Pelikan Level L5, the big disassembly

[werner]

Topic: Pelikan Level L5, the big disassembly
Startbeitrag
Author: Zollinger

Dear Plenary,

Though I have been visiting this forum on a regular base for quite a while now, Iv only recently become a member. I would like to thank you all for the valuable postings that involved many different fountain pen models, however, especially for the ones that helped me on my technical problems concerning my fountain pen. Now it is only just and equitable to return the favor by passing on my limited amount knowledge to those who might be interested.

Only a short while ago I have acquired a Pelikan Level L5 fountain pen. Despite the pen still being produced, I feel it is indeed worth collecting, due to the exotic filling system. In my opinion, it should not be missing in any Pelikan fountain pen collection.

One particularity of the pen is that it can only be cleaned completely by dismounting the pen in its single parts. Hence, my search for an instruction manual led me through numerous internet pages and forums, however, without success. But I managed to take it apart anyway. At this point, I would like to share my findings with you.

Pictures can be worth more than thousand words. So, to get started, here’s the photo of the fountain pen:

please look at the picture level_l5_1.jpg below

Disassembly instructions:

1. Clamp the pen e. g. in a vise with rubber protections.

2. Use a pen to push the two round dots on the top end of the fountain pen. (The tool you use to push the buttons down should be of about the same size of the buttons. Try not to use a tool with a sharp end; the buttons are made of a very soft material.) At the same time, carefully pull the rotary knob that is attached on the other end. When both push buttons are unlocked you can pull the entire mechanism out of the barrel.

Caution: By pulling out the mechanism, all the ink still remaining in the pen will be released. In addition, there is a sealing ring (O-Ring) in the barrel that is likely to fall off and might be lost, so mind not to pull out the mechanism while holding it under running water – close the sink plug!

3. After the mechanics was taken out, the fountain pen can be rinsed.

4. The nib and the ink feed can be pulled out of the gripping section in this order.

Assembly:

5. If at hand, grease the sealing ring and put it in the right position of the mechanism.

6. When building together, make sure the rotary knob of the mechanism is turned closed. Push the whole construction back inside the barrel until the two buttons click into place again. Finished.

And just for the sake of the pen being so photogenic, here a picture of the pen built together again:

please look at the picture level_l5_2.jpg below

I hope my instructions are halfway comprehensible and might help one or two readers. If any questions should arise, I’d be glad to answer them.

Greetings from Zurich

Christof

[werner]

Antwort_01
Autor: werner

Hello Christof,

First of all, let me welcome you to the forum. It's always great to hear when people with a passion for fountain pens find their way to this forum. We're also happy to hear that our postings were rated as helpful.

Thank you for your report and the pictures. I am convinced that it will really help a lot of fans of writing instruments whom are trying to fix their Level pen on their own.

Greetings,
Werner

[werner]

Antwort_02
Autor: absia

So Christof,

I am very thankful for your report. After having gotten my fingers on an L5 by chance, during a rummage sale at Karstadt's, it became one of my most useful pens. The ink reservoir is merely endless and by refilling the special ink bottles, you are just as flexible with changing ink colors as with any other fountain pen. Meanwhile, the Level pen is not in production anymore. It was stopped in 2006, as far as I know.

Anyhow, I was really happy to find out how well the pen writes. So, I plundered every other source on Ebay offering a Level pen. Now I have enough pens to open my own shop. I think the versions with an 18 karat golden nib are particularly fancy, but the Ceramics and other L5 pens are delectable, too. Inconveniently, you need ink bottles matching the system to refill them, but they can be bought on Ebay easily and to a halfway affordable price. Usually, you even get a Level 65 student's pen on top, which are nice writing with, too. They have become my all-round pens that I have lying around everywhere at home.

So, here's my story –just to close the circle and get back to your report: I gave one of my Level 5 pens to a colleague of mine and, of all pens I have, it was the one leaking. I didn't know and I felt very embarrassed about that. I promised her I'd have it fixed expertly. Then I remembered your instructions you posted at the forum, which I had already read before. I followed your instructions in detail and actually was able to fix the pen. The O-ring wasn't sitting right, that's why the pen was leaky. I constructed a pair of small pliers to push down both pressure points at the same time while using a pair of grip pliers to pull out the mechanism over an ice cream box. Good thing my wife never catches me using her big Tupperware freezer boxes for my pen﷓doctoring. I rinse them out very painstakingly afterwards.

