How Do I Refit A Conway Stewart 93 Pressure Bar?

[chunya]

Hi all,

 

I picked this up last week at a local auction, but I never managed to view it and left a commission bid. I was taking a chance but it did look lovely in the catalogue photo. When it arrived Christmas Eve I realised that the sac was solid and stuck to the barrel. I carefully managed to remove the sac with soaking and a gentle heat, but the pressure bar came out with it. For some reason I was expecting a J-bar but this seems to be a 'floating bar'(?). However, I can't quite work out how the bar fits to the lever, I have tried Googling but the advice is rather vague. I assume that the lever fits between the raised edges of the pressure bar, but can't quite work out exactly how it fits and stays in place. Can anyone provide some guidance?

 

Many thanks

 

[viclip]

Take a look at Richard's binder article about half way down:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/repair/leverbox.htm

 

I suspect that your CS pressure bar replacement is similar to that for the Waterman which he details.

[chunya]

Take a look at Richard's binder article about half way down:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/repair/leverbox.htm

 

I suspect that your CS pressure bar replacement is similar to that for the Waterman which he details.

Thanks for that ...I was trying to slide the bar onto the lever with the lever in the closed position, obviously the wrong thing to do ...and the instructions make a lot of sense now ... I'll wait until the morning before trying it out.

 

Again,many thanks!

[s60m23]

Chunya,

I have done this myself, it is a bit fiddly - the text below comes from a post (I cannot remember from where) which I copied and kept to help me:

 

Replacing the pressure bar is a little finicky but not actually difficult. Those bent-over side rails engage the lugs of the lever, and the little raised tabs restrict the amount the bar can slide. Lift the lever to about 35 degrees and with needle-nose pliers slide the bar onto the lugs. It may take a trial or two but be patient and don't force it. It requires very little pressure to refit the bar. Excess pressure may bend the lever.

 

The pressure bar seems to have two different ends, which should go into the barrel first? The end with the bent over bits closer to the end, or the other?

Grasp the short end with your pliers, i.e. the end with the bent over bits closer to the end.

 

Hope this helps!! If I can help, let me know, although I have to add that there are far more knowledgable people on the forum than I am!

Marc

[chunya]

Chunya,

I have done this myself, it is a bit fiddly - the text below comes from a post (I cannot remember from where) which I copied and kept to help me:

 

Replacing the pressure bar is a little finicky but not actually difficult. Those bent-over side rails engage the lugs of the lever, and the little raised tabs restrict the amount the bar can slide. Lift the lever to about 35 degrees and with needle-nose pliers slide the bar onto the lugs. It may take a trial or two but be patient and don't force it. It requires very little pressure to refit the bar. Excess pressure may bend the lever.

 

The pressure bar seems to have two different ends, which should go into the barrel first? The end with the bent over bits closer to the end, or the other?

Grasp the short end with your pliers, i.e. the end with the bent over bits closer to the end.

 

Hope this helps!! If I can help, let me know, although I have to add that there are far more knowledgable people on the forum than I am!

Marc

Thank you for that Marc ...I'll let you know how I get on. I don't have any needle nose pliers, but I have used tweezers before for similar jobs ...Fingers crossed!

[johnmc2]

HI

I was one of the participants in the exchange that sm60m23 quoted: I hasten to add that I was the one asking the questions!

Anyway I just wanted to add that it is not wise to soak Conway Stewart barrels, for a couple of reasons:

1) Apart from the pressure bar, the lever ring is also prone to rust and as it sits in a little groove, water can get trapped around it and its life may be drastically shortened.

2) Many Conway Stewarts are made of casein and will be ruined by soaking.

 

That's a very nice pen, good colour and condition. I have acquired red and green herringbone 77s this year (this was the largest model to have herringbone)

 

Cheers, and good luck with your restoration!

John

Edited December 28, 2014 by johnmc2

[chunya]

Hi all, and many thanks! I managed to fit it back in place,using the tweezers, with the first attempt!

 

Thanks also for the words of caution, john .... the existing sac was hard and perished and there was dried ink in it. All I did was to soak the inside for about 30 minutes (filling just the barrel using a pipette),then wrapped the entire barrel in tissue and gave it some gentle heat with a hair dryer...and that did the trick. With all the bits of sac removed I still had to flush the barrel several times to remove the ink......But it is looking good now.

 

Again, many thanks to you all.

[chunya]

All done, and writing beautifully .... The only thing is that these pens are a little too small for my big hands

 

 

[Aysedasi]

Chunya,

I have done this myself, it is a bit fiddly - the text below comes from a post (I cannot remember from where) which I copied and kept to help me:

 

Replacing the pressure bar is a little finicky but not actually difficult. Those bent-over side rails engage the lugs of the lever, and the little raised tabs restrict the amount the bar can slide. Lift the lever to about 35 degrees and with needle-nose pliers slide the bar onto the lugs. It may take a trial or two but be patient and don't force it. It requires very little pressure to refit the bar. Excess pressure may bend the lever.

 

The pressure bar seems to have two different ends, which should go into the barrel first? The end with the bent over bits closer to the end, or the other?

Grasp the short end with your pliers, i.e. the end with the bent over bits closer to the end.

 

Hope this helps!! If I can help, let me know, although I have to add that there are far more knowledgable people on the forum than I am!

Marc

 

Thanks very much for this (nearly 3 years later), as my pressure bar fell out while I was trying to get out remnants of a sac from a CS60 I bought recently. The sac was the worst I've ever encountered, tens of years of dried ink had virtually glued the remnants of the sac to the inside of the barrel. I didn't find refitting the pressure bar easy as the darned thing kept falling out but as the shellac dries on the new sac as I speak, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[gweimer1]

All done, and writing beautifully .... The only thing is that these pens are a little too small for my big hands

 

 

 

 

You can always send it my way.

I have a blue herringbone CS 76 that is about a perfect balance for me.