How to Fix a Penbbs 456 Vacuum Filler Fountain Pen SHORTIE Episode 7

[@InkquiringMinds]

NOTE: I replaced the stopper and the piston just to illustrate how it is done. If the piston rod moves slowly, 90% of the time it will be from lack of grease and accumulated ink. Just a good cleaning and greasing should be all that is necessary to fix the sticky piston. Inspect the stopper, piston, and o-rings for flaws, cracks, and tears before replacing them. The piston is supposed to spin around like that - normal.

[@Knottypinesz]

Very helpful video, Doug.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad you think so!

[@singhprabhjot235]

I dont have a experience of these expensive pens as i m from poor country and not able to buy these type of pens, but i feel like as i m writing with these pens while watching your video. Thanx sir

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks for sharing

[@andrewanddewi966]

Thanks for this excellent clearstep-by-step demonstration Doug.

[@InkquiringMinds]

You're welcome Thank you, Andrew and Dewi!

[@PL70015]

Thank you once again, Doug, for a fantastic and informative video. I’ve had this problem too, with one additional catch - It was a demonstrator. This allowed me to see - Oh, Horror! - Ink creeping deep into the blind cap … unreachable by syringe squirt. At the time, I trawled the forums for wisdom, which I'll add below: Peer into the blind cap, and you’ll see the nut that joins it to the rod. It can be a bit fiddly, but using a pair of fine tweezers, hold the nut's notches in place; you’ll then be able to unscrew the end cap, clean out gunk, and reseat it. Small victories!

[@swyftty2]

Very useful. Also glad to know they provide parts bags for those of us with the patience to fix.

[@konradyearwood5845]

I agree. That is what we need from companies to reduce the incidence of "throw away" in today's society. Interestingly I used to repair hydraulic presses that had the same basic design of piston mechanism but with two of those bevel seals back to back.

[@InkquiringMinds]

And the parts are only $8. A bargain.

[@crouserm]

Prof! You are Archimedes with a sewing needle!!! Super useful, super encouraging video for those of us who think, we don't have to waste this pen. I have the Penbbs 456 Vacuum Filler, and hope I don't need to do this. . . . But, now I think I could. Thank you.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks, Rob!

[@archivist17]

Splendid! Though my 456 is working splendidly at the moment, I do have a bag of spares, which will help should issues arise. And now I know what to do!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Great to hear!

[@oscarmedina1597]

Nicely done, sir- detailed and thorough.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you kindly!

[@wendyholiday2021]

Love how to repair and or modify videos. So useful, thanks 😊

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Juan_C84]

Excellent video Doug. Even with this "issue" but the availability of parts from PenBBS to repair it, this pen looks to be an even greater value for your money. Thanks again for such awesome videos! Keep up the great work!👍👍

[@ibanstein9612]

Wow thanks so much. My wife and I have bought two other brands that we've had trouble with, in which one of them won't write at all, not to mention the other had dried up ink cartridges. We're new to the fountain pen world, so this is what prompted me to look for a better pen, and how to repair them. I liked your video on Penbbs Company, so we're going to start over with their pens getting what fits our needs. Thanks Again!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad I could help!

[@kjhendricks55]

Thanks Doug. That was very informative. I have been experiencing the same problem with one of my 456's. I'll definitely be using this video to clean it out and check the parts for wear very shortly.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, Kevin! The piston is designed to spin around but if it seems to be able to roll back or is cracked, that's when it needs replacement. Same with the o-rings, any cracks or splits. Usually, all that is necessary is a good cleaning and greasing of everything.

[@-o-The-Duke-o-]

This video along with the rest of your 456 videos is what allowed me to hit the buy button this evening. Thank you for all of your hard work putting these all together. I was going to put a parts kit on order but unfortunately they are not for sale at the moment. I will message the seller and see if maybe they will come available soon. Thanks again!!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Awesome! Thank you! The pen parts kits come in and out of stock regularly.

[@-o-The-Duke-o-]

@@InkquiringMinds If you don't mind me asking, I notices that the Bobby Nibs are no longer being sold on Etsy. Is the a better way to get a hold of them or perhaps a better option nowadays?

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@-o-The-Duke-o- Bobby doesn't sell on Etsy anymore. His store is on Aliexpress and is called "St. Penpps Chinese Pen Store". Here is the item you are looking for: tinyurl.com/238veppt

[@-o-The-Duke-o-]

@@InkquiringMinds Thank you brother. You have been such a great help!

[@konradyearwood5845]

I thought you were going to give Linda her pen back as a gift. 🤣

[@InkquiringMinds]

She won’t take it!!

[@konradyearwood5845]

@@InkquiringMinds I can appreciate her sentiment. You are a 456 fan after all. Doodle Bud would be impressed with your mechanical skills! Stay safe Doug.

