Diy Pen Repair Tools

[Guest Ray Cornett]

As with any craft and hobby requiring tools there are always do it yourself home made versions. What are some of the pen repair tools you have made yourself that ended up working just as well as the actual tool? I am interested to see if there is a good DIY section pliers.

[Bill Wood]

Check Main Street Pens and Ron Zorn. He's got a ton of great ideas. He's a mod on the repair board ! I use a lot of dental pics for starters.

[Guest Ray Cornett]

Thanks!

[Hooker56]

Ray,

 

I have a smallish pair of general purpose pliers that I tried to use as section pliers several years ago when I started repairing my own pens. I cut some short sections of surgical tubing and slipped them over the jaws to protect the pens. Although I use the pliers often for other purposes in my repair kit, I quickly learned that there is no real replacement for the 'automotive ' pliers that most use as section pliers. buy good pair as they will prove their value quickly! There is negative value in breaking a $100 pen because of a $3.00 pair of pliers.

 

Just my $.02-

 

Clayton

 

P.S.- There are many inexpensive fly tying tools that are GREAT for pen repair! If you on Bass Pro or Cabellas websites prices are very reasonable.

[Kelly G]

If you are planning to use regular slip-joint pliers as section pliers, you need to grind the teeth flat with a Dremel or similar tool - then install the rubber tubing over the smoothed jaws. I've used mine for over 10 years with no ill effect. Credit to the late Fr. Terry Koch for that design, as least as far as I know.

[Hooker56]

KellyG- Thanks for tip! I read some of Fr. Koch's blogs, but never saw that tip. Yes, the teeth are an issue.

[OcalaFlGuy]

Here are a couple I use a lot.

 

The first one is at least 60 years old, a shot glass from my Grandmother's house. It held the toothpicks on the kitchen table [1]. What's cool about it is how tall it is and how nearly straight the sides are. It makes the PERFECT soaking container.

 

 

The next are flat wood coffee stirrers, I believe Charyucks has them that are about 3/16" wide and just less than 1/8" thick. I use these for pushing j-bars back into position, sharpened for minute applications of shellac, *sharpened* to ream polish residue out of cap vent holes, squared off with flannel under it for a polishing tool, and stacked 2 or 3 on top of each other to bend the kink out of pocket clips.

 

[EDIT] My section/barrel gripper material is old cut up bicycle inner tube. Works great.

 

[1] I remember sitting on the counter and playing with the toothpicks while my Grandmother made biscuits.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Edited March 9, 2014 by OcalaFlGuy

[c4bb0ose]

For getting off barrels from sections I have had success with blue tac as a cheap alternate to section pliers.

[Guest Ray Cornett]

Interesting tips! I do have a long straight sided double shot glass which I have used for soaking. So, I know that is a great idea.I also found a small flat piece of rubber about 1/16th inch thick which I cut a small circle out of to put in the bottom as extra protection for nib points facing down in the cup while soaking just in case.

[Guest Ray Cornett]

To those who use heat guns on sections. If you don't have cone tips to focus the heat to a smaller area and don't have any place local to get them, and you have a limited time to refurbish the pen would fashioning some sort of aluminum foil home made cone work?