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Maintenance & Care Of Hard Rubber Pens

Sinistral1

By Sinistral1
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Flounder Antique

Flounder

Posted
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Have you tried any kind of petroleum jelly - isn't that stuff based on oil (petroleum), the same as rubber is? [snip]

 

By the way, I'm looking for a cap to replace a broken one (slip cap) for a #15 Waterman eyedropper - were any of those donated caps from a #15 by any chance? I could swap with you and give you the broken one for a non-broken one, since your experiments probably don't need the pieces to be in working order....

 

Nope, for the reasons that SteveE mentions. Oh and the caps are complete, but with big cracks.

Did anyone read the Practical Sportsbikes article a while back, on reviving carb rubbers? They used a dilute of wintergreen oil.

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

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Sinistral1 Antique

Sinistral1

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What does anyone have to say about Renaissance Wax? I read in an eBay auction that it "preserves, protects and deepens the color of hard rubber vintage fountain pens".

Breathe. Take one step at a time. Don't sweat the small stuff. You're not getting older, you are only moving through time. Be calm and positive.

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BURNSY13 Dipped Only

BURNSY13

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What does anyone have to say about Renaissance Wax? I read in an eBay auction that it "preserves, protects and deepens the color of hard rubber vintage fountain pens".

I would like to hear the answer to that one too. I have renaissance wax on hand and some pretty heavily oxidated hard rubber pens screaming at me for attention! :angry:

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kirchh Antique

kirchh

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Hard rubber (ebonite) is made from a mixture of natural rubber, linseed oil and sulfur.

So I doubt that linseed oil will harm it.

 

I'd be interested in a reference for the assertion that the hard rubber used in vintage fountain pens contains linseed oil.

 

--Daniel

"The greatest mental derangement is to believe things because we want them to be true, not because we observe that they are in effect." --Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Daniel Kirchheimer
Specialty Pen Restoration
Authorized Sheaffer/Parker/Waterman Vintage Repair Center
Purveyor of the iCroScope digital loupe

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kirchh Antique

kirchh

Posted
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Hi Daniel,

 

I read it here:

 

http://www.hug-technik.com/hartgummi.html

 

But it is in German.

Hardrubber , Ebonite, Linseed Oil = Hartgummi , Ebonit , Leinöl

 

That is a current manufacturer's recipe for hard rubber dust. I'd be interested in a reference for the composition of hard rubber used by the makers of vintage hard rubber fountain pens.

 

--Daniel

"The greatest mental derangement is to believe things because we want them to be true, not because we observe that they are in effect." --Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Daniel Kirchheimer
Specialty Pen Restoration
Authorized Sheaffer/Parker/Waterman Vintage Repair Center
Purveyor of the iCroScope digital loupe

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Pterodactylus Collectors Item

Pterodactylus

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They don't produce dust, the produce hard rubber boards, bars and pipes.

 

I doubt that you can find a antique reference which contains a info like: Waterman uses the following compounds...... to create their hard rubber bars.

 

Why do you think that the recipe to create Hard rubber changed compared how hard rubber is made in the past and now?

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kirchh Antique

kirchh

Posted
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They don't produce dust, the produce hard rubber boards, bars and pipes.

 

 

You are correct. I was looking at the wrong site. I will rephrase.

 

That is a current manufacturer's recipe for hard rubber. I'd be interested in a reference for the composition of hard rubber used by the makers of vintage hard rubber fountain pens.

 

 

I doubt that you can find a antique reference which contains a info like: Waterman uses the following compounds...... to create their hard rubber bars.

 

 

I take it, then, that you were not claiming that the hard rubber used by pen manufacturers when that material was prevalent contained linseed oil.

 

 

Why do you think that the recipe to create Hard rubber changed compared how hard rubber is made in the past and now?

 

You made the claim, so the burden for supporting it lies with you. I don't know why you would assume there is only one possible recipe for hard rubber, and that the ingredients used by one current manufacturer therefore would be the same ingredients used by all makers for the last 150 years.

