I tried sending an email to Richard Binder, but since he's shut-up for the holidays...I bring my case before the masses of the Fountain Pen Network.

I'll try and be as plain as possible - I want to learn how to restore and repair fountain pens. After a chat with my dad, we decided it would be a worthwhile hobby/endeavor, since I've decided that I wanted to start collecting fountain pens seriously (about a year ago now, I started).

So I've got a bunch of questions, and I hope that you guys won't mind answering them.

1. What are the essential tools/materials/pieces of equipment - that I'll need?

2. Where do I start to learn how to restore/repair pens? What are the basics that I need to learn about restoration and what are some simple skills or jobs that I can start with (such as polishing, for example...)

3. A lot of people have recommended Simichrome (sp?) for polishing metal parts. What (if any) product/s should I use for polishing plastic parts? And where can I get these supplies (in B&M stores, if possible. It's just more convenient, but failing that, online).

Yours,

Shangas.

Shangas,

No doubt you will get several responses to this, but I hope most will encourage you to try your hand at repairs.
Here are two websites with supplies to get you started ....

http://www.tryphon.it/catalogo.htm

http://www.simcom.on.ca/woodbin/

I have used both and they both have first rate service. Good luck and ask lots of questions as you go along. Mistakes will happen and they are there to learn from. Start with some inexpensive old lever or button fillers and work your way from there. It is a rewarding experience to use pens you have restored.

Best,

Phil

Shangas,

Do take note of Phil's last paragraph !

Start with cheap pens & learn as you go.
Pick up a few disposables and play with the nibs
Don't expect to become fabulously wealthy doing this
There are lots of sites with information -
Richard's site
Ron Zorn's site
Wim's article
L. Oldfield

There are many others - chase through the links on the sites mentioned.
Pick up a copy of Da Book (but don't treat it as the Bible - though it's close).

Have fun

Regards,
Ruaidhrí

Hahaha!! No, I don't expect to become fabulously wealthy, but I thought it would be something fun to do. And rewarding. Thanks for the links. I've already read Richard's & Ron's sites. I've read through both several times. I'll take a look at those other suggestions, though. Thanks!

And what is the proper title of Da Book, and Da Author dhat wrote it? I think I know one or two places near where I live which might have it (Melbourne Vintage Pens in Armadale) so I'll go there for it.

Da Book is Frank Dubiel's book on pen repair. Pendemonium has it, Fountain Pen Hospital has it. The information is very general, but useful. I have a copy, along with the manufacturers manuals, and refer to both when looking for information.

BUT, there are some area where I disagree with what Frank wrote. I do not use nail polish to secure sacs, do not use rubber cement on pens at all, most definately do NOT use open flame. There are some others, but that's a good start..... Even so, it's a good general resource.

Start with the cheap pens and work your way up. Which is to say don't start on a jade or carmine oversize Balance, or a Waterman Patrician. Pen repair isn't rocket science, but it does take patience, and you have to be willing to give it some thought. Rush into a repair, and you'll get yourself into trouble every time.

To take the time to read the articles on my web site, and Richards as well.

Oh no!! No nonononononono. I'm gonna start with two-dollar pieces of (Potty Mouth) that I pick up at flea-markets and stuff. Once I've perfected my methods of torture on those poor unfortunates, I shall move to larger things.

I decided to go down this path partly because of Richard Binder, to be honest...I read the article on his website about how to replace ink-sacs, and I thought to myself - "I could probably do that..."

I've read a few articles on your site, Ron, in fact, I think it was something on your site that sort of rang true for me...something about wanting to collect fountain pens but finding that there's always something wrong with them and that if I was going to collect pens, I may as well learn how to repair them, too...

I shall poke around for 'Da Book' and read up on it. And I'll try and find some other pen-repair manuals etc. And no, I would NEVER use an open flame on a fountain pen (who the devil thought that up??)

