Snorkel repairs

May 7, 2006

I have carefully read the old posts in this forum about how to restore an old snorkel, but my mind is not as agile as others on this forum, obviously. I scanned a couple of photos of the snorkel that I partially disassembled.

I will quote from previous posts here that were very kindly made by Richard Binder among others. I know some of these questions will seem pretty dumb to those with a knack for these things.

To disassemble a Snorkel, pull the sac assembly backward just far enough that you can see the ends of the ridges that slide in the section grooves. Make a slight scratch mark on the sac protector in line with the top center of the nib. Make a similar mark in the exposed edge of the section. This will allow you to reassemble these parts in the correct orientation with the nib.

Is the "sac assembly" the part from C to D on my photo? Am I to disassemble it point C or is this referring to disassembly at point B?

To remove the sac protector, first poke a hole in the back end of the sac. If it's ossified, a dental pick will do it. If it's still pliable, you need to pierce it with a very small hooked probe, pull the hooked part out, and then either yank the whole sac free or cut off enough to ensure a clear path to the front end of the sac.

Where do you poke a hole? Is it at point D or is it after you disassemble it at point C and then go down from point C toward D? How and where exactly do you pierce it with a hooked probe and pull it out??? I can't imagine you pull the whole sac through point D.

Insert a piece of brass tubing into the hole at the back of the sac protector -- use the largest tube that will fit. Do not use a piece of rod or wire or anything else that is a sloppy fit. Gently move the tubing around until it centers on the sac section; this will sometimes, but not always, mean that the back end of the Snorkel tube slips up inside the tubing. Now push the sac section out with the tubing. If you don't do this carefully, you can break the back end of the Snorkel tub's secondary feed.

I'm not sure at all what this part means. Do you insert the brass tubing at point D? Do you apply force to the brass tubing that you've inserted at D and it somehow causes the the sac protector to separate at C? Then do you clean out the old sac from C?

Thanks very much in advance for any help you can give me. I now see why this was "the most complicated fountain pen ever manufactured."

Ron

May 7, 2006

The sac assembly is from B to D in your photo. The ssac guard extends that entire distance. At C there is a ridge that serves to stop the "gutter" ring that holds the spring.

If you look at the top edge of the sac protector, at B, you will see a highlight just the right of center. This is the end of one of the ridges that slide in the section grooves. These ridges extend only about 2/3 of the distance to the circumferential groove about 3/8" back from that end of the sac protector. It is on the nib-ward side of this groove that I recommend you make your mark to guide reassembly.

Poke your hole at D. If the sac is pliable, it's not at all difficult to pull it out through the end of the sac protector.

The recommendation to use a piece of tubing to push out the sac section after you free up the front edge is not mine. I use, and recommend using, a piece of coat hanger wire just a little longer than the sac protector, whose ends you have sanded flat to remove burrs. Insert at D. Slipping the inserted end of this wire along the inside wall of the sac until it bottoms at the sac section (between B and C) will ensure that you don't push on the middle of the sac section and thereby risk damaging the Snorkel tube and the secondary feed.

If you're not perfectly clear in your own mind about the anatomy you're dealing with, study this drawing from my site's page on Snorkel anatomy:

http://www.richardspens.com/images/ref_info/anatomy/snorkel.jpg

Edited May 7, 2006 by Richard

May 7, 2006

I have carefully read the old posts in this forum about how to restore an old snorkel, but my mind is not as agile as others on this forum, obviously. I scanned a couple of photos of the snorkel that I partially disassembled.

I will quote from previous posts here that were very kindly made by Richard Binder among others. I know some of these questions will seem pretty dumb to those with a knack for these things.

To disassemble a Snorkel, pull the sac assembly backward just far enough that you can see the ends of the ridges that slide in the section grooves. Make a slight scratch mark on the sac protector in line with the top center of the nib. Make a similar mark in the exposed edge of the section. This will allow you to reassemble these parts in the correct orientation with the nib.

Is the "sac assembly" the part from C to D on my photo? Am I to disassemble it point C or is this referring to disassembly at point B?

