Abused Leverless

[missuslovett]

Here's a leverless 112/93 that I've just found. As with other light pearl patterns, it's become very discoloured, though gallantly, it still works. I'm a bit surprised, though, about its size. It's a very small pen and the clip looks weirdly deformed - short and suddenly tapering to a rather measly ball end. Is this the usual form for this little fellow? The nib is a Swan 1 K and the Swan Mabie Todd imprint is not along the barrel but around the end. Curious. Any info would be welcome. This picture makes it look in better shape than it actually is...

 

 

[Cob]

Hullo.

 

I have never seen a L112/93 or indeed any L112. However , here I have a leverless atamped L205B/60 which has a cap with a clip like yours. Why my pen is not therefore numbered L112/60 - or perhaps L212/60 as it has a 2 nib I can only assume that MT abandoned their long-standing practice of using the letter B for shorter pens.

 

Clips like these may also be found on some of the Visofils.

 

Cob

[missuslovett]

Hello Cob. Many thanks for your help again. The markings are very rubbed but I can't see any sign of a 'B', so once again MT seem to have been a tad random with their stamping. It really is such a shame that it's so 'foxed'. Would it be worth trying to build up the gap in the cap and stop it sliding round? Or is that rather difficult (I suspect it may be beyond me)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[missuslovett]

**** Incidentally, does anyone know what the letter codes stand for on Swan nibs? Can't find reference anywhere...

[Greenie]

Random idea for the securing the clip -

 

Unscrew the top and remove the clip so you can work on the celluloid.

 

Sand down the entire top of the celluoid to the red line below, and deepen the spot for the clip a bit as shown in blue. You only loose a mm or so of cap.

 

First check the depth of the inner cap to be sure there is room to spare, since this maneuver might make the cap threads not catch, and then the solution would be to shorten the inner cap about a mm. Hence the need for room to spare inside the inner cap before starting.

 

I think this would be a cleaner looking repair - undetectable really - rather than trying to add material to lock in the clip.

 

[missuslovett]

Ah-ha! That's an excellent idea, thanks. Don't know why I didn't think of it. Right. Off to the toolbox...

[Cob]

A word about that top and clip.

 

This type of clip has two curved tangs that are pressed over the rather thin centre of the top screw. Be very careful when attempting to unscrew it - I had one snap in the middle and they are scarce.

 

Of course the slot at the top of the cap is intended to locate the clip; this arrangement was used on some early leverless pens - like my L205/60B, on Visofils and also on the L3xx series. Again be careful when tightening - it is quite easy to damage the top of the cap by effectively usingt he clip as a sort of chisel!

 

Cob

[missuslovett]

I shall try and be careful. It's difficult to see and the clip is sort of free-floating at the moment. I'm just waiting on some tiny screw drivers as the small screw drivers I have aren't small enough! I'm sure all will become clear once I get it apart.

[Cob]

The procedure is to remove the cap screw with the clip attached to it; the clip is free to rotate (because it is not located in its slot) as it is mounted on the waist of the cap screw merely by its curved tangs.

 

Removing these cap screws is fraught with danger: one cannot really soak the cap since the BHR screw will turn café-au-lait very quickly. However one can fill the cap with water, leaving it to soak vertically, all provided that water does not seep out at the clip slot!

 

Next, I reach for the hairdryer and warm up the cap judicously and then attempt to iunscrew the cap screw with a pair of section pliers.

 

Prepare to be disappopinted and for numerous subsequent attempts, and avoid excessive force when the screw starts to move to avoid the risk of breaking it as I mentioned earlier.

 

Good luck

 

Cob

Edited July 13, 2016 by Cob

[missuslovett]

Hi Cob

 

Thanks for your continuing advice. The cap was pretty cafe au lait to start with. I gave it 3 minutes in the ultra sonic to save more discolouration. Bit reluctant on the soaking front - I really hate soaking pens and this has a big gap under the button where it's broken. So. Gentle heating with trusty hair dryer, as per section, then section pliers will (in an ideal world) unscrew the BCHR button from the outside? If anyone has a schematic of this pen cap, I'd be much happier in my work. I don't want to bust it. Even though it's in a bit of a state, I want to give it as much of a chance as I can. If it was in better nick, I wouldn't attempt it at all.

 

I shall go very slowly and keep my fingers crossed. I'm getting much better at not breaking things!

Edited July 13, 2016 by missuslovett

[Cob]

The cap screw has the normal external thread which screws into the cap. There is a narrow section which accomodates the clip as I described.

