Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: First sac replacement

  1. #1
    Senior Member calamus's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Redwoods Rainforest
    Posts
    1,330
    Thanks
    1,155
    Thanked 1,386 Times in 587 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default First sac replacement

    I recently won an auction on eBay for a dirt cheap Esterbrook J in great shape except for a slightly funky nib and a dead bladder. I bought it to use with a new nib I'd just gotten, a 2314-M medium oblique nib that is one of my favorite writers. Now, I'd never replaced a sac, but from what I read it seemed pretty simple. I got a #16 sac, a jar of shellac and some pure talc, and it was very easy and straightforward, except there were some bulges on the latex where it was seated on the end of the section. I thought they might be air bubbles or even shellac bubbles, but when I pressed on them they just wouldn't budge. Could the inner surface of the latex have somehow bunched up?

    Anyway, the shellac held and the sac/section assembly seems airtight and waterproof, and I inked the pen and it works fine, but I'm still wondering about those bulges. I've attached a photo. Perhaps some knowledgeable person could let me know what caused them?

    Thanks!

    Quid rides? Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur. — Horace
    (What are you laughing at? Just change the name and the joke’s on you.)

  2. #2
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    6,617
    Thanks
    7,796
    Thanked 11,042 Times in 4,011 Posts
    Rep Power
    22

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    It could be just clumps of thickened shellac. My bottle has been around a while and when you open the cap there are small chunks of shellac that have dried. I must *assume* that you cleaned off the nipple section of the section well, because my only other suspicion would be that there are still small areas where the old sac/shellac haven't been adequately scraped/cleaned off of the area. It does *not* look like the sac folded or anything like that.

    If it sealed and you don't have any leaks, I'd just run with it. If it isn't broken, don't fix it!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Jon Szanto For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 9th, 2019)

  4. #3
    Senior Member Frank's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    South Jersey (Near Philly, PA)
    Posts
    923
    Thanks
    503
    Thanked 259 Times in 185 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Hi!

    You did your first "Sac Job"!

    The problem could be that there was still remnants of the old sac left on the section.. (section end should be clean of all remnants of the old sac)
    The other possibility is that the section itself is damaged- maybe gouged at the end where the sac is attached (not rounded)??

    The point is- take the sac off- check to make sure the points I mentioned above have not happened.
    Clean the section, and replace the sac again (with more shellac).
    If that section is indeed damaged (not rounded), you can get another one.
    (I sell spare J/SJ/LJ sections from time to time- PM for more help/info)

    Good Luck!
    Frank
    "When, in the course of writing events, it becomes self-evident that not all pens are created equal" (Federalist Frank)

    Owner-
    http://federalistpensonline.com (Online Pen Store)
    (5% Discount for FPG Members! Use Code "FPG" at checkout!)

    Follow store/forum at
    Linked-In!
    Like Us on
    Facebook !

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Frank For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 9th, 2019)

  6. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    3,118
    Thanks
    874
    Thanked 2,528 Times in 1,299 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Well done!

    When I first had a go at fitting a new ink bag I also had this problem. As the gentlemen above mention, there may be old shellac adhering to the nipple. I used (no doubt to the horror of the vintage pen restorers) a pen knife to chip them away. There's also a tool (not pen specific) that you can use to open the neck of the ink bag to facilitate its fitting. Can't remember what it's called, some kind of forceps IIRC.


    Edit: reverse tension forceps. Although I used a hemostat.
    Last edited by Empty_of_Clouds; July 7th, 2019 at 02:09 PM.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to Empty_of_Clouds For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 9th, 2019)

  8. #5
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Quote Originally Posted by Frank View Post
    ...The problem could be that there was still remnants of the old sac left on the section.. (section end should be clean of all remnants of the old sac)....
    That was close to my thought. I was thinking old shellac hadn't been scraped off.

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to FredRydr For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 9th, 2019)

  10. #6
    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    2,016
    Thanks
    3,725
    Thanked 1,703 Times in 822 Posts
    Rep Power
    9

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Nice job. Being able to replace sacs does help in finding fixer upper deals. Be sure to snap a pic once you have the pen fixed!

    If for some reason you need a J section in good shape, give me a shout; I have a couple spares.

