Removing A Sheaffer Vac Fill Desk Pen Triumph Type Nib. At A Loss..

[gamingoodz]

I have recently got into vintage pens and bought a few Esterbrooks (which i love now btw) on ebay and resacced and repaired them and a waterman crusader, and I really loved the look of the Sheaffer triumph type nibs so I bought a desk pen vac fill version for a good price.

 

The filling mech doesn't work anymore as the rubber washer inside has fallen apart so I need to get the nib off so I can replace it. Well I've tried everything to get the nib off and I'm at the point that I'm afraid if I try anything more drastic I will break it. So I figured I would ask the pros on here what tricks they might have that maybe I haven't tried yet.

 

 

I've soaked the pen in ammonia for 3 days already and ran it in my ultrasonic cleaner off and on in ammonia a bunch in those 3 days as well to try and help get it into the pen to loosen it up. After soaking I used my heat gun to heat the section up to even hotter than I would have liked which was hot enough to have a hard time holding it with bare fingers. The I really tried cranking on the nib with just my finger power to try and rotate it to break it loose but no luck..

 

I'm afraid to use any mechanical means to put more force on it and end up snapping the feed or something. Does anyone have and suggestions of what else I can try? If I can't figure anything else out I'm just going to have to really get it hot and use some padded pliers or something to crank on the nib and pray nothing breaks.

 

Also please don't suggest I send the pen to someone for repair, I don't believe in paying someone to do something that I could learn how to do myself given I try hard enough. I like to learn as much as I can and try to be as self-sufficient as I can, and I recognize that there are people out there that know MUCH more than me but I'm hoping they could give some input to help me out so I can try to do it myself instead of paying someone else and me learning nothing.

 

Thank you.

 

http://i.imgur.com/yRVVIz9l.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/J7F1Z41l.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/zaIkkvul.jpg

 

 

[3rdlakerobert]

All the pros use special tools, expensive special tools.

[Chi Town]

All the pros use special tools, expensive special tools.

Do you know what the name of that special tool is to remove the nib in this case?

[Ron Z]

I don't consider the tool to be at all expensive, given that without the tool you have a 50% chance at best of removing the nib without damage, and pretty close to 100% with the tool.

 

Fountainbel here on FPN sells a nib removal tool. I don't know what the current price is, but I do know that you risk killing the nib without it. I'm not exaggerating either. Contact him for his Triumph nib tool. Plan on buying a non-contact infrared thermometer to check the section temperature. You have to get it to about 160 degrees to get the nib out with the tool.

[3rdlakerobert]

All the pros use special tools, expensive special tools.

 

Well, in the context of this OP's situation, the tool is expensive. If you are doing a bunch of Vac-Fils, the tool is a bargain.

[Ron Z]

 

Well, in the context of this OP's situation, the tool is expensive. If you are doing a bunch of Vac-Fils, the tool is a bargain.

 

...unless he screws up the nib in the process, which based on 8 years of doing these things, I think is likely. In which case he's looking for a new nib. These nibs can be very difficult to remove, sometimes even with the tool. Once in a while you get lucky and the nib comes out quite easily, but not very often. Apparently this is not an easy one.

 

He asked what the pros use, and the answer is in my first post. Use of padded pliers often ends up with a cracked feed or other damage. Francis' tool grips the nib itself, shields the area where the nib is mounted so that you don't over heat the joint, and locks the feed in position so that nib and feed turn together. Even so it can be a tense couple of minutes.

[3rdlakerobert]

 

.. Francis' tool grips the nib itself, shields the area where the nib is mounted so that you don't over heat the joint, and locks the feed in position so that nib and feed turn together. Even so it can be a tense couple of minutes.

 

Ron,

No arguments from me, but . . .

 

When the nib is stubborn, I find an overnight soak in Rapidoeze in an ultrasonic cleaner, with occasional cyles of the UC, always loosens the nib enough to get the nib out with the tool. I can't remember a time when it didn't work out this way. I'm still a novice after maybe 2 years and 75-100 Vac-Fils, but that's my experience, For what it's worth.

 

When a nib is stubborn, I never strain with the tool. That invites disaster. The Rapidoeze is my solution (pun intended). Oh, and the noncontact IR thermometer is a must-have tool for anyone working with heat on a pen.

 

I want to add that disaster lurks even after getting out the nib and replacing the gaskets, etc. Sheaffer applied a fair amount of sealant to the nib-coupler/barrel joint when they assembled the pens. You need to deal with the residue before attempting to reinstall the nib. I have taps that I use to chase the threads in the barrel, and the nib coupler gets a bath in the UC with rapidoeze. Then I reinstall with your sealant.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Robert111

[FarmBoy]

There are other methods. Note also that just removing the nib is not enough, you need to remove the entire front assembly to get the plunger rod out if that is what you want to do.

[3rdlakerobert]

There are other methods. Note also that just removing the nib is not enough, you need to remove the entire front assembly to get the plunger rod out if that is what you want to do.

