Heat Gun Vs Open Flame

[Ron Z]

Inka - if one of the stores is in your area (Michaels, A.C. Moore etc), check the news paper, and check on line. You can often get a coupon, sometimes 50%, that takes the price down to $10-$15.

 

These heat guns are indeed single temperature. But if you work 3 or 4 inches from the opening and check frequently to see how warm the material is (which you should be doing anyway) they work quite well. The small size, the size of the opening, and the fact that it is out of the way (I hang mine on the edge of a drawer) is a great advantage.

 

Heat is essential is so many processes of pen repair. Dry heat from a heat gun really is the "safest" way to go. I put "safest" in quotes because there is no process that is 100% safe. Almost anything you do when repairing a pen has it's risks. The trick is to take your time and learn how to minimize those risks. There is a learning curve. Expect to break a few pens, but if you take the time to think about what you are doing and learn from your mistakes, you'll get to the point where the success-to-failure ratio is firmly in your favor.

 

If I may, let me refer you to the article on Seeing With Your Fingers. You may find it to be useful.

Edited April 20, 2011 by Ron Z

[Inka]

Thanks, Ron.

I do have a Micheals nearby, less than 4 miles from where I live.

I've not checked their Website as any other time I did there wasn't any information on product I was looking for that they readily keep stocked in the stores.

It's definitely worth the short drive to take a look around and see if I can find one of those heat guns, my wife would likely prefer I not use her hairdryer too.

 

By the way, I fixed your Link as it was taking me to a page that said....

 

H-SPHERE

Error 404- File Not Found

The requested page is not found. This may happen due to the following reasons:

• Page or file is outdated, renamed, moved, or does not exist.
• You typed the address incorrectly, like http://www.example.com/pgae.html instead of http://www.example.com/page.html

Please contact your webmaster if you are not sure what goes wrong.

 

No biggy, I just went to your Site Homepage, clicked on Articles and Essays, line 3 to the right was Seeing with Your Fingers.

It appears that an extra space was inserted in the URL, just after the word articles and before the /, that alone kept the Hyperlink from working properly.

 

Here's the corrected Link for those that would like to see it.

Seeing with Your Fingers

 

Good stuff, as always, thanks again!

 

Scott

[Ron Z]

Corrected

[OldGriz]

Thanks, Ron.

I do have a Micheals nearby, less than 4 miles from where I live.

I've not checked their Website as any other time I did there wasn't any information on product I was looking for that they readily keep stocked in the stores.

It's definitely worth the short drive to take a look around and see if I can find one of those heat guns, my wife would likely prefer I not use her hairdryer too.

 

By the way, I fixed your Link as it was taking me to a page that said....

 

H-SPHERE

Error 404- File Not Found

The requested page is not found. This may happen due to the following reasons:

• Page or file is outdated, renamed, moved, or does not exist.
• You typed the address incorrectly, like http://www.example.com/pgae.html instead of http://www.example.com/page.html

Please contact your webmaster if you are not sure what goes wrong.

 

No biggy, I just went to your Site Homepage, clicked on Articles and Essays, line 3 to the right was Seeing with Your Fingers.

It appears that an extra space was inserted in the URL, just after the word articles and before the /, that alone kept the Hyperlink from working properly.

 

Here's the corrected Link for those that would like to see it.

Seeing with Your Fingers

 

Good stuff, as always, thanks again!

 

Scott

 

They generally call them Embossing Heat Guns because of what they are actually used for...

They work like a dream if you do your part and are careful

[Inka]

They generally call them Embossing Heat Guns because of what they are actually used for...

They work like a dream if you do your part and are careful

Thank you for that, using Michaels Search is hit-or-miss at best, mostly miss.

If you don't know what area an item is located, like narrowing it down to Embossing...

I tried Heat Gun and got everything but, although I did see some hot glue guns.

When I tried just Heat I got things that had no real connection, along with cooking utensils.

While using the terms Embossing, I wasn't able to find the Embossing Heat Guns but at least now I know which isle to look down in-store.

They could really use a good Webmaster that knows how to do Search Engine optimizing.

I was able to find a 50% off any item coupon there, by clicking on Our Weekly Ad at upper right, good for this coming Sunday, 10AM to 4PM only, nice!

[OcalaFlGuy]

You will also find them at JoAnn's fabrics and Hobby Lobby.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[welch]

Do the embossing heat guns have only one setting (= Very Hot)? The pictures look like the one I got for about $20. The first time I used it I bleached and bloated an innocent Estie...and Esterbrooks are tough. Since then, I've used hot tap water on Esties and Wearevers and various '30s and '40s pens like the American, the Majestic, and Epenco. It appears that the best way to use the heat gun is to (1) let the gun get fully hot, and (2) then wave the section through the hot air, while (3) keeping a healthy distance between the heat gun and the section.

 

Is that the trick? I don't want to kill another Estie!

