kaweco sport cleaning

jor412 · February 28th, 2012, 11:30 PM

Hi all.

Using an ear bulb, I flushed my Kaweco demonstrator which I use as an eyedropper. I let it dry overnight, nib down on tissue paper in a cup. The nib section area seems to still have trapped moisture/ink. I can't pull the nib. It twists both ways but it refuses to pop out. Is there any way to get that moisture dried up or to get that nib out so I can properly dry the whole thing? I'm asking because I plan on changing the ink I used.

**Pinkys.Brain** · February 29th, 2012, 02:04 AM

I've cleaned my Kaweco eyedropper yesterday and encountered the same problem. I also could not get the ink out of the grip section - but I only use one ink for the pen, so it's no real problem for me.

What I haven't tried was putting the grip section into a small bowl of rice. Rice should work like silicate and suck out the moisture. Maybe you can try that and tell us, whether it works or not.

jor412 · February 29th, 2012, 02:06 AM

Hi - Oh thank you. That's a great idea. I'll try that and post my results tomorrow.

**KrazyIvan** · February 29th, 2012, 09:31 AM

I save all the silicate packets I get from work. the stuff is reusable. Just pop in the oven for 15 minutes at 175 degrees.

**klpeabody** · February 29th, 2012, 04:48 PM

To try and clean the rest of the ink out of the nib section, just fill a blunt syringe with water and push it right up against that nib section. The water will get right inside there and push the ink out. But, of course, you will still have the issue of water being trapped in there to deal with. So, after that, I would try the rice suggestion, above.

jor412 · March 1st, 2012, 12:11 AM

Thanks everyone.

@kp288908 - The nib runs clear when I flush with water so I guess it's really just water trapped in there.

@Pinkys.brain - It worked. I buried the nib in rice last night and checked this afternoon. Just a tiny bit of moisture left

@KrazyIvan - About the silicate packets: I didn't know they were reusable. That's great! I'll start keeping them when I run into them. I used to just throw them out when they no longer seemed effective.

**Pinkys.Brain** · March 3rd, 2012, 12:57 PM

Another more drastic way of getting out the ink that seeped into the grip section is pushin out the inner part of the grip section - it worked on two of my pen so far:

1) Remove the feed and the nib (normal friction-fit, easy to remove)

2) Insert a cartridge into the grip section, place it on a hard surface and then press the grip section downward. Like with the feed the enclosure of the feed will pop out.

a) Don't use a converter as they will get stuck! Don't use anything else but an empty cartridge, otherwise the connection cartridges will be damaged. Normal cartridges are soft enough not to damage the pen.
b) Might not work on every Kaweco. In some the feed enclosure and the grip jacket just fit too tight.

I have yet to test whether there will be a proper seal after re-assembling the whole shebang or not. But my guess is it should work. If not applying some silicon grease should suffice. I think there is enough room to put in an o-ring to seal the deal.

p.s.: I am refering to this problem: kaweco.jpg

**manoeuver** · March 3rd, 2012, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by jor412

Hi all.

Using an ear bulb, I flushed my Kaweco demonstrator which I use as an eyedropper. I let it dry overnight, nib down on tissue paper in a cup. The nib section area seems to still have trapped moisture/ink. I can't pull the nib. It twists both ways but it refuses to pop out. Is there any way to get that moisture dried up or to get that nib out so I can properly dry the whole thing? I'm asking because I plan on changing the ink I used.

I'd just ink it at this point. the leftovers in the feed should be overpowered by the fresh ink.

**Pinkys.Brain** · March 3rd, 2012, 08:58 PM

@jor412: It is strange that you cannot get out all the ink using an ear bulb. I use a normal piston (international size) converter and that works just fine for flushing the pen.

Pulling out the nib together with the feed should be rather easy: Index finger on the top of the nib, thumb under the feed and then you just pull. If you have problems you can also use a piece of thicker cloth (like denim) and a pair of flat pliers. The Kaweco is cheap enough so it might be worth a try. After you have done it once it should be easier the next time. If you damage a nib you can still buy a new grip section + feed + nib for about 8,50€.

jor412 · March 3rd, 2012, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Pinkys.Brain

Another more drastic way of getting out the ink that seeped into the grip section is pushin out the inner part of the grip section - it worked on two of my pen so far:

1) Remove the feed and the nib (normal friction-fit, easy to remove)

2) Insert a cartridge into the grip section, place it on a hard surface and then press the grip section downward. Like with the feed the enclosure of the feed will pop out.

a) Don't use a converter as they will get stuck! Don't use anything else but an empty cartridge, otherwise the connection cartridges will be damaged. Normal cartridges are soft enough not to damage the pen.
b) Might not work on every Kaweco. In some the feed enclosure and the grip jacket just fit too tight.

I have yet to test whether there will be a proper seal after re-assembling the whole shebang or not. But my guess is it should work. If not applying some silicon grease should suffice. I think there is enough room to put in an o-ring to seal the deal.

p.s.: I am refering to this problem: kaweco.jpg

I think I can manage this, although I'm a bit wary about attempting to disassemble the whole thing since the fit seems pretty tight.

jor412 · March 3rd, 2012, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by manoeuver

I'd just ink it at this point. the leftovers in the feed should be overpowered by the fresh ink.

Actually, yes this makes sense, too, and I was considering it. It's just that I'm somewhat OC about cleaning and also, about solving issues.

Originally Posted by Pinkys.Brain

@jor412: It is strange that you cannot get out all the ink using an ear bulb. I use a normal piston (international size) converter and that works just fine for flushing the pen.

