Lever Fill pens that won't budge?

[top pen]

I've currently got a Burnham B54 and CS no 753 and neither of them will budge. I've re-sacced a few burnhams and 2 Handfuls of Conways and never had 2 pens that after half an hour at the most of tugging won't move.

The burnham likely is a thread section and the Conway is likely press.

I''m hesitant to soak them or heat them as it may cause distortion.

[Fermata]

I have had a CS58 that I couldnt open, went away for special treatment and that man couldnt open it either. I think it had been G clamped into place.

Have you used section pliers?

Have you also used heat to try and open the barrel, a hairdryer usually works for me and I havent had any distortion, a tip is to use a hairdryer on a low setting with your thumb close to your target area, when its too hot for your thumb back off the heat,

You are wise not to try soaking, I would keep on using heat for a while and after that either find someone with stronger hands than yourself or an expert.

[Deb]

Section pliers, dry heat and patience. Repeat as necessary. Burnhams are generally threaded, Conway Stewart lever pens are friction fit. Keep them out of water as both bhave BHR sections.

[Fermata]

I am impressed that Top Pen has managed to open pens in the past without heat, I have tried and failed 9 times out of 10.

[top pen]

I am impressed that Top Pen has managed to open pens in the past without heat, I have tried and failed 9 times out of 10.

I use an exercise resistance band to give extra grip often that and a hard pull is enough to do it. I do have Loggerhead wrench I don't know if other have read of people using them to grip sections? But I don't particularly like using as it can apply a heck of a lot of force.

[Fermata]

I am impressed that Top Pen has managed to open pens in the past without heat, I have tried and failed 9 times out of 10.

I use an exercise resistance band to give extra grip often that and a hard pull is enough to do it. I do have Loggerhead wrench I don't know if other have read of people using them to grip sections? But I don't particularly like using as it can apply a heck of a lot of force.


You have done very well to be successful without heat. I dont know the Loggerhead wrench but I can recommend section pliers, they are designed for the job and are not too expensive, I always think that good tools are worth having, they even have a value when you have stopped doing pen repairs.

https://www.vintagepensacsandparts.com/product.php/357/0/fountain_pen_section_pliers

Having said that, until I was very old I just used warm air, a firm grip and a little patience.

[Deb]

Forcing pens open without heat is an unsafe practice. The heat causes differential expansion between the barrel and the section and helps to prevent cracking. If I can separate section and barrel with my fingers (which grow weaker and more arthritic by the day) that's fine. Otherwise I use heat. I haven't cracked a barrel since 2008. I remember that date because it was a beautiful, tiny Waterman red ripple ringtop. I was much aggrieved and said bad things.

[top pen]

Forcing pens open without heat is an unsafe practice. The heat causes differential expansion between the barrel and the section and helps to prevent cracking. If I can separate section and barrel with my fingers (which grow weaker and more arthritic by the day) that's fine. Otherwise I use heat. I haven't cracked a barrel since 2008. I remember that date because it was a beautiful, tiny Waterman red ripple ringtop. I was much aggrieved and said bad things.

What device do you use apply the heat?

[Ron Z]

Forcing pens open without heat is an unsafe practice. The heat causes differential expansion between the barrel and the section and helps to prevent cracking. If I can separate section and barrel with my fingers (which grow weaker and more arthritic by the day) that's fine. Otherwise I use heat. I haven't cracked a barrel since 2008. I remember that date because it was a beautiful, tiny Waterman red ripple ringtop. I was much aggrieved and said bad things.

I agree. Its especially true with hard rubber pens. When the barrel is warmed, there is much less stress when removing the section. Most of us use embossing heat guns as the heat source, and work a couple of inches away from the opening. Some pen like Sheaffer plunger fillers, Parker Vacumatics and 51s usually can not be opened without heat because you have to soften the thread sealant used on the section threads. Soaking isn't likely to work because the thread sealant is water resistant.

[Deb]

Like Ron, I use an embossing heat gun. Some people say a hair dryer is adequate but I think it doesn't get hot enough.

[penwash]

Although I mainly restore American vintage fountain pens, I have done a few Burnham and CS lever and button fillers.

I don't recall the section removal to be out of ordinary that it required me to think more than my usual routine.

One difference is the length of time. I typically have 1-3 pens that I restore at the same time, therefore if one won't budge, I just let it be, soak it in water if it's celluloid, and try with dry heat again the next day. Doing it this way allows me to not count the minutes that I spend on each pen, so the turnaround is slower, but more steady (and a lot less frustrating) in the long run.