[@jeffroberts532]

Fantastic video! It’s very satisfying to be able to restore a pen to its intended function. It often feels like it works better than new. Your use of a sewing needle is a great tip. I use a dental pick tool for the same kind of thing. Thank you, Professor!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Jeff!

[@kapirk2244]

Fantabulous! This is just what I need. Must perform this surgery on my Aurora 459. Thanks a bagillion!

[@santauxia]

Very helpful and informative tutorial. Thank you Mr. R.

[@InkquiringMinds]

You are very welcome, Santa!

[@PKD-ze4hr]

That was a great little demo. Really makes me want to add one to my pen line up.

[@stevenparsons4076]

Thank you ,I have 5 of the 456 model ,found this video a great help.

[@ricoviselli]

I received a transparent blue 456 just last week. Thanks for posting this video, I was wondering how to maintain a vac filler.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad I could help

[@gauguin007]

Great video. My 456 has the same problem and I was wondering what to do about it.

[@paulmchugh1430]

very helpful video. Now I know how to remove the piston. I am sure it needs the silicone grease. Where did you find and purchase the parts bag?

[@InkquiringMinds]

You buy the parts pack from the official Penbbs Etsy store: tinyurl.com/mrxed8jf

[@irvintepper5]

thanks, Doug for the very useful video

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks, Irvin!

[@judyjacobs5827]

Thanks, Doug. I'm late to this particular party, and found it looking for instructions for fixing a pretty little pen that has a piston inside that, sadly, flops around and won't seal anything. The push rod isn't straight, either, and looks like it might be made of ebonite or something just as fragile. Nothing metal for an adjustable wrench. A mystery! Suggestions are welcome.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Sounds like an Opus88 Japanese eyedropper

[@judyjacobs5827]

@@InkquiringMinds I don't think so, as it has a blind cap on the end and a rod with a plug of some kind on the other end of that. The clip is marked "new clip". I do have an Opus 88, pretty cool pen, but not much like this machine. Hooded nib, purplish and grayish material on the cap and barrel.

[@georgeparapadakis]

Thanks Doug, useful video. I don’t own a 456, but watching this I’m intrigued: To maintain the vacuum and stop the ink from running out of the back of the pen, there HAS to be another gasket inside the screw unit, where the piston moves in and out. In most vac plunger repairs (Onoto, Sheaffer, etc) there’s a sealing cartridge that the piston goes through that typically needs replacing, especially if you see ink traces escaping on the piston, on the outside of the barrel. Ink should not accumulate and congeal in that unit, if the inner seals are intact. Curious if there is a way to replace that inner seal too. Also, it would probably make more sense to replace the O-rings before you put the piston seal back on :-) More repair videos please!!! 🙏

[@InkquiringMinds]

I don’t expect that piece is accessible. That’s why it is important to keep it well greased.

[@Javi_C]

Much appreciated!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad to help!

[@gauguin007]

My 456 was stiff from the moment I received it brand-new; I thought it was normal. After cleaning and greasing, the action is still so stiff in the barrel that the piston and stopper come straight off. Have ordered the parts bag ($23AUD to Australia). Meanwhile my cheap Jinhao Pens are simple and reliable.

[@ichirofakename]

Well done. How long did this process take, roughly?

[@InkquiringMinds]

When I fixed Linda's pen it took about 15 minutes start to finish.

[@avgjoeshow4208]

You know, I’ve always been kind of curious about this and for some reason, the last couple weeks I’ve been thinking about it a lot. When you were cleaning the pen you do what all of us fountain pen users do and use a bulb syringe to flush the nib unit and what not out. Anybody that’s ever had kids and has used those bulb syringes know that after a time mold can accumulate on the inside and you can usually cut an old bulb syringe open and find a thin layer of slimy mold on the inside of it. I know I’ve seen that once or twice in my life. Can you get mold in your pen that way? If you use a bulb syringe to flush your pen that might have some mold growing in it and you flush that mold through your pen can it cause your pen and therefore ink contamination?

[@InkquiringMinds]

Just don't empty your pen back into the bottle! And if you just use a little pen flush in your syringe every so often, mold will not grow.

[@MrCabimero]

Thanks for this. I am having difficulty with a 355 Pen BBS. Can you do a pen dissection on that one?

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yes I can! Here is a video I did showing the disassembly and parts and workings of both the old-style 355 and the improved version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYPCmYmsg5qAZs0

[@stuartriley]

Doug, I thank you for the great video of disassembly and assembly of the PBBS 456 Vacuum filler pen. I learned quite a bit from your video and instruction. I did not know that Pen BBS had spare parts; now I do know. Just a question: Is it the flexible parts just ware out, or that the tolerances are not quite close enough to keep them from wearing out prematurely?

[@InkquiringMinds]

I don't think the parts wear out per se. If the piston is well grease and maintained, it shouldn't distort and need replacement. But when the piston starts to get stiff, the pen needs to be cleaned and greased as forcing the rubber piston when it is sticking stretches the rubber out. That's my take on it anyway. Friction causes wear and there should be no friction if the pen is well greased.

