Brown Cap

[blbjdtny]

What's the history with the brown capped 100's & Ibis. I noticed some up for auction on e-bay. I'm not even considering placing a bid, but I wondered if the brown caps add value or what kind of history this forum can conjure up within the next couple of days.

 

Regards, Bryan

[akiva]

I think you will find that brown caps are black hard rubber that has oxidized. The only brown caps (very dark brown) are on the much later tortoise shell barreled 200/400/600 and the rare 800.

[christof]

I think you will find that brown caps are black hard rubber that has oxidized. The only brown caps (very dark brown) are on the much later tortoise shell barreled 200/400/600 and the rare 800.

 

That's correct. BHR gets brown during the time. There are different methods to get the original color back. The most simple is to polish the layer of oxidation away. But there are other, chemical methods wich reverse the oxidaton. Have a look a this Waterman before and after restoration:

[blbjdtny]

Thank you both. Great restoration of the waterman Christof!!!

[mr goldfink]

Hi, can I ask what chemcical you used to restore this pen without diminishing the machine chased design?

[christof]

diluted bleach and pure linseed oil.

Edited January 19, 2011 by christof

[Josele]

diluted bleach and pure linseed oil.

Will it mixed?

[christof]

diluted bleach and pure linseed oil.

Will it mixed?

 

No! The diluted bleach is for bleaching the oxidised layer and the linseed oil is for sealing and polishing the surface at the end of procedure.

[akiva]

What amount of water do you add to the bleach?

[christof]

What amount of water do you add to the bleach?

 

...questions over questions....

 

Okay, for all the people who want to know it. My recipe includes 4 steps:

 

1. slight hand polish of the hard rubber parts only (gently in areas of imprints and chased patterns)

2. soaking in diluted bleach (1/3 bleach, 2/3 water)

3. again slight hand polish of the hard rubber parts only

4. seal and polish with pure linseed oil (I have no proof but I am sure that linseed oil is chemical reacting with the hardrubber and darkens the surface)

 

Please note: Restoring color of hard rubber is easy, but does not succeed in any case! My recipe is based on my own experiences. Try it when ever you want, but on your own risk. Good luck.

 

here another sample.

before: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4819880269_1bf49f7ebe_b.jpg

and after: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4952895001_14254df768_b.jpg

 

PS: This procedure does not guarantee, that you will get a matching pencil to your pen, haha!

Edited January 20, 2011 by christof

[PJohnP]

 

PS: This procedure does not guarantee, that you will get a matching pencil to your pen, haha!

 

Hahaha ! That was exactly the question that I had about this process !!!

 

But I have another question - do you apply a different pen polish over the linseed oil coat and polish ?

 

Thanks very much for the information on how to do this...

 

 

John P.

[christof]

do you apply a different pen polish over the linseed oil coat and polish ?

 

nope. just polish with a soft cotton towel.

[Bo Bo Olson]

There is also some ready to use restoration fluid...at least three. I only have one pen with olive cap top and piston cap, that I'd be doing something like that too.

 

Thanks very much for the cure.

 

 

 

I have a '90's 400 Tortoise with 'brown' cap. That is the blackest brown I ever saw. I did not even notice it was brown. When I say on Rudiger's com, that it came in (very dark) brown, if I did not lay a black pen next to it in the light, I'd never ever known it was 'brown'.

[DeScribe]

There is also some ready to use restoration fluid...at least three.

 

Possible to share which three? Are these restoration fluid effective in restoring the oxidised BHR to its original black?

[rhr2010]

Very interesting thread. I always thought that the quest to reverse oxidation in bhr was a bit like the quest for the phylosopher's stone (you know, the mythical stone that turns lead in gold, a great (failed!!!) quest of the middle ages alchimists.

 

I thought that it was simply impossible to reverse the process, after all oxidation is a chemical process that involves a reaction with oxygen. You cannot remove the oxygen atoms and go back to the original substance. When your car rusts, you cannot just paint on top of the rust. You need to grind to the underlying metal, then paint (after applying some filler if you had to dig too much). You can remove a layer of the material in a pen and go back to the black, but it is no good for chased pens. If the oxydation is minor, of course you need to remove very litle material. I got decent results with micro gloss fluid that is gently removing a layer from a chased pen, without removing the chasing (in a noticeable way).

