PDA

View Full Version : J-bar questions



Daisy
April 7th, 2014, 05:43 PM
Hi y'all!

My sincerest apologies if this is information easily gotten elsewhere, but I have looked and looked and can't find anything definitive.

I have a lovely old vintage 1930s no-name hard rubber lever filler, the j-bar in which is next to useless -- the metal (brass, probably) is severely fatigued at the bend and is this --><-- close to coming apart. When it fell out of the pen it also had some sort of porcelain-like crud on it, almost like the remains of an epoxy that was used to strengthen the bend at some point, and you can see some of that still on it in the pics:

http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums/y323/daisy-be-true/0703-182006_zps7a5bc8b6.jpg

http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums/y323/daisy-be-true/DSCN2628-1_zps8548ad10.jpg

http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums/y323/daisy-be-true/DSCN2629-1_zps11cedcfd.jpg

(sorry for the crappy pics; photography is *not* one of my gifts)

This particular j-bar measures exactly 65 mm from the top of the bend to the other end, and I am wondering if anything modern I buy (the longest of which are 62 mm from the top of the bend to the other end) will fit it well. Or, alternately, if there's any way I can identify it so as to get a good fit vintage replacement, I can do that too.

I would happily make one myself (ain't nuthin wrong with grinding your own flour, if that's how you roll :)) but I'm no metalworker and I'd like to get your opinions first. If a standard modern 62 mm bar will work for me, I'll go with it.

It's a working pen, not a showpiece, and at this point I'm just leaving the j-bar out and removing the barrel to clean and refill as needed. If necessary, I can just leave it that way, but I'm the sort that it bugs me now every time I look at it knowing it needs a part, and the barrel removal is kind of a PITA at this point anyhow, so I'd like to get 'er done properly if possible.

Any thoughts, hints, tips? Thanks in advance!!!

Daisy



(edited for clarity)

scrivelry
April 7th, 2014, 06:30 PM
I suspect the residue on the bar is the remains of a long decayed sac.

The Wearever j-bars I keep finding in old pens are really just a strap of metal bent into that shape, and it's not spring steel or even impossible to bend with my fingers. I wish I knew exactly what it was.

I don't think you measure the whole length including the bent over part - I think you measure from the bend to the end of the long piece, or maybe hold it up to your pen and get an idea that way. Clearly this is a less than scientific approach and I am sure someone else will come along with better ideas soon...

Daisy
April 7th, 2014, 06:55 PM
Thanks, Scrivelry! You're right about not measuring from tip to tip but rather from the top of the bend to the end of the long part; I wasn't clear in how I spelled it out in words. Sorry 'bout that! I was going by the j-bars listed on the woodbin.ca site, which measures the same way as you described, from the bend to the tip, so I assumed that was correct. But mine is still longer than their longest.

You may well be right that it's sac residue, but it's white and calcified and looks like it was painted on, which made me think it was some sort of misguided restoration effort. But I honestly don't know -- does old latex do that? It was kinda creepy, actually. Not what I expected to see falling out!

And it is just a strip of metal bent into shape, very easily bent actually, which makes me think it's just a soft brass. Definitely not a steel of any sort. But my thought is that if I can bend this metal that easily with my fingers, it won't hold up to the repeated pressing of a lever fill.

Hmmm. Still wondering where to go from here. But thank you! :)

gweddig
April 8th, 2014, 12:05 AM
Hi Daisy,
Try Woodbin.ca or andersonpens.com for j-bars.
Good luck,
--greg

Ernst Bitterman
April 8th, 2014, 03:31 PM
I wouldn't worry unduly about being 4mm too short with a modern replacement. Too long can be a serious problem, but the worst slightly short should achieve is a very slight reduction on intake.

I generally look to Woodbin, but that's just national pride in action.

Daisy
April 8th, 2014, 11:34 PM
I wouldn't worry unduly about being 4mm too short with a modern replacement. Too long can be a serious problem, but the worst slightly short should achieve is a very slight reduction on intake.

That is exactly the information I was looking for and couldn't find. Thank you so much!


I generally look to Woodbin, but that's just national pride in action.

Y'all have plenty to be proud of up there!!! Many an American has agreed, and voted with their feet... :)

Thanks again!

Daisy
April 18th, 2014, 08:47 PM
UPDATE: I received my 62mm replacement j-bar from Martin at Woodbin (yay Canada!) and once I got it shoved far enough down in the barrel, it works just fine. In fact, the biggest issue I had was spraying talc all over the living room floor, but that was clearly user error and not a fault or defect in either the pen or the j-bar. So I'm up and running again!

A big hearty thank you to all who responded!!! :)

tandaina
April 18th, 2014, 09:15 PM
Yeah, don't sneeze into the bag of talc...

scrivelry
May 12th, 2014, 04:53 PM
I have just replaced the j-bar in a Wearever Pennant with a strip of brass.

It took cutting, sanding and bending, but I think I can make three of them out of a piece of strip brass that size, and the brass was 99 cents. Honestly, the pen is probably not "worth" five dollars for a new pressure bar, so I am going to see how long this lasts. Probably not forever, but then, for 33 cents it doesn't have to...

(It is a Pennant in decent condition, but they were not exactly a luxury item to begin with, and I have a lot more that are in not quite as good condition - they will write but they really don't need me to invest actual money in them...)