Hongdian N6 and N7 Piston Filler Disassembly

[@lk26181]

Thank you for your review Doug. I’m enjoying an N7 based on your recommendation. Exceptional writing experience for the price!

[@jls3220]

Thank you. And the Brylcreem reference is much appreciated.

[@InkquiringMinds]

For those who recall! :)

[@jls3220]

Inkquiring Minds want to know and some recall.

[@crouserm]

I should watch this every couple of months to get it in my head, Professor! I have the N-7 inked with Fahrney's Lost Horizon Blue (only 74 ml to go!), but might want to switch colors sooner than I run out of ink. Your instruction gives me every confidence I can handle this. Thanks!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Excellent, Rob! Thanks!

[@yominrak7975]

Thank you for the information about the wrench, I have ordered a pen from Sally and notified her to include the wrench.

[@ellistreloar2047]

I like your ‘matter of fact’ approach Doug. I just received my N7 and I’m delighted with it, but it seems that it is sold with a ‘dry’ piston. I assumed that the nib unit unscrewed allowing access to the inside of the barrel to grease the piston, similar to the Pelikan M200. However, the channel between the section and barrel is too narrow to effectively do anything eg, apply grease to the piston. Yours is the first video to show how to unscrew the piston assembly. I didn’t receive a spanner with my pen so I’ll make one carefully to do the job! Thanks for the video.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yes! You can make one out of an old plastic credit card or shopping card as well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gn6nY52Do7aAZ6s

[@avgjoeshow4208]

Thanks for the tip about closing the cap on the wrench. I kept having my wrench slip off it was driving me nuts. Didn’t even think of that!!

[@InkquiringMinds]

You are welcome!

[@archivist17]

That's really handy! Though I'll need to sort out a purchase to get the wrench...

[@InkquiringMinds]

I thought I'd get something cheap. But then I remembered it was esybuy! LOL

[@martham9980]

Very helpful video - thank you. I am really enjoying my N7 ( I have the grey one).

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad it was helpful!

[@twain888]

Thanks for masterclass! Ok, I sold my N7 (Moon rabbit one) because the piston volume isn't that substantial compared with Lorelei 667 and I couldn't work out how to disassemble (no wrench). Maybe I'll rebuy it now I've watched your video!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Excellent!

[@wendyholiday2021]

Love my N7 rabbit 🐇.

[@twain888]

@@wendyholiday2021 --- Yes, the gun metal and chatoyance is gorgeous. It's simply that I use fountain pens for sketching and the N7 would feel a bit too weighty for that over longer periods. My sketching fountains are around 12-20g (Jinhao 100 to PenBBS 456, uncapped and filled with ink). N7 is 38g capped and 28g uncapped. A PenBBS 456 holds 2ml of ink. N7 holds 1ml. So the extra weight but less ink capacity also affected my decision. Having said that, I will probably re-buy the pen for writing short notes.

[@aag24]

Wonderful, Professor! Looks like the illegally circulated Montblanc wrench ... try it out when you get one! Thanks very much, sir

[@InkquiringMinds]

If and when! :)

[@Javi_C]

2 videos in 1 day 😊

[@InkquiringMinds]

Chalk it up to human error! LOL

[@sleepawkeen]

Thank you for providing this information. I need a bit more tweaking.....Using Private Reserve "Tropical Blue" I have attempted the piston fill process twice, and I see no evidence of "fill" occurring. Yes, I am enjoying writing samples with my new pen, though it is clear that the reservoir is not filling. Your suggestion(s)? Thanks.

[@InkquiringMinds]

If your piston filler isn't filling either 1) You have an air leak 2) You don't have the nib into the ink all the way to the section

[@sleepawkeen]

@@InkquiringMinds well, you caught me....I confess that I followed your demo ....I did see the two spots where the key should fit on the piston fill and I did nudge it a bit to see if I could; and I did do a slow "lefty lucy, righty tighty" to see how that worked. Then when I had convinced myself that I could imitate your demo, I stopped and attempted to activate the piston fill. TWICE! And it appears that I walked right into the error that you warned of in today's show about the effect of the bottle housing our precious ink. I have some Goulet sample bottles...I tried the first fill using one of the Goulet plastic bottles.....total volume approx 15 ml. I tightened and loosened several times with never seeing any change in the ink level of the bottle or showing in the ink window. Then I decided to use the Private Reserve "Tropical Blue"....the bottle is less than half full. Again, no "evidence" appeared in the ink window on 3 efforts.. Moments later I made my way here, sat and watch your presentation, and I plan to start anew in the morning. You are a blessing to me since I am alone among my friends and family in my fountain pen interest. There is one pen shop in the city, Pippi's. Joan, the shop owner, is a wonderful treasure in the city, though understandably the shop is closed on New Years Eve. LOL......

