Waterman #55 section cracked

[Ron Z]

A #55 Cardinal red section is not easy to come by, so repair would be a good way to go... and the section can be repaired, but with caveats. I've done it a number of times.

You can not simply glue the parts together and expect it to hold. The outward pressure when you insert the nib and feed will likely break it again because the nib is a wedge. You can split an oak log with a wedge, and this will open up again.

The repair involves gluing the parts together, then boring out the section to take a hard rubber plug. In this case you make the plug long enough to go from the front end, back far enough to form a replacement sac nipple. After the adhesive has set, you bore out the plug to the right diameter for the feed, and then the front part slightly larger to accommodate the diameter of nib and feed. The bushing that results spreads and carries the stress of the wedged in parts, not the section itself. The repair can be close to invisible from the outside, though you will see a small ring when you look straight on at the end of the section, and of course the sac nipple will be black.... unless we can get hold of some modern orange/cardinal red hard rubber.

The cost is not cheap because it is exacting work, and takes time. There are risks that the section could blow up in the process. But if that happens, you go back to looking for a replacement.

[Pen Tom]

wow, these are some very good ideas. For now I'll look for a replacement part. Some pen repair people sell parts. For example, Five Star Pens, whom I have used before, currently had black sections from Waterman 55, also a red section from a #56. Thats so close! and some #58 and of course the popular #52. But no red #55.

[Chrissy]

A #55 Cardinal red section is not easy to come by, so repair would be a good way to go... and the section can be repaired, but with caveats. I've done it a number of times.

You can not simply glue the parts together and expect it to hold. The outward pressure when you insert the nib and feed will likely break it again because the nib is a wedge. You can split an oak log with a wedge, and this will open up again.

The repair involves gluing the parts together, then boring out the section to take a hard rubber plug. In this case you make the plug long enough to go from the front end, back far enough to form a replacement sac nipple. After the adhesive has set, you bore out the plug to the right diameter for the feed, and then the front part slightly larger to accommodate the diameter of nib and feed. The bushing that results spreads and carries the stress of the wedged in parts, not the section itself. The repair can be close to invisible from the outside, though you will see a small ring when you look straight on at the end of the section, and of course the sac nipple will be black.... unless we can get hold of some modern orange/cardinal red hard rubber.

The cost is not cheap because it is exacting work, and takes time. There are risks that the section could blow up in the process. But if that happens, you go back to looking for a replacement.

I would pay to watch that work being done.

[Ron Z]

I would pay to watch that work being done.

It has been suggested that Richard Binder and I should set up bleachers across from our table at pen shows.

[Farmboy]

I'd put a #55 RHR section in the 45-55 dollar range.

I currently have a 52 and a 56 but no 55.

Usual disclaimer, your barrel might not fit the section you find, sometimes there are slight differences.

Are your sections all completely different sizes?

When I actively sold parts, in particular sections and feeds, I would often get "your part doesn't fit my pen". Said as if it was my fault there are variances in parts made between 75-100 years ago. I prefer to say it the other way around, your broken pen may not fit my part. Eventually you get to the point you only sell parts as part of a repair.

Making that section would not be difficult. I suspect a replacement section would be more cost effective than a rebulid taking into account that some tweaking on the section may be needed. Really only a problem if the section is to small.

[Jon Szanto]

I would pay to watch that work being done.

You do realize that that is the same statement that started the online porn industry, right?

[Chrissy]

I would pay to watch that work being done.

You do realize that that is the same statement that started the online porn industry, right?

ROFL

[grainweevil]

Thanks very much for taking the time to explain in such detail how you'd tackle it, Ron. Pretty much what I guessed, but crumbs, what a job. Plenty of opportunity for it to go south.

unless we can get hold of some modern orange/cardinal red hard rubber.

Is such stuff made? That matches?

[amk]

I think turning a new section might be the best way to go.
Any model machinist, or anyone who uses CNC, should be able to do it by copying your existing section; your main task will be finding appropriate ebonite.

[Deb]

I have yet to be convinced that broken hard rubber can be glued together successfully, long term.

[Ron Z]

I have yet to be convinced that broken hard rubber can be glued together successfully, long term.

