Wahl-Eversharp Wood-Grained Ebonite Ring-Top -- Metal Barrel Liner? Corrosion?

[Paul-in-SF]

This is the pen I wrote about in another thread about replacing the ring top. Now I have another more serious question.

 

The first time I wrote with it, before I put it away for ring-top repair, it seemed to write fine. This time, with another ink, it dried out twice in one page. So I decided to see if I could pull the section and give a really thorough cleaning to the nib and feed. The section came out readily, and when I got it out I noticed that the barrel is lined with some kind of metal, and that that metal seems to be very thinly coated with a white-ish powder. But I'm not sure. I took a round black brush and tried to see if I could brush out any of the powder, and nothing came off on the brush that I could see, and the appearance of the metal liner didn't change. Then I reached in further with a rounded metal probe and scraped lightly at the sides, and the probe came back with a gray powder on it. I can't tell if that was a powder before I scraped, or if I removed a little of the metal from the liner, that turned into powder.

 

I'm pretty sure this powder is not talc, if it were, I think it would have shown up on the black brush.

 

My concern is whether this is corrosion of the metal, and if it is, what to do about it. Is there a way to tell for sure, and a way to treat it? Or what are the likely consequences if it goes untreated? (I've tried to take a photo but I couldn't get anything meaningful to show up.)

[FarmBoy]

WE put a metal liner in the barrel that has over time oxidized. You can clean it up using a wire bore brush. It often makes removing the section difficult.

[FredRydr]

WE put a metal liner in the barrel that has over time oxidized. You can clean it up using a wire bore brush. It often makes removing the section difficult.

That difficulty even prompted Syd Saperstein to market a penetrating lubricant for this purpose. I suppose it's an innocuous lube we're all familiar with already, but as impatient as I was, I bought a bottle to get that stubborn section out. The solution worked. The bottle promptly tipped over in my pen tool box and the rest of the lube was lost.

[corgicoupe]

Hard lesson to learn: always put the cap on an open container first thing. Even more important with an ink bottle.

[Ron Z]

 

 

It often makes removing the section difficult.

 

...a masterpiece of understatement.

[eachan]

Ballistol is very penetrating and should be available anywhere.

[Paul-in-SF]

Well, I guess I was lucky there, the section came out quite readily using grippy rubber pieces.

 

I also have a wire bore brush which I will use before I put it back together. The first brush I tried had plastic bristles.

 

Thanks everyone again for holding my hand as I stumble around in the metaphorical dark.

[Hanamizu]

I destroyed a pretty little pen like that. Kept trying to get the section off and the barrel broke, revealing something that looked like tin foil in the barrel. Did keep the nib.

[Paul-in-SF]

I destroyed a pretty little pen like that. Kept trying to get the section off and the barrel broke, revealing something that looked like tin foil in the barrel. Did keep the nib.

 

I had one like that months ago, but I gave up and sent it out for the section to be removed. I don't know what voodoo they used to do it.

 

Great user name, by the way.