Section Removal

[dlilazteca]

Ok Ive ordered everything that I need (ha that what I think) now I want to remove the section but I'm not sure what tools to buy for that could someone please point me in the right direction. Im going to be fixing esterbrook pens.

 

 

thank you

[dobro]

I've been pretty lucky just using my hands...I've removed over a dozen without incident. I just go slow and carefully, slightly rocking/twisting, usually no heat is required. Maybe not the best technique, but so far, so good. There are section pliers available, which I think are just spark plug pliers, and some folks modify standard pliers.

[leroy]

Have done a bunch of them lately. Would recommend soaking the pen section down in cold water with a drop of dishwashing liquid. Let it sit a day or so, then wipe off, grip with a cloth at the section, and gently twist. If it doesn't come loose easily; let it sit a while longer (like another day); then try again.

Good luck!

[RayMan]

I always remove sections with my hands alone. Grab the section between thumb and forefinger, wiggle the section outward, turn the pen a quarter turn, wiggle again, etc. until the section loosens and comes out. Depending on how tight the section is you may need to repeat four or five times.

Edited October 9, 2008 by RayMan

[matt385]

I used a set of pliers to remove a section because it was very tight. When it started loosening up I kept working the pliers too much and cracked the barrel. Take your time. Or keep using the pliers and learn a hard lesson. :roflmho:

[wvbeetlebug]

I use hot water and gentle steady pressure to remove the section. You have to be careful with hot water though. I have read that for some sections made of a different material it can discolor it. I don't use really scalding hot water, just hot enough to touch.

 

I'm afraid if I use section pliers I would get too anxious and crack something.

[sph33r]

I use a pair of spark plug pliers I found at my local Harbor Freight.. they're just about the perfect size for this work. That + some heat + very careful twisting/pulling usually works.

[Robert Hughes]

I usually remove the section dry, working with my hands. I never use section pliers; if it won't come off under hand pressure, the body would probably crack if subjected to the added stress.

[sph33r]

I usually remove the section dry, working with my hands. I never use section pliers; if it won't come off under hand pressure, the body would probably crack if subjected to the added stress.

 

I mainly use the pliers for grip. I can't seem to get a good hold on the section sometimes.

 

Actually all of my esterbrooks have come part by hand now that I think of it. The only time I've used the section pliers is with a couple vintage sheaffers.

 

One of those rubber pads that people use to help open the tops of bottles would probably be better so you don't run into problems like Robert has described.

[EventHorizon]

I personally highly recommend section pliers. After I cracked a very nice celluloid Wearever barrel I spent ~$8 and would do it again. Picture from Richards site.

[Firefyter-Emt]

I use the same tool above (although, I did buy it for spark plugs at the time!)

 

The trick is to use heat, on Esties, warm water for me. I only hold the section with the tool, and gently remove the barrel off the section while running it under quite warm water at my shop sink. The water is a bit hotter than I would like to place my hand under, but not scalding hot.

[PaFitch]

When gripping the section--make sure to have a renew point screwed in. Someone in a recent post didn't, and they were looking for a new section.

[leroy]

When gripping the section--make sure to have a renew point screwed in. Someone in a recent post didn't, and they were looking for a new section.

Amen!! I've had the same problem too!! Always keep a nib in the section.

Regards,

Leroy

 

[soloworx]

I've done this a couple of times and in both instances, I used a hair dryer on medium heat to loosen the section on the barrel. Pulling out the section was so easy afterwards. I'm leery about the 'rocking back and forth' method because of potential of stress fracture on the thin, threaded end of the barrel. Putting the section back on involves the same hair-dryer method.

[johnboz]

As has already been mentioned:

 

- Gentle soak in cold water will usually allow you to use your hands

- Always leave a nib in the section, otherwise the section can crack

- I use a rubber gripper that is made for opening jars on the stubborn sections. Helps to get a grip.

- For really stubborn sections, spark plug pliers and patience!

- Be prepared for a few accidents, but also for many rewards!

 

One other thing! Until you figure out which sections go with which pen models, make sure to keep them together! In my early pen repair days I cracked a few barrels until I realized there was a difference between the sections in J and Trans-J pens! Also, be aware that the Trans-J sections are usually a very tight fit. I always use a bit of heat to make sure I don't crack the barrel when installing them (but it's a good habit to get into for any pen repairs - a little heat can save a lot of frustration).

Edited October 12, 2008 by johnboz

[Ron Z]

May I humbly (or not so humbly) suggest reading the articles on my web page, Cheap Tools, and Seeing With Your Fingers.

 

I very much disagree with the idea of using cold to remove a section. I also disagree with the idea of using hot water to warm the barrel. This is based on many years of experience of doing pen repair, and many broken pens over the 20 or so years that I've been working on pens. If you haven't broken a pen using cold to release a section, count yourself fortunate!

 

Cold makes materials, especially hard rubber and some celluloids, very brittle. It also causes plastics to shrink. The combination of course means that they can break easily. Heat on the other hand releases the stress in the plastic, causes it to expand (while the hard rubber is not) and reduces the chance of it breaking. I recommend dry heat from a hair dryer or heat gun. It doesn't have to be hot, but quite warm. (read the article for detail). Hot water or moist heat can cloud celluloids. Maybe not an Esterbrook, but it can most certainly happen with some other celluloids, such as those on Sheaffer Balances. Not pretty, and it can't be reversed.

 

The need to warm a barrel is especially true for some models of Esterbrook, where the section is a very snug fit. Warming the barrel can help to keep it from cracking.

 

There are many, if not most, sections that will not come out with fingers alone. You will need pliers or a section tool. The spark plug pliers are often sold as section pliers, a piece of fuel line hose and a pair of slip joint pliers, or the bionic wrench work well. I use one of the pliers modified as suggested by Frank Dubiel most of the time.

 

The point about making sure that there is a nib and feed in the section is important. The feed supports the section when you close down on it, and will prevent the section from breaking.

[wvbeetlebug]

One of those rubber pads that people use to help open the tops of bottles would probably be better so you don't run into problems like Robert has described.

Forgot to mention that I use one of these too. I have a thin one which I have cut in half.

 

Next time I'm going to try Ron's method above with the hair dryer.

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

I have to agree with Ron about the warm water, On Esterbrooks the material is stable enough to use water on, but many other materials can be damaged.. I should of clarified that when I posted that. My worry is that too many people will use to hot of a heat gun and melt the pen. Where the hot water has never damaged an Esterbrook that I have worked on and tends to keep the warming more stable.

 

IF you want to use hot air, buy the air guns that are sold for this job, not your household paint stripping heat gun. This will trash a pen rather fast!

[Gerry]

If one wants to use the hot water approach (perhaps a low power heat gun isn't available) one can improvise by putting the pen in a plastic bag. The heat transfers to heat the barrel, and the pen doesn't get wet.

 

Regards,

 

Gerry