First Time Repair - Broken J Bar

[vmedlock]

Hi all,

 

I'm undertaking to re-sac an Esterbrook J (I think) that I found in an antique shop a few years ago. Following the excellent tutorial on this site, opening the pen wasn't too difficult, and the old sac shook right out. However, the J-bar also shook right out -- in two pieces. I'm pretty sure that I need a size 16 sac for this pen, but I know nothing about replacing a broken j-bar. Any advice?

 

Thanks,

Vince

[Titanic9990]

Hello,

 

Fortunately for you, there are various websites that sell replacement j-bars (sometimes called pressure bars). Take a measurement of the j-bar to see how long it is (height, don't include the curved over section). You simply slip the replacement one into the pen with the long side up against the lever on the inside of the pen. Try fountainpensacs.com or pendemonium. Do a search, there are plenty of reputable sellers. Good luck!

Edited August 13, 2014 by Titanic9990

[Brian Anderson]

You need a 54 mm J bar. If the pen has the internal spacer inside the barrel, you will have to take a metal snips and trim off the back of the J bar and rebend it. I trace it on a piece of paper before I cut it, then cut off a little bit at a time and rebend with a needle nose pliers to get the correct shape. If there is no spacer inside the barrel, just push it all the way back and you should be ok.

[vmedlock]

Thanks, guys. Brian, which internal spacer should I look for? I see the sac tray, but nothing else in the barrel. (Which I guess means the spacer isn't there....)

Vince

[Brian Anderson]

Yeah, sac tray, spacer, same thing. Sometimes I call it a spacer.

[OcalaFlGuy]

Vince, the modern replacement J-bars will be shaped like this on the top bar. [_]

 

You can try first to put it in like it is, cut down to the right length. You May then find the lever flops a bit. If that is the case it is because the

end of the lever inside has enough room within that channel (above) to move such that the outside end of the lever "flops".

 

The answer Then is to pull the J-bar and use a dremel to grind away most or all of those "shoulders" to the channel. Then there's less/no room for the lever to flop around in.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[vmedlock]

Thanks for the advice, Bruce. I'll probably order a couple of bars so I have one to screw up -- it seems to be the way I do things.

 

Brian, since the tray is in there, I'll trim the j-bar as you suggest.