Hi Folks,
I hope I'm sending this right. I just joined the forum today, and this is my first post here. I have a few mech pencils that need repair. I have worked in several over the years, but these are a much higher grade. The first is a Parker 45, the other are a couple Sheaffer Balance and or Thin Model. What is the correct way to disassemble them to get to the mechanism. I have tried a couple ways, but stopped before I broke something!
Any help would be appreaciated.

DrDigital

Bill Enderlin (thepenmech@aol.com) in Kensington, Maryland. Bill is easy to do business with and really knows his stuff.

Hey...sweet! Thanks for posting up the name, Pens123! I've got a Parker Classic that needs work.

Does this guy JUST fix mechanical pencils, or does he do pens too? I'm in Bethesda which is literally right next to Kensington. I'd love to find a very local tech where I could actually go over and drop the pen off without having to pay full shipping on everything.

You are very close to any of the Bertram's Inkwell brick and mortar stores. One is in Rockville, MD and the other is a block away from the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.

I was just at the Inner Harbor shop and had a wonderful experience. The folks who run the store are laid back, happy and willing to just talk about pens, and they do repairs of all sorts. But be careful. The stock they carry is awesome. Set a spending limit before you walk into the store. The only thing that saved me was that my wife was with me and she just doesn't quite understand my need to have yet another fountain pen or fountain pen set. So I had to walk away with great conversation and a few bottles of ink.

Peace,

Phroneo

I've been to the Whiteflint store a number of times, though the Baltimore store is sort of a haul for me to get up and back (would certainly be close to 90 min to 2 hrs for the trip time alone). Do they do repairs in Whiteflint or is all of it done in Baltimore? What is the turn around time like?

Sorry, I thought that you were closer to downtown Baltimore than that. My geography is off and I used to be so good. So, I guess that it's Hagerstown, MD to which you're closer, or maybe Frederick, MD? (Just kidding.)

I do not know the answer to either one of your questions. However, I think that if you give them a telephone call you'll get an answer to both questions super fast. Once, again, these are very nice folks and very willing to accommodate customer's needs. Give them a call.

Peace,

Phroneo

Hi Again,
Great info on where to send repairs. These have been noted. Thank you.
In my original post, though, I asked for info on how to repair the pencils myself. Does anyone have help in that direction?
tia,

DrDigital

The first piece of advice I have is to get a really, really fine drill-bit and drill out any jammed-up old lead that is in the barrel. I have fixed a couple of pencils that way, and F. Terry Koch said most vintage MPS can be fixed that way.

Beyond that I have found little information. I would sure love to know as well.

John

If you are in the Maryland 'burbs, you also need to make the aquantance of the folks at Pen Haven http://www.thepenhaven.com/products.html.