Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 24

Thread: Need pen help

  1. #1
    Senior Member mreeveshp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    317
    Thanks
    261
    Thanked 488 Times in 176 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Need pen help

    My father found this Waterman lever filler pen at the bottom of a desk drawer. Right now I have the nib soaking and couldn't move the lever at all. Can anyone give me info on this pen like when they were made and also is there a way to pull the barrel off to see if the sac is any good. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks
    Mreeveshp

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,903
    Thanks
    1,395
    Thanked 6,379 Times in 2,500 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: Need pen help

    DO NOT PULL ON THE LEVER anymore.

  3. #3
    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Brooklyn NY
    Posts
    775
    Thanks
    381
    Thanked 618 Times in 344 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Don’t force the lever. The sac is ossified.

    Heat the barrel with a hair dryer or something similar and pull the section off with gentle persuasion. Rubber grips help. It can take a while, but don’t be tempted to rush it.

  4. #4
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,903
    Thanks
    1,395
    Thanked 6,379 Times in 2,500 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Okay, now that the warning is posted, you have a great pen to get started on vintage pens. The sac is now hard, and the lever and especially the lever box is vulnerable if you try to force it. You must remove the section to gain access to the inside of the barrel, and you need long thin tools to remove the ossified sac either whole or more likely in bits and pieces. To remove the section without breaking the 100-year-old hard rubber, you need carefully applied mild heat; too hot and it quickly burns. Ease it out; too much pressure and the barrel cracks. Then remove the remains of the sac without damaging the lever assembly, clean it all, re-sac with new sac, shell and talc, reassemble carefully, tweak the nib if no repair needed.

    I hope you get my point that you need tools and experience to do a proper job without damaging a very nice pen. Without the experience, do your research. Get the book(s).

  5. #5
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,367
    Thanks
    6,856
    Thanked 10,336 Times in 3,966 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: Need pen help

    I would recommend you first watch a video on how to resac an old Waterman's pen. SBRE Brown has one here:

    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to Chrissy For This Useful Post:

    amk (August 4th, 2020)

  7. #6
    Senior Member jar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Deep South Texas
    Posts
    4,045
    Thanks
    479
    Thanked 3,711 Times in 1,610 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Or spend about $25.00 and send it to Danny Fudge to fix.

  8. #7
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,903
    Thanks
    1,395
    Thanked 6,379 Times in 2,500 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: Need pen help

    $25? That is cheap!

  9. #8
    Senior Member mreeveshp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    317
    Thanks
    261
    Thanked 488 Times in 176 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    Don’t force the lever. The sac is ossified.

    Heat the barrel with a hair dryer or something similar and pull the section off with gentle persuasion. Rubber grips help. It can take a while, but don’t be tempted to rush it.
    I just barely moved the lever since I didn't want to force it at all. The water the nib is sitting in is already turned black. When I heat the barrel where do I pull from because it doesn't look like my other lever fillers that I can see a area where the barrel separates from the nib. They need new sacs too. Is this pen really that old?

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

  10. #9
    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Brooklyn NY
    Posts
    775
    Thanks
    381
    Thanked 618 Times in 344 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: Need pen help

    It looks like a typical lever filler to me. The section and barrel meet at the end of the barrel threads.

  11. #10
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,367
    Thanks
    6,856
    Thanked 10,336 Times in 3,966 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    It looks like a typical lever filler to me. The section and barrel meet at the end of the barrel threads.
    This.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  12. #11
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,903
    Thanks
    1,395
    Thanked 6,379 Times in 2,500 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Quote Originally Posted by mreeveshp View Post
    ...When I heat the barrel where do I pull from because it doesn't look like my other lever fillers that I can see a area where the barrel separates from the nib...
    2dc893f2ddfcadde1dffc9ce477a26fa.jpg

  13. #12
    Senior Member mreeveshp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    317
    Thanks
    261
    Thanked 488 Times in 176 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: Need pen help

    I'm still letting the nib sit in the water to get it somewhat clean then I might try to pull it apart with some heat. I'm praying that the sac isn't bad since I don't have the money to get it or my other 2 lever fillers fixed one used to be my favorite since it had a gold nib like this and had a little flex.