 

I have to say though that I am very impressed by the results of Christof. I am going to try, thank you for sharing. I can speculate that works for moderate oxidation. Bleach and rubbing removes the most external layer and linseed oil brings oils back to the rubber and protects it for the future. I have noticed similar results with a product for leather cleaning/preservation. I do not remember the commercial name on top of my mind, but all it is doing is impregnate again the rubber with oils. I am not a chemist, but I think there is an interplay between the physical microscopic structure of rubber and the oils. Originally rubber had oils when newer.

 

Regarding the 3 methods, I am interested myself. There is a blackening potion sold by Wahlnut, the Wahl forum moderator. It is really a "paint" that does not reverse the process of oxidation, but gives very pleasing cosmetic results. I think the FPN user kirch has his own technique, but I do not know details. What is third method?

[Bo Bo Olson]

There is also some ready to use restoration fluid...at least three.

 

Possible to share which three? Are these restoration fluid effective in restoring the oxidised BHR to its original black?

 

The only one I copied down was this one.It may have struck me as the best...or I'd not got back to look at the other one/ones.

 

Black rubber dye

 

Syd Syperstiens Pensbury Manor Black Hard Rubber Dye Potion #9. Set them aside to dry/cure.

[DeScribe]

There is also some ready to use restoration fluid...at least three.

 

Possible to share which three? Are these restoration fluid effective in restoring the oxidised BHR to its original black?

 

The only one I copied down was this one.It may have struck me as the best...or I'd not got back to look at the other one/ones.

 

Black rubber dye

 

Syd Syperstiens Pensbury Manor Black Hard Rubber Dye Potion #9. Set them aside to dry/cure.

 

Thanks for the information. I believe this is a dye to color the pen black? Perhaps I would try out the bleaching method. I am not sure about the chemistry. However, I always thought that bleach is a strong oxidising agent. Hence, chemically it sound weird to use an oxidising agent to reverse oxidation. Nevertheless, if it is effective, forget about the science. I think it is worth trying. Science is all about experimenting. :roflmho:

[christof]

There is also some ready to use restoration fluid...at least three.

 

Possible to share which three? Are these restoration fluid effective in restoring the oxidised BHR to its original black?

 

The only one I copied down was this one.It may have struck me as the best...or I'd not got back to look at the other one/ones.

 

Black rubber dye

 

Syd Syperstiens Pensbury Manor Black Hard Rubber Dye Potion #9. Set them aside to dry/cure.

 

Thanks for the information. I believe this is a dye to color the pen black? Perhaps I would try out the bleaching method. I am not sure about the chemistry. However, I always thought that bleach is a strong oxidising agent. Hence, chemically it sound weird to use an oxidising agent to reverse oxidation. Nevertheless, if it is effective, forget about the science. I think it is worth trying. Science is all about experimenting. :roflmho:

 

I didn't said that the bleach will reverse the oxication. But it removes the oxidated layer of brown hardrubber uniformly form the surface. This helps to prevent the chasing!

Edited January 24, 2011 by christof

[rhr2010]

I tried myself the linseed technique. Linseed oil indeed seems to provide a nice finish and at the end the pen looks better. I had mixed results with bleach. Linseed oil however provided excellent results even withour bleach, at least in ne case. I had a bhr Swan fountain pen with very minor oxidation, and now it looks brand new, after being around for 90 years...

 

I think linseed oil is the right way to go.

I just discovered this web site of modern producers of hard rubber

 

http://sem-ebonite.com/

 

you can choose English as a language and then you can navigate the site. They tell you how they prepare the mix: "Our hard-rubber dust is produced solely from natural rubber (Crepe No. 1), linseed oil and sulphur."

Therefore, they seem to confirm that linseed oil is indeed an ingredient of the mix. Maybe we should play with sulphur and linseed to achieve further improvements? Maybe a bath of linseed and sulphur?

[jbb]

Linseed oil! I've always wondered about this.

 

BTW, linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil.

Edited January 9, 2012 by jbb