I recently acquired a fountain pen that is probably more than 20 years old. It is a lever-filler style pen. But when i pull the level to fill it, it makes this horrible cracking sound. Not supposed to happen, I'm guessing. When I shake it, it also sounds like its a mechanical pencil filled with lead xD I'm guessing that's not right either.
Is my pen defunct? Is there anyway I can get it fixed, or should i just get a new one? Its an old Watermans' Ideal fountain pen.
It may be full of dried ink. When you pull up the lever it is probably cracking/breaking the dried ink, then the pieces of it are rattling around sounding like pencil lead. Is there a way you can get it open and clean it out?
If by chance you can get it open, carefully use a q-tip soaked with hair spray (yep hair spray) and clean out the pen. You can spray the hair spray right into the pen too. Be sure to shake out the shards of dried ink first. 
Hope this helps, it sounds like a nice pen.
Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen, Watermans Orange Hard Rubber 52 1/2 V Fountain Pen - GFT - LF - 14KT Ideal Nib, Watermans White Pearl Fountain Pen - GFT - LF - 14KT Watermans Ideal Nib, Vintage Waterman's Ideal MOP Fountain Pen 14k Nib, Waterman "Ideal" Fountain Pen with case. 18K-750, Watermans Ideal Refillable Fountain Pen. Watermans Ideal Gold Tip ecb, VINTAGE--FOUNTAIN PEN--WATERMAN--IDEAL---DARK BROWN, 1913 Print Ad Watermans Ideal Fountain Pen Gifts NY, Vintage Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen #14 with Gold Bands Dated 1917 , ** WATERMAN IDEAL FOUNTAIN PEN INK BOTTLE w/ INK - STILL IN THE WATERMAN'S BOX *, 1925 WATERMAN 52 1/2 V IDEAL RED RIPPLE LADIES LEVER-FILL FOUNTAIN PEN, Vintage~WATERMAN'S IDEAL Hard Rubber #52 FOUNTAIN PEN~Brown~GOLD FILLED TRIM , Vintage Waterman's Ideal Hundred 100 Year Fountain Pen Set, Watermans Fountain Pen - Pearl White - NPT - LF - 14KT Watermans Ideal Nib, Waterman Ideal Gold Plated, 18 K Gold Nib Fountain Pen, Nib size: Medium, VINTAGE WATERMAN'S IDEAL STERLING SILVER FOUNTAIN PEN 452 1/2 V, Waterman Ideal 452 1/2 V Sterling Fountain Pen, Has a Good Original Tip, Vintage WATERMAN Ideal Marbled Fountain PEN. Lever Fill. For Service/Parts, VINTAGE WATERMAN IDEAL 92 WINE RED GOLD MARBLE FOUNTAIN PEN, 1910 Magazine Ad Watermans IDEAL Fountain Pen L E Waterman Co 173 Broadway NY, 1927 Ad Waterman's Pen Fountain Model Seven Broadway Writing Ideal Advertisement, 1906 Ad L E Waterman Co Broadway NY Ideal Fountain Pen Bust Shakespeare Writing, 1916 Ad L. E. Waterman Ideal Fountain Pen Pocket Self Filling Writing Instrument, 1912 Ad Waterman Ideal Fountain Pen Traveling Outfit Writing Utensil Instrument, 1905 Ad Coming Event Christmas Waterman Ideal Pointer Pen Fountain Mark Calendar, 1904 Ad L. E. Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen Penholder - ORIGINAL ADVERTISING, 1907 Ad Broadway Gold Watermans Ideal Fountain Pen Jamestown Exposition Printing, 1907 Ad Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen Models Gold Tip - ORIGINAL ADVERTISING, 1908 Ad Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen Writing Turkey - ORIGINAL ADVERTISING, VTG WATERMAN IDEAL FOUNTAIN PEN 14K GOLD NIB THOROBRED BROWN SPECKLED RED LINE,
