Sheaffer Snorkel Sac And Rubber Gaskets Replacements

[BLCL]

I have a 1959 Sheaffer Snorkel Valiant that I have had since the year indicated. I have begun replacing sacs in various Sheaffers and have had not difficulty so far. In the future I plan to do the same for the Snorkel. I have viewed Grandmia Pens on youtube.com numerous times for the Snorkel repair.

 

There is one thing I do not understand about the interior anatomy of the Snorkel. After the pen has been filled and the snorkel tube has been retracted, how does the ink get from the sac to the nib area?

 

I am thanking you in advance for the answer to my question.

[adyf]

 

There is one thing I do not understand about the interior anatomy of the Snorkel. After the pen has been filled and the snorkel tube has been retracted, how does the ink get from the sac to the nib area?

 

 

I remember wondering the same thing myself some time ago. The snorkel tube has a dual purpose, as well as for filling the pen it is also used to deliver ink to the feed. Note the small slot on the top of the snorkel tube.

Edited June 6, 2016 by adyf

[kapanak]

Half the snorkel tube is a hard rubber insert with a cut in the middle of it. I believe this is what allows ink to flow down the tube from the sack towards the feed/nib assembly in a controlled fashion.

[Brian-McQueen]

While I applaud Grandmia for sharing his restoration methods freely with others, I don't fully agree with all of the things he does in a Snorkel repair. I especially would NOT shellac the blind cap onto the plunger tube screw, nor would I shellac the barrel and section together. There is no reason to use adhesive on the blind cap. And rosin sealant is a much better material to use as an adhesive for the section than shellac, since it is much easier to remove. Those are the major items that most good restorers would disagree with.

 

You also must be careful when removing the plug from the sac protector. The snorkel tube extends past the rear end of the rubber plug, so you must be careful to only push on the outside edges of the plug so you don't crush the snorkel tube.

 

I would suggest reading up on the subject from a few different sources and searching the repair forums for warnings about what to make sure to do and what to make sure not to do. Richard Binder has a long article with precautions well noted at his site: http://www.richardspens.com/index_m.html?page=ref/repair/snorkel_filler.htm

 

It is not much harder than a regular sac pen as long as you are careful and methodical. Don't be scared to try it.

Edited July 14, 2016 by BrianMcQueen

[redbike]

I've restored about a dozen Snorkels using Richard Binder's instructions linked above, and also David Nishimura's. One difference is that Mr. Binder recommends using only tools to free the sac section/plug from the sac protector, while Mr. Nishimura recommends using heat. It's worth reading through both sets of instructions before attempting the restoration. Good luck.

[Brian-McQueen]

For what it's worth, I use a completely different method for removing the plug than both of them do.

[kapanak]

So, there are multiple methods of doing any of this restoration stuff. Straight up dismissing one method or the other is not constructive.

[Brian-McQueen]

Sometimes dismissing a method is constructive if a good reason is given for the dismissal. Shellac on the screw to hold the blind cap in place, for example, is unnecessary because there is already a rubber gasket in the blind cap to prevent leaks. It also makes future disassembly of the pen more difficult and could potentially cause a future restorer to break the pen.

Edited July 14, 2016 by BrianMcQueen

[redbike]

If you'd don't mind, I'd like to know how you do it. Neither of the two methods referenced above are perfect and I'm always looking for a better way to do things. Thanks.

For what it's worth, I use a completely different method for removing the plug than both of them do.

[mitto]

I, too, would like to know the easiest and the safest way to do the snorkel restoration.

[Brian-McQueen]

The tool I use for plug removal is a very small eye screw that I screw into the hole where the Snorkel tube goes, after I remove the Snorkel tube from the plug. I screw the screw into the plug and pull on it to remove the plug. I took very special care to pick just the right screw so I don't expand the plug hole. I also ground it down short so that it does not screw in past the rear of the plug. The screw stops about 3/32 from the rear of the hole, such that it does not create a channel for ink to flow through and make the pen leak on the inside.