 

I see now (re-visiting the picture) where the damage is. This was almost certainly caused by someone attempting to unscrew the cap screw without ensuring that the clip does not rotate.

 

The solution is to shorten the top of the cap and with a square file deepen the clip slot. It may then be necessary to shorten slightly the inner cap (part of the screw) and check carefull that no damage to the nib is likely to ensue in tightening the cap onto the barrel

 

C.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Cob

[missuslovett]

I'll make a careful start tomorrow. I'm hopeful the nib space wont be compromised. I've got a jewellers flat file for the slot. I know that once (hopefully) I've managed to disassemble the button and see exactly for myself how it fits together I should be OK. I'm alright once I know what the learning curve looks like! I'll let you know what happens...

[Greenie]

In case this helps. Assuming this corresponds to the top of your pen.

 

 

[Cob]

Hullo Greenie.

 

No, that's not correct - you will find the section on the Visofil covers it.

 

In fact it is the same as th L330/64!

 

Rgds

 

Cob

[missuslovett]

I'm really depressed now. There is NO WAY that button is coming off with section pliers...

[Greenie]

Hullo Greenie.

 

No, that's not correct - you will find the section on the Visofil covers it.

 

In fact it is the same as th L330/64!

 

Rgds

 

Cob

 

That's what I originally thought - then I second guessed myself. (And I love that caramel/butterscotch swirl /64 color!)

 

As with test taking, stick with your first instinct!

 

So basically, it is a somewhat similar set up to a Parker Duofold with washer clip - only the clip is not a full circle on the inside and there is a cut out on the cap to prevent rotation.

 

 

I'm really depressed now. There is NO WAY that button is coming off with section pliers...

 

Some nice dry heat, try it, cool, try it, repeat. Eventually it will come off. I know you can do it!

 

While soaking can (and will) discolor the BHR, soaking will allow for disassembly.

 

This BHR part has no chasing, so the exposed top and rim can then be sanded with a fine grit and polished and it will be black again. If you have a swan imprint, you can refill it with crayon. The fading is never that deep.

 

[Cob]

Yes Missus L, it's patience, patience, patience all the way I am afraid.

 

And as Greenie says, you may well have to soak - at least the inside; I have done this several times with various pens, taking care to block up any holes &c., with Blu-Tak.

 

And when it does eventually come out, be absolutely rigorous in cleaning the threads on the cap screw and inside; I was doing this job on one pen and tightening down the screw and SNAP... That will not happen again here!

 

Incidentally, the rather thin-topped caps as shown in Greenie's Visofil picture are indeed a pain to grip. You might find it worthwhile to buy a pair of the special pliers designed for removal of car ignition cables.

 

Cob

Edited July 15, 2016 by Cob

[missuslovett]

Thanks for your all your encouragement, guys! Greenie, that's just the photo I need to help me. It's much easier to grapple with once I know what the innards look like. One of the problems I have is the clip rotating freely in the gap it's carved for itself in the top of the celluloid. I think someone may have tried to take the top off before. I'm going to gaffer the little focker to keep it still. It's good to know soaking discolouration can be overcome, so I'll dunk it before trying again.

 

Back to the action...

[missuslovett]

*snip*

 

Incidentally, the rather thin-topped caps as shown in Greenie's Visofil picture are indeed a pain to grip. You might find it worthwhile to buy a pair of the special pliers designed for removal of car ignition cables.

 

Cob

 

I see what you mean about those pliers. I've just found the reverse hollow in an ordinary pair of pliers/wire cutters will accommodate the very edge of the top without much pressure at all. I'll leave this as a last resort though as the edges are quite sharp and I don't want to damage the top unduly.

[Cob]

 

I see what you mean about those pliers. I've just found the reverse hollow in an ordinary pair of pliers/wire cutters will accommodate the very edge of the top without much pressure at all. I'll leave this as a last resort though as the edges are quite sharp and I don't want to damage the top unduly.

Well you will certainly damage the clip screw with the conventional pliers.

 

This afternoon I have been restoring a few pens: one unusual Swan, and more pertinent to this thread, three Croxleys (I have a weakness for Croxleys which I consider to be rather under-rated). It was necessary to remove the Croxleys' cap screws - to straighten the clips and also to clean the caps nicely. The screws are the usual BHR. The spark-plug cable pliers, together of course with my 2kW hair-dryer (sorry Brussels!) helped me deal with the infuriating taper on those cap screws!

 

The third Croxley cap is currently soaking with its breather holes plugged with Blu-Tak...

 

Cob