Experience Needed On 4 Vintage Pens

April 19, 2017

Hello everybody,

On an office move my father found 4 old pens, some of which don't work anymore. They don't seem to be worth all that much, but they are pieces of heirloom and they are rather valuable to the family. So they should be restaured to be appreciated and in the best case passed on to further generations.

Pen 1 is a Waterman of non-descript identity, my father doesn't remember aything about it, except for the fact that it was a cheapy. It looks late 70's to me, stainless steel nib, a bit scratchy. But it works fine, so I'll use it as is. My question on this one is only if someone knows what mdel it is.

Pen 2 is a classic Pelikan 140, that my father owned in high school. He'd like it repaired, as a memory. It seems to work, but the piston is very stiff and the nib is bent (see pictures), there are also a few fins missing on the feed. It would require a nib repair and a general checkup.

Pen 3 is a "Rifka gold" brand, does not have a model number on it. It belonged to my grandfather, who died at young age. So this is also important to the family. The piston seal is worn and doesn't work, and the nib is a bit damaged as well.

Pen 4 is a "Zenith" brand, it it a button filler. The pressure bar is way too rusty to repair and the sac has just crumbled, but these are available parts if I'm not mistaken. My concern here is the nib, the tines are terribly bent, I'm not sure if this is still repairable.

My questions are:

Does anyone know more about the pens? Model, History, helpful information of some sort

Does anyone know if these repairs can be done and what it might roughly cost? and

Does anyone know where to do these repairs? Preferably in proximity to Luxembourg or Southwest Germany (postal code 76***)

Thanks in advance for all the help I can get.

Ivo

Edited April 19, 2017 by Overflow

April 19, 2017

The first pen looks like a Waterman Reflex, I think it's from the 80s-90s. Was something like a "student" pen.

As for the rest of the pens I would send them to someone to repair. I hope someone knows central european repairers.

I think you could "repair" or service your grandfathers pen at least. Try soaking it water, filling it with a bulb syringe from the open end.

The rubber seal of the piston look like its got some dried ink on it. Soak it water, clean it and put some silicon grease around the rubber seal and try if it works.

Edited April 19, 2017 by AngelovPens

April 19, 2017

Was just about to write in, the Waterman is a Reflex, as I was told on a german forum. But thank you for checking.

I don't think the purple Rifka could be serviced by a non-professional, even an experienced tinkerer. The seal is about 1mm undersized, it has completely deteriorated. These pens were basically laying inked up in a drawer for the best part of 30 years. I did flush it, but I don't think that's an issue. Plus, you can't see it too well on the picture, the nib is a bit more bent than I think I could fix, and it lacks tipping. I don't know if there were pens that came without tipping, but when I contact a professional anyways, I will get the nib fixed properly.