Question About A 400N / Nn

[Uncout]

Hi,

 

This is my first post and I could do with some advice on a pen I was given.

 

Firstly, can anyone tell me if this is a 400N or a 400NN, it seems to have the cap of the NN but the filler knob of an N, I believe that the nib has been replaced once by the previous owner but I am not aware that the cap has.

 

 

Secondly, the piston appears to be stuck a little short of halfway up the barrel (I'm not sure it's clear from the image but the knob is flush against the barrel end), meaning it can only carry a small amount of ink, is this correct or will it need repair, I'm not sure I'm comfortable doing it myself as from what I've researched it should be fully retracted before knocking it out and I'm concerned about damage.

 

Thanks in advance for any help you guys are able to give me.

[ralfstc]

Welcome to FPN!

 

Have a look here for more info on the different versions. It looks like you have a 400 body and a 400NN cap, which should work fine in my experience. Always check for nib clearance, of course!

 

The piston is knackered. What a pain. Is it loose in the barrel? Getting the piston mech out of these pens tends to be a long involved process with lots of soaking and heating. Basically, the entire piston mech has to be driven out of the back of the barrel with a drift just big enough to fit in the section when the nib has been screwed out. Of course, unscrewing the nib is the first challenge-- they can be a pig. (There is an early 400 where the nib is friction fit, but it's best to treat it as screw until you know differently).

 

There's loads of info on FPN about the repair you want to do, but it's worth just stopping and thinking. When these pens break, they do so fast and irretrievably. It's a lovely gift, and you need to think long and hard about whether you have the skills to tackle fixing it. (Don't ask me how I know . . . . )

 

Good luck!

 

Ralf

[Pentode]

I'm with Ralf on this one.

 

Under normal circumstances I'm a big proponent of DIY, but this is not the kind of job you want to tackle as a first project. That's too nice a pen to risk to chance.

 

I suggest finding a qualified repairer you're comfortable with and sending it off. What you get back will most likely be a really nice writer and it won't need to be looked at again for a good, long time. That pen is definitely worth the cost of restoration.

 

Welcome to FPN and enjoy your new pen!

[christof]

Hi

Here's a picture of all the three 400 side by side:

 

 

And probably your cap/barrel is wrong as you suspected.

 

Your concerns about knocking out the piston are correct, but I fear that there is no other way to get it out. In my eyes, it looks as someone has diesassembled the pen before and put together in a non correct way.

 

C.

Edited September 15, 2017 by christof

[Bo Bo Olson]

What is not easy to see is the 400n's cap is longer than the 400 or the 400nn's.

It allowed the standard sized 400n to post to medium-large like a 400nn, but stay the same size as the 400 when closed.

Somewhat similar to the medium-short 140's long cap, posting to the same size as the standard sized 400.

 

I found that out when I found out my 400n , was actually a '54 transitional 400.

 

That half round piston cap, can be hard to differentiate.....but measuring the cap makes sure.

Edited September 16, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Uncout]

Thanks for your replies guys.

 

I wasn't totally sure about the difference between an normal 400 and an N, and the knob looked more rounded than normal 400 pictures I'd found. It is definitely a screw nib, I checked for a long time as it wouldn't come out to begin with, but it has the notches for fitting the removal tool and just required loads of soaking to get out.

 

I've done some work repairing pens before, but purely amateur I'm afraid, most difficult has been a vacumatic which seemed easier than this, I'll look around for a repairer, but if anyone can suggest one in the UK I'd appreciate it, I don't mind spending some money on it as it was a gift.

 

On a side note, any idea where you can get replacement parts for a 455 ballpoint, it came as a set and the 455 works for about 4 clicks then gives up, I think the plastic mechanism has worn out looking at it.

[sargetalon]

No recommendations for the U.K. I'm afraid. These are nice pens but a DIY repair has a high risk of damage. Worth restoring though if you can do so economically. Good luck with it.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Fountainble in Belgium, E30 plus E15 postage. The plastic gasket can be replaced with a better cork, that is boiled in paraffin and and bees wax as it should be and slathered with silicon grease. It's smoother than a plastic gasket.

Jim Marshal and Laurence Oldfield do repair in England and wrote the best pen repair book of all ....they do suggest properly prepared cork as smoother than plastic gasket..............stay away from O rings, there are a few problems with swelling of the pen barrel.

 

It could be it's just needs to be dissembled and put together with out a new 'cork' or plastic gasket.