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Is The Waterman Commando Worth Restoring?


msalerno

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I bought a Waterman Commando that is in very poor condition. It doesn't even have a nib on it that is from the same company, and I think it has no insides. I can pay $55 to get it restored, and I stupidly paid $20 for it in its current condition. Is a Waterman Commando worth $75 essentially? It says Ideal on it, if it makes any difference.

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Yes, barely, but It depends on the nib that the restorer fits on the pen. A flexible Waterman nib will increase the value of a pen, but you will also be charged more. If the existing nib is good, maybe consider only getting the pens innards restored and wait for a Waterman nib.

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If it has a lever and a presser bar, then all of the Innards are present. If you have to buy a lever and a presser bar, then I would sell the body, section, nib and cap as parts.

Parts frequently sell for more than an entire pen which is missing parts, such as a lever and a presser bar.

If the only real problem is a dried out sac....

Replacing the Sac on a Commando is easy-peasy. And at your low cost, it would be a great pen to be your first attempt... if things go wrong you are only out a $20 pen.

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If it has a lever and a presser bar, then all of the Innards are present. If you have to buy a lever and a presser bar, then I would sell the body, section, nib and cap as parts.

Parts frequently sell for more than an entire pen which is missing parts, such as a lever and a presser bar.

If the only real problem is a dried out sac....

Replacing the Sac on a Commando is easy-peasy. And at your low cost, it would be a great pen to be your first attempt... if things go wrong you are only out a $20 pen.

I think it has a lever, and Im not sure if it has a pressure bar. Still, though, this convinced me to try repairing it myself. Ive been wanting to learn how. Thanks.

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Use a hair dryer to warm the barrel/section junction to about 140 to 150 degrees, this will make it easier to separate the two parts without damage. You will likely have to use some kind of tool, such as a small dental pick (available as a set at hobby lobby cheaply), to get all of the mortal remains of the dried sac out. Go on eBay, and get a small bag of talc, which is used to coat the new sac, which prevents it from chaffing from the bar. Several companies sell a sac which will fit that pen. I am trying to remember if I used a number 16 or a number 18 on that pen.

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