Old Chap Section Removal: Friction Or Threads?

[Buzzie]

Aloha - I have an Old Chap button filler thats gotta have a new sac. I've installed a number of sacs in lever fillers. This section is stubborn. When twisted, I get a tiny bit of daylight between section and threads. It revolves rather freely for a few milimeters and opens just a hair, then locks tight. Pulling straight out gets me nothing. Am I pulling against threads? I really don't want to damage the extra nice pen with a wonderful flexy 18k nib. Does anyone know if the Old Chap sections are threaded or friction? I'm soaking overnight in Windex/water 50/50 solution at the moment, but I don't know if I am working with a section with threads or friction.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Buzzie

[provis]

i have an Old Chap that's threaded. But I imagine that would different from model to model?

[provis]

For button fillers through, in my experience, unscrewing the section usually results in plenty of resistence as the sac gets all entangled with the pressure bar. Maybe it's an old sac that's guming up the works?

 

Why don't you remove the button, and see if you can remove the pressure bar from the top. Then unscrew the thread.

[Paul80]

Hi

 

If its unknown if this is a threaded or friction fit section it might be safer to treat it as a threaded section so as to not do any damage to the threads by trying to pull when you should be twisting as twisting a friction fit section should do it no harm.

 

I would have thought the odds are with it being a threaded fit though as most button fillers where done this way so that pressure from pressing the button didn't push the section out. Yes I know some where but most where not.

 

Plus one for taking the button out and pulling the pressure bar out through the button hole first, as that is how it's supposed to be done, in most cases, especially if it does have a screw fit section as the sac can twist if its screwed in after the pressure bar is in place. The section and sac is screwed in first and then the pressure bar is inserted through the button hole, being careful not to puncture the sac.

 

Paul

[Buzzie]

What expertise! Yep, section is threaded. Yep, the sac was "welded" to and old sac, and the mechanism and pressure bar did not survive the sac removal.

 

Goodness, I love this Old Chap (except for the name) and am looking forward to a new button filler pressure bar and hardware.

 

Thanks, pros!

[pokermon]

You see this alot in Parker Duofold button fillers. It is usually suggested to remove the button so when you un-thread the section it won't catch the bar and twist it to oblivion.

[Bristol24]

This is very similar to the issue I am facing right now with a WWII vintage "Secretary" fountain pen by the Newark Pen Co. After giving it an ultrasonic soak in 10% ammonia solution, I was able to turn the section but, like Buzzie, I was only able to turn it a short way as I pulled. I got just a little bit of daylight between the section and the threaded portion of the barrel but no more. Also, when I turned the section, the fill lever went from being tight with some spring in it to just flopping out about a third of the way. I held the lever tightly against the barrel and turned the section back to where it was and the lever is now tight and springy again. My conclusion: the sac, section and pressure bar are welded together by an ossified sack. When the section is turned, everything turns. Unfortunately, I don't have a button filler that can be removed to gain any sort of access to the sac and pressure bar. All I have is the lever slot. At first I thought that perhaps the section was a friction fit but now I am wondering if it, too, is threaded. In either case, I have to somehow get the section loose from the ossified sac/pressure bar which prevents removal. Any ideas? Could I use some sort of plastic safe solvent through the lever slot to loosen the sac's grip on either the section or the pressure bar? I don't want to destroy the pen and I would really like to use it, if possible.

 

 

Cliff

[Ron Z]

It is a good practice to treat every pen as if it had a threaded section. That way you won't damage the pen trying to pull the section out of threaded, and the turning makes it a bit easier to get it out even if a slip fit. Use some heat to loosen section in the barrel. Not hot, but warm, will allow the barrel to expand and relax enough that you are less likely to crack the barrel.

 

Soaking a pen, the whole pen, or immersing in water is not a good idea. If you have water in the barrel, I'll bet that you are also getting a rusted pressure bar.

[enchiridion]

a button filler is normally threaded. Lever isn't. there is a practical reason for it. The button could push the section out.