How to Repair a Pelikan Pen
Pelikan has been a leading pen manufacturer since 1838, when the company launched a line of products designed to work with the inks the company produced. The Germany-based company manufacturers a wide range of products, but is most famous for its quality line of fountain pens.
Fountains pens are ingeniously efficient and simple devices, but can be troublesome if not cared for properly. The most frequently needed repairs are cleaning the pen's capillaries, and correcting the nib tip.
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Things You'll Need
- Small container of water
- Toothbrush
- Magnifying lens or small microscope
- Single-edged razor blade
Instructions
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Clean the capillaries if no ink flows
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1
Unscrew the long section of the pen body and remove the ink cartridge or removable draw cartridge. Pens with ink bladders should be sent for professional repair.
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2
Place the pen in a container filled with water and let it soak for 24 hours. Remove it from the water and rinse.
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3
Blow carefully through the pen tip from the ink side to check for clear passage. If there is no blockage, reassemble the pen to check proper function.
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4
Scrub the nib and feed (center section with exposed capillaries) lightly with an old toothbrush if they are unusually clotted or dirty, and repeat cleaning.
Repairing damaged nibs
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5
Place the pen nib under magnifying lens or microscope to check the nibs -- nib tips should be evenly spaced and straight. Any irregularity will prevent proper functioning; severely bent nibs will need to be replaced by a professional pen repair person.
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6
If the nib tips are uneven, carefully bend them into position with your fingernails, working from bottom to tips.
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7
Examine the gap between the nibs, which should converge and just touch at the tip for proper ink flow. If the gap between the nib tines is too wide, gently press them together.
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8
Use a razor blade to carefully widen the tines if they are touching before the tips.
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1
Tips & Warnings
When smoothing or straightening tips, work on each side of the nib separately.
Work on a disposable pen before trying nib repairs on a vintage or valuable pen.
Do not use abrasive cleaners or hard tools, such as pliers, on nibs.
Use as little force as necessary to adjust nibs to prevent accidental bending of tips.
References
- Photo Credit fountain pen #3 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com
