Waterman's 100 Year Pen Celluloid End Replacement

[Stylomeister]

Hi

 

I've just acquired a 100 Year Waterman's that needs a new end. I've had this done professionally in the past but this time round I want to replace the end myself as I don't think this is beyond my capabilities.

 

From what I can see, I need some perspex rod cut to size and a means of cementing this to a gently refinished end of the barrel. With perspex I've always used solvent to accomplish this and was considering MEK vs. clear Epoxy adhesive as celluloid will certainly respond to MEK providing this has been applied sparingly.

 

Once I have a good, cured bond I can lathe or file the end to match the body.

 

What is the general consensus on attaching the rod? I believe with solvent I'm going to get a more consistent join than epoxy which will give me a very thin ring.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[PaulS]

Hi - I'm in the same position - I've had my pen for some little while and only recently managed to acquire an Emco Unimat (DB 200) lathe, which I hope will help to finish the 'end' for my pen. So, regret I can't give you instruction based on experience, but would just repeat the advice in the Oldfield & Marshall pen manual where they suggest using Lucite, failing which you might cannibalize a suitable piece from the end of a 'plastic' handled screwdriver of suitable colour ... I say plastic, but unsure what those handles are actually made of - apparently it's a little softer than Lucite. It's likely that correct accurate dimensions taken from a good pen will be needed so that your new end is the right length, although apparently original ends did vary somewhat, due presumably to hand finishing, so we aren't talking engineering tolerances, fortunately.

Colours weren't always consistent, so the book says............ which may mean that the colour of cap ends didn't match exactly the colour of barrel ends, but since I don't have any 'good' pens I can't verify that.

 

Presumably you have a lathe - otherwise it can apparently be done but relies on casting rather than turning. You'll need to turn a new Lucite/plastic end on the lathe to a little oversize, and then attach your slightly oversize new end to the barrel with clear epoxy or super glue. Once the pen barrel is on the lathe, extreme care is needed in reducing the new end to final size/shape - apparently it's too easy to catch one or the other part as they are of differing materials, with dire results. These authors recommend fine abrasives and files to finish the job.

Cautionary note from Oldfield & Marshall ......... they say that the Oversize 100 Year and Emblem pens had flat ends, whereas other models had bullet shaped ends - regret again I can't corroborate that since I have a duff 100 Year only, but seem to recall that some months back I queried that point here although no one took me up on my questioning....... so really not sure. Perhaps someone will help us with that point.

 

Anyway, best of luck - hope you're successful, and please do post progress report so that I don't make the same mistakes as you - seriously though good luck.

 

P.S. It's likely that if you search the archives here you may well find some guidance from folk who have done this work previously.

Edited June 10, 2017 by PaulS

[Stylomeister]

Thanks for the support and good luck with your project.

 

I was under the impression Lucite was replaced for inferior celluloid during the wartime years as it was needed for the manufacture of aircraft canopies. The choice of celluloid is what effectively compromised the longeviry of this pen as I understand it. Lucite International still manufacture Perspex acrylic today hence my suggestion of Perspex rod but I could have this all wrong of course. These were my assumptions.

 

Looking at the pen construction in a little more detail ,it looks like I may want to carefully drill out the clear crackled celluloid stump out of the barrel and then fashion a piece of rod that is stepped. A sparing amount of solvent would then effectively fuse the two parts together.

 

I'm pretty confident I can make the end part from acrylic rod without a lathe and can decide if I have a good fit before I weld the two parts together!

[PaulS]

quote ........................ "Looking at the pen construction in a little more detail ,it looks like I may want to carefully drill out the clear crackled celluloid stump out of the barrel and then fashion a piece of rod that is stepped."

 

you will most definitely need to do this by accurately boring out the end of the barrel to get rid of all the old crud - otherwise the new part simply won't fit and seat properly. You may also need to light seal the join with some black paint added to the stub of your new part.

 

looking at your first post again, you're fortunate it seems in already having previously repaired examples, so you will have access to correct dimensions. Wish you luck without the lathe!!

[Stylomeister]

The tricky part will be getting some rod that's as close to the original diameter and whittling enough away while keeping the stepped edge square to fit the inside of the barrel.

 

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Reshaping the end of the rod should be simple enough once the rod has been fitted I hope.

[PaulS]

I hate to be a killjoy, but your intended method sounds too unpredictable .......... I hate to use the expression 'ham fisted', but we're talking here of a pen that has no small value and without the lathe to provide accuracy I think I'd be tempted to go your previous route for this job.

If you fit the new un-shaped blank to the barrel then spend time re-shaping it, this will take time and considerable manhandling of the barrel - all of which increases the risk of damage or accident ................... it reminds me of the outcome experienced by Ron Zorn (Main Street Pens) when he carried out this particular repair.

If you visit Ron Zorn's web site - under repairs or something similar - you'll see what I mean.

Edited June 10, 2017 by PaulS

[Ron Z]

I wouldn't even consider doing this repair without a lathe. It's difficult enough with a lathe to get the repair right. The barrel on a HYP is especially brittle, and proper barrel prep is essential - as in removing decayed celluloid before attaching the end, much as a dentist removes decayed material before filling a tooth. I can't see how you can possibly match the diameters without the right tools.

[Stylomeister]

OK, I've completed the repair and without a lathe.

I'd say you don't need a lathe for this job and it wasn't hugely difficult to cut and file the rod to fit into the barrel after hand drilling out the old cracked celluloid stump and cleaning up with a curved bladed surgical scalpel and fusing any fissures with MEK. You do need to be careful cleaning out the stump and you do need to make sure the celluloid peg to the new end is not too long as the pressure bar won't go back in.

I've attached a few images of the process but essentially a length off 12.7mm acrylic (radiate/perspex) rod, digital callipers, a couple of watch files, a nail file and nail buffer, T-Cut, MEK and a hack saw. The pen cost me £22 so was a risk worth undertaking I think. The nib seems to be the wrong size for this pen as its a #17 and I had to set it deeply into the section for the cap to go back on. Maybe I'll reuse it if I lay my hands on a senior with no nib if one should turn up.

1. Cutting the peg to fit the barrel:

2. Filing peg down to size using callipers to measure correct diameter:

3. Filed down to approximate size ready for fixing to barrel with MEK solvent:

5. Filed to size and polished - I finished the end to a pointed chamfered end similar to a blind cap from that period:

5. Completed pen - polished and re-plated the cap end with gold plate which had rusted:

[PaulS]

good job I didn't say I'd eat my hat if you managed to complete the job successfully Looks very good - think we're all very impressed with your effort, and that original price of the pen sounds a steal. Impressed with the accuracy of the curved profile - looks very symmetrical.

I forget now, but assume since you're quoting Sterling for the rod then you are in the U.K. - if you have any to spare will pay you for a short length of that Perspex rod - if interested send me a PM please.

Think the pen is now worth a bit more than you paid for it.