the long-term solution.

    The black collars seem to hold up much better and unscrewing the unit is usually OK then.

    I really, really dislike those clear plastic collars.

    Glad to hear this 140 is in a better working state now.
    Last edited by Ray-VIgo; June 18th, 2020 at 09:39 AM.

  28. The Following User Says Thank You to Ray-VIgo For This Useful Post:

    Octavius (June 18th, 2020)

  29. #17
    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Flagstaff
    Posts
    764
    Thanks
    1,204
    Thanked 826 Times in 352 Posts
    Rep Power
    9

    Default Re: Pelikan drys up after a couple of lines

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray-VIgo View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Ray-VIgo View Post
    Before fiddling with removing the nib unit at all, check to see if the nib unit collar is the clear plastic type or the black type. The clear ones can be very brittle and require extra care. If the piston is moving smoothly and pulling up a full barrel of ink, I'd be inclined to continue a flushing regimen using a diluted ammonia/water mixture before trying to pull a nib unit that has one of those clear plastic collars. After flushing with the mixture, flush with plain water to get any residual ammonia/water mix out. If the piston needs a re-grease or the flushing fails, I'd only then move on to removing a nib unit with clear plastic collar. I keep a bag of replacement collars on hand for this purpose. I've had probably 60% of those clear plastic collars break or crack on me when trying to remove them. The black collars don't seem to have had as much trouble with this.
    If I find one with the clear plastic, I remove it and thrown that trash away. Those collars are a matter of if not when they are going to crack and be an issue. I've used this collar for a number of old Pelikans and they work flawlessly: https://www.custompenparts.co.uk/pel...connector.html
    If you have the parts on hand and are comfortable doing that, then that's a perfectly good way to go. I have a little bag of those custompenparts collars on my work bench. They're pretty good. I'm hesitant to suggest to someone unfamiliar with Pelikan repair to try fooling with a clear plastic nib unit because what usually happens is it cracks or breaks while they're fiddling with it, they don't have a replacement part, and then they get mad about what happened. Worst case scenario, the collar not only breaks, but a chunk of it stays lodged in the threads. Then you have a newbie with a problem that is a delicate fix. But if you know your old Pelikans enough to have the spare collars and you're fine with replacement, then by all means - the replacement is the long-term solution.

    The black collars seem to hold up much better and unscrewing the unit is usually OK then.

    I really, really dislike those clear plastic collars.

    Glad to hear this 140 is in a better working state now.
    Yeah, that's fair.

    Honestly, those clear collars will snap on me, if they are going to snap, when I take out the nib unit. Or, worse, they stay in the collar which is a wholly different pain in the butt.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •