Sheaffer refurb

[Mark9117]

I've managed to get this far.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/04/25/b283d0f34bc28dee3162ed07ea4bb2f3.jpg

My understanding is that there is a coupler between the nib/feed assembly and the ink capsule.

I tried heating the coupler with a hair dryer a couple of times but I can't budge it. I'm really worried about breaking something.

I've resorted to more soaking. I've looked at what I presume is the coupler under magnification. I believe I'm doing what needs to be done, but like I said, no joy.

Will keep working.

Mark

[Mark9117]

So, there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that the Triumph-nibbed pen above seems to be a no go. I have heated it and tried to unscrew the nib section from the coupler, the coupler from the capsule but all I've managed to do is somehow shrink the threads on the capsule so that the barrel no longer wants to thread onto it. This can be covered up by placing a small scrap of paper towel between the capsule and screwing the barrel on over that. Nevertheless, I can't get to the seals to replace them. This pen is in a baggy waiting to be dealt with one way or the other. And I had such high hopes for a Triumph nib.

The good news is that the pen that held the least promise wound up the greatest reward. The Slim Balance (or whatever it actually is) went pretty swell. I managed to get it apart enough to replace the piston head gasket. There are pics below. I noticed that the plunger shaft is covered in a plastic of some kind. I've read about these plastic-coated shafts and the admonition is that they tend to break down over time and cause trouble. This shaft appears to be virtually brand new. I wonder if this mechanism might not have been replaced sometime recently. The gasket, however, didn't survive my loosening up the mechanism in the barrel. It gave up quickly and I replaced it with a gasket I had on hand (thanks fountainpensacs.com!).

At any rate, I managed to get the nib section out but not before nicking it slightly with the pliers, and not before pulling the nib a couple of milimeters out of the feed collar. It isn't bad enough to have any effect on the way the pen writes or feels, so I'm calling that good. Especially given my utter lack of experience in all this. The packing at the end of the pen seemed to be in good shape. Thankfully. Had it been an issue, I would have likely called it quits there. As it was, a little grease on the piston and things sealed up nicely.

That all being done, I lubed up the barrel interior, the plunger shaft, and all the threads with some silicone grease, reassembled it, and proceeded to suck up a 70-75% load of water.

I gave it a brisk polish with micromesh and Simichrome. I then sucked up a load of Waterman Serinity Blue and tested it. I may have to produce an actual review soon, but for now, it's a very fine pen with a slightly springy nib. There is some feedback to the nib at this point, but it doesn't feel scratchy, at least not for your average Fine nib.

I snagged some quick potato-quality pics with my cell phone. Actual portaits may come later. These pictures do not do the pen justice.

http://i.imgur.com/A4KXBKD.jpg

I forgot I had to take the little nut off the end of the piston shaft to put the new gasket on. New gasket is the intact one just to the left of the old worn out gasket with the big hole.

http://i.imgur.com/uLh2joJ.jpg

Forgive the penmanship. I'm working on it.

http://i.imgur.com/koz4bTA.jpg

Thanks for looking!

Mark