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bigevilgrape
July 8th, 2013, 04:58 PM
I have a Sheaffer Snorkel coming in the mail sometime this week (and a bunch of repair supplies.) I know it will at least need the seals and sac replaced. I've been reading and watching everything I could find about repairing snorkels and vintage pens in general. I'm pretty confident that I can do these repairs as long as I go slow and take my time. Do you have any videos webpages you would recommend, or that I should absolutely stay away from. Advice in general is also appreciated.

Chi Town
July 8th, 2013, 09:39 PM
Go to richardspens.com and look up snorkel repair!

http://richardspens.com/?page=ref/nibs/beyond.htm

cwent2
July 8th, 2013, 09:43 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK7x5Enaszc

Flounder
July 9th, 2013, 12:21 PM
Choose a screwdriver with a good long shank, and a head that fits the touchdown screw properly. It can be quite hard to tell what size is best the first time, I took a photo for posterity when I was servicing my first snorkel you can see here (http://flounders-mindthots.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/7-changing-seals-greasing.html): about 4mm by 1mm. There are more measurements etc in the preceding posts too.

bigevilgrape
July 9th, 2013, 04:49 PM
Nice blog post. I appreciate the photography a lot as I'm a very visual person.

Flounder
July 10th, 2013, 03:05 PM
No probs, hope it helps. The two main things to bear in mind since that post was written: there was a big bruhaha about shellacing Snorkel barrel threads (which I never got around to doing) on FPN a while back. You can either leave the threads clean, which I find handy as it lets you peak at the insides every once in a while to check for leaks, or use a low temperature release rosin sealant.

The other thing to bear in mind is that reproduction springs are now available, in case your Snorkel arrives with a rusted out spring.

Paul-H
July 11th, 2013, 12:01 AM
The first thing to do when your snorkel arrives is extend the snorkel and look at the orientation of the feed slots, not a problem if its got the angled feed end as its obvious which way it fits but if its got the flat top snorkel only one of the four ways it will fit is correct so make sure you know which way it goes back.

Paul

bigevilgrape
July 11th, 2013, 07:56 PM
I posted in the new pen thread too, but my pen came today.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7353/9263055101_7502336c00_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9263055101/)
DSC_0535.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9263055101/) by bigevilgrape (http://www.flickr.com/people/bigevilgrape/), on Flickr

It does have the angled filler tube.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7373/9265824518_81001ae050_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9265824518/)
DSC_0527.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9265824518/) by bigevilgrape (http://www.flickr.com/people/bigevilgrape/), on Flickr

Whats up with the rubber in the end. I wasn't expecting that, but after looking at pictures online it seems like most pens have it. I'm sure it serves some sort of purpose. There are more pictures if you click though to flickr.

Paul-H
July 12th, 2013, 01:19 AM
If you mean in the end of the tube its meant to be there, its part of the feed.

Just remembered something else to watch out for, when you remove the filler cap there will be a small rubber seal underneath it, this seal is important but for some reason never included in snorkel seal kits, so make sure its in good condition and make sure it goes back on.

Nice pen by the way.

Paul

bigevilgrape
July 15th, 2013, 05:11 PM
I now have the pen appart. The nib section screwed off without much prodding. I flushed a ton of blue ink out of the nib, which makes me think the pen was put away with ink still in it? I pulled the snorkel section out and none of the sac came with it. Its compleatly hardened and stuck to the protector. I chipped it away from the holes with the tip of a jewelers screw driver. Any tips on how to get it out of the protector? I saw that some people use a drill bit and turn the sac protector around it by hand. I also have to figure out how to remove the bit of sac from the snorkel section.

cwent2
July 15th, 2013, 05:30 PM
http://richardspens.com/?page=ref/repair/snorkel_filler.htm

bigevilgrape
July 16th, 2013, 05:52 AM
I got it all chipped out last night. I wound up using the drill bit and my bamboo skewer because the dental picks I got were too fat to reach very far into the tube. (Note, do not buy the pharmacy brand with the cushy plastic handles. It came out in tiny little pieces rather like course sand.

bigevilgrape
July 17th, 2013, 06:47 AM
I replaced the o rings last night and put everything back together. I tested it out in a glass of water and everything seems hunky dory. Then I realized I forgot to put talk on the sac. Unless anyone has a better suggestion I'll be pulling the sac back out tonight.

Frank
July 17th, 2013, 08:06 AM
I replaced the o rings last night and put everything back together. I tested it out in a glass of water and everything seems hunky dory. Then I realized I forgot to put talk on the sac. Unless anyone has a better suggestion I'll be pulling the sac back out tonight.

Congrats on your Snork repair! Arguably, the hardest in the FP world!
IMO- If you are keeping the pen, and are happy with the way it functions (water shoots out on first push when testing), I would leave it alone!

BTW, the angled Snork tubes are for the conical (Triumph) nibs, so your setup is correct!

