Fountain pen blues

[Linkinyeah]

This past week has been a very bad week for me and fountain pens. I first had a beautiful Skyline barell break on me when I barely applied any tension to the angle in which I was holding the pen. Next, I was trying to get the section and feed of a Parker Junior Vacumatic and the threads separated from the rest of the section, ruining it. I was heating it up, but I don't know if I caused this because I didn't heat it up enough. Then, I was so excited to get a working Parker VS in this blue color, but it started leaking ink from the section so I was attempting to remove it and the same issue, the threads stayed in place and the rest of the section broke. From what you can tell, is this happening because I am applying too much force when turning? I have allowed the section to get hot enough where I can feel it in my finger when I put it on the section. Is this caused by someone sealing them with a glue? What is a good measure of knowing that one has got the section warm enough? I did apply a fair amount of force when attempting to twist them off, but I did this because they were not turning after several attempts of heating them up. I would appreciate any advice to this frustrated newbie. I included a picture of my makeshift heat gun from my wife's blow dryer. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180105/7d95661f304bb1efbde3d66dc421ecb9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180105/bf189c1aee93458010451048ecf584c9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180105/1fc7dacb3b5d7a5eafe8d1a41135e7ff.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180105/04923bdc89babadf8ed1ef07d8b0f937.jpg

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[Linkinyeah]

Also, any ideas on how to get the sections out of the two barrels now?

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[penwash]

I'm speaking from the perspective of someone who has experienced all of the above... multiple times... on more difficult to replace pens :)

This is really when your mettle in taking on vintage pen restoration is tested. I was asked one time, who makes a good restorer? And after thinking about that for a while, my answer is that the one who stick to it no matter how many pens he/she broke and at the same time learn from *each* breakage (sometimes it's not your fault).

So take heart. Breaking stuff is part of the journey of a restorer, fountain pens or anything else.

As for getting the broken section out, I would use a drill bit that is smaller than the barrel but not too small.

[Deb]

There might have been a number of reasons for these pens breaking but as general advice I would suggest expecting to take quite a while over disassembly. I often make many attempts at getting a section out of the barrel. Patience is the best tool in your toolbox, but as penwash says, we have all broken pens. Still do, though not as often.

[Chrissy]

I have a heat gun and the diameter of the end where the hot air exits is about 1.5 - 2". I think that maybe your hair dryer cone might be too narrow, so it could be that you have concentrated hot air too close to one specific part of the pen.

Try cutting some of your cone off so that you are heating a slightly bigger area and holding the pen slightly further away from the heat. Or take the blue cone off altogether because the hairdryer doesn't look like it's particularly wide at the end. Then you might be heating the part where the original glue is.

[Jon Szanto]

Broken pens are
the tuition collected at
DIY Pen Restoration
University.

[Farmboy]

Don’t feel so bad...on a Skyline you usually break the barrel.

[Linkinyeah]

So heating the pens up and trying to somehow twist the broken sections loose is probably a lost cause?

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[Farmboy]

Heat cycle the barrel a few times then try to unscrew the the rest of the vac section with an easy out. I find it easiest to drill out the Skyline sections.

[Linkinyeah]

Sorry, what do you mean by "easy out"? Is this a tool?

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[Jon Szanto]

Sorry, what do you mean by "easy out"? Is this a tool?

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Yes is it. Moderately common one, Google is your friend.

[Linkinyeah]

I apologize if I am frustrating people with my questions. I did a search to try and answer this question but I couldn't find this specific question. I just received my vac tool and removed 3 plunger filling mechanisms. One has no issues at all, but the other two will not depress the plunger now and seem to be stuck. They both worked before depressed before I took them out of the barrel. I have tried heating them up and a couple of cycles through the ultra sonic. Do I just need to keep trying. Are they now broken? Any advice would be appreciated. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180106/399094fb06341a580673636a2e6c2d59.jpg

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[Farmboy]

Is the broken one the bottom one pictures...the all plastic filler?

[Linkinyeah]

No both of these are not pushing up or down.

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[Farmboy]

Just a guess; are the nuts crushed so they are no longer round? Try putting on the blind cap, if it doesn't go then the nuts are crushed. Not uncommon on an all plastic filler.

