Parker Pen—Section Stuck In Cap

[Hanamizu]

Won a 'parts' pen on the 'Bay. It's a Parker fighter. The photos showed the metal threads of the section sticking out from the cap. I figure it is a 180, but I can't be sure until I can see the nib. I'm only into it for about $5 so I'm looking at this as a puzzle to be solved. I've been soaking it all day and using an ultrasonic to try and loosen things up a bit. At last, I got the section to start turning in the cap, but it still won't come out from the cap. Screwing the barrel on and pulling on it resulted in the thread unit of the barrel pulling free from the barrel.

 

Any ideas on getting nib/section out from the cap? TIA

[siamackz]

Dry heat to cap ?

[Hanamizu]

I've used a heat gun as well as hot water. It is soaking right now. It's still early days. Sometimes a couple of days in water makes a difference. Heat and soaking might break it loose—we'll see.

[Chrissy]

I've been trying to think of what might help. I suppose a repairer might have an old bit of barrel that would screw onto the threads, then use pliers on that to pull it out. No damage to threads or original barrel.

 

In an ideal world you would have a parts box containing an old brass barrel or part of one that fits perfectly onto the threads. Anything that you could grip enough to pull it out.

 

Good luck with it. Fingers crossed for success.

[Ron Z]

It all depends on how firmly the shell is jammed into the inner cap. I've seen cases where they were very firmly jammed together, and neither heat nor soaking, nor the rubber glove trick worked. An experienced repair person is likely to have a few tricks up his sleeve though that don't come out except in the shop.

[Hanamizu]

Thing is, after soaking, the section is turning freely in the cap, it just won't come out. I'll give it more time. I've found rushing things rarely helps.

[siamackz]

Thing is, after soaking, the section is turning freely in the cap, it just won't come out. I'll give it more time. I've found rushing things rarely helps.

Like a vacum has been created inside? Would forcing some air through the stuck section help?

[CS388]

Any chance of a picture? It might put our brains into gear, better.

 

Good luck.

[Hanamizu]

OK. Here's what it looks like. I bought it knowing the section was in the cap. As I said, I spent next to nothing on this, so if I get a pen out of it, it's a bonus.

 

 

 

[CS388]

Okay. I'd be rooting through my tool box/nuts and bolts box for a nut that fitted it.

 

(I have found some nuts from the auto industry which have fitted fountain pen threads - but it's a case of pot luck!)

 

If you can get a nut to fit on the threads, then you can use tools (eg. pliers or grips) to pull it out.

 

This is all just guesswork!

 

Good luck.

[Flounder]

Like a vacum has been created inside? Would forcing some air through the stuck section help?

 

That's actually an effective heath robinson way to remove a watch crystal...

[pen lady]

Any chance of cooling the stuck bit in ice-water while simultaneously heating the cap with, say, a hair-dryer?

[Methersgate]

Any chance of cooling the stuck bit in ice-water while simultaneously heating the cap with, say, a hair-dryer?

Thats what I would do.

[Hanamizu]

Thanks for the ice water/heat trick. Tried it and it hasn't worked (so far), but trying it let me discover something new. The tassie at the top of the cap is turning as I turn the section. Don't know what that portends. I'm now going to try to find a nut that I can fit onto the exposed threads.

[Chrissy]

A split C ring would be good if you have one that fits...

[siamackz]

Thanks for the ice water/heat trick. Tried it and it hasn't worked (so far), but trying it let me discover something new. The tassie at the top of the cap is turning as I turn the section. Don't know what that portends. I'm now going to try to find a nut that I can fit onto the exposed threads.

This is most intriguing!!

 

Last resort, pop it in the freezer overnight. One of my Parker vac fillers was jammed and thats what Francis G did and it worked!

[mitto]

Yes freez it and then after it defreezes / defrosts pull it out.

Edited March 17, 2018 by mitto

[Hanamizu]

Well, I tried freezing it and pulling on it and it hasn't worked, yet. I will try a few more times. I have tried using a kinetic bullet puller (it looks like a plastic hammer and is used to "pull" bullets from cartridges), but there is no good place for the collar to grasp the cap. I have also found a nut that is a bit small for the treads that I may cut a slot in to get it to fit on the threads and use that to drive the section out.

[CS388]

This is becoming an epic saga. Following with interest.

(I hope there's actually a nib on the end, when it finally comes out! Fingers crossed that it's a good one.)

 

Good luck.

[the_gasman]

It's a Parker fighter.

 

When I first started reading this thread, I thought that you had erred with a typo but I now realise that you were prescient!

 

Good luck