Swan Mabie Todd - Stripped/flattened Thread

[Eclectica]

Hi,

 

I am in the process of restoring a nice green marble effect Swan Mabie Todd which was used extensively by my great mother in law.

 

Unfortunately the cap no longer holds securely on the barrel threads. It appears to catch slightly, but a normal firming pressure causes it to slip and the cap to come loose again.

 

The thread on the barrel is clearly pretty flattened and presumably the cap thread is the same.

 

Is there anything which can be done?

 

Cheers,

E.

[BamaPen]

This is not an elegant fix, but it seems to work for me...Cut a piece of Scotch Magic Tape long enough to fit around the inside of the cap. You may need to reduce its width to match the width of the threaded area inside the cap. Using tweezers, place the tape inside the cap, sticky side toward the interior threads. Press it into place, then carefully screw it onto the barrel. If you feel too much resistance, remove the tape and shorten its length so that it does not actually go all the way around the inside. Try again.

 

Once you've screwed it on, the tape should be firmly pressed into the threads and adds just enough thickness to keep them engaged.

 

This is totally reversible by removing the tape.

 

The pen that I repaired this way has worked fine for about two years, which is pretty good for five minute fix that can be done again as necessary.

[Ron Z]

Tape on the barrel looks ugly and could crack the cap if you get it to thick.

 

The best thing to do is to have the barrel threads stretched. When I do this, the last few threads are expanded to the point where they engage properly with the threads in the cap. The repair is invisible, and most of the time the section is tight enough that nothing else is needed. I have on occasion had to do some lathe work the section to increase it's diameter.

 

I am being deliberately vague here. This is not a repair for an amateur, especially on a family pen, and even for an experienced professional involves some risk. But it's worth it.

[Eclectica]

Ok. Thanks for the replies.

 

Some thin tape in the cap may be the best bet.

 

Out of curiosity, did anyone ever try putting a small blob of resin on just one side of the cap threads to 'push' the barrel thread so that they engage - or is this just going to wear away the remaning thread in double quick time?

 

Cheers,

E.

[BamaPen]

Tape on the barrel looks ugly and could crack the cap if you get it to thick. SNIP

I agree about tape on the barrel, but my suggestion was that the tape be clear "magic tape" inside the cap where it is unseen. I also cautioned about getting it too thick. I've used this trick a couple of times, being careful each time not to get the tape too thick, and it has been quite effective, especially considering the cost factor. One nice thing about the tape repair is that it is reversible and one can spend the money to get a permanent solution if it becomes desirable to do so. I would not do this on an expensive pen that was worth spending the money to get the barrel threads stretched.