Sheaffer Touchdown: Is It Just The O-Ring?

[johnnyb3]

Hi, All,

 

I purchased an old Cadet in nice physical condition from the popular auction site under the impression that it had been restored. What had happened, near as the seller and I can tell, is that it was resacced -- their usual procedure -- and that was it. In fact, the whole O-ring thing was a new one on the seller when I contacted them recently. The sac is nice and supple and looks new and well installed, but the pen won't fill. At all. Not a little. (This is my fault, should have read the ad more critically, and it's too late to return it now. Besides, I love the fine wet line and would love to get it to work.) I dip it to use it, and no ink at all is ejected when I operate the mechanism. I'm thinking/hoping that it's just an O-ring and nothing more and that this repair is relatively simple. So my question is whether this behavior is consistent with a good sac and shot O-ring or whether there's a simple way to test this out.

 

Thanks for your indulgence.

 

John

[Roger W.]

John;

 

Does it go pffht at the end of the downstroke? If they didn't know to replace the O-ring (really pretty sad) than that is likely the cause.

 

Roger W.

[Lazard 20]

Hi, All,

 

... or whether there's a simple way to test this out.

 

Thanks for your indulgence.

 

John

 

Hi John,

 

It could also be that had a microcrack at the end of the barrel (not unusual in this fpen type). You can perform the downstroke completely submerged in water and see if air bubbles appear by the end of the barrel (O-ring defective) or by the side of the barrel (microcrack)...or no air comes out by the barrel end and we should think sac, if it maintains its elastic properties as you say, is not well sealed with section o have a pore.

Edited September 18, 2015 by Lazard 20

[crescentfiller]

Après ça, le déluge....

[johnnyb3]

Thanks to Roger and Lazard. In fact, there is no pffht, and there are lots of bubbles out the back end of the barrel. I also seem, though, to be missing the sac protector. I imagine that this is a pretty important part...

 

 

Après ça, le déluge....

 

 

Don't worry, I'm admitting defeat at this point, so no deluge out of me.

[Effin1]

Send it off for repair as you like the way it writes.

[terim]

Replacing the o-ring is simple and kind of fun. I'm sure I can find a sac protector for you if you decide to give the repair a go .....

[johnnyb3]

Replacing the o-ring is simple and kind of fun. I'm sure I can find a sac protector for you if you decide to give the repair a go .....

 

Thank you for the offer, but actually I wrote back to the seller just to let them know they had sent me an incomplete pen, and they wrote back saying they had one and they'd mail it to me. So the project is alive again!

 

Thanks to all -- Effin1, f'sure if I can't pull this off on my own.

[Effin1]

I'm sure you can. I've repaired quite a few Sheaffers with TD fillers. I did have 1 though that just would not fill (a Snorkel). I tried everything and had the pen apart numerous times. In desperation I sent it to a friend of mine who specialises in Sheaffer repair. He soon identified the problem. The groove for the O ring was damaged. He put a new barrel on and the pen works a treat.

[johnnyb3]

OK, I'm back, having procured said sac protector and -- I think -- wrestled the new O ring into position. It's still not filling, so I'm deluging you after all. When I perform the downstroke underwater, the bubbles come out from the very end, from under the blind cap. Thoughts about that? I'm a little baffled at this point.

 

Thanks again!

 

John

[rdh]

You want a little silicone grease on that o-ring, so it seals against the sac protector.

 

Dave

[Lazard 20]

On the bottom of the barrel your Touchdown can be losing air by defective O-ring or microcrack in the barrel end... but sometimes also lose air through plunger knob (blind cap) because the screw is loose, gasket rubber washer fossilized or there is slack in the thread. Please check this last point and make sure it is securely sealed.

http://s15.postimg.org/6f3djfimj/Sheaffer_Touchdown_end_Lazard.jpg

 

Better after this verification?

 

Edited October 9, 2015 by Lazard 20

[johnnyb3]

SUCCESS! It turned out that there was no gasket at all in the blind cap. Not even a sign of one, as though someone had very carefully cleaned any residue out. Funny history this pen must have. Anyway, I kludged a gasket up with a piece of rubber band, and now it's filling and working fine.

 

A deluge of gratitude to everyone who helped me out here! I feel as though I got away with one.

 

John

[redbike]

SUCCESS! Anyway, I kludged a gasket up with a piece of rubber band, and now it's filling and working fine.

 

John

 

John,

 

You can also use excess sac material to fashion a gasket. Good job with the improvisation.

 

jim

[ac12]

 

Replacing the o-ring is simple and kind of fun. I'm sure I can find a sac protector for you if you decide to give the repair a go .....

 

 

Teri,

If you have a "spare" sac protector, I could use one.

I was going to try to make one out of brass tubing, but that would be ugly and not have the proper profile.

[FarmBoy]

   

 

Teri,

If you have a "spare" sac protector, I could use one.

I was going to try to make one out of brass tubing, but that would be ugly and not have the proper profile.

Um, I had 20 or so Sheaffer parts pens with me today I intended to sort...I have more than Parkers you know.

[johnnyb3]

 

John,

 

You can also use excess sac material to fashion a gasket. Good job with the improvisation.

 

jim

Sorry to extend the thread, but just in case somebody reads this in the future for reference, the sac material is much better than the rubber band, which is more brittle. My fix only lasted a couple of fillings before it crumbled. I didn't own any sac material -- this is my first and, with luck, last experience with actual repair. But I made a nib order from an online company and they were kind enough to send me a bit for my repair.