What is the fix for a floppy fountain pen lever?
Viagra?
Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.
jackwebb (February 21st, 2021)
There are so many possible causes that there's no single answer. Often it is that the pressure bar is incorrectly installed but it can also be wear in the lever or body or attachment point. Too small an ink sac or misaligned pieces parts ...
First the cause has to be determined.
If the pressure bar is new, then remove and check that it is the correct type of bar and correctly installed. If the pressure bar is original, you'll probably have to remove and replace the bar. Also check to be sure the pivot pin/ring mounting the lever to the barrel is tight and in-place. The most common cause is a worn out or rotted old pressure bar.
There are also those lever fill pens which do not use a spring loaded bar, but rely on a friction catch to hold the lever in place. Waterman's, earlier Eversharps, some Nationals and Swans come to mind. With these, if the catch is worn, all that is pushing back against the lever is the ink sac.
Bob
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