What is on your bench?

[InkyProf]

16 hours ago, VacNut said:

Metric or imperial calibrations?

 

Doesn't matter as long as it's digital! (rimshot)

[FarmBoy]

18 hours ago, VacNut said:

Metric or imperial calibrations?

Both. You just change the gear set. 

[gweimer1]

On 9/8/2025 at 11:25 PM, VacNut said:

Metric or imperial calibrations?

 

It depends on which nail clippers you use.

 

On 9/9/2025 at 3:06 PM, LoveBigPensAndCannotLie said:

The simplest tools are usually the best ones.

 

My most used tool is a round chopstick.  I also use vintage razor blades as part of nib tuning - sturdier than brass shims and the right thickness.  The most unusual tool I use is a fondue fork, which is perfect for working on Waterman Ink-Vue pens...it fits the grommet just right.

[FarmBoy]

Best to use your teeth to avoid a sharp edge when nail trimming for nib work. 
 

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

For those of you with casein pens I have a question. I just got one at a market and I noticed too late when I got home that the body of the pen has faint crackling all over. I am *hoping* that this is surface level but does anyone know more about this material?

 

Mostly I'm wondering if it's even worth trying to disassemble it to put a new sac or leave it as is because it will disintegrate on me the second I try to get the section out. It's a pretty pen from an uncommon brand so I figure in the latter case I can just leave it around non-functional as a collector piece.

 

Not feeling too great about the purchase though. This seller usually sells some restored pens at a premium so I was surprised he was selling this one as is for a low price. I now have a feeling that he knew it was compromised and that's why he didn't restore it himself.

[VacNut]

I think you have answered your own question. Is there a need to use the casein pen? I have an Italian mottled blue pen that is in a display box.

[cat74]

First time working on a striped Parker Duofold...confusing myself??

When I finally got it apart the sac was crunchy but the pressure bar appears new...did someone maybe drop this in from the button end?? Just wondering if this is the correct bar for this pen? I have a Challenger with the hanging pressure bar and was wondering if that's what's really needed here??

 

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

I'm pretty sure it should have a hanging bar, most of the pens from this era had them. That looks like a modern replacement except they didn't replace it with the right one. 

 

I ended up opening the casein pen without too much difficulty but the section is loose upon reassembly so here I am waiting for it to dry now after applying some shellac. I was careful not to soak the pen in water since I know casein absorbs water and will literally fall apart but I did wipe it with some water and immediately dried it off. Wet casein does not smell good. 

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

The section is somehow MORE loose after adding a layer of shellac. I always heat up the body of the pen before reinserting the section and I have a feeling that casein is so fragile that even a mild amount of heat is causing it to expand.

 

Dreadful material, makes celluloid look positively durable in comparison. Why did so many UK brands use it up until the 50's? In the US they stopped using it very early on, presumably after seeing how problematic the material is. Who knew that using a material that melts in water is a bad choice for pens that use water-based inks...

[VacNut]

I think casein predates celluloid. It likely is also easier to produce. Exposure to water is not an issue since there is a sac. During the War, celluloid may have been difficult to buy in the UK.

[VacNut]

20 hours ago, cat74 said:

First time working on a striped Parker Duofold...confusing myself??

When I finally got it apart the sac was crunchy but the pressure bar appears new...did someone maybe drop this in from the button end?? Just wondering if this is the correct bar for this pen? I have a Challenger with the hanging pressure bar and was wondering if that's what's really needed here??

 

What is a hanging j-bar? Are you saying the section does not contact the bar when it is inserted? 

[FarmBoy]

3 hours ago, VacNut said:

What is a hanging j-bar? Are you saying the section does not contact the bar when it is inserted? 

[VacNut]

Amazing what can be Ai generated. ..

[cat74]

The pressure bar has a lip and hangs between the button and body with the other piece inside the button.

Actually - I have an Admok 28 with this style of filling method in the mail - basically a Parker clone

 

No hanging pressure bars around the house - but that wrong bar I might be able to use in a Parker VS....seems like I may need to put a list together of repair supplied needed for odds and ends I have about.

 

per Pentooling "These were developed by Parker to avoid the situation where the bottom of the bar, inside the barrel, would push the section out of the barrel. These don't bottom out on the section of the pen."

 

 

 

[VacNut]

It’s been hectic.

I bought an auction lot of pen parts for the end caps and Golden Web Barrel for £50.

 

I was pleasantly surprised to find a few treasures.

 

There was a Vertical Window Black Oversize Canadian Barrel, a Golden Web Barrel, a Wide Band Oversize Cap, and a Silver Slendermax Barrel with End Cap.

 

There are more Standard Size Vertical Window Vacumatics than the Oversize Models. The pen is difficult to photograph. The striations run along the length of the barrel instead of horizontal. The pen is only transparent if the striations align with the viewer, otherwise the pen appears black. The remainder of the pen are Canadian Parts from my parts bin. I installed a flexible Canadian Stub Nib.

 

The Golden Web is a complete rebuild with the exception of the barrel. The end caps and tassie were the most difficult to source as they are slightly different from other Vacumatics.

 

I am still working on rebuilding the Wide Band Oversize. Canadian parts sometimes have a slightly different dimension than american pens, so you essentially have to stock two sets replacements parts.

 

It will be a long time until I can find a Silver Slender Max Cap. Luckily I have the nib and section.

 

The Brown Shadow Wave Barrel will go into the parts bin.

 

The lot was a lucky find, as I was also able to source 3-4 aluminum fillers and end caps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Specht]

 

Montblanc Cap repair

The clip on my Montblanc Meisterstück 14 caused a crack in the cap.

Since I couldn't find a replacement cap, I tried to repair it in the kintsugi style.

I used UHU UV-glue mixed with gold-colored pigment.

After the first polish, the result looks good.

 

 

 

 

 

[lionelc]

kintsugi effect - amazing

[cat74]

Ok....not trusting the google box!

 

First time with a Parker Striped Duofold button filler (1941? 1 with no dot) it has obviously been apart as it had the wrong type or pressure bar but I've noticed it also has no breather/filler tube where my Challenger does have one visible though the inkview system - google says maybe this pen didn't have a breather tube or could have had a fake breather tube!?

Sooo my question is do I need to source a replacement tube....or....was there one and it was a fake so do I really "need" a tube? (my Esterbrooks have no tube and fill just fine)

 

a confusing pen - had the wrong pressure bar - should be the hanging type but the section was a trick to get off and the sac was petrified..and no breather tube

 

thanks in advance! 

[Ron Z]

Parker put breather tubes in some of their pens like this, and the Challengers, but there isn't a hole connecting the breather tube up to the top side of the feed so they don't do anything.

[cat74]

@Ron Z - thanks so much! I guess just for esthetics ....and to confuse newbies decades later!!