Mechanical Pencil Repair

[fountainpenkid]

Has anybody had experience with this?
(the pencil in question is a Wahl-Eversharp Woodgrain HR pencil from the '20s)

Thanks,

[D Armstrong]

We've done several. The woodgrain use the same mechanism as the metal ones: a slotted shuttle mated with a helical carriage in the barrel. The finial covering the eraser is often seized in place; unscrew it and soak it in warm vinegar to loosen it.

And watch the hard rubber, it's much softer than that used by other manufacturers of that era.

Any specific questions?

[fountainpenkid]

We've done several. The woodgrain use the same mechanism as the metal ones: a slotted shuttle mated with a helical carriage in the barrel. The finial covering the eraser is often seized in place; unscrew it and soak it in warm vinegar to loosen it.

And watch the hard rubber, it's much softer than that used by other manufacturers of that era.

Any specific questions?

The finial is not seized, but the lead feeding mechanism doesn't seem to work: although the crown twists, it doesn't seem to engage...

[D Armstrong]

You should be able to remove the whole thing by simply twisting counter-clockwise then pulling the finial back. The threaded shuttle will just keep twisting until it falls out. It should look something like this:



There are two possibilities. One is that the shuttle (the sliding thing attached to the push rod) is worn. There should be a good 1/64" (0.25 mm) of metal left on the ridges. If that is the case, you may be able to find a donor Eversharp pencil for the part.

The other possibility is that the internal threads are worn. That would be bad. You could try a replacement shuttle with great threads, in the hope that it would engage in what is left of the internal threading. The internals are a brass tube, threaded on the inside, which fits down into the bottom end of the barrel. Not really a do-it-yourself kind of job to replace.

Now that I think of it, if it is internal threading, it could just be a build-up of corrosion on the brass threads. You could also try using a surgical swab dipped in vinegar to react away the corrosion. (Be prepared to use a lot of swabs if that is the case.) This may remove enough build-up to allow the shuttle to engage.

A good little flashlight is good, in any case.

[fountainpenkid]

You should be able to remove the whole thing by simply twisting counter-clockwise then pulling the finial back. The threaded shuttle will just keep twisting until it falls out. It should look something like this:



There are two possibilities. One is that the shuttle (the sliding thing attached to the push rod) is worn. There should be a good 1/64" (0.25 mm) of metal left on the ridges. If that is the case, you may be able to find a donor Eversharp pencil for the part.

The other possibility is that the internal threads are worn. That would be bad. You could try a replacement shuttle with great threads, in the hope that it would engage in what is left of the internal threading. The internals are a brass tube, threaded on the inside, which fits down into the bottom end of the barrel. Not really a do-it-yourself kind of job to replace.

Now that I think of it, if it is internal threading, it could just be a build-up of corrosion on the brass threads. You could also try using a surgical swab dipped in vinegar to react away the corrosion. (Be prepared to use a lot of swabs if that is the case.) This may remove enough build-up to allow the shuttle to engage.

A good little flashlight is good, in any case.

I will do these things! Thank you!

[pcgun007]

I also need to find one.. my mechanical pencil is not that much old but my grandpa gave it to me..