Thanks for the tips & hints & information thus far, guys. I'll have a flip through it and see what happens.

Actually, having known the odd rocket scientist, i'm not sure that rocket science is rocket science either

d

Some qualms have grown about Simichrome of late. None really provable... yet... but still.

The stuff is not just an abrasive, it has- iirc- various preservatives and other chemicals. There has been some speculation that this stuff might not be so good for celluloid in the long run. Of course, no one seems to have done a case controlled double blind prospective study yet.

If one can isolate the gunk to metal, then fine. But, some of us lean more toward dedicated plastic polishes. One compound with good reviews (again, hardly proof) is Renaissance's "Prelim".

In fact, on occasion i have used no polish on plastic pens and achieved better result than any polish has given me, by using micro-mesh pads of progressing fineness.

regards

davd

Hahahaha!!

Hey Ron, I found that quote of yours...

"I decided that if I wanted to collect, I would have to learn to repair, and so plunged into the world of vintage pen restoration."

I think I'm in the same boat, now. Move over

EDIT - By the way, Ron, I read those articles of yours about cheap tools. Very interesting & helpful. Apart from the one about sac-replacement on Richard's site, are there any other articles on richardspens.com, that I should read? I couldn't find any others.

You might consider browsing the Repair Reference Information thread that is pinned at the top of this forum.

Regards,

Gerry

Moving over not necessary - there's room. Besides I plan to stay waaayyyy out in front! There are several more advanced things I'm working on at the moment that are far beyond basic sac replacement.

Truth is, Im a moderator here on FPN because I want to help people who are interested in the basics of pen repair. Sure, I earn a living doing pen repair, but I do understand how much fun it is and want to encourage it!

You'll have to noodle around web sites for information. Many times you'll find reproductions of repair manuals being sold at pen shows (DC a prime example). If you can get your hands on OLD copies of Pen World, there used to be a lot of useful information there too. (its more of a lifestyle mag. now)

Hi,

Thanks Ron. That's nice to know.

To be truthful, I decided to look into learning how to restore pens for lots of reasons. Richard Binder's sac-replacement article was one reason, your site, Ron, was another. Yet another reason was finding stuff on eBay which looked nice, but which contained that annoying line:

"...the sac has not been replaced and has probably dried up..."

...which significantly narrowed the candidates for acceptable bidding-items. I figured if I could learn how to restore pens, I could buy stuff on eBay cheaply and not worry about broken parts and just fix it myself.

Edit - I've been looking through the Tryphon site, supplied by Phlim...It looks like one gigantic online pen-restoration supermarket!...I'm having a bundle of fun poking around and looking at everything...

I read that and thought I would throw in my worst 'tale of woe' on buying a pen. This one happened to be a burgundy "51". The listing showed a gold filled lined cap and the add stated 'needs repairs' and not real clear pictures.. I thought I had bought it cheap enough.

I don't know what the pen had set in to corrode it so effectively. The sac was gone. The sac protector has quite a bit of pitting. The hood seemed bonded on. I finally cut the hood off thinking I could salvage the collector, feed and nib, I had already decided the cap was toast. The collector is/was not the proper collector and was cracked. The nib has bad corrosion, is Octanium and just doesn't look right - besides having a lot of pitting. The nib was bonded to the feed with what I think is shellac and the feed is not a "51" feed. With a bit of cleanup, I might be able to use the section.

Of course there is the other side of the coin too. I purchased a group of pens for one pen and two of them had decent flex nibs.

Ron

Do tell, how odd was he?

Shangas, I'm newer to the hobby than you but am in the same boat trying to learn to repair/restore. I got Da Book, which I think is good for general know-how about how different pens work and how to approach some problems, but yeah, keep a box of salt handy. There's lots of good information online, and asking questions here is good, too.

