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Mabie Todd Help Please; To Dye Or Not To Dye


spacecoastpenny

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Hello all. it has been awhile since I have posted. Life sure gets in the way some times.

 

No to the matter at hand. The other day I was stuck in traffic and we where being rerouted because of an accident. When I got on the side street there was a little resale store with a sign in the window saying "going out of bussiness" of coarse I pulled in. And I asked if he had any old pens or records.

 

He had boxes of records and 3 pens. I found nothing in the records. But the pens where this Mabie Todd an Waterman 52 1/2 and dip pen. We made or deal and know I own the 3 pens.

 

First I can't find any numbers on the pen and after pouring over tons of photos on the intenet I can't Identify the pen, any help would be appreciated.

 

And now for the big. As alot of hard rubber pens this one has browned and I am trying to decided if I want to dye it or leave it browned. I bought Pensbury Hard rubber dye No. 9 and I am having second thoughts about dying it. All comments welcome.

 

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii95/radiosailor/DSC07133_zps71e7c952.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii95/radiosailor/DSC07136_zps7bfc5b9c.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii95/radiosailor/DSC07137_zps03245916.jpg

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If the barrel is smooth (no pattern) and the imprint is deep you could polish off the oxidisation with metal polish. I have used Silvo (a UK brand silver polish that's less abrasive than Brasso, its brass polishing brother) successfully on smooth barrels. No photos as I'm at work, but I'll try to post results this evening.

I bought Pensbury and tested it - I was never particularly satisfied with the results because unless you have perfect conditions it looks painted on.

"Truth can never be told, so as to be understood, and not be believ'd." (Wiiliam Blake)

 

Visit my review: Thirty Pens in Thirty Days

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Do look up that on advanced search. There are a couple of men that do restoration on that turning olive of black hard rubber, that is much more complicated and better than trying to polish it off.

 

They also explain how you can do it your self.

I never got around to it, in I have a pen with a top jewel and piston cap that are olive green, while the cap and body have remained black.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Thanks for the reply.

 

The barrel is smith and the only imprint is person name. I might try to rub it out a bit to see what happens.

I don't think i will get in any hurry with this pen.

 

I would like to keep from sending this pen out to keep the budget in line, so it is up to me to do what can be done.

 

I really like the way the pen writes and I would like to get it looking good now.

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Since it has a smooth barrel, just polish it with Simichrome. It won't be totally shiny and black, but it will improve the color. Polish it two or three times....

 

I have used the Pensbury Hard rubber dye No. 9 and it is fine for pens that aren't particularly valuable. You have to apply it carefully and completely, let it cure FULLY before you even look at the pen again, and then consider a second coat. It works fine, but sometimes flakes off, and also the finish always looks blackened to me, not like an original preserved black finish. I like it and I use it, but depends on the pen.

 

From my picture, you can see I am into Swan pens. That particular pen you bought is far to nice to blacken, in my opinion. That banding pattern is not very common. If you aren't into Swans, maybe we can work out a trade for something you like to collect :)

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  • 1 month later...

Sorry, little late..

 

That's a 54 pen. Mabie Todd did a lot of weird banding patterns on their BHR pens, and that seems like a very nice one. First time I've seen it on a 54 size pen.

 

I'm assuming that's an American pen - there should be an imprint that says whether its a US or English pen. Does the nib have a size on it (4?).

 

Blackening pens is a raging debate in the business, but I take more pleasure in my pens that have been blackened. Nonetheless, I'm not a fan of dying them, there are a couple of restorers that have alternative techniques that don't involve adding color to the pen or use abrasives.

 

Also a big collector of NYC Swans, but I focus on plastics.

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