Finally, thank you for your nice report. I'm sure now more people will dare venturing on this fountain pen diva that supposedly has so many idiosyncrasies of which I have seen none so far. No ink spills and such a large in reservoir! Too bad that the Level edition isn't produced anymore. Tenryu made a good point here: If you want to gather your first experiences with Level pens and don't want to invest too much, you should try a Level 65 pen. It was more or less meant to be a model for students, but it never really captured that social circle. The perfect pen for daily use!
Peter

[werner]

Antwort_03
Autor: absia

Hello Everyone!

I would like to set a supplemental posting at this point. My brand new Level 5 fountain pen came and when I tried to fill it up, the ink came right back out the other end. At first, I was really upset, but when I thought about all the fuss it would make sending it back, I decided to take it apart on my own and find out why it is not working. In the end, it was a defect sealing like the defect O-ring described before. It wasn't sitting where it belonged, so I put it back and et voilà! It worked again!

So now, my fountain pen has its own story and it no longer has a choice but to stick with me.

Greetings
Peter

[werner]

Antwort_04
Autor: isegrimmgo

Hello,
here is a link to a congener. It's an interesting method to increase the ink flow.

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum ... topic=5397

Colorful greetings
wulfgang

[werner]

Antwort_05
Autor: Zollinger

Hello Wolfgang

Tell me if I misunderstood you, but did the guy really remove the two top sealings?

If so, then it's no surprise that the pen writes with a greater ink flow. It will also be easier to rinse, and he's sure going to need doing that!

Fountain pens with a very large reservoir tend to:
- an erratic ink flow (depending on the air pressure)
- leak.

That is why even eye dropper pens had been equipped with sealing valves already at a very early stage, e. g. the Onoto, among many others.

Parker tried getting a grip on the problem by creating a curved ink feed (Lucky Curve), but it implied that the pen had to be held either with the nib downwards (as for when writing) or with the nib to the side (for transportation).

Nobody is willing to make such compromises nowadays for the sake of a utility object.

In today's eye droppers, the ink feed prevents an ink leakage. As a result, the ink feed is rather sparse.

A company like Pelikan could and would not allow itself such an inconvenience. That is why the Level pen is equipped with a double-chamber system. The small chamber is always open for writing and a large one that can't leak when closed. If these valves are removed, a very large chamber is the result, one that is open permanently. Never in my life would I dare to carry such a pen in my chest pocket.

There is a discussion on FPN on exactly that topic: How willing are you to sacrifice the safety against leakage for a better ink flow?

Personally, I prefer pens that share both qualities. To those who might be unsatisfied with the ink flow of their fountain pen I recommend sending their pen to Hanover instead of solving the problem on their own…but that's a matter of opinion, of course.

Christof

PS: How's it going with the two import pens?

[werner]

Antwort_06
Autor: isegrimmgo

Hello Christof – nice to read from you!
I sacrificed one of the L65 pens and "tuned" it with a pair of pliers.
The ink flow is plenty, but predictable, in combination with a golden nib from a 75 Go in size F, really well.
A black fountain pen, a blue cap and a golden nib. There's not much more you can get out of an L65, if you ask me. But I still wouldn't try the thing with the chest pocket, though.

The imports are doing great, thanks for asking!
Osmia is currently on vacation and the Skyline is out a lot with his brother "Symphony". A great team!

Greetings
Wolfgang

[werner]

Antwort_07
Autor: Zollinger

Hello Wolfgang

Tell me, is it now possible to post pictures on Penexchange??? That is GRRREAT!!!

After having been through all the work uploading them on Flickr… Still, you can have a look, if you want:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30169694@N ... 118942791/

I'm glad to hear you are happy with your Skyline. You're going to become one of those favorers of Americans, like me…

Greetings from Switzerland
Christof

[werner]

Antwort_08
Autor: s-elch

So, I've finally dared myself to pull out the nib and the ink feed of my Level L5, due to a problem with the ink flow. Both parts are soaking in warm water now. It already helped a lot on my piston filler…

Now, my question to you experts is, what I have to mind when I put both parts back inside. You already needed enough force getting them out. Is there anything I should watch out for, or should I just shove it in until I think it is inside deep enough?

[werner]

Antwort_09
Autor: Zollinger

Hmmm, I'm not so sure anymore. I think the ink feed is so flat on one side that it only fits one way. Otherwise, like with any other pen, push in it, nib first, and position it correctly. Push it in all the way, carefully but determined. That's all I can say, really – sorry.

Was there anything that I missed, Wolfgang?

Zollinger