Originally Posted by
awa54
The split part of the tube is supposed to be the right diameter to grip a 0.9mm "thin" lead, the solid rod that you see sticking out of that tube ejects the last little stub of lead when it's too short to write with anymore: when the lead won't advance any farther, the spent stub will usually fall out of the end of the pencil if tapped lightly.
Advancing and retracting the lead is done by turning the metal "cap" in either direction. The eraser cover (cap) friction fits on to the actual mechanism barrel, which is a chromed brass tube. Sometimes these won't advance or retract well if the cap doesn't grip the inner tube well enough, so if the cap seems to spin freely, or slides on/off very easily that may be a problem... Under the eraser there is a space around the inner propelling mechanism where you can store extra leads.
To fill a pencil like this, retract the mechanism all the way, then slide a lead into the cone (which you need to screw back on firmly for the pencil to work), then if there isn't any lead visible, advance the mechanism until about 1mm of lead is poking out of the cone/tip, now gently press the lead straight against a hard surface, it should have some resistance, but if all is well it will push back into the "clutch" (split tube) and be held there.
I would test fit a piece of lead before reassembling this pencil, retract the ejector fully, but not the clutch tube, then see if it grips a .9mm lead, it should be firm, but not tight enough to damage the lead as you insert it. If it's too loose you can carefully tighten the end of the clutch tube opening with a pair of small smooth jaw pliers, hemostats, or even robust tweezers, it doesn't take much force at all to bend the tiny brass tube, so be gentle. If you do need to make an adjustment, I suggest doing it with the ejector out, so as to minimize the chance of crushing the clutch tube.
Parker propel/repel pencils aren't as robust as some of the other makers, pencil mechanisms of this type and in my experience are more common to find worn so that the mechanism is sloppy or doesn't function, I've also seen the inner metal sleeve detatch from the threaded and splined nose piece of the mechanism. They can often be repaired, but it requires both precision and finesse.
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