 

In fact, the last thing you want is the nib to come out without the coupler. The Fountainbel tool, used properly, ensures this doesn't happen.

[ac12]

advice1: The tuition of learning to repair pens is the periodic destruction of the pens that you are 'trying' to repair.

 

advice2: On any valuable pen, know your limits and when to send it to someone with the skills necessary for that pen. If not, see advice1.

advice2a: If in doubt, punt.

 

advice3: Using force is generally a BAD idea. Proper use of force is determined by knowledge and experience. Without that knowledge and experience, you are going in blind.

 

advice4: Mechanical advantage is a 2 way street. You can apply too much force and not realize how much force you are actually applying. The result, a broken pen. See advice3.

Edited April 28, 2016 by ac12

[ac12]

Ammonia should be used with caution in proper dilution and not for LONG soaks.

Ammonia will attack metals. While it will not attack gold, it will attack the other metals in the gold alloy.

Edited April 28, 2016 by ac12

[gamingoodz]

Wow I didn't expect such a great turnout of responses, thank you all for the information. I did send Francis a message inquiring about purchasing the tool so hopefully I can afford to buy one. I'm not exactly doing well in the cash dept atm since I went back to school to get a degree in network administration I really don't have time to make much money. But I also don't want to ruin the pen, I made the mistake of ruining a pen once so far and would rather be more careful this time.

The pen I ruined once was a pretty beat up Sheaffer snorkel that I bought at a flea market. After I had spread the crimping to get snorkel tube and rubber part out so I could replace the petrified sac the whole metal unit and snorkel broke in 3 pieces. I couldn't believe how fragile it was, the snorkel was sticking out of the nib some when I bought it and I guess somehow it was weaker in that spot as that is where the tube broke, and the metal sac tube broke in half also. I guess from the pen sitting out in the heat like that for who knows how many years at this outdoor flea market in one of those glass display things that the whole pen was super super brittle. I only paid a few bucks for it and I still have the body and nib so it was a good lesson learned. The nib is in great shape.

 

I didn't know that there existed a tool to help get the nib unit off, thank you. I am a firm believer in using the proper tools if you can, before going back to school for IT I was a mechanic for years so I understand the importance of having the right tool, try removing ball joints without the proper tool and even though it can be done you're in for a huge headache.

[Ron Z]

try removing ball joints without the proper tool and even though it can be done you're in for a huge headache.

Oh yeh! Been there, did that.... once. My arm hurts thinking about it.

[3rdlakerobert]

Ah yes. I still have a pickle bar, though at my age I doubt I will ever use it again.

[BamaPen]

Vac-fills are a challenge in general, and with the Triumph nib to remove they become even moreso. I have one broken desk pen to prove that I should not attempt the nib removal again. See ac12's advice #3 for my error.

 

I have successfully repaired a few vac-fills, and broken more than one, but once I met an expert at a pen show and saw what results he could achieve, I have never looked back. When I need one repaired, I immediately send it to an expert and the results are always excellent.

 

There are a number of great vac-fill repair people out there. I have a favorite, but I'm sure the others are equally good.

 

John

[Glenn Atkins]

 

Fountainbel here on FPN sells a nib removal tool. I don't know what the current price is, but I do know that you risk killing the nib without it. I'm not exaggerating either. Contact him for his Triumph nib tool.

 

Several hundred but also including the punch tools.

 

Glenn

[ac12]

 

Wow I didn't expect such a great turnout of responses, thank you all for the information. I did send Francis a message inquiring about purchasing the tool so hopefully I can afford to buy one. I'm not exactly doing well in the cash dept atm since I went back to school to get a degree in network administration I really don't have time to make much money. But I also don't want to ruin the pen, I made the mistake of ruining a pen once so far and would rather be more careful this time.

The pen I ruined once was a pretty beat up Sheaffer snorkel that I bought at a flea market. After I had spread the crimping to get snorkel tube and rubber part out so I could replace the petrified sac the whole metal unit and snorkel broke in 3 pieces. I couldn't believe how fragile it was, the snorkel was sticking out of the nib some when I bought it and I guess somehow it was weaker in that spot as that is where the tube broke, and the metal sac tube broke in half also. I guess from the pen sitting out in the heat like that for who knows how many years at this outdoor flea market in one of those glass display things that the whole pen was super super brittle. I only paid a few bucks for it and I still have the body and nib so it was a good lesson learned. The nib is in great shape.

 

 

Next lesson, keep the parts from broken pens for future pen repairs, in a "parts" box. You can't just call up Sheaffer and order spare parts for a long out of production pen. And some companies don't even exist anymore, so there is no one to call. So your spare parts are scavanged from other pens.

[pajaro]

My mother had one of these desk pens. I was thinking of getting one. I will now forget about it.

[BamaPen]

My mother had one of these desk pens. I was thinking of getting one. I will now forget about it.

Don't let the difficulty of repairing a vac-fill (for a novice) stop you from getting one of these very nice writing pens. The repair cost by an expert is about $35 and it will be as good as new - or better because of the modern materials used - and will write beautifully for another 50 years or so.