Replacing a cap jewel on a double-jewel Estie

[fpman]

I have a lovely double-jeweled Esterbrook LJ that is missing the cap jewel. I have another unrestored LJ that is complete. Can I safely take the jewel from one and replace the missing one on the other? If so, any tips to how?

[OcalaFlGuy]

The answer is, no, not easily.

 

It requires you remove both the inner caps. If you search hard enough and are imaginative, there **may** possibly be a way to cheaply jury rig a homegrown method to do that without damaging the cap/inner cap but the correct tool to accomplish the inner cap removal is $100+.

 

The usually far easier method would be to post a GOOD pic of the pen and attempt to find a complete matching (as closely as possible) cap.

 

I am just guessing, but to get someone with a cap puller to make the switch for you would prolly run you around $20-25. (Unless you found one of them in a particularly charitable mood.)

 

Now. There is a modicum of good news here. The cap jewels for LJ's are the same size as SJ's. There are many more of those laying around ready to be put into pens than spare J jewels. Someone may fix the broken jewel cheaply for you and allow you to also keep the usuable pen you have unscathed.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[Brian Anderson]

If the cap you're removing the jewel from is bad enough you are going to take out the jewel, then you don't need to worry about removing either inner cap. Follow the methods I describe here. Basically, drill through the inner cap on the good jeweled pen, pop it out, then stick it into the pen you want it in. If you do it right, you won't even need to use any form of glue to make it stick.

 

Since it is an LJ, you could also use any barrel end jewel from any sized J series pen. Only the cap jewel on the larger J is different.

 

Best-

Brian

[FarmBoy]

I'm still a fan of the inner cap puller method.

 

Todd

[Rabbit]

Would it still be on topic if I asked how an inner cap puller works? I've seen photos of the tool, but i can't figure out what all the parts are used for! Maybe if I had one to play around with I could figure it out...

 

--Stephen

[Brian Anderson]

I'm still a fan of the inner cap puller method.

 

Todd

 

Well, yes, but most people don't have one, or aren't going to invest in a good one, and if the cap is crappy enough to remove the jewel, who cares about the inner cap?

 

Brian

[Ron Z]

....who cares about the inner cap?

 

Me. I might want to use the inner cap on another pen because that one's inner cap is missing or damaged. Some of them break rather easily. But then I save pellets from dead Vacumatic diaphragms if they come out intact just in case I need one, and I have needed them.

[Ghost Writer]

fpman You have lots of good advice here. If you like the pen - and it sounds like you do. Just take your time and wait for a cheap parts pen to come along on eBay or at a flea market. As already said you can use any barrel jewel from any SJ, LJ or J model to fit your cap. You probably are already addicted to Esties so having a few spare parts for "the next one" never hurts. Good luck to you!

[FarmBoy]

....who cares about the inner cap?

 

Me. I might want to use the inner cap on another pen because that one's inner cap is missing or damaged. Some of them break rather easily. But then I save pellets from dead Vacumatic diaphragms if they come out intact just in case I need one, and I have needed them.

Me too.

[ZeissIkon]

Since it is an LJ, you could also use any barrel end jewel from any sized J series pen. Only the cap jewel on the larger J is different.

 

BTW, since Brian didn't point this out -- the barrel end jewels are significantly easier to remove than the cap jewels; they can usually be gotten out without damaging the barrel, and barrels without caps are easier to find than SJ/LJ caps.

[fpman]

Thanks to the moderators for moving my post to the right forum - I just wasn't thinking. It turns out the jewel on my non-functioning pen wasn't too hot either (some brown stuff that refused to come off), so before I read everyone's terrific advice (and thank you all), I just went for it. The good news is that I was able to remove the cap jewel by running my fingernail around the edge and slowly leveraging the jewel out. The bad news is at one point I got impatient and resorted to a thin edged screwdriver with predictably results. Even that had a good side as the part that broke off was the one with the unremovable junk on it. And the pen looks better with a damaged jewel than without one at all.

 

I will definitely look out for stray caps and damaged pens with intact jewels. After all, I need a lovely red and a lovely green set to go with the gorgeous blue one. :embarrassed_smile:

[Brian Anderson]

....who cares about the inner cap?

 

Me. I might want to use the inner cap on another pen because that one's inner cap is missing or damaged. Some of them break rather easily. But then I save pellets from dead Vacumatic diaphragms if they come out intact just in case I need one, and I have needed them.

 

Yeah, but you also have an inner cap puller, I'll bet. Since most people aren't going to pay the $100 for an inner cap puller (yes, I know there is a different model for less, but as I understand it, it does not work as well), they can either look at that nice pretty jewel sitting in their crappy cap, or do something about it. I also haven't seen a lot of Esterbrook caps with missing or damaged inner caps. Now if you're talking about inner caps in fountain pens in general, that may very well be a different story, in which case, my original quote is out of context.

 

Just my $.02-

Brian (feeling feisty today)

[Wardok]

I have a similar problem, only I have a good jewel and a broken clip on a beige J, and a donor black J cap with broken jewel and good clip. I have borrowed an inner cap puller and successfully removed the inner caps from both. Before I follow the instructions in Brian's link and remove both jewels, I just want to check that the clips will then come free and can be interchanged. I would hate to go through all this and still not be able to do the swap.

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

PS nice to have access to an inner cap puller at last, so many saved up projects where it will help (I hope)

[PaFitch]

I took a broken jewel off the top of a black j and found that the clip was riveted in place. By the time I pried the rivet up enough to get the clip loose, the clip was severely dinged. (No problem though, someone had broken the clip off at the bend before I got the pen.) I contemplated drilling out the rivet but didn't. With the jewel out, the inner cap easily pushed out and it resides in my parts collection. The best part--months later, a trip to an antique mall turned up a black j with rust oozing out of the opening for the lever. The dealer saw it and took the pen to throw it away. When I asked for the pen, he let me have it and now my black j has a whole cap again.

[Wardok]

I have removed the broken Jewel, but can't see how to get the clip off in any way that will ensure it can be re-used. As by wife says, I'm not really fingers positive, so I'm reluctant to do this by trial and error. Does anybody know of a way of exchanging clips?

[FarmBoy]

I have removed the broken Jewel, but can't see how to get the clip off in any way that will ensure it can be re-used. As by wife says, I'm not really fingers positive, so I'm reluctant to do this by trial and error. Does anybody know of a way of exchanging clips?

Exchanging clips is not an easy task. The clips are riveted in place and removal typically destroys one or two of the three (clip, rivet, and cap). Reswaging the rivet on the new pen requires an appropriate anvil and punch to seat the rivet that will be slightly out of shape.

 

I only mess with clip replacement as an exercise in craftsmanship. The secret is to find a replacement cap if the clip is gone. It is true I buy pens with missing clips but I do it to get the jewels for caps with good clips.

 

Firefyter-Emt created a set of tools he used to do the repair you talk about. I can't find the original post but look here for help.

 

Todd