To all the old hands out there,

I recently acquired a very nice black vacumatic very cheaply - and now I know why !

The feed unit consisting of a two different sized thread parts have broken away from each other, such that the larger threaded unit is left in the pen barrel. Previously, someone has tried to gauge out it out, leaving a very nice mess. The barrel doesnt seem to be too badly effected although the spring in filler unit has snapped.

So my dilemna.........how to remove the remnants, which look to be very tight. Any use boring it out without damaging the barrel thread ? The pen has a lovely cap and I'd hate to have to mix and match on this one.

Thoughts appreciated

Benson

Is the filler retainer (the part that is broken) made of plastic? I had one I eventually destroyed getting it out. Proper repairmen will drill it out and then cut new threads for a replacement filler, likely one with a metal retainer ring rather than the wartime plastic one.

I suspect those stuck rings were shellaced in place, and the alcohol in the shellac solvent welded the filler to the barrel. I don't believe it's possible to fracture a metal retainer without doing considerable damage to the barrel, but then I learn something new every day it seems!

Unless you have a lathe and the appropriate skills and tools, I would send the pen off to one of the repair people here on FPN -- definitely worth the money.

Peter

Looks plastic to me with the metal part of the filler lying more central. This is one problem I would really love to try myself but without a drill / lathe, I may have to pass. I've been quoted $82 for the repair, which is a lot considering I only paid $30 for the pen and it certainly wouldnt resell for mor than $80 or so - I've got a conundrum !

B

It will have to be drilled out and the hole re-tapped, and a new filler fitted.

This is rather common with the wartime celluloid locking collar -- it tends to fuse with the barrel material and cannot be removed. I have one awaiting a tap to re-thread it.

Peter