I have just bought a button fill Burnham, from the dreaded eb*y, and have unscrewed the section to have a look at the sac. (It was ok, if a little small).

Inside is a metal 'rail' type bar with a thin metal strip in the rail. It all dangles rather loosely from the button at the top.

Two questions, if anyone can help. What side of the rail bar do I Put the sac? I assume it would be the side with the thin strip which I imagine to bow under pressure from the button.

Secondly which ever side I put the sac, when I screw the section back in the sac catches and twists with it. This results in a screwed up sac inside.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Greg

Greg, I've just been through this with the Mentmore button-filler shown in my avatar. So ...



Not sure what you mean by "thin strip" but you should place the sac by the side that's completely smooth, to avoid cutting into the sac.



Two possibilities ...

One, the sac you are using is simply too large; go one or two sizes down. (You could also consider coating the sac with talcum powder or powdered graphite as a dry lubricant.) Turn the section SLOWLY and GENTLY as you screw it all back in.

Two: If your Burnham is anything like my Mentmore or an original Parker Duofold, you should be able to remove the button from the end of the pen. (See my pic for ref.) Just gently pull it out. Then refit the sac/section. Then CAREFULLY slide the rail back in (flat side towards the sac!) through the "button-hole", wait untill it locates against the section, then refit the button. This is the way "Da Book" recommends to do it. I haven't tried it myself, having used the first method. The danger with this method is that you pierce the sac with the end of rail.

Hope this helps!

Richard

Thanks, Richard.

I'm still covered in ink from fiddling, I realise that the rail part is the part that bears onto the sac, the thin strip being the spring that is bent by pressure from the button which bears against the inside of the body. This appears to wedge up against the sac where it connects to the section. Surely this will wear through at some point.

The button is identical to that in your picture, with the little slits in it. I was scared to pull it out in case it was too difficult to get back in! I'll have to pluck up some courage.

The sac is already quite small and is the same one that came out. I used a little washing up liquid and it seems to have gone in ok.

However I know have virtually no movement on the button with even less capacity available. It might be that the sac is distorted again but it seems that the thin bar part should be a few millimetres longer.

I can see a bit more fiddling coming up.

Greg, the end of the spring shouldn't be wedged against the sac, but against the end of the section. To do this, it will of course rest alongside where the sac attaches to the nipple. (Maybe that's what youi mean and I'm misunderstanding. )

I was scared to pull the button out too - but it was OK in the end. Pushing it back is easier as the end is slightly conical.

I honestly wouldn't use washing up liquid here - it could rot the sac or rust the bar. Only dry lubricants should be used inside a pen. Make sure you dry it out or

If the rail's too short, either someone has fitted the wrong one, or there might be a collar floating around somewhere against which it might locate. One final thought: do you have the rail the right way round? The broad end should go sectionwards ...

You can get replacements at Cathedral Pens here in the UK, or from Giovanni at Tryphon (excellent service).

Good luck!

Normally, to resac a button filler, you start by removing the button. Then you pull the pressure bar out of the barrel from the button end (or you may damage the sac and possibly the pressure bar). Then you remove the section and replace the sac. Reassembly is done in the reverse order: reattach section, insert pressure bar from the button opening, re-insert the button.
Good luck!
Giovanni

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