Waterman Pressure Bar Missing

[grainweevil]

Ladies and gents, I've just come into possession of a couple of pens (one of which is a Sheaffer snorkel Clipper/Statesman missing its cap, if anyone has a source for those...) but the other is an English Waterman in BHR. Casting about the interweb seems to indicate it's usually known as a flat top and has no model number, or any great value.

 

 

This one has even less value, having a crack in the cap and a lot of plating MIA, but I've rather taken to it and would like to get it up and running as a user. However, at some point in its history, someone lost its pressure bar and I find myself in fresh territory. I gather it should be flat and hangs off the tabs on the lever bar (which appear to be all present and correct). So a couple of questions came to mind which extensive searching didn't really resolve:

 

a. Is it possible to acquire a replacement without too great a hassle? Unlikely, I suspect, but if you don't ask...

b. If not, is it possible to adapt a more readily available bar to fit? I'm not averse to a little drilling, filing, etc

c. Given that authenticity is not paramount, can I just fit a J-bar instead?

 

The last seems the easy(er) answer, but one comment I found suggested it puts extra pressure on the lever box (which is not, of course, designed for it), so maybe it's one of those Really Bad Ideas that us dabblers are prone to.

 

Hope the greater wisdom of the board can assist.

 

Cheers, Al

[grainweevil]

In hindsight, clearly I should have worded this "Waterman missing pressure bar - what epoxy should I use to seal off the lever box and turn it into an eye-dropper?" and watched the advice on pressure bars flood in... Ah well.

 

Cheers, Al

[Hooker56]

Grainweevil,

 

Check this site and see if one of these will fit.

 

http://fountainpensacs.com/j_and__pressure_bars.html

 

I've repaired several Waterman's, but never this model. From that era these are not typically complicated. You should be able to adapt one to fit nicely. Just measure carefully from the step of the barrel where the section fits to the end of the barrel. Most probably a 'J' style bar. Purchase the one a little longer than you need and you can clip or cut it to the right length, adjust it to fit next to the lever, resac the pen and talc it well. The reassemble using a little shellac on the section nipple, and viola. You're done!

 

Good luck,

 

Clayton

 

P.S.- If the Pros see this post and I'm misguiding you, they'll weigh in quickly!

Edited June 24, 2014 by Hooker56

[grainweevil]

Thanks, Clayton; I feel considerably less leper-esque! I do have a J bar en route me, which I hope will get it functioning. Too bad that the "swing" or "hanging" bar style this seems to have had originally doesn't seem desirable enough to be reproduced like the J type, but I suppose most folks in need of one have a pile o' parts pens to scavenge from. Ah well, it's another learning opportunity, so it's all good.

 

Cheers, Al

[Hooker56]

I restored a Waterman's 94 a few months ago that had a J bar lever in it and the brass had weakened at the J to the point of breaking. I soldered it back together and posted my fix here and learned that this is a fairly common practice.Of course, if you don't have a part to work with makes it rather difficult .

 

So glad you can save it.