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

  14. #13
    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: Need pen help

    It's pretty easy to diy sac replacement and sacs and sac cement are relatively low cost.

  15. #14
    Senior Member mreeveshp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    317
    Thanks
    261
    Thanked 488 Times in 176 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Quote Originally Posted by azkid View Post
    It's pretty easy to diy sac replacement and sacs and sac cement are relatively low cost.
    Got it taken apart and surprisingly I can't find any tears or anything on the sac, just got to figure out if I can get water sucked up in it, cause it still seems like the feed is clogged so it's still soaking, to see if it holds

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
    Last edited by mreeveshp; August 3rd, 2020 at 04:29 PM.

  16. #15
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,903
    Thanks
    1,395
    Thanked 6,379 Times in 2,500 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Is the sac still pliable? Wonder what the lever resistance was.

  17. #16
    Senior Member mreeveshp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    317
    Thanks
    261
    Thanked 488 Times in 176 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Is the sac still pliable? Wonder what the lever resistance was.
    Yea the sac still squeezes and springs right back into shape and I don't hear any crackling

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

  18. #17
    Senior Member jar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Deep South Texas
    Posts
    4,045
    Thanks
    479
    Thanked 3,711 Times in 1,610 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Quote Originally Posted by mreeveshp View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Is the sac still pliable? Wonder what the lever resistance was.
    Yea the sac still squeezes and springs right back into shape and I don't hear any crackling

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
    Very carefully with a good loupe look at the lever box for cracks or deformation. Also if you can squeeze the sac even with the nib blocked assume that there is a pinhole leak in the sack and replace it.

  19. #18
    Senior Member mreeveshp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    317
    Thanks
    261
    Thanked 488 Times in 176 Posts
    Rep Power
    8

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Quote Originally Posted by jar View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by mreeveshp View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Is the sac still pliable? Wonder what the lever resistance was.
    Yea the sac still squeezes and springs right back into shape and I don't hear any crackling

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
    Very carefully with a good loupe look at the lever box for cracks or deformation. Also if you can squeeze the sac even with the nib blocked assume that there is a pinhole leak in the sack and replace it.
    When I would squeeze the sac I could feel pressure like it wasn't letting air in or out so I carefully pulled the nib off and the pressure released immediately and I was able to clean it and right now I have the feed section soaking in water with the nib off but it's now sucking water up and holding it and I can't find anywhere that its leaking so I have water filled in the sac too to clean the ink residue out of there

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

  20. #19
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    6,605
    Thanks
    7,789
    Thanked 11,015 Times in 4,003 Posts
    Rep Power
    22

    Default Re: Need pen help

    If it were my pen, I'd still replace the sac now. A pen sac that has been sitting around for years may not have a defect at the moment but the structural integrity of the latex is, well, only a matter of time before it breaks and leaks ink. At the moment, if you feel a burning desire to put it into action, you should at least get ahold of some talc so the exterior of the sac has a good dry lubricant to ease the use of the lever. Also, the common method for removing a nib on these is to push both the nib and feed out from the rear of the section using a knock-out block, usually done when the old sac has been removed. It can be tricky to get a good seating of *only* the nib and you have to be careful when replacing it in the section. I find it more effective to replace the feed and nib at the same time, getting a good tight fit and correct placement of the nib over the feed.

    Nice pen, great to have it as a memento. Done up right, it will last for many years to come.
    "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

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

    jar (August 4th, 2020)

  22. #20
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,367
    Thanks
    6,856
    Thanked 10,336 Times in 3,966 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: Need pen help

    Just in case you have a nib knock out block I would recommend that before you knock out the feed you put some tape or make a chalk mark or something on the section because you will need to put the nib and feed back in the same position inside the section that they were in before you knocked them out.

    You can make a nib block from a piece of wood using a drill and some different sized drill bits. That's how my original one was made. Then lie it across something like a couple of bricks to raise it up at the sides.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  23. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Chrissy For This Useful Post:

    amk (August 4th, 2020), jar (August 4th, 2020), Jon Szanto (August 4th, 2020), SchaumburgSwan (August 4th, 2020)

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
  •