In general, I agree. I do not try to repair old cracks in hard rubber because it will not hold. With a fresh cut to the rubber, chances are better.

[Deb]

I usually don't repair pens for other people. The pens I restore are for my sales website. The reason I don't repair more generally is that I have a dreadful fear that someone will entrust me with their great-grandmother's precious Swan 1500 and I will slip up somehow and destroy their beloved family heirloom. Actually, I don't break pens very often. Hardly ever, in fact, but the fear remains. I do make the occasional exception. With people that I've done business with or who have commented in my blog and we've developed a relationship, I sometimes take a chance, particularly if the repair is interesting.

Such a person had broken the cap of a black hard rubber pen – and by broken, I mean in pieces. I agreed to try to repair it. It was a fresh break. At least, it was as fresh as the three days it took to get to me. Loctite 480 was being recommended at that time as the solution to the problem of repairing broken hard rubber and that is what I used. It looked very good. I kept it for a week and it appeared strong. I sent it back to him and he was pleased with it. I suspected that the repair might not last and I asked him to keep me informed. The repair began to fail in about four months.

I have heard it said that when hard rubber breaks an oxidised layer is formed almost immediately – I'm sure there is a more scientific explanation than that. That oxidised layer acts to prevent a good bond being made regardless of the adhesive used.

I'm not dogmatic about this. I don't insist that hard rubber is impossible to repair. I just don't know of any hard rubber repair that has lasted. Obviously, the more stress that is involved in the use of the part, the more likely it is to fail. A screw on cap has some stress – not a great deal. But what good is a repair if it can't be used for a stressed part?

[Fermata]

I have often wondered about how far the repairer can be held liable if a pen that goes to a professional repairer for a minor repair comes back with major damage.

Only once have I had a problem when a pen went to a well known repairer because I couldn't open it, he acknowledged arrival safe and sound. The pen was sent back to me with a shattered barrel as if too much force had been used and also an invoice for the work. On questionning, he said it wasn't his fault. I lost a £200 pen and had to pay £30 into the bargain. I guess that I had another problem when the quality of a repair to an Onoto just wasn't up to scratch but I cannot say that I had lost very much other than a cost of the work.


Accidents do happen, if for no other reason than a badly protected pen returned in the mail. Is a repairer liable to indemnify the owner if repairs go wrong when no terms and conditions have been provided?

[Deb]

I don't know but that's why I wouldn't repair your £200 pen, Fermata! I think the repairer had a hell of a cheek invoicing you after breaking your pen. I can't imagine any explanation that made breaking the pen not his fault

Onotos are difficult to repair well. I gave up on repairing them some time ago. I have two, both restored by professionals. One works very well, the other doesn't. About par for the course, I would say.

[Chrissy]

I don't know but that's why I wouldn't repair your £200 pen, Fermata! I think the repairer had a hell of a cheek invoicing you after breaking your pen. I can't imagine any explanation that made breaking the pen not his fault

Onotos are difficult to repair well. I gave up on repairing them some time ago. I have two, both restored by professionals. One works very well, the other doesn't. About par for the course, I would say.

I agree with this. If the repairer was prepared to attempt to repair the £200 pen and failed to do so for whatever reason, then actually charging for the service after breaking the pen makes no sense to me at all.

[Fermata]

I don't know but that's why I wouldn't repair your £200 pen, Fermata! I think the repairer had a hell of a cheek invoicing you after breaking your pen. I can't imagine any explanation that made breaking the pen not his fault

Onotos are difficult to repair well. I gave up on repairing them some time ago. I have two, both restored by professionals. One works very well, the other doesn't. About par for the course, I would say.

Thanks Deb, and I guess that £200 is not that exceptional nowadays. I won't say the pen repairers name but he is well known, suffice to say that I have not been back. I think his argument was that no other pen repairer could have opened the pen and therefore he was not responsible, it was bound to happen in other words.

[guyy]

Fermata, it depends on where you are. In Anglo-American law there are conditions that are assumed to apply when you enter into contract for a repair. For example, the repair person should take reasonable care with the item. However, i imagine it would usually be difficult to prove that a repair person wasn’t careful enough.