You can get cheap junkers in lots on eBay or at flea markets, and even the ones you can't save, just dismantling a parts pen can be a real confidence-builder (and help you develop a stash of nibs, caps, bars, what-have-you). On the one hand, it's never a bad idea to ask questions or do research, but on the other hand, when working with the junkers I would say don't be afraid to try to solve problems with your own good sense.

On Richard's site, I would recommend the pen anatomy articles. Also the repair info at Nibs.com (home of John Mottishaw).

Just thought I'd jump in here.
You'll like being able to replace sacs. If I can do it, anyone can, and there's a great thrill in "it didn't work and now it works!" Even if you never move beyond that, it opens the possibilities for pen acquisition up a lot. (For good or ill, I suppose...)

Da Book has a lot of information, but I'd be hesitant to follow any of it that I wasn't sure was safe. Mr. Dubiel wasn't as concerned with preservation as much as I am, and if I may make so bold, I think he was a little overly enamored with nail polish, open flames, WD-40, and cyanoacrylic glues.
But don't be afraid to come here and do a search or ask if you're not sure.

Oh if only Frank were still around - he'd have some fun with you. While Da Book has some decidedly improved upon methods, to take Frank on as to the general wisdom of his advice was a step not taken lightly. I only met Frank over the net, but he was most helpful as I started out repairing my own pens. At the same time, he could be irascible, especially if you weren't interested in listening to those who've repaired more fp's than most of us will ever see. He didn't suffer fools lightly and many people found him difficult. Frank was practical and he saw pens for what they are, tools with which to write and he was interested in putting them in writing condition. Some of his advice may have faded in the last few years, but Da Book is still the single best source of practical pen repair advice - especially that you can grab from the bench when you're in a bind with a particular pen.

Here is my $0.02 worth on your journey of pen repair.

1. Pay attention to the good advice above. Particularly on using junk pens for practice.
2. You will break a few pens - just be prepared for that.
3. Clearly understand your limits and only proceed when you are sure what you're doing.
4. Understand the pen you're working on - is the section threaded or slip? Right or left handed threads? Are there pins securing parts? etc, etc.
5. The Golden Rule - Patience, Patience, Patience. Never work on a pen when you're frustrated or overly tired; bad things will happen.
6. Heat is your friend - but not too much. Get a decent heat gun and thermometer. Know the temperature you're applying to the pen - guessing isn't necessary or wise.
7. Avoid excessive force. Ron's article on "seeing with your fingers" is spot on.
8. Did I mention patience?
9. Ask for advice (I don't think you'll have a problem with this from what I've seen) and listen to the experts.
10. Get the right stuff for the job. 100% Silicon grease instead of the almost 100% stuff. The good plastic polish, etc.
11. Spend some time in the bookmarks section of PenHero.com - some great information to be had there.
12. Have fun. Frank D. used to say "they're only pens" and he was right about that. The world won't stop turning if you break one and your work won't always be perfection. It is however, sort of like golf, one great repair - getting that rather beat up looking Duofold Sr. back to excellent condition - and you'll be hooked for long term.
13. And remember, it's cheaper than seeing a shrink.

Good luck and have fun!

Hi guys, thanks for the replies,

Yes, I read that Frank passed away 'recently'...how recently is that?

And yes, using junk-pens is important, I'm well aware of that (Makes me wish that I didn't skip on that Conway-Stewart Lever-filler I found at the market with the busted sac, now...)

Regarding heat, Kelly, in one of Ron Zorn's articles, he mentions using a hairdryer to supply heat...is this sufficient-enough? 'Cause I do have a rather good one that should work.

I've had a chat with my dad and the moment that Peter Ford's shop is open for business again (I think that would be next weekend, according to his website), we'll drop by and buy a copy of DA BOOK.

Hey Fox-in-the-stars, nice to see that I'm not alone here...for a moment I thought I was!! Yeah, buying some 'parts pens' would definitely be a start for me. I noticed on the Tryphon website that they produce recreation filler-buttons. Yay!! And pressure-bars and all the other bits-and-bobs that repairers need...wow, they really do it properly...I'm getting all tingly and excited now...next thing - Drop by the Camberwell Trash and Treasure Market and snatch up every junk-pen I can find...

