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My First Snorkel, Yea! Snorkel Tube Will Not Retract


rtruslow

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Yippee! I was so happy to receive my first Sheaffer snorkel pen yesterday. I twisted the end piece and out came the tube. What a thrill!

 

It would not fill with water on rinse out. Bubbles came out around the nib base where it connects to the section, but not from the snorkel tube. So I gently disassembled it partly by unscrewing the section and then the rear silver colored plunger thing slipped out of the barrel.

 

But when I tried to retract the snorkel..., opps, it would only go back part way into the barrel. See photo. The snorkel sticks out past the nib and will not go in any further. I tried reassembly several times to see if I had missed catching a flange or other simple fitting-together error with no success. I wonder what I did to the mechanism to cause this.

 

First off, who should I contact to repair this problem? This repair is beyond what I am prepared to tackle (yet). Please recommend (offer) the name of someone who could take on this project. (Obviously I would prefer someone who is reliable and fair priced rather than the opposite, right? But that goes without saying, or does it?)

 

Second, I would like to be able to identify this particular model if possible. The clip is imprinted withe Sheaffer's, the barrell has the Sheaffer imprint with Made in USA. It is burgundy colored if you cannot tell from the photo.

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice.

 

Rob

post-108517-0-74467900-1402156915_thumb.jpg

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I wholeheartedly second the suggestion for Danny Fudge. I had my first snorkel with the same problem. The snorkel wouldn't retract and it was beat up. I sent it to Danny two weeks ago, thinking he would not be able to do anything with it. This past Thursday, the pen came back in pristine condition. It looked brand new. Working perfectly, polished and even a small crack in the cap was fixed. Incredibly reasonable.

 

No affiliation - just a happy first time and, most definitely, repeat customer.

Chris

 

Carpe Stylum!

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Another +1 on the suggestion for Danny Fudge, unless you're willing take a chance and try your hand at fixing one of these up. They're surprisingly simple restorations, with some patience, that is. There're also a number of repairmen in Massachusetts as well, if you want to stick to shorter-distance mailing. I believe Jim Baer (Frambaer on FPN) restores these for a reasonable fee as well, and he's based in MA.

 

That said, having restored these myself...It sounds like your Snorkel tube is loose and has been separated from the rubber plug/sac section. Take a look at Binder's site and you'll see what I'm talking about: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/repair/snorkel_filler.htm

Calculating.

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Yet another vote for Danny Fudge! When he is done, not only will it suck and spit ink like a champ,

but it will do it so well you'll be able to use it for a squirt gun!

 

Best,

Daniel

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Thank you all for your recommendations. Now that I know I can get it repaired by Danny Fudge or Jim Baer, with high praise from satisfied customers, I may be brave enough to attempt to tinker with it a bit on my own using Richard Binder's instructions. Thank you for the link to his side White Expressions.

 

Effin1 - Would you mind telling me what distinguishes this as an Admiral from other models, or point me to a page where I can begin to learn this for myself?

 

Again, thank you all for taking the time to assist this fledgling addict beginner!

 

Rob

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I have one admiral (in black however) which does that: the snorkel tube retract perfectly unless the section is sligthly unscrewed(1/8 of a turn, that's all it takes). If so it does not retract. When properly screwed onto the barrel no problem.

Why? no clue... The pen is unrestored yet, so don't take my word as a general rule. Could be related to something else, I haven't taken the pen apart yet.

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I read the Sheaffer Snorkel guide on another board. Don't know if I'm allowed to link it. There are 4 non White Dot pens all with open nibs (as opposed conical nibs)

Special PdAg nib plastic cap

Admiral gold nib plastic cap

Saratoga 2 tone gold nib plastic cap

Sovereign 2 tone gold nib metal cap

The rest of the line up all have the WD and conical nibs.

I have managed to learn the full line up including colours

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I read the Sheaffer Snorkel guide on another board. Don't know if I'm allowed to link it. There are 4 non White Dot pens all with open nibs (as opposed conical nibs)

Special PdAg nib plastic cap

Admiral gold nib plastic cap

Saratoga 2 tone gold nib plastic cap

Sovereign 2 tone gold nib metal cap

The rest of the line up all have the WD and conical nibs.

I have managed to learn the full line up including colours

Thank you Effin1!

 

GG917 - I will make sure all screw threads are snug and check again if this were the cause. Thanks!

 

Rob

Edited by rtruslow
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One problem down and one (at least) to go. The section was not snug and when tightened, the snorkel now retracts fully - Thanks

GG917!

 

It will still need a trip to Danny Fudge for repair of the diaphram. It does not suck or spit when I tired to fill it tonight.

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FYI the sections on some old Snorkels shrink.

I have one that I had to cut the section open, because it had shrunk down so much that the snorkel tube was stuck in the section.

That pen became a parts pen.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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