[redbike]

The tool I use for plug removal is a very small eye screw that I screw into the hole where the Snorkel tube goes, after I remove the Snorkel tube from the plug. I screw the screw into the plug and pull on it to remove the plug. I took very special care to pick just the right screw so I don't expand the plug hole. I also ground it down short so that it does not screw in past the rear of the plug. The screw stops about 3/32 from the rear of the hole, such that it does not create a channel for ink to flow through and make the pen leak on the inside.

Sounds like it has potential, but I'd be concerned about ruining the section plug as those are hard to come by. Have you had any failures with this method - meaning plugs that are unusable because they've been damaged by the screw and force of effort? Thanks.

[Brian-McQueen]

In 75+ Snorkel restorations I've done since I made the tool, I haven't killed a plug yet. I think that's a pretty good success rate.

[Ernst Bitterman]

Just to add to the pot-- I find heat is useful for removal, because the plug will deform past grabby bits of the protector (which you'll have to do something about for reassembly, but there's no plug in the way now, so it's easy). I'm also a late convert to the eye-hook extraction. I'd seriously advise against shellac at any point in the refitting of a Snorkel, bar the attachment of the sac to the plug.

 

ALSO: to get the snorkel tube out, I made a tool described... I think in Pennant by... I think Martin Ferguson (oh, the fallible memory!). It's about a 6" length of 3/4" square cross-section wood, with a hole drilled in it the same diameter as a snorkel tube about 1/2" from one end. Then, using a very thin saw, cut a slit that runs through the hole and extends down about 3". You run the snorkel into the hole, slide the tool down to the face of the plug, and give it a little squeeze to gently grip the tube and haul it out; it's like a wooden version of a Vacumatic tool. It's also jolly useful for adjusting depth and correcting rotation when you put the whole thing back together again.

Edited July 22, 2016 by Ernst Bitterman

[ac12]

EB

I LIKE your snorkel tube tool.

Now IF only I could figure out how to make one myself.

Edited July 22, 2016 by ac12

[redbike]

 

ALSO: to get the snorkel tube out, I made a tool described... I think in Pennant by... I think Martin Ferguson (oh, the fallible memory!). It's about a 6" length of 3/4" square cross-section wood, with a hole drilled in it the same diameter as a snorkel tube about 1/2" from one end. Then, using a very thin saw, cut a slit that runs through the hole and extends down about 3". You run the snorkel into the hole, slide the tool down to the face of the plug, and give it a little squeeze to gently grip the tube and haul it out; it's like a wooden version of a Vacumatic tool. It's also jolly useful for adjusting depth and correcting rotation when you put the whole thing back together again.

Any chance you could post a picture of this tool? I don't have a problem getting the tube out of the sac plug, but it's a PITA to properly adjust the depth and alignment of the tube to the nib. Thanks.

[redbike]

In 75+ Snorkel restorations I've done since I made the tool, I haven't killed a plug yet. I think that's a pretty good success rate.

Agreed. I need to find an eye screw for this purpose. Thanks for the info.

[Brian-McQueen]

I made a too l like Ersnt describes as well, though I made mine from a round dowel so it can be gripped with section pliers. It works wonderfully.

 

Redbike, as for the eye screw, you need to put a piece of steel rod or something though the eye to act as a handle. If you can epoxy them together, it's even more effective

[redbike]

I made a too l like Ersnt describes as well, though I made mine from a round dowel so it can be gripped with section pliers. It works wonderfully.

 

What kind of saw did you use to cut the slit?

[Ernst Bitterman]

No photo, but let me dash something off...

 

 

Reading above-- I'd hesitate to use a dowel just because I'm not that good at fabrication and the flatness of the side helped me keep things nicely aligned when drilling and sawing; if you've got skill/talent, that's less of an issue I used a scroll saw, but one could probably struggle on applying a hacksaw to a material it's not intended for.

 

(for those who care: modern Skrip black in a 1963 Lifetime 1500)