I keep watching Richard's site hoping his "Threefers" (bottom of the "restored vintage pens" page) come back into stock... ^_~

I used a hair dryer from Brookstone for quite a few years, and still carry one to pen shows as a backup heat source. The little heat gun that I use today is more effecient, but a hair dryer will work quite well. As I say in the article, they may actually be safer for the newbie because they don't get as hot, but still get very warm. Try your hair dryer. If it doesn't do the job for you, you can always spend the money on a heat gun later on.

I don't like the big two temperature heat guns for pen repair- they're designed to remove paint and thaw pipes, and produce a LOT of heat, with a very wide outlet. They also take up a lot of bench space. The little ones that Giovanni sells, or are available at craft stores work very well. Single temperature, but they have a small outlet for more concentrated air, and there is quite a difference in temperature between 1/2" from the outlet and 3" from the outlet (I've measured it with a digital thermometer) so you can vary the temp with distance.

Hey Kelly, are you sure about that!!

Well, I suppose that depends on the pen; and the shrink!

I agree on the heat gun. Early on I tried one of the name brand paint stripper models that I had out in the garage - bad move. It took me a good long while to find the replacement parts for that brown striped Sheaffer 1000 that I melted. I've been using the Sears Craftsman Industrial model since. The one with the infinite adjustment and a 120 degree low end. It is a bit large, but it sets on the bench well and doesn't drift off temp. I do check the air temp when I get away from my normal settings as I don't want to experience the celluloid melt down again.

Oh, my wife's sister is a shrink, so maybe it's not cheaper - or maybe it is; h'mmm...
Maybe I should say, it's a lot better than seeing a shrink?

Hey guys!!

Thankyou all VERY much for all the stuff you've given me. That Tryphon Enterprises site was a wonderful look-around. I'm all jazzed up and want to get started right away!

Next stop, the flea-market to pick up pen-trash and start my torture-methods on it!

I have a list of trash & treasure/flea/junk/bric-a-brac (and what-have-you), markets *Holds up wad of post-it notes* and this-coming weekend, I shall head out to find repairable fountain pens!

Wish me luck.

Also this weekend, I'll be dropping by Melbourne Vintage Pens to pick up DA BOOK.

Got more questions before I go trash-pen hunting - What are some good 'starter' pens? What should I go for? By this, I'm referring to actual filling-systems, not brand-names.

I saw a 'nice' (And I use the word loosely) Conway-Stewart lever-filler at a flea-market once. It was bright blue and had a petrified sac (Two tugs on the lever that wouldn't move more than a few millimeters told me all I needed to know about THAT pen). I was thinking of starting by buying one or two lever-fillers and tinkering around with those. Is that a good idea, or should I go for something else?

Lever-fillers are the standard norm and IMO the best thing to start with. I'm finding out Sheaffer Touchdowns are easy, too.

Yeah, I figured that lever-fillers were the easiest thing to start with as well. In that case, I'll search for lever-fillers. But I'll buy whatever other stuff I can find, too. Just in-case.

Anyone want to talk about light. What kind of light(s) are used in repairing fountain pens?

None of my pens came with lights. I have not seen after-market lights for fountain pens and only the patents for those with lights.











Now, if you are talking about working lights, I like to work under the compact florescence lights and keep an LED flashlight handy to peerpeel into barrels. I plan on some lights for my bifocal visor, but haven't made them yet.

Ron

Then there's the kind of light you want to look into barrels. I hear the Streamlight is the best, but the little gooseneck LED things will get you started.

According to the MVP site, they sell little LED lights. I may buy one.

By the way, something else I'd like to know...