[@edwardwiper1323]

Great video Doug,didn't get a tool with either of my N7"s & apparently i have read on fountainpen network its supposed to come with the pen like it does with the twsbi.This is quite a common occurrence reading the comments so o think Hongdian need to get their act together on this one or make them ready avaliable.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks for the info. I bet the issue is related to the seller rather than Hongdian as Sally seems to sell the wrench with the pen. Or perhaps you have to buy the pen with the box which is a more expensive option. Some sellers might be stripping the wrench and box to sell as an extra. I've seen that before.

[@mariatriesart8389]

Hi Doug, please can you give me the link for where to buy the wrench for the N6?

[@InkquiringMinds]

I bought mine from esybuy on Esty. When you buy the pen, send Sally a note with your order asking that the wrench be included.

[@martham9980]

I ended up with 2 tools. Would you like one? I would think I could mail it in the US for a buck or so.

[@mariatriesart8389]

@@martham9980 Dear Martha you are so kind to offer! I ended up getting the N7 which came with the tool. Thank you so much for your helpfulness! ❤️😘💐

[@thepenman357]

I made a mild attempt to remove the nib unit from the grip section, but it was pretty tight. Do you know if the nib section can be removed?

[@InkquiringMinds]

They don’t come off.

[@grpnkv]

Thank you, didn’t know about that wrench. Btw can you use it for Leonardo pens?

[@InkquiringMinds]

No. Too small.

[@grpnkv]

@@InkquiringMinds thanks. I need to put some silicone on my Leo piston, but paying $35 for the wrench drives me crazy )).

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@grpnkv Yeah. Me too. I’m still waiting for mine. About four months now.

[@grpnkv]

@@InkquiringMinds btw got a hongdian wrench from my coworker today and… it fits perfectly to my Leonardo Momentous Magico!!!

[@harisivakumar207]

Doug, what type of silicone grease did you use? The one that I use is thick but yours is much more liquid. Can you please kindly explain to me what brand of silicone grease is that? I do prefer the liquid grease than the one I’m currently using.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Pen aficionados would complain that it isn't the right stuff but it works just fine for me. It is silicone grease/oil for lubricating treadmills that I got at a hardware store (Canadian Tire).

[@avgjoeshow4208]

Question about your N7. I bought one. It came to the house. I went to flush it with our favorite friend the bulb syringe, and I notice it’d leak a bit from the ink window when I flushed it. I got a replacement and the replacement did the same thing. But when I filled it with ink it didn’t leak a bit. Writes well, no leaks, no drips, no bubbles. Even though when I flush it I can see bubbles coming out from between the barrel and the ink window. Have you experienced that? I really don’t want to return it again, I really wanted this pen. I’m thinking of taking my chances since it’s holding ink just fine. Maybe I’ll just clean it another way then flushing.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I just checked mine and it does the same thing! Very odd!

[@avgjoeshow4208]

@@InkquiringMinds yes. That is very strange. At least I know it’s not just a defect on my end and I can enjoy this pen. Thank you for double checking yours for me!!

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@avgjoeshow4208 No worries. It is good that it doesn't leak with ink!

[@avgjoeshow4208]

@@InkquiringMinds yes!! because I very much like this pen! I may have to find a different nib to fit it though. I just ordered the Elite 95, the one for the Japanese market. I’ve loved looking at the pen and your video helped me pull the trigger on the purchase.

[@paulmchugh1430]

I don't own either pen, yet. I do have a 1641. It is thinner than these models. Would it work for other Hong Dian models?

[@InkquiringMinds]

If they use the same piston mechanism, I bet it would.

[@Lowkster]

I wonder if this is compatible with montblanc pens. This as in the disassembly tool.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I would be surprised if it did!

[@Lowkster]

@@InkquiringMinds kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWqxaKiGp8psr80

[@Merlin012001]

Well, i guess I'm going to be asking esybuy for one of those wrenches in my next order then.

[@tiffanybluetarot]

The piston on my N-7 just broke. I think I used too much brute force. 😰 If I was smart, I’d have looked up videos first rather than after the fact. 😣

[@InkquiringMinds]

So sorry to hear that!

[@tiffanybluetarot]

@@InkquiringMinds it is a bummer. Such a gorgeous pen with a writing experience to match! Hoping it can be fixed somehow… On another note…I continue to appreciate you & the useful (and entertaining!) info you put out here for us, Doug! Top tier, for sure.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@tiffanybluetarot Thank you so much, Tiffany!