I've completely restored a W52 that's simply amazing, how can you see in the attached pictures.
Now I'm in doubt to bring back the deep black color of the hard rubber or not, so need your suggestion.
Marks on barrel are not perfect but all legible.
I know the "Pensbury Manor Black Hard Rubber Pen Potion", do you think I have to use it?

I have not learnt how to reblacken HR pens, I'm not there yet.

But if you're looking for opinions, then mine would be that if you're intending to TRULY restore this fountain pen - blacken away and do it properly Best of luck, it looks great already!!

It is really up to your personal tastes. I've grown to appreciate the patina of aged rubber.

I think that a reblacken pen with worn surface chasing sometimes looks funny and fake. Other people wouldn't have it any other way.

Your choice! And very nice writing by the way.

John

Very nice writing & good job on restoring a great pen (one of my favorites)! I like the brown. It's totally up to you if you want to re-blacken.

I think that some of the browns that these pens turn to is a nice color, however if it is not 100% uniform or has an abrupt change like yours, I much prefer the reblackining.

Do you prefer the green "relic" look or do you prefer the black color you see in the section area? Be warned that as a collectors' item, the re-blackening does tend to hurt it a bit. It's a matter of personal taste with a pen like that- a user pen. The re-black process for Pensbury manor is a bit time consuming, but is not overly difficult.

I am not as vehement as some in my opposition to reblackening pens. However, I absolutely consider reblackening to not be a restorative process- rather it is a cosmetic one.
Your 52 is as "restored" as it can be, IMO. All the parts are intact and the pen is fully functional.

I had a BCHR Waterman completely restored a few years ago. If I had it to do again, I would still have had the lever replaced and the clip reattached, but would skip the reblackening.

Best regards, greg

Well I agree with PakmanPony with regards to reblackening. If it's not uniform, as it isn't here, then a complete reblackening should be done to make it look nicer. But if it was all faded, then I suppose a nice olive-green/brown might look nice.

Many thanks to all: I've decided to mantain the vintage appearance, observing two aspects of your comments:
1- reblackening to not be a restorative process- rather it is a cosmetic one (subjective, and I like this aged brown)
2- reblacken pen with worn surface chasing sometimes looks funny and fake (I'm scared because if I reblack I cannot return back)
So I'll use black color only for ink to fill it

If you wanna see I've made a photo set to describe this great FP:
Watermans 52

Remember too that if you change your mind you can always apply re-blackening later.

The Pensbury substance can be removed if you use that and change your mind after a re-black too. However I am personally more comfortable applying it than I would be stripping it off.

Sorry, I didn't know this.
I read on site: Pensbury Manor Black Hard Rubber Pen Potion No. 9 is a dye that penetrates the rubber surface pores and bonds with the original rubber in a most satisfactory way. It is a water based, black liquid dye that bonds with rubber but will not bond with the metal parts of the pen.
So I've intended it's an irreversible treatment.
How can be removed it? And what would I have to pay attention in the use of FP treated with Pensbury manor?

You can strip off the treatment. If I recall (it's been awhile) you would use a water-ammonia mixture to strip the treatment. The key ingredient is not the water, but the ammonia (if I recall).

Try this link and post #6

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...st&p=190543

It can be reversed, but you do have to be careful about the ammonia mixture you use.

I believe that Syds Potion #9 is removable, but the process of getting the pen ready to treat can sometimes cause it to fade more than it was (it takes a pretty extensive washing and de-greasing). So it's reversible, but not completely.

John

Well, I hate brown and I love black, so for me aesthetics win. I have a faded BCHR pen right ow, and can't decide whether I should try to use the Pensbury Manor on it myself, or send it to a professional for the Q10 process. But I will definitely get it re-blackened asap, because even though I love how it writes and the way it looks over all, I can't stand looking at its colour.

Your pen itself looks beautiful and so does the writing. What ink is that?


QM2

Thank you all for info and link, I've understand the Pensbury manor remove process is a little complicated for me and a G10 treatment can be a good alternative (maybe more expansive).
Ink in pictures is Diamine Indigo.