Obviously, when I find a pen in the wild, it's going to be crammed full of dry ink up the feed and god-knows-where-else...How do I clean out this ink? What's that water & ammonia-mix that everyone's talking about...?

As odd as most.

-d

Shangas - a few more answers (they're worth what you paid for them)

You asked earlier when Frank D. passed away - that would be Dec. 7, 2003. He died from a heart attack while shoveling snow -after receiving news of his mother's passing.

Water and ammonia - until you get an ultrasonic cleaner - and that's something you will eventually get if you don't already own one - using a water/ammonia solution can clean out a lot of old dried ink. I use a 90/10 mix of water and household (non-sudsing) ammonia cleaner. That means you're getting a fairly light mix as the cleaner is also diluted. Still, use caution; good ventilation and eye protection. Ammonia in the eyes isn't a good thing. Don't expose any more of the nib/feed than you have to - some hard rubber will be discolored by the solution, so use care. And of course, rinse well with clear cool water.

So that's a ratio of nine-parts-water to one-part-ammonia, and keep only the nib & feed submerged. And just standard household ammonia.

What measurements should I use? I recall reading somewhere about a tablespoon of ammonia to a certain amount of water, but I can't remember what it was.

It's one tablespoon to 2/3 cup. That comes to about a 10:1 ratio. (According to Richard Binder's site.)

That's it! Thanks!

And do all pens have breather-tubes that I have to concern myself with? Will I have to worry about them? You see, my plan was -

1. Buy DA BOOK.
2. Buy some busted pens to practice sac-replacement on.
3. Buy tools.
4. Try fixing pen.

a. Soak nib & feed in A&W solution.
b. Dry & then pull apart pen. Remove sac, replace sac, leave to dry.
c. Test pen. Refill with water & squirt around and then try again with ink.

Is there something that I should do, apart from that? I'd like to start with a lever-filler, if I can. I've never had one, and I've always wanted a 1920s Sheaffer flattop.

First, start with a third. fourth or eighth tier pen. ANYTHING that is shellaced together. Then do several more. Learn how and how much heat it takes to get these things apart. THEN, only after you are comfortable with the process on 'junk' pens, redeaux a pen with a bit of value to yourself. In the process of rebuilding a few old pens you may find some with great nibs. You will learn what feeds look like and maybe why they have the cuts and channels must they have. You may learn how to adjust the flow on a few pens before break the feed on one ... that is near impossible to replace.

While rebuilding pens isn't difficult, there are tricks to it and until you encounter a problem, you won't know how it is solved. Eventually, you will be able to look at the nib and feed of a pen tell it is going to have a problem. You will graduate to more complicated pens and understand why those who are very good with pens would and usually are good at several other technical disciplines.

Tools needed - a pair of section pliers, a good temperature gage, some small pieces of rubber hose and the most important tool, your mind.

Ron

None of my pens came with lights. I have not seen after-market lights for fountain pens and only the patents for those with lights.


Jeez Ron, give the kids a chance!

John

I'm not a kid! *pouts*

...but yeah, go easy! You're still scaring me!!

I don't think I'll use a heatgun. Dad says he has one lying around the house somewhere, but he advised against it as it's apparently quite a powerful one and said I should go with Ron (Zorn's) suggestion of using mum's hair-dryer instead.

By the way, when I remove the barrel from the section - will the filler-mechanism (filler-button, lever, pressure-bar - especially the pressure bar) - fall out of the inside of the barrel? How do I get it back in?

Shangas,

Glad to see you are willing to learn the ins and outs of pen repair.

The FIRST thing to do before you take anything apart is study how the pen is assembled while it is assembled and take notes. Make a note on how things fit and they look assembled. Look at all the parts and how they line up. Make a few notes of your observations as things come apart. Take a good look at each step and did I mention you should take a few notes. Sketches help too. Did I mention to make notes? I do this because it often me a while to get back to a pen after it comes apart. Sometimes because I need a part, other times because it needs to soak, often I'm just busy. The SECOND thing to do is put all the stuff from your project pen in one place. I use small parts boxes and keep one pen in each box. I keep everything from the pen including any broken bits until the pen is finished.

