new to FP and can't fill

I was given an older Mont Blanc Meisterstuck No. 140 and am trying to
begin using it. I have been unable to fill it satisfactorily. I spent
some time "filling" with water to clean the pen seems clean. The
procedure I am using is from the instructions that came with the Mont
Blanc ink.

1-I turn the crown counter-clockwise until it is on the last thread or so
2-I submerge the nib fully in ink and turn the crown clockwise all the
way back down
3-I remove the nib from ink
4-Next I am supposed to turn the crown back counter-clockwise until some
drops of ink come out, this never happens

Additionally, I never see any ink going into the pen's reservoir. I
don't think there is a blockage anywhere since I see bubbles escaping
from the nib's vent when I submerge it in ink and screw the crown down.
Any suggestions on getting this pen working, or do I need to send it
somewhere for service. Thanks for any help.

James

James Lyles wrote:

I was given an older Mont Blanc Meisterstuck No. 140 and am
trying to begin using it. I have been unable to fill it
satisfactorily. I spent some time "filling" with water to clean
the pen seems clean. The procedure I am using is from the
instructions that came with the Mont Blanc ink.

1-I turn the crown counter-clockwise until it is on the last
thread or so 2-I submerge the nib fully in ink and turn the
crown clockwise all the way back down
3-I remove the nib from ink
4-Next I am supposed to turn the crown back counter-clockwise
until some drops of ink come out, this never happens

Additionally, I never see any ink going into the pen's
reservoir. I don't think there is a blockage anywhere since I
see bubbles escaping from the nib's vent when I submerge it in
ink and screw the crown down. Any suggestions on getting this
pen working, or do I need to send it somewhere for service.

Can you see the piston moving inside the pen? Turn the knob
counterclockwise as far as it will go without applying force and
you should see the piston descend (at least you do in modern
piston fillers). Were you able to fill it with water and empty
it?

Note (from David Nishimura's website):

| Montblanc piston-fillers made up until the early 1960s used a
| two-stage screw mechanism. Very little resistance is felt for
| the first few turns, which sometimes fools the uninitiated into
| concluding the pen is broken.

http://www.vintagepens.com/filling_instructions_piston-fillers.shtml

I would suggest submerging not only the nib but part of the
section as well when you fill the pen, and to repeat the filling
procedure two or three times in a row, expelling all of the ink
back into the bottle each time but the very last.

--
Steve

My e-mail address works as is.

James Lyles wrote:
I was given an older Mont Blanc Meisterstuck No.
140 and am trying to begin using it. I have been
unable to fill it satisfactorily. I spent some
time "filling" with water to clean the pen seems
clean. The procedure I am using is from the
instructions that came with the Mont Blanc ink.

1-I turn the crown counter-clockwise until it is
on the last thread or so 2-I submerge the nib fully in ink and turn
the
crown clockwise all the way back down 3-I remove the nib from ink
4-Next I am supposed to turn the crown back
counter-clockwise until some drops of ink come
out, this never happens

Additionally, I never see any ink going into the
pen's reservoir. I don't think there is a blockage
anywhere since I see bubbles escaping from the
nib's vent when I submerge it in ink and screw the
crown down. Any suggestions on getting this pen
working, or do I need to send it somewhere for
service. Thanks for any help.

James

I've never heard of a 140 Meisterstuck. What era is it? If the pen was
made when they were still using cork for their piston seals, you're
probably dealing with a dried and shrunken cork seal. A dried, shrunken
seal will produce bubbles on the down stroke but won't produce the
vacuum necessary to suck ink into the barrel on the up stroke. I think
you have a pen whose piston seal needs to be replaced. Send it to
someone who specializes in restoring old MBs and have him/her do the
work for you. -- B

BL wrote:
James Lyles wrote:

I was given an older Mont Blanc Meisterstuck No.
140 and am trying to begin using it. I have been
unable to fill it satisfactorily. I spent some
time "filling" with water to clean the pen seems
clean. The procedure I am using is from the
instructions that came with the Mont Blanc ink.

1-I turn the crown counter-clockwise until it is
on the last thread or so 2-I submerge the nib fully in ink and turn
the
crown clockwise all the way back down 3-I remove the nib from ink
4-Next I am supposed to turn the crown back
counter-clockwise until some drops of ink come
out, this never happens

Additionally, I never see any ink going into the
pen's reservoir. I don't think there is a blockage
anywhere since I see bubbles escaping from the
nib's vent when I submerge it in ink and screw the
crown down. Any suggestions on getting this pen
working, or do I need to send it somewhere for
service. Thanks for any help.

James


I've never heard of a 140 Meisterstuck. What era is it? If the pen was
made when they were still using cork for their piston seals, you're
probably dealing with a dried and shrunken cork seal. A dried, shrunken
seal will produce bubbles on the down stroke but won't produce the
vacuum necessary to suck ink into the barrel on the up stroke. I think
you have a pen whose piston seal needs to be replaced. Send it to
someone who specializes in restoring old MBs and have him/her do the
work for you. -- B


Oops, sorry it is a Meisterstuck No. 149, trouble with those little numbers.

James Lyles wrote:
I was given an older Mont Blanc Meisterstuck No. 140 and am trying to
begin using it. I have been unable to fill it satisfactorily. I spent
some time "filling" with water to clean the pen seems clean. The
procedure I am using is from the instructions that came with the Mont
Blanc ink.

1-I turn the crown counter-clockwise until it is on the last thread or so
2-I submerge the nib fully in ink and turn the crown clockwise all the
way back down
3-I remove the nib from ink
4-Next I am supposed to turn the crown back counter-clockwise until some
drops of ink come out, this never happens

Additionally, I never see any ink going into the pen's reservoir. I
don't think there is a blockage anywhere since I see bubbles escaping
from the nib's vent when I submerge it in ink and screw the crown down.
Any suggestions on getting this pen working, or do I need to send it
somewhere for service. Thanks for any help.

James

OK I got it to fill, having never used a FP before I didn't relaize that
the crown portion that turns is separate from the part that unscrews to
remove the piston assembly. I guess this assembly was loose, becuase
everytime I tried to fill it is would just unscrew the enitre thing. I
fixed it with a small screw driver and it seems to fill right up.

Thanks for the help.

James