To remove the sac protector, first poke a hole in the back end of the sac. If it's ossified, a dental pick will do it. If it's still pliable, you need to pierce it with a very small hooked probe, pull the hooked part out, and then either yank the whole sac free or cut off enough to ensure a clear path to the front end of the sac.

Where do you poke a hole? Is it at point D or is it after you disassemble it at point C and then go down from point C toward D? How and where exactly do you pierce it with a hooked probe and pull it out??? I can't imagine you pull the whole sac through point D.

Insert a piece of brass tubing into the hole at the back of the sac protector -- use the largest tube that will fit. Do not use a piece of rod or wire or anything else that is a sloppy fit. Gently move the tubing around until it centers on the sac section; this will sometimes, but not always, mean that the back end of the Snorkel tube slips up inside the tubing. Now push the sac section out with the tubing. If you don't do this carefully, you can break the back end of the Snorkel tub's secondary feed.

I'm not sure at all what this part means. Do you insert the brass tubing at point D? Do you apply force to the brass tubing that you've inserted at D and it somehow causes the the sac protector to separate at C? Then do you clean out the old sac from C?

Thanks very much in advance for any help you can give me. I now see why this was "the most complicated fountain pen ever manufactured."

Ron

Hi Ron,

I'll try to answer your questions refering to the way I repair my snorkels

Q :Is the "sac assembly" the part from C to D on my photo? Am I to disassemble it point C or is this referring to disassembly at point B?

A :The sac assembly is the complete"one piece" chromnium plated tube from B to D The tube is larger in diameter at point B , providing the 4 sliding keys which secure the radial position of the sac protector in the section. On some snorkels one of the sliding keys is wider so one can only join both parts in one radial position.

You should mark the sac protector on one of the sliding keys at the B end & on its mating guiding slot in the section. Also mark the radial position of the snorkel tube versus the rubber snorkel tube plug which is press fitted at B in the sac protector.

This will allow you to re-assemble in a perfectly aligned position with the nib.

Q :Where do you poke a hole? Is it at point D or is it after you disassemble it at point C and then go down from point C toward D? How and where exactly do you pierce it with a hooked probe and pull it out??? I can't imagine you pull the whole sac through point D.

A : You poke a hole ( brittle ossified sac) or pierce with a hooked probe (defective but still flexible sac) at D. In the latter situation your only pull the flexible sac end partly out for lets say 1/8 " , just allowing to the cut the end off.

Q : I'm not sure at all what this part means. Do you insert the brass tubing at point D? Do you apply force to the brass tubing that you've inserted at D and it somehow causes the the sac protector to separate at C? Then do you clean out the old sac from C?

A : You insert the brass tube in the centralhole at point D. The external diameter of the tube should be not larger as 2,8 mm(0.11"), while the internal diameter should be at least 1.8 mm(0.07") allowing to go over the internally extending part of the snorkel tube.Since this makes a rather weak tube, I always enlarge the bore in the sac protector to 4.1 mm(0.162"). I do this with smooth file, just filling the top of the tube & deburring it. Note doing so has no drawback at all on the functionality of the snorkel system.

Since the sac protector is made from brass it will not rust even if the chrominium plating is partly removed by filling off the top.

This allows me to use a 5.0 "long tool from 4.0 mm(0.158") brass barstock in which I drilled a central bore of 2.0 mm (0.079"), 15 mm (0.60") deep on one side allowing to go over the snorkel tube.

Knocking out the rubber plug is not so easy since one has little back up surface on the thin sac protector wall.

After clamping my 5 inch long toolbar horizontally 1.0 inch far in a work bench vise, I slide the sac protector over the extending part of my toolbar & knock the rubber plug out by sliding the sac protector back & firmly forth contacting (knocking) on the rubber plug.

Then I remove the ossifeid parts of the sac using a 5.2 mm (0.205") drill. I clamp the drill horizontally in workbench vise, slide the sac protector over the drill & rotate the sac protector by hand.

This is how I do it, and it works well for me, I'm sure real professionals will also zoom-in on your request.

Wishing you succes !

Regards, Francis

Edited May 7, 2006 by fountainbel