Regards,
Frank

Flounder
July 17th, 2013, 10:36 AM
Another Snorkel up and running. Huzzah!

caleath
July 17th, 2013, 10:53 AM
I use a drill bit to get the last hard stuff out od the sac protector too, en I use a gun bore cleaning brush ona short handle to get it nice a brushed out.

bigevilgrape
July 17th, 2013, 10:59 AM
I use a drill bit to get the last hard stuff out od the sac protector too, en I use a gun bore cleaning brush ona short handle to get it nice a brushed out.
I was going to try a gun bore brush but none of the ones I have are small enough. I find the gun cleaning section of cabelas to be a very hand place for these sorts of projects :)

caleath
July 17th, 2013, 12:15 PM
I just checked the brush I used and its a hair under 6mm...there is no marking on it specifying caliber...also I used a tornado style brush...stainless steel.

bigevilgrape
August 27th, 2013, 07:12 PM
Well you guys helped me the first time around, so I was foolish enough to dig up another pen in need of repair (an Admiral). The last one was in really good shape inside, but this one seems to be rather rusty. Ideas on what to do with it? (I know the pictures are bad, but I don't know when I'll be able to snag some pictures in daylight)

The worst of the spring.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/9609250187_48efb40dc2_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9609250187/)
DSC_0570.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9609250187/) by bigevilgrape (http://www.flickr.com/people/bigevilgrape/), on Flickr

Sac protector

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/9612484326_a70830dd68_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9612484326/)
DSC_0574.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9612484326/) by bigevilgrape (http://www.flickr.com/people/bigevilgrape/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7331/9609253023_2672924b33_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9609253023/)
DSC_0587.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9609253023/) by bigevilgrape (http://www.flickr.com/people/bigevilgrape/), on Flickr

The inside of the barrel seems to have some rust on it too.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7334/9612484906_82a6bef50a_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9612484906/)
DSC_0576.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9612484906/) by bigevilgrape (http://www.flickr.com/people/bigevilgrape/), on Flickr

It is a lovely color

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/9609252431_74f3caf05f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9609252431/)
DSC_0586.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9609252431/) by bigevilgrape (http://www.flickr.com/people/bigevilgrape/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7308/9609249523_f8078b370f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9609249523/)
DSC_0583.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigevilgrape/9609249523/) by bigevilgrape (http://www.flickr.com/people/bigevilgrape/), on Flickr

Any suggestions on what to do with it? I know I can get a replacment spring and I was thinking of getting some very fine steel wool to use on the sac protector. The inside of the barrel has me stumped.

cwent2
August 27th, 2013, 08:27 PM
The inside of the barrel has me stumped.

brass brush?

Jeph
August 28th, 2013, 12:29 AM
When I have rusted metal internal parts, I soak them submerged in pentrating oil for 2-3 days. Kroil and Corrosion-X Aviation are my 2 favorites, but even liquid wrench or 3-in-1 oil (do they still make that?) will work. Anything still attached gets the wire brush treatment and a re-soak. When you are done, you WILL have an oil film on the parts that you have to get off. Soapy water, a toothbrush and drying with a cloth will work. You know it is clean when you can plop it in clean water and get no oil sheen. (Don't forget to dry it again afterwards.) You might be amazed at what looks to be nothing but rusted garbage becomes serviceable. By far more effort is spent getting the oil off than getting the rust off.

Ernst Bitterman
August 28th, 2013, 09:31 AM
My usual approach to a spring in that state is to get the loose rust off, then get a film of silicone grease onto it to prevent further problems; Jeph's approach is probably better but sounds like a LOT of work. The other rust you're seeing is likely transfer from the spring, and will come away under the effects of running water and a paper towel to dry out.

It's a little late now, but when getting old sac out of the protector, leaving it sit in rubbing alcohol partially dissolves the rubber and makes removal a lot easier.

Flounder
August 28th, 2013, 10:47 AM
For the sac protector and other non treated metal items, I like to apply metal polish to the item, snip one end of a cotton bud off, put the rest in a wee mini drill, and polish the rust off. After checking all the polish is removed using a fresh cotton bud, I wash them out with soapy water and dry them. Here's a before and after shot of a Summit J bar.

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/Summit%20S125/th_SummitS125JBarRemoval010.jpg (http://s773.photobucket.com/user/flounder2009/media/Summit%20S125/SummitS125JBarRemoval010.jpg.html) http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/Summit%20S125/th_SummitS125JBarRemoval014.jpg (http://s773.photobucket.com/user/flounder2009/media/Summit%20S125/SummitS125JBarRemoval014.jpg.html)

I like to put silicon grease on the Snorkel spring like Ernst does, using an unpowdered latex glove to rub in a thin film.

bigevilgrape
August 28th, 2013, 08:48 PM
The other rust you're seeing is likely transfer from the spring, and will come away under the effects of running water and a paper towel to dry out.

It's a little late now, but when getting old sac out of the protector, leaving it sit in rubbing alcohol partially dissolves the rubber and makes removal a lot easier.

I think that most of the rust on the sac protector is transfer from the spring, but the darkest spot on the side view is definitely rusty protector. I haven't gotten far enough along to take the sac out of this one yet, so there is still time to try the rubbing alcohol. This one seems just as petrified as the last one .