[@stuartriley]

@@InkquiringMinds thanks for the update. I understand better now.

[@keithwhitney7491]

Great video! I may do this before I even use any of mine. In fact, it seems to me that it is so inevitable that we should do this as part of our cleaning and tuning before use. Nothing feels worse than a pen you like that suddenly seems to hate you! :)

[@megansmallwood3409]

Sniff* Thank you so much for this video! I didn't know what to do and started panicking cause I recently bought a Vacuum seal pen " Vac700R" clear demonstrator Pen and the top part and screw got stuck together! 😩😭🤧 And watching your video I was able to fix it immediately! ❤ 💖✨ So thank you so very much!!!

[@InkquiringMinds]

I'm glad it helped.

[@davecharvella4854]

👍👍

[@gauguin007]

I fixed my 456 following these instructions, but now the barrel has broken just below the metal threads. What pen is comparable to the 456 in terms of nib, ergonomics and price? I’m not fussy about the filling system.

[@InkquiringMinds]

That is a weak point with the 456 - where the acrylic barrel meets the metal threads. I wrote to Beini on Etsy and asked if she'd sell me a replacement barrel. It was an easy fix. I don't know of a pen that has the same contours and balance as a 456. You might try a Tianzi or a Narwhal piston filler.

[@gauguin007]

@@InkquiringMinds . Thanks Doug, I’ll check out those two pens you mentioned. Saw your positive review of the PENBBS 480, so I might get one of those in clear.

[@miker5502]

Thanks for this video Doug, it came in very handy as my 456 decided it would no longer drink ink…lol! I followed your advice, took it apart and discovered much to my dismay that the rubber of the vacuum seal had gotten so mushy that it pulled right off the metal rod. RATS! Went to Etsy and ordered the repair kit in hope this will fix the issue,( hope springs eternal).The pen still had ink in it Noodler's Baystate Blue which I like as it is very blue, but wondered if the ink itself might have weakened or softened the rubber parts…any clues? The pen is relatively new.. Cheers from Nova Scotia..Mike.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I've never tried BSB but it seems to be particularly nasty. Once you've fixed the seal, try using a gentler ink like Iroshizuku Kon Peki (my fav).

[@williamcatalano1762]

I'm curious if people have these same problems with a Pilot Custom 823 as I was looking at one of those too but they are 4 to 5 times the price. I realize with the type of mechanism this pen has it's going to be a lot more maintenance than the other filler mechanisms. How long is it usually before you have to start replacing parts on these pens? Super educational video Doug and appreciate it a lot!

[@InkquiringMinds]

If the pen is well maintained and the piston / inside of the barrel is greased regularly, then the parts should last years and years. It is silicone rubber - very little will cause them to deteriorate. But, stress does tear them. So, if the vac-filler or piston-filler mechanism feels like it is struggling - don't FORCE it! That's what distorts the gaskets and pistons and o-rings. Good grease maintenance will make the pen work like new for a long, long time.

[@williamcatalano1762]

@@InkquiringMinds How often for a grease? Every few ink ups?

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@williamcatalano1762 If the Rod feels like it is dragging or difficult to move or it has ink on it.

[@williamcatalano1762]

@@InkquiringMinds Good deal Doug. I'll keep all of this in mind when I decide to take the plunge haha Also I just got a Conklin All American. I know you don't care for the Conklins a whole lot, but this All American in Brownstone is a beauty. I got it in a stub nib and it works well. I inked the stub up with Noodlers Apache Sunset as I just got a bottle of that to try the same day. Awesome ink and admire how it changes colors. Once I ran the Apache out I cleaned and took out the nib unit. My idea was to buy a nib unit from Goulet as the stub pen was the one on sale and buy a fine nib unit to swap. I realized the nib unit from Goulet was going to be around 25 or so with shipping. Well I saw a green duragraph with a fine nib on sale for 27 dollars. So I figured hopefully they are both JoWo nibs and units. They were so I swapped the fine out of the green duragraph into the new All American Brownstone. So I basically got an extra duragraph in a different color for what I would of spent for a nib and unit from Goulet. I'm pretty happy it worked out well. I don't know if you've ever tried an All American Conklin but I love how chunky it is. It's a beefy pen and just feels good even posted. You should check them out maybe. Now just waiting on a bottle of Diamine Autumn Oak. Think I'm going to put it in my Cedar 480 PENBBS haha

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@williamcatalano1762 Hey William. I have a Conklin Duragraph. I bought an extra nib with it and both were not great. I know they've switched to Jowo but the replacement nibs from Goulet are still Bock (I asked). I've seen the All American but they are actually made in China by Jinhao. The Jinhao 9056 is the same pen with Jinhao branding. If you put a Jowo in a Jinhao 9056, you have a Conklin All American. Of course, with Conklin you have a wider range of cool acrylics from which to choose.