The Matador Thread

[rcourtney]

Okay, I think I've got it now.

 

[ehemem]

Not an expert, but I think that something is missing on the end of the piston. Are you sure that you got the whole piston assembly out? Shouldn't there be a cork seal there?

[Don Jr]

RCourtney,

 

I personally recommend not using hot water for fountain pen repair/refurbishment; parts like your piston mechanism &blind cap are made from black hard rubber, and I've seen warm water turn nice black BHR to brown instantaneously.

 

Your washer clip can be tightened by tightening your cap top... but if you haven't already removed it, it might be stuck from years of dried ink buildup. This can be dissolved by filing the cap with water (up to the air hole in the cap), standing it upright, and letting it soak overnight. I have short piece of rubber "radiator hose" from an auto parts store that I slip over the end to prevent marring from pliers when I remove cap tops like this.

- Don

[Azuniga]

Two Matador I did not know,

A mechanical pencil in blue, model 076 Presto Matador, 13 cm

A Superior Matador # 842, 12.2 cm closed, burgundy with a nib Ideal # 2 14 Car

(Matador also used Ideal nibs)

 

For some reason I could not include the images I uploaded as I usually did, I was not allowed, I will verify what the problem is and repair it if possible...

Edited October 20, 2019 by Azuniga

[markiv]

Not an expert, but I think that something is missing on the end of the piston. Are you sure that you got the whole piston assembly out? Shouldn't there be a cork seal there?

Agreed, the piston and cork are still inside the barrel. Before opening up the pen were you able to turn the piston knob easily? (These model have a tendency to get jammed). If yes, then try putting the filler back together. Raise the piston up all the way. Unscrew the filler slightly and then also turn the piston knob to keep it in the raised position. Repeat these two steps till you have unscrewed the filler along with the piston.

If it was jammed then you would need to unscrew the section from the barrel and then punch it out from that end. Hope this makes sense.

 

RCourtney,

 

I personally recommend not using hot water for fountain pen repair/refurbishment; parts like your piston mechanism &blind cap are made from black hard rubber, and I've seen warm water turn nice black BHR to brown instantaneously.

 

Your washer clip can be tightened by tightening your cap top... but if you haven't already removed it, it might be stuck from years of dried ink buildup. This can be dissolved by filing the cap with water (up to the air hole in the cap), standing it upright, and letting it soak overnight. I have short piece of rubber "radiator hose" from an auto parts store that I slip over the end to prevent marring from pliers when I remove cap tops like this.

- Don

Good tips here... also you dont have to unscrew the cap-top. Even with the soak and precautions there is a chance that one could crack the cap so why bother to fix something which isn't broken.

 

Good luck.

[markiv]

Two Matador I did not know,

A mechanical pencil in blue, model 076 Presto Matador, 13 cm

A Superior Matador # 842, 12.2 cm closed, burgundy with a nib Ideal # 2 14 Car

(Matador also used Ideal nibs)

 

For some reason I could not include the images I uploaded as I usually did, I was not allowed, I will verify what the problem is and repair it if possible...

Ohh... these are very nice!! I saw them on estilograficas.mforos.com and pure eye candy Congratulations

[kawuska]

And here my pieces that I wanted to complete forever but didn't know what type of mechanism goes inside.Any help, Ariel?

[Azuniga]

I still can not upload the images,

 

kawuska, it is the first time I see a Presto Matador, so I will keep looking for information... be patient !

Edited October 22, 2019 by Azuniga

[kawuska]

Hello Ariel,

is this press mechanism or you have to turn the pencil top to get lead out?

[Azuniga]

Hello Ariel,

is this press mechanism or you have to turn the pencil top to get lead out?

 

kawuska, It is the press mechanism ...

[siamackz]

I add some images, specially the 822 Black & Pearl, maybe you see where the difference is.

 

I wonder if the blind cap is not from another pen, from a Turbino maybe… that happens I guess and I never thought about it.

 

 

 

 

On the barrel, close to the blind cap it is marked DRGM BR PAT. BREVETE, I am sure the indication of the patent was not the same on the pens made in one or the other place

I was doing research on the Astoria Dux filler patent and after much searching I ended up finding the Matador patent for their twist filler instead. i thought it might interest you'll --> https://bases-brevets.inpi.fr/en/document-en/FR701252/publications.html?p=6&s=1579623371983&cHash=1c3a094cab8e9f2c3be93b515cc649b1

 

Also, congratulations everyone on such lovely Matador collections!

[WaskiSquirrel]

Here comes the picture of the Waterman's piston mechanics:

 

 

The system works with differential threads and friction of the seal in the barrel. Not the best solution in my eyes...

 

Now, it would be great if someone could provide a similar picture of a Matador Click.

 

C.

 

This is an incredibly helpful post, and I wasn't even looking for it! I was doing research on Matador pens in general for an upcoming video.

 

But your post is helpful because I have several pens which I could not figure out. The only thing that occurred to me is that somehow the piston had to have enough friction on the barrel to keep the piston-turning knob from unscrewing before the piston was pushed down. I couldn't believe that was possibly true and figured I just needed to learn some more.

 

So your post is a huge help! Now I know how they work. I'm not impressed, but at least I know I'm not crazy. Now, how to make them work...

[WaskiSquirrel]

In the interests of contributing to this topic, here is my own Matador 992, from the 1930s.

 

 

 

 

 

[kawuska]

And here a rare bird: paper display stand for Matador pens with factory bill for Matador Express.Both stand&document bought for 1 Euro..well, if you didn't want it..

[markiv]

That's fantastic score - congrats!

[Azuniga]

That's fantastic score - congrats!

+1

[Rosso Corsa]

I would like to thank all the experts who added material to this very interesting thread.

 

I was searching for information on this brand, and here I found a lot of data and images of beautiful pens!

 

As a very modest contribution, I attach here few images of a Matador Express 814, probably produced between 1930 and 1940. I found it early this year during an Italian Pen Show and made some simple restoration work: a new kork gasket and some cosmetic improvements.

Pen disassembled

Nib and feeder (in ebonite, I presume). Nib probably comes from A. Norton - New York, on the basis of what I read in this thread.

Repaired piston (I had to work on it, in order to glue the small pin and reinforce a crack in that point)

A detail of the piston knob with the pen "code". I was not able to understand the meaning of each digit. The last one should be related to the nib size, but I am not sure on that. And the meaning of the first two digits is unknown to me.

 

Still TY!

Ciao

[Keyless Works]

 

Inked up the 998. Forgot how much I enjoy this pen. The proportions are really nice.

[Azuniga]

Great restoration Rosso Corsa,

Congratulations !!

 

I have not final proof yet (I could not get the catalogue as I expected, but i will...), for me the first number (8, 9...) corresponds to size and I also believe as you do; the last number is the nib size...

 

Best

[Xof72000]

That's not my nib (a friend of mine, who can't subscribe to this website), but do you have any thoughts on this 18 K Matador nib (i.e. for the french market), made in England (written in french) ?

 

Thanks !