[grainweevil]

I do have Loggerhead wrench I don't know if other have read of people using them to grip sections? But I don't particularly like using as it can apply a heck of a lot of force.

If you mean the bionic wrench, I use one but only in combination with heat (another embossing heat gun club member) and a small piece of bike inner tube to provide grip and protection. The drawback to it is a limit to how large a diameter you can grip, but the multipoint pressure from all sides rather than a pinching pressure of classic section pliers is more to my taste. And the amount of pressure you exert is perfectly controllable; no need to whale on anything unless you want to!

[Chrissy]

Loggerhead Tools (http://loggerheadtools.com) is a US company that makes Bionic wrench and grip tools. While similar they differ in that the bionic grip opens at the gripping end, while the wrench is a circle that doesn't have an open end.

I have both and found the grip is the one I usually turn to. The wrench was only used on one Parker 51 vac in conjunction with a split brass ring type of vac tool on the pump threads.

They both came home from Florida with me in a suitcase one year. :)

[grainweevil]

Loggerhead Tools (http://loggerheadtools.com) is a US company that makes Bionic wrench and grip tools. While similar they differ in that the bionic grip opens at the gripping end, while the wrench is a circle that doesn't have an open end.

I'm aware of this, which is why I clarified what I meant, in the hopes that top pen might reciprocate. :) To be honest I'm amazed they don't get more airtime among FP users, but the spark plug boot pliers are cheaper, I suppose.

[Chrissy]

Loggerhead Tools (http://loggerheadtools.com) is a US company that makes Bionic wrench and grip tools. While similar they differ in that the bionic grip opens at the gripping end, while the wrench is a circle that doesn't have an open end.

I'm aware of this, which is why I clarified what I meant, in the hopes that top pen might reciprocate. :) To be honest I'm amazed they don't get more airtime among FP users, but the spark plug boot pliers are cheaper, I suppose.

I found my spark plug boot pliers get cut up because I tend to use them on things other than tight sections. :(

[Deb]

I dislike the spark plug pliers. The angle is wrong for me and the plastic coating can become wrinkled or cut and cause damage. I use adjustable pliers with the grips ground off and sections of car fuel line rubber on the grips. Works well for me.

[top pen]

I got the hot air gun, is there a rule of thumb in regards to how long to place the pen in front of the heat?

[Fermata]

Quite funny that you use the phrase rule of thumb, I appreciate that a hot air gun is much more powerful that my hairdryer but I put my thumb close to the area to be worked on and when I say ouch is the time to see if the heat has worked.

I have only had one time when I couldnt open a pen using a hairdryer, a professional also failed with that pen.

[Paddler]

I just opened a reluctant pen with a bionic wrench and a piece of rubber fuel line. I cold-soaked the pen in the bottom drawer of our refrigerator overnight. Then I slipped the rubber hose over the cold section and grabbed it with the wrench. Then I applied heat with a hair dryer, making sure I could keep a finger in the air stream without getting it too hot. Gentle twists and pulls got it apart. The pen is my favorite Sheaffer Valiant. It will get a new sac when I can get a new batch shipped in.

[top pen]

I tried with heat to no avail. Any other options? I just think I could risk burning them if I hold them for much longer.

[Jon Szanto]

I tried with heat to no avail. Any other options? I just think I could risk burning them if I hold them for much longer.

You must heat them not too much and then give a try, then you let it rest and you repeat this. The first and last tool you should use is Patience.

I. Kid. You. Not: I had one pen that took at least a week to pull apart. I would warm up the barrel section area for a while, try moving/wiggling the section (I tend to never use pliers as I like to actually feel any movement), repeated all that for at least 10 minutes and if nothing happened, I put it down for that day. I think around Day 6 I went to do it, felt a little 'click' and I could feel the shellac that was holding it soften and move and the section came right out!

It's nuts, it's maddening, but the only way to do it. I still do the bit with touching the parts to my lip to make certain it isn't getting too hot, but after a few years with my embossing gun, I pretty much know how far away from the nozzle to hold the pen (appr. 6-8") and how long to hold it there. I also rotate the barrel while doing so, and have something wrapped around the entire barrel except for the last 1" or so that grips the section, so that nothing warms up the rest of the pen.

Good luck!