Edited April 22, 2011 by welch

[Ron Z]

It appears that the best way to use the heat gun is to (1) let the gun get fully hot, and (2) then wave the section through the hot air, while (3) keeping a healthy distance between the heat gun and the section. Is that the trick?

 

Working distance is indeed important, as is time over the heat source. If you start with the pen close to the heat source and hold it there for an extended period right away, you are right - you will damage the pen.

 

It's best to start easy with less heat, less time, less force, and then gradually get more aggressive. Check and test constantly. We often get into trouble and break or burn pens when we want the pen to come apart NOW, rather than being willing to coax a pen apart. If I damage a pen, it's often because I got impatient.

Edited April 22, 2011 by Ron Z

[Richard]

We often get into trouble and break or burn pens when we want the pen to come apart NOW, rather than being willing to coax a pen apart.

+1

 

Heat is your friend, folks, but the most important tool in your toolbox is patience.

[PDW]

On the basis of my (limited) experience I prefer to use warm water. I now know where to set the mixer tap in the bathroom to get a sensible warm but not hot temperature, so I can get it consistently right each time.

 

To avoid water getting into the barrel, especially via the nice big slot they left for the lever, I tend to put the pen in the water pointing at about 45 degrees nib-down and try to keep the barrel above the cap threads out of the water.

 

So far, so good - but I must remember to do this before I reassemble my pens ...

[Ron Z]

On the basis of my (limited) experience I prefer to use warm water.

 

Be aware that warm or hot water can damage a celluloid pen. The celluloid turns cloudy, and once this happens there is no way to remove the damage and return the finish to it's original clarity. If you should get water into a pen it can/will rust the J bar or pressure bar.

 

In my rather extensive experience I've found that dry heat is better for a pen.

[Inka]

Man, I've seen that happen to me, Ron.

I once overcooked some green striated celluloid on an old Sheaffer's Vac-fil using just the wifes' blow dryer!

I wasn't using your seeing with your fingers technique, didn't realize it was overheating until I saw the bubbling.

Saying that wasn't cool is an understatement, luckily I caught it in time to be able to file down/ mesh out the bubbles and cloudiness until it was hard[er] to see.

I steer clear of hot water on lever fillers now too, just as you've said, especially once I've finished the re-sac and restoration I don't want water in the bodies.

On this end I'd learned the old-fashioned SoHK way, dry ehat is definitely better as long as you watch the distance and time after heat level is realized.

Rusty J-bars are a pain, they're hard to get out,line barrels with rust stains, they can snap apart, loose their memory, .... not good at all.

[Guest Ray Cornett]

I am going to chime in here as one of the rare lucky open flame users. I do NOT recommend it as my heart is still sort of racing.

I happened to also find some information on old methods. Being the gambler I am I took a gamble not even 20 minutes ago and got out a tiny tea candle. I exercised extreme caution and held the pen, a hard rubber early 1900s Waterman 512 PSF with gold overlay, several inches above the flame which again was quite small, and rapidly rolled the pen for about 15-20 seconds after a couple times of this I realized the pen was too far away from the flame to get warmth to soften the sealant. I moved it a little closer rolling it rapidly again, repeating while getting closer and closer until I felt, by pressing it on my lip, that there was some warmth where it needed to be. I kept it at that distant and repeated rolling and twisting until finally after a few times of heating and then twisting the section it slowly started to come out. A couple more times over the candle and the section was freed.

After thanking all the deities I could think of I made sure everything was room tempurature again and checked for cracks under a 60x loupe, screwed the cap back on the sectionless pen barrel and it fit perfectly, no discoloration, no burns, nothing.

Again I say I am one of the rare lucky flame users. Now, I need a smoke.........

Edited March 14, 2014 by Ray Cornett

[FarmBoy]

Why not use a hair drier?

[pajaro]

Or even send it out?

[watch_art]

I like a hair dryer.

[OcalaFlGuy]

A heat gun will work just fine if you'll keep your finger(s) Right At the area of the pen you're heating.

 

You'll Want To move your fingers (and the pen) out of the heat at approximately the danger area for the pen.

 

"See with your fingers."

 

(The only area I think open flame works better than dry heat <it can be more accurately focused> is in lifting marks out but even there it requires precautions and great care be taken.)

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Guest Ray Cornett]

I could use a hair dyer if I had one. But on top of not living in my actual home right now and helping take care of my fiances deceased fathers home out of town for a while without a car of my own, there was not one here and well, I shave my head bald,lol. As for sending it out that is not in my budget at the moment.

[learn2fp]

If you do not have a heat gun or hair dryer, an option is to use the heat exhaust from your laptop. It is sometimes hot enough to loosen up parts, but it may take longer. I have tried it once on an Esterbrook, and it worked.

 

One advantage is that it should not be hot enough to damage your pen. If it does get too hot, then you better buy a new laptop

[Guest Ray Cornett]

Learn, I can't believe I never thought of that!