Repairing mechanical pencils

[eicart0523]

I have gotten several mechanical pencils in lots with fountain pens on eBay. None seem to work. I would like to repair them and use them.
I am having a hard time finding any how to online. Anyone know where I can find some?

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[mgmmaze]

Ill be keeping an eye on this thread hoping someone can respond. I have been looking on and off for couple years but nothing really comes up

[penwash]

I think you would find this blog entry very relevant: https://leadheadpencils.blogspot.com/

Jon Veley collects mechanical pencils and is the (if not the only) expert in vintage MP's in the US. I think he would be happy to help you if you contact him.

[FredRydr]

I've never seen Jon take in repairs, but he should be happy to advise. He was the previous editor of that fountain pen publication, The Pennant, and would oftentimes incorporate the image of a vintage mechanical pencil in the cover title.

[penwash]

I've never seen Jon take in repairs, but he should be happy to advise. He was the previous editor of that fountain pen publication, The Pennant, and would oftentimes incorporate the image of a vintage mechanical pencil in the cover title.

I didn't mean to imply that he takes on repair orders. But I know for sure that if anyone would like to know how to repair an MP, Jon would be happy to be of help because that's his passion.

[Ahriman4891]

I once asked Ron Zorn about a pencil malfunction, he said that he does not repair them because most vintage MPs are not valuable enough to justify repair costs. He said that Richard Greenwald ( https://richardlgreenwald.com/ ) may know more. I ended up returning the pencil to the seller instead of risking repairing it myself, so I never contacted Richard.

[myu]

A common problem is lead ossifying inside the shaft. It becomes a blockage that either advancing lead cannot expel, or a lead clearing tool is just too short. I was fortunate enough to obtain some piano wire from someone on FPN. Just the right thickness to fit inside a 0.5mm shaft. It took some patience, but in the end it worked. The firm slightly bendable long wire did the job.

If the mechanism is faulty, sometimes you can buy a substitute cheaper pencil and cannibalize it for the parts. But for the really older lead advance designs, you're often limited on repair. Almost inevitably a vintage donor is required -- a mechanical pencil whose outer body is badly worn or damaged, but internals are functioning fine. The internals can be salvaged for a swap.