[Fermata]

Fermata, it depends on where you are. In Anglo-American law there are conditions that are assumed to apply when you enter into contract for a repair. For example, the repair person should take reasonable care with the item. However, i imagine it would usually be difficult to prove that a repair person wasn’t careful enough.

It sounds like a legal minefield Guyy, I think that the average repairer will be a self employed person who just does their best to carry out the repair, and act in good faith. Whether every customer will be happy with that situation is another matter.

I have heard of one repairer who sent out some very expensive pens, twice, to the wrong people, now that would be a problem. Especially when the recipients denied all knowledge.

[Ron Z]

Frank Dubiel used to say that if you are going to repair pens, you are going to break pens, no matter how good or careful you are. There are hidden flaws, and inherent risks with some materials, both of which can cause a pen to break. The trick is to get your skill level to where you are firmly in the "success" column. ...and you wonder why it takes us so long sometimes? Often we're being asked to do the impossible, and rather than dive in and risk breaking the pen, we think about it and look for the best way to do a repair so that we don't break your pen.

General practice is to assess the pen when starting repair. If there are risks, I will often warn the client up front, and tell them that if it breaks there will be extra charges. If I'm finding a pen to be especially difficult to get apart, I will often write to the client and tell them what's going on, and ask if they want me to proceed. If they say keep going, I am off the hook if it breaks. I will repair it, or will help to find the part, but I'm not going to eat the cost. I've often said that the big difference between an amateur pen mechanic and the true professional is their ability to work their way back out of a repair problem, or take what would otherwise be a disaster and turn it in to a successful repair.

There are some things that break so often, that I charge for repairing the part no matter what. An example is a Vacumatic pellet cup. They break very easily, and sometimes shatter for no reason at all. I've taken fillers out of a pen to find no trace of the pellet cup. In those cases I charge for the rebuilding/repair of the filler. Parker 51 jewels are another. The stems can shear off very easily, and it is a common as dirt when you take one out to take a clip off of a pen. I will fix it if I can, or charge a minimal amount for reproduction if not, but an OEM jewel is expensive.

There have been cases where I have had to pay for an expensive part. If I'm too aggressive, if I've been impatient or something like that, sure, I eat the cost. But again, no matter how good someone is, pens will break. A blanket "it's always the pen mechanic's fault" is unrealistic, and enough to convince even the most skilled that it simply isn't worth the effort.

[Deb]

Frank Dubiel used to say that if you are going to repair pens, you are going to break pens, no matter how good or careful you are. There are hidden flaws, and inherent risks with some materials, both of which can cause a pen to break. The trick is to get your skill level to where you are firmly in the "success" column. ...and you wonder why it takes us so long sometimes? Often we're being asked to do the impossible, and rather than dive in and risk breaking the pen, we think about it and look for the best way to do a repair so that we don't break your pen.

General practice is to assess the pen when starting repair. If there are risks, I will often warn the client up front, and tell them that if it breaks there will be extra charges. If I'm finding a pen to be especially difficult to get apart, I will often write to the client and tell them what's going on, and ask if they want me to proceed. If they say keep going, I am off the hook if it breaks. I will repair it, or will help to find the part, but I'm not going to eat the cost. I've often said that the big difference between an amateur pen mechanic and the true professional is their ability to work their way back out of a repair problem, or take what would otherwise be a disaster and turn it in to a successful repair.

There are some things that break so often, that I charge for repairing the part no matter what. An example is a Vacumatic pellet cup. They break very easily, and sometimes shatter for no reason at all. I've taken fillers out of a pen to find no trace of the pellet cup. In those cases I charge for the rebuilding/repair of the filler. Parker 51 jewels are another. The stems can shear off very easily, and it is a common as dirt when you take one out to take a clip off of a pen. I will fix it if I can, or charge a minimal amount for reproduction if not, but an OEM jewel is expensive.

There have been cases where I have had to pay for an expensive part. If I'm too aggressive, if I've been impatient or something like that, sure, I eat the cost. But again, no matter how good someone is, pens will break. A blanket "it's always the pen mechanic's fault" is unrealistic, and enough to convince even the most skilled that it simply isn't worth the effort.

I agree with all of that. Ron is a braver person than I am.