Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

I was bought a Waterman Hemisphere for xmas. Normally I use Lamy
Safari, Cross or Parker fountain pens so I am well used to fountains
pens when they work and when they dont.

I decided to wait until the Waterman ink converter arrived from the
Parker Pen Co. I then filled it with Noodlers Purple. The first 2
pages of A4 were OK, but after that the ink was having the devils own
job getting out of the pen. I was really having to press hard.

I emptied and refilled the pen a couple of times and got the same
results.

I thought that the ink might not suit the pen so I cleaned it out,
dried the pen and refilled with Mont Blanc black, an ink that is not
reknowned for being a good one in the reviews. Again it wrote two
pages but you had to press hard on the nib.

I passed the pen to the better half and she usually writes with a
fountain pen. She too was having problems with the pen and said that
she was pressing much harder than usual. Is this one a lemon or is how
Watermans are. The review that I have read gave higher marks to the
Waterman than to Mont Blancs!

Thanks a lot

Andy

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

AndyH wrote:
I was bought a Waterman Hemisphere for xmas...

...I then filled it with Noodlers Purple. The first 2
pages of A4 were OK, but after that the ink was having the devils own
job getting out of the pen. I was really having to press hard.

I emptied and refilled the pen a couple of times and got the same
results.

...I cleaned it out,
dried the pen and refilled with Mont Blanc black...
...Again it wrote two
pages but you had to press hard on the nib.

...Is this one a lemon or is how
Watermans are.

Based on my experience with a couple of new pens (one, in fact, a Waterman),
I'd guess that there's processing oil from the pen's manufacture still in
the feed. There might be some in the converter as well. I'd suggest that
you remove the section (with point installed) and converter from the pen and
soak both overnight in a cool ammonia solution* -- say, 10 parts water to 1
part ammonia (Make sure you draw the solution up into the converter, of
course.). Afterwards, flush the parts with plenty of fresh water. If you
can come up with a rubber bulb that will make a seal with the back of the
section, use that to "blow" water through it, but make sure you hang on to
the section so it doesn't fly off.

If that doesn't help, it's possible that the point is misadjusted. The fact
that pressing it down helps the ink creep out makes me wonder. If that's
the case, you have a few choices:

- Get Waterman to replace the point with one that works. That might be the
best and cheapest option, since the pen is new.
- Have a repair person adjust the point.
- Embark on the minor adventure of learning to adjust it yourself. Not
recommended for a new and expensive pen!

* Some people will say that you should never use cleaners like ammonia and
409 on a fountain pen. When it comes to cleaning points, I've never had a
problem with them, but don't use them on materials like celluloid caps and
barrels.

Brian
--

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

Brian Ketterling wrote:
AndyH wrote:
I was bought a Waterman Hemisphere for xmas...

...I then filled it with Noodlers Purple. The first 2
pages of A4 were OK, but after that the ink was having the devils own
job getting out of the pen. I was really having to press hard.

I emptied and refilled the pen a couple of times and got the same
results.

...I cleaned it out,
dried the pen and refilled with Mont Blanc black...
...Again it wrote two
pages but you had to press hard on the nib.

...Is this one a lemon or is how
Watermans are.

Based on my experience with a couple of new pens (one, in fact, a Waterman),
I'd guess that there's processing oil from the pen's manufacture still in
the feed. There might be some in the converter as well. I'd suggest that
you remove the section (with point installed) and converter from the pen and
soak both overnight in a cool ammonia solution* -- say, 10 parts water to 1
part ammonia (Make sure you draw the solution up into the converter, of
course.). Afterwards, flush the parts with plenty of fresh water. If you
can come up with a rubber bulb that will make a seal with the back of the
section, use that to "blow" water through it, but make sure you hang on to
the section so it doesn't fly off.

If that doesn't help, it's possible that the point is misadjusted. The fact
that pressing it down helps the ink creep out makes me wonder. If that's
the case, you have a few choices:

- Get Waterman to replace the point with one that works. That might be the
best and cheapest option, since the pen is new.
- Have a repair person adjust the point.
- Embark on the minor adventure of learning to adjust it yourself. Not
recommended for a new and expensive pen!

* Some people will say that you should never use cleaners like ammonia and
409 on a fountain pen. When it comes to cleaning points, I've never had a
problem with them, but don't use them on materials like celluloid caps and
barrels.

Brian
--

I would start with something less intrusive: a few drops of dishwasher
in water and a good flush. Repeat if necessary; I've had similar
problems with some brands including Waterman.

Juan

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

"Juan" wrote:

I would start with something less intrusive: a few drops of
dishwasher in water and a good flush. Repeat if necessary; I've
had similar problems with some brands including Waterman.

Just to clarify: dishwashing liquid, for doing the dishes by hand,
such as Palmolive.

--
Steve

My e-mail address works as is.

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

Stephen Hust wrote:
"Juan" wrote:

I would start with something less intrusive: a few drops of
dishwasher in water and a good flush. Repeat if necessary; I've
had similar problems with some brands including Waterman.

Just to clarify: dishwashing liquid, for doing the dishes by hand,
such as Palmolive.

Or Ivory, which is what I keep on hand for my pens :) .

With my own Waterman (a Harmonie), I progressed through detergent and 409 to
ammonia, and eventually had to pull the nib and feed, clear out plastic
cuttings from the collector fins, then clean away the last of the
manufacturer's grease and varnish-ey film with a soft toothbrush and
Pepsodent on the feed and underside of the nib, and the same toothpaste with
5-mil brass shimstock in the ink channel. That helped a *lot*. Together
with a lot of flexing and flossing, I finally have the ink flow just about
right.

