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Broke Another Vac Barrel [ That's 3 In 5 Yrs ]

JotterAddict62

By JotterAddict62
in Repair Q&A

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JotterAddict62

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Working on a 1st Gen Vac Golden Pearl desk pen and when I was heating [ not much ] it , barrel broke. Oh Well [ Is that a Fleetwood Mac song ]

 

That is 2 1st gen OS barrels and 1 3rd gen major. All golden pearl barrels. So is life. I'm working on a # of 51 Vac's now. I should not break any barrels. :)

Waiting on the soak on a pair of 51 black desk pens so I eradicate Klingons with a computer game I'm playing.

 

Later

Ken

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FarmBoy Museum Piece

FarmBoy

Posted
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Clean break?

Might be worth putting back together.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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JotterAddict62 Collectors Item

JotterAddict62

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Clean break?

Might be worth putting back together.

Not that one Todd. Plus I warped the the part that was still on the section. The one other that I broke is a clean break. Will inquire at the Chicago Pen Show about that one . Working on the P51 Vac'c and warped a black barrel and cracked a cordovan brown hood for the DJ. [ Have a spare hood ]

I think I did enough damage for one day. Restored 8 pens today.

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JotterAddict62 Collectors Item

JotterAddict62

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How do they break? Along the length or across the laminations?

Snapped in two. So is life. Not going cry about it.

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Lam1 Collectors Item

Lam1

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Snapped in two. So is life. Not going cry about it.

 

Ouch! An OS? And you're not going to cry?! :yikes:

I would! :crybaby:

 

Now I'm scared to try and repair the only OS I ever put my hands on! (just found it this week).

 

Better luck next time.

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JonSzanto Antique

JonSzanto

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I get the sense that someone is in too much of a hurry, using too high heat, too much force. A finite resource is just that, and breaking Maxima barrels isn't just a trifle.

"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

~ Benjamin Franklin

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Parker51 Collectors Item

Parker51

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I am wondering if your sense of heat is changing. This could be the sign of a medical condition which needs attention. While I am not a Physician and I do not play one on television, but I am old enough to have see this to be a situation with some people, especially those with diabetes. Peripheral Neuropathy is the term that is used and it starts at the extremities, such as one's hands.

Edited by Parker51
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JotterAddict62 Collectors Item

JotterAddict62

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I get the sense that someone is in too much of a hurry, using too high heat, too much force. A finite resource is just that, and breaking Maxima barrels isn't just a trifle.

I was in no hurry. Things just happen and I learn from them.

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siamackz Collectors Item

siamackz

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No matter how much care is taken, there will always be a pen that defeats you. Im sure every pro even has encountered this. We cant win them all. Of course, we must reflect on a learn from our mistakes, but I agree that its not productive to dwell too much or feel too disappointed, or mistakes will shake your courage and confidence to continue repairing expensive pens. And Ive said this before, if you want to learn how to fix expensive pens then you must practice with expensive pens - the stress, nerves, etc. all lead for a unique experience that practising on cheap pens cannot simulate. The transfer from cheap pens to expensive ones is not a seamless one - after sufficient practice with cheap pens the only way to learn to repair expensive ones is to practice with expensive ones. And so, there will be unavoidable mistakes. And you shouldnt take them too much to heart. I can tell you as someone that broke his own Montblanc 144 green striated!

 

So, I can relate to the OPs position and point of view and I appreciate the honesty in sharing your failures with us (and not just the successes, which is what I typically do).

 

Keep trying and better luck with future challenging ones!

Edited by siamackz

My Vintage Montblanc Website--> link

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JonSzanto Antique

JonSzanto

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Don't get me wrong: as a very good friend has said, broken pens are the tuition we pay to learn pen repair and restoration. My only problem was the somewhat cavalier nature at the loss of a valued pen, but perhaps I misread the intent. I've had losses myself, but I restrict my restorations to pens of more moderate value, and anything rare-ish or remarkable go to a seasoned professional for the work.

"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

~ Benjamin Franklin

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Ron Z Museum Piece

Ron Z

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I get the sense that someone is in too much of a hurry, using too high heat, too much force. A finite resource is just that, and breaking Maxima barrels isn't just a trifle.

 

I suspect that may indeed be the case. Either that, or the fillers are the ones with a plastic thread bushing, but you won't see that on a 1st generation pen. You do on occasion run into a couple stinkers in a row... I had a pen on the bench a couple of weeks ago that took me 45 minutes to get open.

 

As I observed in a blog post some time ago, I consider opening a pen to be the most dangerous moment in pen repair.

 

And siamackz, sorry, I disagree. You don't have to work on expensive pens to get the experience. There is plenty to learn working on lower end pens without risking higher end pens, that prepare you for working on the more expensive ones. Your skills build one on the other. Yes, we will break pens, but the idea is to get to where you land firmly in the "success" column instead of "failure," with very few pens broken. You learn from your mistakes, learn how to avoid them, learn to anticipate problems, develop new techniques. Some however learn more quickly than others. ...and you learn how to back out of a problem and how to fix what you've damaged. That is what separates the professional from the amateur.

 

As one other pen professional observed, "Some folks get 10 years of experience working on pens, some folks get 1 year of experience 10 times over."

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siamackz Collectors Item

siamackz

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And siamackz, sorry, I disagree. You don't have to work on expensive pens to get the experience. There is plenty to learn working on lower end pens without risking higher end pens, that prepare you for working on the more expensive ones. Your skills build one on the other. Yes, we will break pens, but the idea is to get to where you land firmly in the "success" column instead of "failure," with very few pens broken. You learn from your mistakes, learn how to avoid them, learn to anticipate problems, develop new techniques. Some however learn more quickly than others. ...and you learn how to back out of a problem and how to fix what you've damaged. That is what separates the professional from the amateur."

I dont disagree with you though, Ron, or what JonSzanto is trying to convey. I agree that one must spend much time practising on cheaper pens first, but that isnt enough to prepare you to work on expensive pens - its not the same. So, at some point one needs to take the plunge, after sufficient practice with cheaper pens of course. And mistakes are inevitable. The more experienced professional will make less mistakes than the less experienced novice, of course. But I encourage novices to keep trying. I am not encouraging thoughtless risks but instead to do a lot of homework, practice on cheap pens, and exercise tremendous caution and patience. But take risks, and dont allow too much disappointment or fear to set in. A certain detachment is required in order to do this.

 

Of course, none of this holds true when I work on other peoples pens. Here, I am very clear about only taking on challenges that I am very sure of and send anything more complicated to my friends or mentors that are pros.

Edited by siamackz

My Vintage Montblanc Website--> link

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