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Swan No.1045 Question Re Cap.


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I suspect the plaster is simply hiding a crack/split in the barrel lip - but intrigued by the slot headed screw holding the clip etc. in place. I know nothing of the 1045 - other than probably from the 1940s and a leverless design - but can't really believe it was made like this. The nib is an Eternal No. 4 and stiff as a corpse, but in good condition.

Good to find a Swan that isn't black - came with a couple of other M.Ts., one of which is a button bar which I'd not had previously.

Am assuming this clip attachment is a home made arrangement - but grateful for the thoughts of others please. :)

Edited by PaulS
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Yes the clip etc., is quite correct: normally there is a little disc shielding the screw - embossed with a Swan; these are quite often missing.

 

If the barrel is cracked well of course that is major problem; best to see if you can find another.

 

Cob

Edited by Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


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thanks for the quick reply. I'm surprised - I didn't think I had any other M.Ts. with that sort of inserted Swan logo - but then I don't have that many Swans yet. Is this a feature of many Swans, or only a few perhaps?

Probably not what some folk would do, but since I won't write with the pen, I'll try repairing the crack - if that's what it is - and it can then lay in the cabinet - either that or I'll wait until it's healed and then take the plaster off :D

 

I shall have to keep an eye out for a spare of that little insert, from a broken pen perhaps. thanks again.

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Apart from the missing seal, the main problem with these pens is a weak cap lip so it may be that the plaster is so that the cap fits on properly and the barrel is fine under the plaster (or has healed). If not it should be fairly easy to find a spare barrel. If I remember correctly I have more bottom ends than top ends and am on the look out for a spare seal or 5.

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thanks - seems you're right, and now the plaster is off and the area cleaned there's certainly no damage to the barrel, but now cap and barrel won't screw together - so a case of celluloid shrinkage. I think the problem isn't helped by the fact that the front of the section hits the inner cap a little too prematurely, thus keeping things apart - another 2 - 3 mm depth and the threads might possibly grip.

I've also had problems removing the old sac - because these leverless models use a larger than normal sac, where it's perished below the section nipple it's decomposed and stuck to the wall of the barrel - going to take some care and time to remove.

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A lot of the late 1930s and early '40 Leverless pens had this type of clip. I cannot recall ever seeing a self-filler with this type of cap.

 

I have cured shrunken barrels - more by luck than anything else, by warmingt hem up and inserting a tapered arbor, but it is very risky. As for the inner cap problem, here you must remove the inner cap and shorten it, perhaps by about a millimetre, but be careful to ensure that it is completely square when you have dfinished - and check that the nib will not collide when the cap is screwed tight.

 

As for the sac, well normally I would rely on the ultra-sonic cleaner, but of course the twist knob is black hard rubber and so will be discoloured by the water. With these I remove the twist knob - this requires a special tool to remove the paddle; this operation is also fraught with danger! I can then use the US cleaner to my heart's content!

 

Cob

 

Cob

Edited by Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


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thanks - if nothing else I assume the now easy access to that top screw does mean the inner cap isn't a problem to remove. C.S. and Waterman clip/jewel nuts can be a pain to access right up inside he cap, even with nut spinners and spanning screwdrivers.

As for the lack of thread 'bite', I did wonder if coating the barrel threads with several layers of shellac - letting it cure completely for 48 hours, and then trying to create a re-thread by bringing the barrel and cap together etc. might work. I have heard that heating will cause some shrinkage to the celluloid, but not tried it yet. As this remains a good condition pen so far, I'm not too keen to rush and do some damage, and being a quirky sort of old soul I might prefer to leave in the cabinet as is, although shortening the inner cap sounds less risky so might try that first.

It's easy to forget, when dealing with celluloid pens, that black threaded clip screws and blind caps are still BHR - until the smell hits you, although assume with self-coloured pens these parts are same as main body i.e. celluloid.??

I've converted a narrow slot head screwdriver with the tip re-profiled to give a small projection on one side, for use with these leverless blind caps.

The small projection goes into the hole in the cam, and with the cap screwed tightly up to the barrel, the tool is then turned clockwise to undo the cam and bar (left hand thread) .......... only ruined one so far, and broke the bar away from it's mounting on the cam, and stripped the threading from the blind cap. I've tried Araldite and Liquid Weld to re-attach bar to cam, but no go - it seems there's too much mechanical leverage when in use, and the bar keeps breaking away from it's seating on the cam. Presumably re-brazing would be the answer - one of those aerosol can looking kits I think.

 

With perseverance I've now removed all of the old sac, I think, but I'm not a writer so don't have the worries of having to be 100% thorough - I can cheat and make a pen 'look' as though it's capable of performing, even if sometimes it might not. I lack patience to write, can't sit still long enough I guess - for me it's all about the aesthetics and history of these things.

 

and then I have the button bar Swan to restore.......... :(

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I am not entirely sure if the lever filler is a match for this type of cap. All my pens with similar caps using the metal Swan medallion are leverless fillers.

 

Might I suggest that you remove the section and see if the barrel catches the threads? If so, you have (at least a functional) match. Otherwise, the reason for the "bandage" and the lack of threads catching is more likely that the pen and cap are the same material, but from different pen models with differing diameters.

 

If the threads catch minus the section, you could then remove tiny amounts from the nib end of the section instead of pulling the inner cap. The shape of this section would be amenable to that approach. Then be sure that you use a depth gauge once you are done to keep the nib tip from hitting the inside end of the cap.

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never a dull moment with these leverless, is there :D

 

thanks for the suggestions - particularly the one about removing the section to assess if the threads will connect - such a simple test, but something I probably wouldn't have thought of - yet. I've only recently taken more than a passing interest in this brand, so acres of learning to come.

 

Cob's comment about using the US for sac removal is a good idea, but possibly a bit of a catch 22 ............. in order to immerse the barrel the twist knob needs removing - but this can't be done until you've removed the sac, which can't happen until it's been in the US, but this can't be done until the twist knob is removed, but this can't happen until the sac is removed, and ....................... :lticaptd:

 

With patience sacs can usually be removed eventually no matter how stubborn, by probing and digging carefully with pointy dental type picks - just a case of persevering.

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