What is on your bench?

[VacNut]

46 minutes ago, es9 said:

Has anyone tried using sanding swabs before?  Stumbled across them by accident, but I figure they could have a number of uses.  For example, cleaning rust out of the inside of a snorkel spring.  Or the very fine ones could be use to work out scratches inside translucent barrels that are too deep for microgloss. 

I would be curious to try. The inside of a vac barrel sometimes has gouges from people using the wrong too; to remove the diaphragm. What are there intended use?

[eckiethump]

a Swan Visofil VT340, in a bit of a mess, but ready for the standard service now. The brass helical screw was "frozen" in the square hard rubber guide, released the eased further with Balistol.

 

[eckiethump]

My handwriting is pretty awful, but do not believe a pen is fully serviced, unless it is filled with ink and written with before being returned.

 

[eckiethump]

I now have a group of customers Parker vac pens to service and return to their previous cosmetic splendour, IF I have the parts required, some of these are not going to be easy, These are 4 pens I have to work on, I am swapping the barrel on one of them, rather than remove the engraving as requested on the customers pen. To be continued :-)

 

[VacNut]

9 hours ago, eckiethump said:

a Swan Visofil VT340, in a bit of a mess, but ready for the standard service now. The brass helical screw was "frozen" in the square hard rubber guide, released the eased further with Balistol.

 

that workbench top reminds me of a painters palette . It has been well cherished.

 

[VacNut]

8 hours ago, eckiethump said:

I now have a group of customers Parker vac pens to service and return to their previous cosmetic splendour, IF I have the parts required, some of these are not going to be easy, These are 4 pens I have to work on, I am swapping the barrel on one of them, rather than remove the engraving as requested on the customers pen. To be continued :-)

 

To each their own, as I don’t mind the signature imprint, as it is part of the pen’s history. Pentooling was selling modern reproduction tassies. They may also have a few jewels. The tassies are also available on the Bay, but they are only brass.

i find more clip jewels than cap jewels.

[VacNut]

10 hours ago, eckiethump said:

a Swan Visofil VT340, in a bit of a mess, but ready for the standard service now. The brass helical screw was "frozen" in the square hard rubber guide, released the eased further with Balistol.

 

 

It appears a functional Vis-o-fil is well worth the extra cost, given the complexity of the filler. Finding replacement parts must be mad.

[eckiethump]

What is the tool, third from the bottom ?

Eric

[Switala]

2 minutes ago, eckiethump said:

What is the tool, third from the bottom ?

Eric

It is this tool that is breaking my head.

[Switala]

4 minutes ago, eckiethump said:

Qual é a ferramenta, terceiro a partir do fundo?

Eric

This tool you are referring to is a hand drill to unclog mechanical pencils.

[es9]

2 hours ago, Switala said:

It is this tool that is breaking my head.

 

Looks like one of those cards that indicated how deeply to set a nib -- but it's made out of metal.  Maybe it's just a machinist tool that snuck in there?  Also, interesting that the vac/collet wrench is a square.  

 

Separately, has anyone else noticed serious imperfections inside the barrel?  I have a Canadian junior that i love, but it looks like some chunks of material are missing.  I am pretty sure it’s not gouging because it’s down near the section and they run parallel to the horizontal stripes.  Also, they do not really look like scratches per se.  I don’t *think* it’s decay because I don’t really see any cracking.  It just looks like imperfect manufacturing.  Which is fine, of course.  Just curious if others have noticed this too. 

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by es9
Added vac question

[Switala]

6 hours ago, es9 said:

 

Looks like one of those cards that indicated how deeply to set a nib -- but it's made out of metal.  Maybe it's just a machinist tool that snuck in there?  Also, interesting that the vac/collet wrench is a square.  

 

Separately, has anyone else noticed serious imperfections inside the barrel?  I have a Canadian junior that i love, but it looks like some chunks of material are missing.  I am pretty sure it’s not gouging because it’s down near the section and they run parallel to the horizontal stripes.  Also, they do not really look like scratches per se.  I don’t *think* it’s decay because I don’t really see any cracking.  It just looks like imperfect manufacturing.  Which is fine, of course.  Just curious if others have noticed this too. 

 

I will make some more detailed photos of the set and their respective instructions in the manual. It makes sense to be a tool to measure the insertion of the feather, but I consider it a bit bulky for such a simple purpose, I wondered if. could serve another purpose.

[Switala]

6 hours ago, Switala said:

I will make some more detailed photos of the set and their respective instructions in the manual. It makes sense to be a tool to measure the insertion of the feather, but I consider it a little bulky for such a simple purpose, I wondered if. could serve another purpose.

 

I appreciate the comments, they are tools that are rarely found here in Brazil, so I have no parameter for comparisons.

[VacNut]

That is an amazing set of tools and instructions! 😀👍 

I don’t see many sets of these tools. 

[eckiethump]

Collectors talk about pen porn, I feel that way about the tools we use 🙂

Eric

 

[es9]

^-- So true.  I spend way too much time looking at old tool threads on here. 

[VacNut]

I will have to travel to more pen shows. I saw a classic Vacumatic Brass fitting block with the wrench, Knock-out block, nib setter, and a rubber pan for jewel removal. Absolutely amazing all in one tool. Someday, I will get my hands on one.

 

Going through my vac archive this week on black Vacs. Found a vertical striated vac made in Canada with a 16 date code and a solid black vac with a Canadian date code of 4. I will have clean them up to see what they are like.

 

[Teterman2005]

Holy cow, that’s quite a collection of black vacs!!  Beautiful.... I love me a BLACK vintage pen👍

 

here’s my first (and so far only) vac.  Haven’t inked it, don’t want to “stain” the barrel just yet 
 

 

[VacNut]

3 hours ago, Teterman2005 said:

Holy cow, that’s quite a collection of black vacs!!  Beautiful.... I love me a BLACK vintage pen👍

 

here’s my first (and so far only) vac.  Haven’t inked it, don’t want to “stain” the barrel just yet 
 

 

That looks like a mint pen. You are lucky to find it. The clarity is gorgeous.

 

[VacNut]

12 hours ago, Teterman2005 said:

Holy cow, that’s quite a collection of black vacs!!  Beautiful.... I love me a BLACK vintage pen👍

 

here’s my first (and so far only) vac.  Haven’t inked it, don’t want to “stain” the barrel just yet 
 

 

I am with you on large black pens. I am a member of the Black Pen Society and there is nothing similar to a tray of black Vacumatics.

 

I can’t think of another set of pens with such dramatic flair.