Parker 45 Cap Disassembly

[JRH]

Hello everyone. Anyone come up with a way to take off the top cap screw from a Parker 45 cap without with out acquiring carpal tunnel syndrome, using a torch or soaking the top with acid? ( I jest of course)

 

I've loose inner cap spring holders that I'd like to tighten up but have been unable to get the screw off this one pen. I've lossened them before but it's taken feats of strength and sometimes left scratches on the screw. I now have a gold tone cap that I'd like to repair but would like to know if anyone has stumbled across an easier, less risky method.

 

I have tried soaking the top part of the cap with naphtha, low heat and even tried a bionic type wrench (over a bicycle rubber cap) and the cap screw only laughs at me.

 

Any ideas to beat these beasts?

[Captivelight]

I came across a similar thread to this a while back, and that too died a lonely death as very few people seem to have any answer to this problem. I to would love to know if there is an easy way of taking the cap screw off ...

 

I have tried heating with a hair drier (no chance), steaming over a kettle spout, (this actually worked with one cap screw although still required a lot of huffing and puffing with some lined pliers), pure brute force (worked more then once but has broken 2 caps and scratched more), and finally I tried glaring angrily at it for some time to intimidate it into submission. All I can say is that they are tough little things and not easily intimidated.

 

I have a friend who has left one in a sonic bath for a long time and he swears this worked but sadly when I gave him some to do they come back fully intact but much cleaner.

 

I guess I will watch this thread with interest to see if anyone knows the secret ...

 

[JRH]

I'm grateful for the sympathy.

Here's hoping a white knight (or warrior queen) appears with a cap-loosening sword and/or magic. I also tried yelling at it.....

[Lemur]

Hello JRH,

 

After some work I´ve managed to disassemble the clip screw on a P45 with stainless steel cap.

 

By applying heat from a alcohol burner I succeeded, but as the inner cap is made of plastic this operation

is quite critical.

 

I only let the top of the screw "touch" the flame and used pliers with plastic cover on the grip to unscrew the part.

To loose the screw I have to apply "much" heat and then apply more heat after a while.

There is probably som sealant which locks the screw quite well to the inner cap.

 

As the inner cap is made of plastic to much heat will result in a melted inner cap.

 

How much heat should be applied?

So much so that you almost couldn't touch the screw without burning the finger.

 

If the cap is made of plastic this method would´t be a solution.

 

Good luck!

[JRH]

Thanks Lemur. Based on all the reading I've done so far, heat seems to be what will crack open that rosin or shellac on a 45 cap. I suppose the same applies to 75s. I mention 75s because I have one with loose inner clips that need replacement as well. The fear of course is the scratching or marring that might occur. Last resort would be a heat gun or the alcohol lamp. Thanks for the input.

[Lemur]

In my description I forgot to mention that I also used a inner cap arbor to prevent the inner cap to rotate.

[Sasha Royale]

How does the "arbor" work ? Is there a slot inside the cap ? The tool seems very expensive.

Is there an alternative ?

Edited July 29, 2014 by Sasha Royale

[Lemur]

How does the "arbor" work ? Is there a slot inside the cap ? The tool seems very expensive.

Is there an alternative ?

The inner cap arbor holds the inner cap fixed while removing the clip screw or jewel.

After using my own made arbor I purchased a "real" one from Pentooling (http://pentooling.com/files.html).

 

I attach a picture of the arbor I made myself, this one do the job very well.

The tool is made from two screwdrivers. The yellow part is the part which secures the inner cap.

The locking is due to friction.

The grey part is Plastic Padding (Cheramic Metal) which "glue" the parts together.

The "pin" of the green driver was removed (by heating the "pin) which soften the plastic, then the

"pin" of the yellow driver is inserted to the green one together with Plastic Padding.

 

This tool can be used on many models so it´s a universal tool.

The "real" tool has grooves att the top, but the homemade tool does the job very well even without the groves.

[bsenn]

Nice tool!

 

I use wood dowels for this sort of thing (never tried on a 45 cap though). The dowels can be sanded to desired contour and when pushed into a cap they conform to whatever is in the cap (clutch, screw at the top, inner cap, or whatever).

 

Brian