On to some of your questions-


Usually not. It is almost always held in place by an expanded bottom. Can be a real pain to remove sometimes.


If nothing is busted, the lever will not fall out. Levers are usually held in place with a small ring that fits in a groove in the barrel. Some are pinned in place. There are also lever boxes which are usually the most difficult. Some levers can engage the pressure bar and these can be trying and there are usually not replacement bars available so proceed carefully.


The pressure bar will usually fall out if it is a button filler, broken or rotted. It may be keyed to a particular spot on the section or the button, line it back up and then put the section back in place so pay some attention when you first take apart a pen. If you have a J-bar, it will require something narrow to grab it and pull it out. Sometimes you need to twist a bit and other times you need to fit something under the hook of the J to avoid damaging the guts of the pen. Always look at the J-bar through the lever slot, there are some that are attached to the lever and these can be the most fun. It also helps to make a note of how deep the J-bar is inserted into the barrel when it comes time to put it back in.

To reinsert a J-bar install the lever and shove it back in making sure it is lined up with the lever.


I like this approach. I usually remove the section from the barrel but now and then a recalcitrant little project comes along and thinking your way often works!


Todd

Yep. I've been bombarding Richard Binder's site almost every day for the past two or three weeks reading everything he has there about the insides of pens and how they work and I've just started writing up a glossary and general notes on pens, their parts, what they are, what they're used for, how they work etc etc etc etc...*deep-breath*. (I'm handwriting it with a fountain pen, to begin with. I figured this was as good-a-time as any to use my pens! To write about how to restore pens! )

I wanted to start with lever-fillers because they look like the easiest to repair. My main concern was pressure-bars dropping out because I'm worried that I'll have a bloody hard time getting them back in.

For only a small fee (to be determined later) I will give you the secret place to put your tongue and exactly how hard to clench the teeth!

Ron

Shangas,

Get a few Esterbrooks or Wearever lever fillers. The Esterbrooks are the best place to start since you don't need to worry about nibs.

Todd

LOL!! What was that, Ron!?

And there is always eBay, lots of lots come up pretty often, some seem to have been put together to be repair specials, nice basic fountain pens that need work. Tend to go at reasonable prices as well.

Yay!! I got a reply from Peter Ford via email. Melbourne Vintage Pens in the Armadale Antiques Center on High Street is OPEN THIS SUNDAY MORNING!!

Off I shall go and buy that book! (And whatever else I'm able to afford! )

Wish me luck, guys!...The beginning of phase one is about to be carried out - the acquisition of materials & other necessities.

---



So far, I have covered five sheets of paper, both sides, making ten pages of legible, handwritten notes and instructions. I have written one pen from full to empty and had to refill it and I am now doing the same thing with another pen! So far, I've made notes on:

Caps.

- Outer caps.
- Inner caps.
- Cap-rings.
- Cap-clips.
- Ringtops.
- Clutches (for slip-on caps).
- Threads (for screw-ons).
- **I forgot to include click-ons!...but then with vintage pens, I don't suppose there were any of those...were there?**

Barrels.

- Barrels.
- Location of ink & filling mech.
- Blind-caps.

Sections.

- Location.
- Size.
- How it's attached to the barrel.

Nibs.

- Tips & tipping.
- Tines.
- Breather-holes.

Feeds.

- Purpose.
- Construction.
- Cleaning.

Filling-systems. **Doing that now**

- Ink-sacs.
- Sac-filler pens.
- Types of sac-fillers **doing that now**

I'm trying to get myself all info'd up so that when I get my first pen, I know all the parts and what to tinker with and what to leave alone and how to identify everything. I figured writing and reading and notetaking was the best way to academically prepare myself, and I might as well handwrite it on paper with a fountain pen (or two or three) and have fun at the same time. And this is lots of fun!