  11. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to azkid For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 9th, 2019), SchaumburgSwan (July 8th, 2019)

  12. #7
    Senior Member calamus's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Redwoods Rainforest
    Posts
    1,330
    Thanks
    1,155
    Thanked 1,386 Times in 587 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Thank you everybody! That lump probably is something I failed to clean off the section. I didn't see anything -- it was all black -- and I didn't feel anything when I checked it out with my fingers, but I wasn't really looking for anything. It seemed okay, so I didn't make a point of checking it out carefully. Lesson learned. I don't have a spare sac, and this one seems to be holding just fine, so I guess I'll leave it, at least until I order more sacs.

    Below, a photo of the pen and a writing sample. I love the nib; got the pen to go with it. Ink is Kaweco Paradise Blue.

    Quid rides? Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur. — Horace
    (What are you laughing at? Just change the name and the joke’s on you.)

  13. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to calamus For This Useful Post:

    Chrissy (July 9th, 2019), Sailor Kenshin (July 10th, 2019)

  14. #8
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    6,617
    Thanks
    7,796
    Thanked 11,042 Times in 4,011 Posts
    Rep Power
    22

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Quote Originally Posted by calamus View Post
    Below, a photo of the pen and a writing sample. I love the nib; got the pen to go with it.
    Looks to be working fine! I love the X314-M (or -F) nibs, my favorite of all the Estie nibs!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

  15. The Following User Says Thank You to Jon Szanto For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 9th, 2019)

  16. #9
    Senior Member Deb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Highlands of Scotland
    Posts
    1,747
    Thanks
    2,353
    Thanked 1,927 Times in 842 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    It is easy to leave particles of old sac on the peg. I use strong light and a magnifying headset when I'm working. Eyesight not what it once was - old age cometh not alone.
    Regards,
    Deb
    My Blog

  17. The Following User Says Thank You to Deb For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 9th, 2019)

  18. #10
    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    2,016
    Thanks
    3,725
    Thanked 1,703 Times in 822 Posts
    Rep Power
    9

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Thats just the nib I am looking for; the fine version just doesn't have enough line variation for me and a ~1.1mm stub is way too wide. (Goldilocks and the three bears, fountain pen edition).

  19. The Following User Says Thank You to azkid For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 10th, 2019)

  20. #11
    Senior Member gbryal's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Texas, USA
    Posts
    435
    Thanks
    230
    Thanked 371 Times in 176 Posts
    Rep Power
    10

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Recently I resacc'd a pen and used a metal scraper to get all of the old sac/shellac off. On every pen I have done before the section was hard enough to take it, but this time I was too aggressive and marred the section. It didn't help that I wasn't working with good light or magnification and couldn't definitively tell sac from section. I just add this as a caution. Some sections are softer more easily marred than others, so take your time and do like Deb suggest above. Ultimately it didn't really hurt the pen, but I try to do no harm.

  21. The Following User Says Thank You to gbryal For This Useful Post:

    calamus (July 10th, 2019)

  22. #12
    Senior Member calamus's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Redwoods Rainforest
    Posts
    1,330
    Thanks
    1,155
    Thanked 1,386 Times in 587 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    It is easy to leave particles of old sac on the peg. I use strong light and a magnifying headset when I'm working. Eyesight not what it once was - old age cometh not alone.
    Yep, I had my Optivisor not five feet away from me as I did the resacking. Apparently it doesn't work unless you actually put it on, though.
    Quid rides? Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur. — Horace
    (What are you laughing at? Just change the name and the joke’s on you.)

  23. The Following User Says Thank You to calamus For This Useful Post:

    Chrissy (July 10th, 2019)

  24. #13
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,415
    Thanks
    6,879
    Thanked 10,370 Times in 3,980 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: First sac replacement

    Quote Originally Posted by calamus View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    It is easy to leave particles of old sac on the peg. I use strong light and a magnifying headset when I'm working. Eyesight not what it once was - old age cometh not alone.
    Yep, I had my Optivisor not five feet away from me as I did the resacking. Apparently it doesn't work unless you actually put it on, though.
    I'm glad you mentioned the name of it. I must try to buy myself one.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •