Cleaning?

[moke]

I am sure this question has been asked many times, but I can't find the answer....

I just was given a Fountain Pen that belonged to my Grandfather ( He passed away in 1963). I don't think it was expensive or anything, and I can only find that it is a Shaffer ( it is marked on the pocket clip-nothing on the nib) and I would like to revive it. It was allowed to dry up and sat that way since his passing. Can anyone tell me what I can soak it in and how long, so that I may use it again. In 15 years of pen making I have never had an interest to make anything other than Rollerball or Ball point. So this is new ground for me.

Thank you in advance

 

[Lucky2]

Mike, if you were to leave it submerged in paint thinner, it would eventually soften the dried inks. You could probably get some other type of solvent to use for the job, but I use paint thinner. If I were to use something else, it would be what is called final wipe. It is what auto body shops use to wipe vehicles down with, just before painting the car. In both cases, when you leave the nib to soak cover the container, otherwise, the solvent will evaporate away.

Len

 

[bmachin]

Paint thinner sounds pretty drastic to me. The traditional solvent for dried ink is 10% household ammonia in warm water and if possible draw it into the bladder/reservoir. Can you tell how it fills?

Bill

 

[ed4copies]

I would ask that question on the fountain pen network.

What is the pen made of? Plastics and hard rubbers COULD be melted by harsh chemicals. Take a picture and post it
on FPN and someone will probably be able to tell you what pen it is and what chemicals it will tolerate, for some period
of time.

You only get one chance--if you make a mistake your "heirloom" is trashed. Be careful!!!!

 

[DrD]

Mike, from what you have said, your Dad's pen most probably has an ink bladder, which was typically a "rubber" sac. If there is a bladder, the odds are good that it may be shot. Concerning the nib, some Sheaffer nibs are easier to remove than others. Is it a "snorkel" fill, does a tube come out of the feed to suck up the ink? There is a great UTube vid by Troy LePlante: Vintage Sheaffer Snorkel Fountain Pen Review. Before you do too much I would review that video. Also I highly recommend staying away from solvents - flowing warm water is the key.

 

[magpens]

I would agree with Ed and DrD .... be extremely careful what solvent you use on or in your heirloom pen.

Back in the days when fountain pens were more commonly used than they are today, the plastics that the pens were made of were quite different from the plastics that we have today. . Those older plastics are more easily damaged by solvents.

Disclaimer: I use the term "plastic" loosely and I know that I am leaving myself open to criticism for using it possibly incorrectly.

 

[DrD]

Nah, we'll just make fun!

 

[Lucky2]

The solvents I mentioned in my posting, will do no harm to the nib. I've used both of them on nearly everything there is that has needed cleaning, and I've never had an issue with either. I like using the Final wipe best, there's a lot less odor to it. But wear rubber gloves whenever using it, as it will remove all of the oils from your fingers and hands. BTDT Basically Final wipe is a cleaner, it removes grease and oil mainly. But it is also great for many other jobs also, every cleaning or soaking job I've done with it has turned out perfect. When not in use, close the lid ASAP as this stuff evaporates rather quickly. I always have two gallons of the stuff on hand, I use it for so many different cleaning jobs. Another product that should work, is soaking it in just plain old rubbing alcohol. Have you tried soaking it in warm soapy water,sometimes, that's what works the best? And with all of these types of remedies, the soaking period can take some time. I would allow it to soak, for at least four days before checking it for cleanliness and blockages. Plus you should have a few tiny brushes to brush some of the gunk off.

Len

 

[Bryguy]

I have been collectiing and restoring antique fountain pens for years. Don't use paint thinner if you don't know what the pen is made of. Remove and replace the bladder. Before replacing it, put the nib and section in an ultrasonic bath with a a cup of water and a table spoon of ammonia. Let it go for a while. Rinse and then make sure that water will flow through to the nib before putting that new bladder on. If you need more info on the process of bladder replacement PM me. If you have one of the fancier Shaeffer filling systems,(Snorkel) this might be a job for a pro. Check out Richard Binder's website and see if you can find your pen on it, or post a photo here.

 

[bmachin]

It looks to me like you care about the pen and are totally in the dark about pen repair. That being the case, I would try the dilute ammonia soak and flush. It won't hurt anything. If that doesn't work, flush it out with plain water and send it off to someone who know what he or she is doing. I suggest Ron Zorn of Main Street Pens who is a contributor at FPN, but there are lots of others.

Main Street Pens - Quality Pen Repair

Getting a pen apart isn't rocket science, but it's also easy to destroy one.

My $.02
Bill

 

[moke]

Sorry for my absence...I hate it when some one posts then never replies, but we were on vacation and had to run home as one of the in-laws had some medical issues and I have been tied up with that and my business. Sorry!

I think it does have bladder and I will replace it.....I will begin with soaking in warm water and dilute ammonia, and if that does not work I will move to more drastic measures. I will let it soak for a few days first.

This whole thing has been interesting, my grandfather was an avid reader, and heavy things, ie War and Peace etc, etc..... My Mom read the Readers Digest Hard back books and he made fun of her saying she was reading Drivel....but there was one hard back Readers Digest book in his collection, but it had a number of pages stuck together so my cousin just threw it in a box. Forward 50 years, as he was getting ready to move and he finally opened the book and my Grandfather had cut a slot in the pages to accommodate this pen. My Grandfather was odd by any standard, but this is strange even for him. My guess is I will never know why he did this.

Thanks to everyone for advice....

 

[darrin1200]

@moke Can you post a picture of the pen.
Sheaffer has made some very interesting pens in the past, including the Pen For Men.
If it has a snorkel, make sure you do some reading first. They can be tricky, and some of the parts are very hard to get.