Eversharp Barrel Crack

[white_lotus]

I have this Eversharp I think from the 50s. It has a barrel thread crack.

 

It looks like a pretty new crack in that it fits together perfectly, no shrinkage. Chances are I did this trying to remove the section, yes I did use heat, maybe not enough. Or I dropped the barrel on the floor.

 

So I've done the searching and reading about barrel cracks and crack repair, the dangers of MEK and acetone, etc etc. Until I'm sick of reading about crack repair.

 

But being a fresh new crack I assume it might be easier to fix right now than wait. I've read about the use of Testors 3502 as a crack repair item, and that's probably as far as I'm willing to try. Is this workable for this kind of plastic? Or should I just send the pen out? It does't seem like that valuable of a pen, I got it basically for free in an ebay lot I got for $10.99 that had an Estie I wanted.

 

Also any idea what the white waxy-like substance is on the pen? It's around the clip, and in spots on the cap, even on some of the barrel threads. A little bit on the barrel.

 

 

The white line on the section is a cat hair… The crack only looks displaced when the section is inserted. When the section isn't in place the crack is invisible.

 

[OcalaFlGuy]

It is doubtful either solvent welding or gluing with a solvent weld type glue will suffice (for long).

 

Inserting the section highly stresses the repaired area. It's Going to open back up.

 

The correct most promising method would be Both to repair the crack then turn down a sleeve (lathe) to fit into the front piece of the barrel to reinforce the repaired crack. (The section nipple would also then have to be either turned down to fit the sleeve or modified to fit.) That is an order of magnitude more exacting work than just repairing the crack.

 

Via Most pro repair channels, the repair would cost more than that pens value.

 

You Could probably resac the pen, shellac the section back into the barrel and use the pen at least until that sac gave out and you had to once again remove the section. Then, the crack would likely fatally worsen.

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[white_lotus]

Thanks for the info, Bruce. I'm thinking even if I try the simple solvent weld, I'll have to sand down the section nipple to make the fit easier and stress the barrel threads less. In reading the Oldfield and Marshall book, a metal sleeve inside the barrel is needed as you say. I did read one person cutting one from an aluminum soda can.

 

It's not like it's a daily writer or anything, and given my age, even a new sac will outlast me by a long shot.

 

cheryl

[FarmBoy]

Stearic acid/esters.

[white_lotus]

Thanks!