Pulling out the nib together with the feed should be rather easy: Index finger on the top of the nib, thumb under the feed and then you just pull. If you have problems you can also use a piece of thicker cloth (like denim) and a pair of flat pliers. The Kaweco is cheap enough so it might be worth a try. After you have done it once it should be easier the next time. If you damage a nib you can still buy a new grip section + feed + nib for about 8,50€.

After the flushing, I'm sure what was left in the section was water because the pen ran clear. For the pulling out of the nib, I tried bare-handed and later on, with a piece of thick cloth but I couldn't get it out. Rather than force the issue, I thought it better to dry up the whole thing.

jor412 · March 30th, 2012, 07:23 PM

Here I am again. I used Diamine Syrah in my Kaweco and it seeped into the nib section.

Now I'm having a heck of a time getting out the red stain. I've gotten rid of most of it but there's still a hint of red inside which I can see when I hold the section up to sunlight. Here's what I've done so far:
1) flushing with a bulb
2) giving it several baths in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Last night I filled the barrel with soapy water, put the pen together and let it rest, nib down, in a cup with tissue paper. After checking this morning, I saw that the paper had a somewhat pink hue. I'll keep it this way until I no longer see that pink color. It'll probably take a while.

I was eventually able to pull out the nib and feed but not the "collar" or whatever that piece is that keeps them in the clear section. It seems a pretty tight fit and I'm wary of forcing the issue. I tried a bit of tapping it out with a knockout block but it didn't give, so I stopped before I did any damage.

**manoeuver** · April 7th, 2012, 01:09 PM

Consider a pen with an opaque body and section. The transparent pen seems to stress you out. Pens should be fun.

jor412 · April 7th, 2012, 01:37 PM

haha. Actually, my cleaning solution worked and Diamine syrah is apparently easy to clean out.

**auto winder** · October 7th, 2012, 04:32 PM

Oh no, it happened to me too

Seems I have got some dried up ink between some places where it should not be in my kaweco sport transparent section.
I have tried soaking in pure water, soaking in detergentified water, I also tried to dry it out with rice.
I am seriously reevaluating the attraction of demonstrators; I thought they were supposed to be fun, not frustrating...
I now have a two-part plan.
1. Fix it by removing first the feed/nib, and then the inner stuff from the outer stuff using the empty cartridge trick. Or buy a new section if I break it during the attempt.
2. Make sure that it does not happen again.

3. Reluctantly admit that there is no way to guarantee that if I want to actually use it.
4. *Facepalm*

**verm** · January 31st, 2016, 06:27 AM

Sorry to bring up a super old thread, but did OP or anyone find out the way to remove the collar? I tried the empty cartridge trick and pushing down to push the black collar out but it's very stiff and not budging at all. Thanks in advance.

**Anne** · January 31st, 2016, 12:47 PM

If you are able to view Youtube videos, Stephen Brown has a short video on disassembling the Kaweco Classic Sport.

Edit: Sorry, he doesn't cover removing the black inner collar.

I wonder if it is glued to the clear section. If so, maybe a little heat would loosen it and then you could try the suggestions above in this thread that seemed to work for members here.

**verm** · February 4th, 2016, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Anne

If you are able to view Youtube videos, Stephen Brown has a short video on disassembling the Kaweco Classic Sport.

Edit: Sorry, he doesn't cover removing the black inner collar.

I wonder if it is glued to the clear section. If so, maybe a little heat would loosen it and then you could try the suggestions above in this thread that seemed to work for members here.

Thanks for your reply Anne. I've actually already tried all the suggestions above and also thought of the heat idea - but all to no avail.

Anyway, the water has cleared up a bit now just leaving it in a dry environment. Thanks again.

**Anne** · February 4th, 2016, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by verm

Originally Posted by Anne

If you are able to view Youtube videos, Stephen Brown has a short video on disassembling the Kaweco Classic Sport.

Edit: Sorry, he doesn't cover removing the black inner collar.

I wonder if it is glued to the clear section. If so, maybe a little heat would loosen it and then you could try the suggestions above in this thread that seemed to work for members here.

Thanks for your reply Anne. I've actually already tried all the suggestions above and also thought of the heat idea - but all to no avail.

Anyway, the water has cleared up a bit now just leaving it in a dry environment. Thanks again.

Yeah, sorry I couldn't help. I thought for sure he took that pen completely apart, but it had been a while since I watched it the first time. I watched a few more and people pretty much say that "IF it comes out, it's very tight..."
So, no help around the web either.
I am glad it's coming along for you anyway and I hope the drying out tricks work too.

The pen is worth all of your troubles, in my opinion. I love mine.

**Chrissy** · February 5th, 2016, 04:52 AM

If you have ever seen a metal Sport, you will be aware that the whole nib section, including the collar, screws out.

So with the demonstrator, if you can somehow warm up the outer part of the grip, and you're very, very, careful how you grasp the nib and feed, (vertically), you might be able to screw it out. If you hold the pen in your right hand with the nib pointing horizontally towards your left, the nib and feed should be turned away from your body. i.e. clockwise looking from your right hand. An ultrasonic bath before attempting this might help. Or some cleaning solutions are quite lubricating, like the Platinum sachets. They seem to help some of my difficult nib and feed units to unscrew.

I can unscrew the nib units from my ART Sport and my Chess Sport.

Sometimes, if you put in a cartridge and twist it clockwise, it can unscrew the collar.

Please don't break your feeds based on this post though!