Shaeffer Sentinel - A Few Questions Before I Begin Repairs

[Chouffleur]

I am now the proud owner of an in-need-of-repair Shaeffer Sentinel. It has a number of flaws (cap dings, bent nib, and so on) but before I start trying to fix it I have a few questions:

 

The snorkel doesn't extrude when I turn the end cap. As far as I can tell all the correct pieces are there although there are some I can't vouch for definitely. The pen comes apart fairly easily (no need to resort to bicycle inner tubes as finger pressure is enough). I can see the section-with-nib, snorkel-imbedded-in-black-plastic-clasped-by-crimped-metal-holding-it-onto-what-I-assume-is-the-sac-protector (metal tube with a single hole through it and also with screw threads). Inside the barrel I can see the spring as well as a shiny metal tube that fits closely inside the barrel.

 

Does the lack of snorkel movement imply that I'm missing something (in the sense of a part rather than knowledge)?

 

Do I need to address this first before considering replacing the sac?

 

I include a link to the eBay listing to protect you from my still pathetic photography: http://www.ebay.com/itm/221827008470

 

My planned next steps are to buy a snorkel restoration kit from David Nishimura and throw myself on tmenyc's mercy for a little guidance. ;-)

 

It's not that I mind figuring things out for myself. It's just that I'm trying to avoid nightmares about thousands of fountain pens going "over the top" at Ypres.

 

Minimize pen carnage.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Chouffleur

[Flounder]

The spring drives the snorkel out as the blindcap is turned. Sounds like yours is a bit jammed up.

 

With the barrel screwed off the section, there "should" be nothing holding the spring in the barrel. See if you can fish it out of there. If it's crazy rusty, there are nice modern repro units.

 

edit - extend the touchdown tube first to keep it out of harm's way.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Flounder

[bsenn]

I'll suggest reading here.

http://dirck.delint.ca/beta/?page_id=709

 

Regarding your snorkel mechanism, soak the nib area to clean out old ink.

 

Brian

[kirchh]

Hmm, looks like you might have the 'a' and the 'e' switched.

 

But seriously, if you unscrew the filler knob and the snorkel does not emerge and the knob does not get pushed away from the barrel as you turn, something is rather seriously wrong. If the knob is forced away from the barrel as you unscrew it, the spring may be damaged/rusted/frozen as discussed.

 

--Daniel

[Chouffleur]

So, the reason for the snorkel not extending when I turn the barrel knob looks to be that the snorkel itself has been pushed back into the (former) sac such that when "fully extended" it is actually in the not-yet-extended position, peeking from the nib.

 

Say tuned for another *thrilling* installment. ;-)

[Flounder]

Chouffleur, compare the position of the spring stopping flange on your sac protector to this one. Is it in the same place?

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/IMG_1021_800x600.jpg

[Flounder]

Chouffy, rereading your last post, it sounds like the spring is extending the sac protector properly when you turn the filler knob, but the snorkel tube has been pushed into the sac protector, so you don't see the tube protrude from the feed.

 

Do I have that right? That's not so bad, so long as the sac protector's rubber bung thing - to use the latin - is not too brutalised (I'm imagining some sort of rebellious 1950's teenage DIY tattooing is to blame for this).

 

Here's a couple of photos showing how far the snorkel tube's feed channels extend into the sac (about 1mm), and how far the tube itself should be set in the rubber-bung-deely to be flush with the feed when retracted, and protrude as designed when extended (about 40-41mm).

 

These old photos are from my first Snorkel resnorkelation, you might find the rest of them handy.

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/IMG_0894_800x600.jpg

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/IMG_0882_800x600.jpg

Edited July 25, 2015 by Flounder

[Chouffleur]

Chouffleur, compare the position of the spring stopping flange on your sac protector to this one. Is it in the same place?

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/IMG_1021_800x600.jpg

It looks to be *exactly* the same, around 4.7/4.8 cm with the top of the flange sitting at 5.0. Just for comparison's sake could you measure the length of the corresponding snorkel from the tip to where it enters the plug-thingie (technical term goes here)? Scarcely had the words left my lips when,,, your second post appeared.

 

In the case of this pen that's about 2.1 cm.

 

Thanks.

 

Update: PS Your pen in the photo on your blog could be mine's twin brother (in a Prince-and-the-Pauper-sort-of way).

Edited July 25, 2015 by Chouffleur