Gotta love the quality control!

Brian
--

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

Thank you all for your responses. As the pen is so new I contacted
Parker (er Waterman) and received the following responses: -

**********
Dear Andy

I was concerned to hear of the problems you are experiencing with your
writing instrument.

So that I can help would you please send the item to the address at the
top of this letter and I will look into the matter personally. Could
you please enclose a covering letter and your full name and address.

If you wish to have the repair considered under the terms of our
guarantee you will need to enclose your stamped warranty booklet or
proof of purchase such as a receipt.

I suggest that you package the item securely to avoid damage in the
post and if you send it by recorded delivery you will be able to keep a
track.

I hope this information is of help.

**********

We do not recommend the use of other makes of ink in either the Parker
or Waterman brands, they are not compatible.

You can however, use either Waterman or Parker ink in either of our
models but only if you are using bottled ink, the cartridges, will not
fit. The only colour that is not compatible is the Waterman black, you
can only use this in the Waterman fountain pen.

Our technicians suggestthat you only flush a nib unit out with cold
water. However, you could try soaking the nib unit in cold water
overnight (this is the nib and the shell(the bit your grip)and then tap
the unit against a lint free cloth and put a fresh supply of either
Parker or Waterman ink. Our ink has a shelf life of two years, after
this we recommend that you obtain a fresh supply.
***********

The irony was that I was looking at a Waterman Edson last night, as I
have for several nights, and my partner offered to buy one for me.
This would be a not inconsiderable purchase for her, but if the pen is
unable to use inks such as Noodlers then it is a non-starter.

I have decided to follow the Parker route and wash out the pen and
refill it with Quink as much as it pains me to do so. If there is
still a problem the pen can be returned, but being an xmas present the
receipt is now long since disposed of and needless to say the shop have
not stamped the warranty card!!

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

AndyH wrote:

I thought that the ink might not suit the pen so I cleaned it
out, dried the pen and refilled with Mont Blanc black, an
ink that is not reknowned for being a good one in the
reviews.

Hi Andy---It seems to be in vogue to bash MB. There's nothing wrong with MB
inks. They tend to flow slower than some, but they're good inks. I've used
MB inks for years and have never gotten a bad bottle (e.g., mold, slime,
stuff precipitating out of solution). Can't say that about many other brands
including a couple that are really popular in some on-line pen communities.
BTW, MB's Blue-Black is fantastic in free-flowing vintage pens.

The review that I have read gave higher marks to the
Waterman than to Mont Blancs!

Again, it's in vogue to bash MBs. I don't have many of them (half a dozen or
so) , but those that I do own work well. I have several from the late 40s
that are truly fantastic pens. I also have a little Boehme here that's been
filled continuously since the day I bought it---something like 3 or 4 years
ago---and the thing works flawlessly. Great little writer. MBs aren't the
greatest, but they're not the worst either. The resin they're made of is
brittle, but it's a trade off. It resists scratching really well and retains
its shine, but it's less shock resistant than some other materials.

In response to your latest post, I think the company representative is
overstating the ink compatibility issue. I use Quink and Waterman in all of
my pens and it works great. Some inks are more gunky than others. These days
(now that Skrip's formula has changed), Quink is about the least gunky. Go
ahead and try that and see if it works. But really, a well-designed,
well-built, and properly adjusted pen ought to work well with any *good*
ink. If the standard recs other people have been giving you haven't worked,
I'd consider talking to someone who specializes in fixing nibs (John
Mottishaw, Richard Binder) to see if they'd be willing to look at it for
you for a few bucks. Unfortunately, to have one of these people fix it might
cost more than the pen is worth.

If you still had the receipt I'd recommend you send the pen back for a
refund and then get something like a Pelikan 200. Might not look as nice as
the Hemisphere, but at least it would write. -- Good luck, B

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

"B Landolf" wrote:

These days (now that Skrip's formula has changed), Quink is
about the least gunky.

What experience have you (or others that you know of) had with the
new Skrip? What differences have people noticed? I've got some, but
haven't tried it yet.

--
Steve

My e-mail address works as is.

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

Stephen Hust wrote:

What experience have you (or others that you know
of) had with the new Skrip? What differences have
people noticed? I've got some, but haven't tried it
yet.

Hi Steve... The new stuff really isn't bad, it's just different. The
older stuff was watery and had this characteristic Skrip odor (hard to
explain). The old stuff would flow in any pen. The new stuff is a bit
more viscous and opaque. I used to use the old stuff to flush pens out
when they started flowing slower. A fill or two with Skrip seemed to
degunk the works. Unfortunately, it also feathered a lot (at least on
the paper I used). The new stuff doesn't feather or bleed through as
much. I like the new stuff, but I definitely miss the old stuff. -- B

Waternan Hemisphere Problems
 

AndyH wrote:
Thank you all for your responses. As the pen is so new I contacted
Parker (er Waterman) and received the following responses: -

We do not recommend the use of other makes of ink in either the Parker
or Waterman brands, they are not compatible.

That's basically nonsense. If your pen writes dry, once it writes at all,
then you might not have much luck with "thick" ink like Noodler's. Other
than that possibility, you should be able to use what you like.
Incidentally, Private Reserve has a reputation for slow flow, but I think
it's been reformulated -- I have a couple of new bottles, and it flows very
well.

Brian
--