It's not a perfect project - I have forgotten to add in various things here and there - but at least it helps me remember all the facts.

On a lever filler with a J-bar (the most common type, I think), you're probably not going to have it come out unless it needed to be replaced anyway. If you're just replacing a sac, you won't need to take it out (usually). If it does fall out, they're easy to put back in; just slide it into the barrel so the long side is against the inside of the lever.

Shangas,
I generally like the way you're approaching pen repair - but, be careful to not over-think it. By that, I mean, don't do more to a pen than you need to do. For example, if you don't need to remove the J-Bar, don't; if it's working then don't risk damaging it by pulling it out of the barrel. Or, if you feel confident that soaking or a trip to the UC has the nib/feed clean - don't knock out the nib/feed from the section.

As you start out with junk pens, you may want to ignore this advice in order to learn as much as you can, but when you begin working on more valuable pens, you need to evaluate how far you need to go. You also need to evaluate when it's time to send the pen to a pro. For example, I don't own a inner cap puller, so if I have a nice pen that needs that work, I'll send it to a pro. I wouldn't try to replace the broken clip on my Waterman 452 - not a good pen on which to practice.

Additionally, learn the idiosyncrasies of various pen models. Example: Eversharp Skylines - some of the barrel plastic is quite brittle - always use heat to remove and replace the section; also, there are three different lever styles and if you need to remove the lever, you need to know which you're dealing with; Skylines are also notorious for the plastic on the cap dome threads shrinking; and you need to clearly understand how the clip is constructed before you try to remove one (this is another one you don't want to do just for fun unless it's a junker or you have some spare parts as they're easy to break). Also, know that you can take some pretty nasty looking Skylines with gf caps and restore them to great looking pens - with some of the best writing nibs around.

Each vintage pen model has a similar list of stuff to think about - which is why the pros are such a valuable source of knowledge and we're fortunate we have some of the best on fpn willing to share with us hack amateur newbies (as David I. used to say, or maybe still does).

As always - have fun!

Thanks, Kelly. I don't THINK I'm overthinking it, I just want to be prepared. Sac-replacement is one of the most important things...obviously! If there's no sac there's no ink...so I want to start with that. Pull the pen apart, hack out the old sac and put in a new one in.

I understand what you're saying - Don't do more on a pen than is necessary, and that is within your abilities. I'm not about to try and do more than I can, so don't worry I reckoned I'd start with sac-replacement and cleaning feeds & nibs for a few months and once I've got that down to an art I'll move onto other stuff.

Thought that I would post a little update...

Went pen-hunting on Friday. I found one British-made lever-filler (And that was the ONLY PEN I FOUND ALL DAY) - And it was in ATROCIOUS condition. It's cap had been broken in two places, it had a crack around the lip, the sac was petrified (Yay!!) and it's nib had been seemingly smashed into a desk-surface because the tines were bent criss-cross (How the hell someone achieves that, I don't even KNOW!!).

It's price was $10 as-is. Well as it WAS, it was worthless as practice-repair because it was in a completely unusable condition. I had to pass. And it was so pretty. It was all wood-grain finish. I couldn't make out the brand but it started with A, I think. And it was made in England.

Tomorrow, I'm heading off to the various markets on my list to find more trash-pens. And I'm heading to Peter Ford at the Armadale Antiques Center to buy DA BOOK.

Wish me better luck than that god forsaken fountain pen that I found on Friday!!

If your experience is anything like most of us, you'll find a lot of really bad pens at crazy high prices, some repairable pens at tolerable prices, and maybe, just maybe, a pen or two that are diamonds in the rough at reasonable prices. Occasionally, dare I say rarely, you'll find a great pen at a sumgai price. If you look long enough it will happen. Check out estate sales and auctions - they've been good to me.

Have fun!