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Thread: Stephens leverfill - colour

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    Default Stephens leverfill - colour

    Good day everyone,
    I've read somewhere that it is possible to 'blacken' faded pens. I have this Stephens that has gone really brown:

    stephens2 cropped.jpg

    Could this pen be brought to its original, was it, black colour? Is it something that can be done in house or the pen has to be sent to somebody capable?
    I don't know if I'm ready to do this operation yet though. Just asking. Is it worthwhile?
    Thank you
    Marco

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    Senior Member eachan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stephens leverfill - colour

    Yes, I would say it's worthwhile. The Stephens is a good pen, made for the ink company by Langs. The only product that really works is Mark Hoover's deoxidizer. It requires a bit of an outlay initially but if you're restoring pens frequently you'll find it useful.

    https://lbepens.webs.com/apps/websto...s/show/8123143

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    Default Re: Stephens leverfill - colour


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    Default Re: Stephens leverfill - colour

    Those posts are quite old and things have moved on since then. Syd Saperstein's Potion No 9 is a colouring that will wash off. Abrading the surface with Micromesh gives good results but doesn't work on chased pens like Marco's.

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    Default Re: Stephens leverfill - colour

    Thank you for the links and the support folks. Interesting reads. Being the pen chased I can't use micromesh. I will need Hoover's product I guess. That said it is the only pen I have in this condition. Also the pages I read made me doubt of myself. Will I be able to do it if I decide to go for it? At least I know it is doable.
    Thank you
    Marco

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    Default Re: Stephens leverfill - colour

    The Hoover method is messy but not at all difficult. Perfectly doable.

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    Default Re: Stephens leverfill - colour

    I would like to share a recipe for "blackening" BHR with the forum.

    First of all, I did the experiment with an old barrel in very bad shape which was given to me. And it did work.





    The recipe is as follows,

    Clean with household ammonia and a soft brush, let it dry, rub with kitchen paper. You are left with an even brownish color on the barrel.

    Mix hidrogen peroxide at 20%vol with Schwarkopf Black 1.0 hair dye. 50% mix. You will then have a brownish paste.

    Apply the paste and let it dry for 40 minutes. Then clean with kitchen paper.

    Rub with silicone oil and polish with a cloth.

    A few years ago, a friend of mine asked me to re-blacken four BHR pens he had in terrible shape, I borrowed the pens for some pics, and these are the results.




    Sorry, no "before" pics, but they were really ugly, greenish/brown

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    Scrawler (January 26th, 2022)

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    Default Re: Stephens leverfill - colour

    Thank you all

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