Other possibilities include a damaged spring that somehow got twisted and is holding everything in place. There is also the ferrule fused to the nut possibility and then there is the they got wet and the aluminum corroded though that doesn't happen on the all plastic filler.

FB

[Farmboy]

Forgot...

Yes they can be fixed. Pellet cups and springs have been remanufactured and the other parts live in parts bins from other damaged filler units. Good fillers are getting harder to come by but you can get reproduction fillers as well.

[Chrissy]

Just a guess; are the nuts crushed so they are no longer round? Try putting on the blind cap, if it doesn't go then the nuts are crushed. Not uncommon on an all plastic filler.

Other possibilities include a damaged spring that somehow got twisted and is holding everything in place. There is also the ferrule fused to the nut possibility and then there is the they got wet and the aluminum corroded though that doesn't happen on the all plastic filler.

FB
I've never seen an all plastic filler in a Parker Vac. I always thought the screw thread parts were metal. Thanks for letting us know that they exist. :)

[mmd]

Oh......That's really unfortunate. One thing I learned is holding the section fixed and playing around with the barrel. And another thing I learned is staying away from Waterman taperite/commando......., basically anything that's produced during that time.

[Jon Szanto]

Oh......That's really unfortunate. One thing I learned is holding the section fixed and playing around with the barrel. And another thing I learned is staying away from Waterman taperite/commando......., basically anything that's produced during that time.

Somewhere in the depths of these forums is a thread on Taperites. I think KrazyIvan started it. I contributed. We BOTH had tales of woe, and mine included the pen that I broke in less than 30 seconds after getting it out of the packaging from the eBay seller.

[lowks]

Sorry to hear this. Hang in there.

[Linkinyeah]

An update. I got the section out of the VS and I am currently looking for a blue replacement section. As you can imagine it is difficult to find one. I heated up the Parker junior enough to get the lock down out but apparently the combination of me heating up the barrel and squeezing it to twist it out caused the barrel to deform where I was gripping it. After getting the lock down out, I tried heating up the barrel again to get the shape back. This worked on one side but not the other. I have given up on this pen and think I am going to just try selling the cap, filler, feed, and blind cap as parts, unless someone knows of a source for a new barrel.

Still searching for a red/Maroon barrel for the Skyline. I have not found any sources other than Ebay, but I have not come across any part pens yet. I would appreciate any ideas.

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[Chrissy]

Unless you can find any repairers who have the replacement sections you need, then eBay is probably your best bet. I wish you luck though, as finding replacements is not going to be easy. If I think of anything I'll be sure to let you know. :)

[mmd]

Oh......That's really unfortunate. One thing I learned is holding the section fixed and playing around with the barrel. And another thing I learned is staying away from Waterman taperite/commando......., basically anything that's produced during that time.

Somewhere in the depths of these forums is a thread on Taperites. I think KrazyIvan started it. I contributed. We BOTH had tales of woe, and mine included the pen that I broke in less than 30 seconds after getting it out of the packaging from the eBay seller.

It was worse for me. I "successfully" took out the section, installed a new sac and put it back one piece. Then I inked the pen and wrote with it. After probably 2 minutes, with bare pressure from my fingers holding the pen, the section cracked on the threads. It was a disaster. I didn't even know if the section was weakened when I took it out, or it was the ink (Quink black) or what, but I know I don't want that ever again.

[Farmboy]

There are numerous parts stashes that I know of. Problem is most of the parts stashes are not being sold as parts. Selling parts comes in two flavors:

a) Your part didn't fit my pen.
b) Your pen didn't fit my part.

Search eBay and pen shows for project pens.

[amk]

One of the things you pick up after a while is the *feel* of how sections come out. It's difficult to explain but there's a little moment when things start to move and I now instantly recognise that and keep going while it lasts. Other pens are just stuck stuck, and I don't insist; they go back in the box for the time being. To start with I try very, very small movements, 90% twisting and just a little (very very little) sideways wiggle, just to see if I can get to that point. Once I'm there it is twist and pull all the way - too much wiggle and you have the risk of breaking the barrel. Easier if you put the section pliers away and just concentrate on using your fingers (assisted with latex gloves, which help the grip), then you can really feel your way.

I have some pens that just keep going back in the box. One Bayard, in a particularly lovely celluloid, has been tried 15 times now and I have a slightly less than one millimetre opening between the barrel and section now. I'm hoping it will be quicker next time!