 

--Daniel

"The greatest mental derangement is to believe things because we want them to be true, not because we observe that they are in effect." --Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Daniel Kirchheimer
Specialty Pen Restoration
Authorized Sheaffer/Parker/Waterman Vintage Repair Center
Purveyor of the iCroScope digital loupe

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Sinistral1 Antique

Sinistral1

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Kirchh:

 

I see that you restore pens. What product do you use to protect and preserve vintage hard rubber Waterman pens like my beloved eyedroppers?

Breathe. Take one step at a time. Don't sweat the small stuff. You're not getting older, you are only moving through time. Be calm and positive.

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kirchh Antique

kirchh

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Kirchh:

 

I see that you restore pens. What product do you use to protect and preserve vintage hard rubber Waterman pens like my beloved eyedroppers?

 

I don't use or recommend the application of any substance which is to remain on the pen. The chief enemy of hard rubber is light. To protect and to preserve hard rubber pens, don't expose them to light.

 

Carnauba wax can release acids which can attack any metal trim pieces. And waxes in general, including Renaissance Wax, can attract dust and cause a blurring of details, and they can be almost impossible to remove. I discourage such nearly irreversible treatments.

 

--Daniel

"The greatest mental derangement is to believe things because we want them to be true, not because we observe that they are in effect." --Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Daniel Kirchheimer
Specialty Pen Restoration
Authorized Sheaffer/Parker/Waterman Vintage Repair Center
Purveyor of the iCroScope digital loupe

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Sinistral1 Antique

Sinistral1

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Okay, don't use anything. What about simply putting them in an air tight container with a water moistened cotton ball to provide a little bit of humidity, out of the light?

Breathe. Take one step at a time. Don't sweat the small stuff. You're not getting older, you are only moving through time. Be calm and positive.

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kirchh Antique

kirchh

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Okay, don't use anything. What about simply putting them in an air tight container with a water moistened cotton ball to provide a little bit of humidity, out of the light?

 

I'm not sure what the point of the box being airtight is, and the necessity for a humid atmosphere. Neither measure is related to the minimization of exposure to light.

 

--Daniel

"The greatest mental derangement is to believe things because we want them to be true, not because we observe that they are in effect." --Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Daniel Kirchheimer
Specialty Pen Restoration
Authorized Sheaffer/Parker/Waterman Vintage Repair Center
Purveyor of the iCroScope digital loupe

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Vintagepens Collectors Item

Vintagepens

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Just because an ingredient was part of the original recipe does not mean that it will act as a preservative if applied to the material later.

 

Keep in mind that all the ingredients are altered by the process of vulcanization, and then are altered again by the process of deterioration. What you have on the surface of faded, 80-year-old hard rubber is something very different from what went into the mixing machines so long ago.

David Nishimura

 

www.vintagepens.com

vintagepensblog.blogspot.com

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Sinistral1 Antique

Sinistral1

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Thank you, David!

Breathe. Take one step at a time. Don't sweat the small stuff. You're not getting older, you are only moving through time. Be calm and positive.

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kirchh Antique

kirchh

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I doubt that you can find a antique reference which contains a info like: Waterman uses the following compounds...... to create their hard rubber bars.

 

This might be of interest.

 

--Daniel

"The greatest mental derangement is to believe things because we want them to be true, not because we observe that they are in effect." --Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Daniel Kirchheimer
Specialty Pen Restoration
Authorized Sheaffer/Parker/Waterman Vintage Repair Center
Purveyor of the iCroScope digital loupe

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Sinistral1 Antique

Sinistral1

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Thank you, Daniel, it looks to be an interesting article. Interesting enough that I might see if my pen club would be interested in getting a copy.

Breathe. Take one step at a time. Don't sweat the small stuff. You're not getting older, you are only moving through time. Be calm and positive.

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framebaer Collectors Item

framebaer

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Oh Man, I just started reading the article. They got their rubber from Bolivian Rubber trees cut down by workers amped up on Bolivian marching powder...

 

Oh wait, I may have mis-read that.

Sensitive Pen Restoration doesn't cost extra.

 

Find me on Facebook at MONOMOY VINTAGE PEN

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Sinistral1 Antique

Sinistral1

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I thought it said Bohemian starching powder. I really need new glasses.

Breathe. Take one step at a time. Don't sweat the small stuff. You're not getting older, you are only moving through time. Be calm and positive.

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