Restoring Hard Rubber Pens

[sopher]

So, i got a Waterman 452 1/2 V on ebay (Got lucky with a decent nib despite poor photos.) and would like to re-sac it. The barrel is full of ink and sac detritus. Is it ok to soak in something like Indy's Ideal pen flush?

It is really gummy in there and the rubber is already olive.

[praxim]

The approach I used with this and similar 452 pens was patient scraping of the barrel with one of those metal scrapers used for cleaning briar pipes. I still had one from my mis-spent quite entertaining youth. Any similar narrow and not-too-sharp long implement should do. Once the detritus is removed, use a wet cloth swab (twisted, or on the end of a dowell) so you do not dip the exterior in moisture. With patience this will remove excess ink without risk of rusting or discolouring anything. This approach worked for me.

[PaulS]

good advice, and as usual, patience is the key with stubborn tasks with pens. In the past I've used something akin to a longish thin steel dental probe, with slightly off-set and pointed end, which is good for reaching crud down the far end of a barrel - and viewing with a torch beforehand helps. As this is a vest pocket size pen then perhaps not so much detritus to remove.

However, when shoving anything down the inside of a barrel be careful not to dislodge the connection of bar and lever, and something else that occurred to me is not to angle the prod to much - otherwise you might put pressure on the lip of the barrel and break that.

Cleaning out a barrel when ink and sac are soggy can be a messy and time consuming job - though imagine with this pen the contents are dry. Sorry, just re-read and seen that insides are 'gummy'.

Obviously if you don't intend to use the pen then not essential inside of barrel immaculate, but removing old contents should be a golden rule in any event - you never know when you or someone might forget the old sac wasn't removed and then lift the lever with gusto.!!

Edited January 17, 2019 by PaulS

[sopher]

Brilliant, Thank you both!

[fountainpen51]

If you want to restore the original black color (assuming it is black rubber so you say it is olive now) I suggest buying Mark Hoover's deoxidizer, I have recently used it and it turns black, the most important thing is that you do not erase the letters (as it can be with normal sanding). Look on his website and you will see the results.

[praxim]

If it is a 452 1/2 V then the only visible hard rubber should be the section.

[PaulS]

may we see a picture of the pen please, as I'm now confused ……………. looking at the Waterman book it appears that the 452 1/2 V indicates a Sterling overlay with chatelaine ring.

[praxim]

Yes, a 452 [etc] is a Sterling overlay over hard rubber. I have one.

Edited January 17, 2019 by praxim

[sopher]

may we see a picture of the pen please, as I'm now confused ……………. looking at the Waterman book it appears that the 452 1/2 V indicates a Sterling overlay with chatelaine ring.

It has a silver overlay with cutouts that show the rubber underneath. I actually quite like the colour next to the patina on the silver.

http://i68.tinypic.com/1g0z7n.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/2rg0qhu.jpg

[PaulS]

Very nice pen, though technically, I believe, the Sterling part would be described, in this instance, as filigree ……………… overlay is when the hard rubber is covered in metal completely.

If you like oxidised rubber then leave as is, but I bet this pen would look a real cracker if you used Mark Hoover's product AND cleaned the metalwork.

In view of the blackness of the section, assume you've already cleaned that part of the pen?

 

An identical example of this pen is shown in the Davis & Lehrer book - page 45 - as one of the catalogue page pens - and would have cost you $6.00 somewhere around c. 1920. I'll have half a dozen please

Edited January 18, 2019 by PaulS

[sopher]

Yes, the section has been cleaned. There may still be a bit of shellac on the nipple (there's a phrase one doesn't hear outside of pen geekdom--hopefully) but i'm hesitant to put a knife blade to it. The blue ink you see in the first shot was reconstituted whilst rinsing it.

This is much smaller than i imagined; I may have to start wearing waistcoats so i can put it in the pocket.

[PaulS]

the majority of people would probably opt to bring the barrel rubber back to life by removing the oxidation - and with filigree pens this really can only be done using the chemical method, but you can see from the 'blackness' of the section how it would look if treated. Would look a great pen when fully renovated.

Believe the chased pattern is called 'Basket Weave' - it's seen also on full size pens in both Sterling and 14 ct. filigree jobs - so must have been a popular decoration.

I suppose if you didn't know that the 'V' indicated a shorter pen then the length might come as a surprise, though the cap ring might have been a give away ………… this pattern is also found on Lady Patricia filigree pens and pencils, and although I don't have an example, believe they are shorties as well.

My own opinion is that for blokes, a vest pocket pen is a tad short for everyday use - so you'll have to now go and buy a full size one, and put this example in the collection.

I agree not a good idea to take a knife to the section nipple - these thing can become brittle after the thick end of something approaching one hundred years, so best to leave as is.

[praxim]

I have had success using 1200-2000 grit sandpaper supported by a fingernail to remove shellac from crevices*, or more simply from the nipple itself.

 

My 452 1/2 V has a full Sterling overlay rather than a weave pattern, hence my expectation earlier that there would be no barrel visible. It is my shortest pen, even shorter than its apparent companion, an 0552 1/2 V. Uncapped it is like using a stub pen. Capped, it is just long enough. The cap sits very high yet firmly on the end, before where the pattern starts. They are very nice little note pens.

 

edit: * meaning in this instance where the nipple base meets the wider section.

Edited January 18, 2019 by praxim

[sopher]

I have had success using 1200-2000 grit sandpaper supported by a fingernail to remove shellac from crevices*, or more simply from the nipple itself.

 

My 452 1/2 V has a full Sterling overlay rather than a weave pattern, hence my expectation earlier that there would be no barrel visible. It is my shortest pen, even shorter than its apparent companion, an 0552 1/2 V. Uncapped it is like using a stub pen. Capped, it is just long enough. The cap sits very high yet firmly on the end, before where the pattern starts. They are very nice little note pens.

 

edit: * meaning in this instance where the nipple base meets the wider section.

Brilliant, thanks. I have some 2000 grit; i'll try that. My posts similarly; which does make it a good length. I'm looking forward to being able to use this one as the nib still has tipping and is a bit flexible.

 

The amount of knowledge on this site is wonderful.

[sopher]

Thanks again for all the wonderful knowledge!

It lives.

http://i68.tinypic.com/2hhi3pl.jpg

[praxim]

Beautiful.

[Emc^2]

On 1/17/2019 at 2:16 PM, fountainpen51 said:

If you want to restore the original black color (assuming it is black rubber so you say it is olive now) I suggest buying Mark Hoover's deoxidizer, I have recently used it and it turns black, the most important thing is that you do not erase the letters (as it can be with normal sanding). Look on his website and you will see the results.

 

Is "Mark Hoover's Deoxidizer" still available or where can I find some?

 

UPDATE: I found his website! https://www.lbepen.com/

Edited September 17, 2023 by Emc^2

[I-am-not-really-here]

https://www.lbepen.com/shop