Thank you Deb for your use of dry heat. I’ve actually considered, but thought it would be harder on the plastic than very warm water. Good to know.
Thank you Deb for your use of dry heat. I’ve actually considered, but thought it would be harder on the plastic than very warm water. Good to know.
If you like to restore pens, it's good to know why they don't mix well:
Hard rubber parts that is rarely exposed to UV have zero problems with water, for example, your section and your feed. All black and shiny after decades of contact with ink and water.
On the other hand, hard rubber parts that may have been exposed to a lot of UV (your barrels and caps) will discolor upon contact with water. The black ones will turn brown, the woodgrain ones will become cloudy. The thing is, we can't tell if a nicely black hard rubber pen will discolor or not, so it's best to play it safe, just like what Deb said, just dry heat and patience.
Jon Szanto (November 29th, 2019), SchaumburgSwan (December 9th, 2019)
As an aside, since precise temperature control is critical for some materials, I was happy to finally find my old, bullet style IR thermometer. Using it while heating removes all the guesswork about temperature of the parts being heated.
Happily, none of the Esterbrook pens have been harmed by a warm water and dawn soak. Considering the number of plastics used today, I cannot imagine this is going to harm even old celluloid or Bakelite, or it hasn’t for any of my other vintage interests which utilized the same era materials. That said, I appreciate the expertise provided .
No water as suggested on this 1934. I post the restored '38 with a just unclogged flat 2556 nib feed. Note the ring on the '38 is higher on the cap body. I used one of my old mandolin strings to perform the unclogging after some soaking in a 1:10 ammonia solution. Right as intended now.
The classic BHR odor is more noticeable on the lighter shaded '34.
Last edited by Chuck Naill; November 30th, 2019 at 03:12 PM.
I addressed 28 holiday envelopes today with the '38 Dollar Pen flat feed 2556. What a fabulous nib. I have several and enjoy using them all.
I watched a video showing how to restore a Sheaffer "snorkel" type pen. Then I considered the pure, essential simplicity of an Easterbrook fill system. I have 8 Esterbrooks I have restored. Except for the olive Deluxe with heavy use, the rest sparkle. Even the '34 and '38 don't show their age. And, each performs beautifully. I choose one to carry each day and use in my job. Such a nice little indulgence.
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