Stuff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is where you'll find things like thread sealant,
head gaskets for Sheaffer vacuum fillers,
pen repair supplies, tools, and other...
STUFF.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The tools and repair supplies listed on this page are ones that I use on a regular basis.
If it's shown here, you're likely to find it on my bench. Read on for details!
Prices do not include shipping.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please let us know
where you live when you
place your
order. Shipping rates may be
dependent on
destination, and we must collect sales
tax for
Pennsylvania residents.
| Reproduction
Parker
VP and the (NEW!)
PARKER 65 filler units |
||
 |
||
 |
||
| COMMENTS:
Parker made the VP for just two years - a very
short life compared to the decades long run of the
Parker 51. They're great pens, but plagued
with a vulnerable filler. These long necked
fillers were intended to be pulled out of the section,
filled with ink and then inserted back into the pen,
eliminating ink on the nib, and therefore wiping ink off
of nib, section or any other part. The problem is
that the plastic used (plastic, not glass) is quite
brittle and tended to break. Many people shy away
from the VP even though is a very comfortable pen to
use, because of the filler problem. When the
filler breaks, you have a dead pen. Until now. I'm proud to introduce my reproduction filler units. Faithful to dimension and detail, these are exact reproductions of the original VP fillers. If you have a VP filler, the remains of the broken one can be removed and my replacement installed. If you have a VP pen but no filler, I can provide a complete replacement using a modified sac guard from an Aerometric 51 or Parker 21. The original breather tube is replaced with one of stainless steel. A #18 sac is used on the sac nipple. If your 65 is not a cartridge/converter pen and uses a VP style filler, I also have reproduction Parker 65 filler units. The difference is that the 65 has a smooth (VS splined)front end. This keeps you from accidentally unscrewing thenib, and maybe cracking the "widows peak" on the front of the section. Like the VP fillers, I can supply just the front end, or makea complete filler unit for your Parker 65. Not sure if your 65 needs this filler? Look in the end of the section. If you see a piercing tube, it uses a converter, If you see a hole, and maybe the flat end of a collector beyond it, you need this filler. Fillers will be made to order - lead time
4-5 days after payment is received.
Reproduction filler installed in your pens sac guard - $65 Note that if the
breather tube is broken or missing, there will be
a $10 charge for a replacement.
Reproduction VP/65 filler with modified 51/21 sac guard (our choice) - $75 |
| Sheaffer
formula thread sealant $16 |
||
 |
||
| COMMENTS:
When I visited the Sheaffer repair center back in 2008, I was very interested in the thread sealant that they used. It was a light amber, nearly transparent, low odor, and quite tacky. After doing some research, I have reproduced their thread sealant, using the same ingredients shown on the jar, with exactly the same properties. I now use it to seal threads on any and all pens that require thread sealant, the Parker 51 being the only exception, where I still prefer to use shellac. It's also great for securing Parker Vacumatic and 51 jewels. Note that Sheaffer made their thread sealant without the use of flammable solvents like Naphtha or mineral spirits, and neither do I. The price of the raw materials has doubled since we started making the thread sealant over 15 years ago, so we now offer just the small jar. If purchased separately, or with the head gaskets, the sealant will be shipped first class mail. |
| Sheaffer
OEM section 0-ring $10 per pack - see quantity details below |
||
 |
||
| COMMENTS:
Sheaffer used an 0-ring in the middle of their enclosed sections, to seal around the feed insert, keeping the ink in the front half with the nib and feed, and away from the thread bushing, plug or whatever at the back end. When you open the section to repair or clean the nib unit, the 0-ring should be replaced because they are usually compressed and don't seal as well. These 0-rings fit Lady Sheaffer, Target, Imperial, Targa etc. pens that have the internal 0-ring. They are not used in pens like the Stylist that have the doughnut inside such as the stylist with the "new" i.e. Triumph nib, point. Check your pen before ordering if unsure what is inside your section. The gray 0-rings are a smidge bigger and softer than the black 0-rings and may seal a bit better. But I have found both the black and gray in the sections when taken apart to repair or service. I assume that they changed over to the gray somewhere later production pens. The 0-rings are OEM parts that came out of the Sheaffer service center. The black 0-rings are 20
for $10 The
premium gray 0-rings are 10
for $10
|
| Sheaffer
Vacuum filler (AKA Wire pen) head gasket assortment
$15 |
||
 |
||
| COMMENTS:
The material that one uses for the head gasket or piston
washer on a Sheaffer wire pen is important.
You need a material that will hold up well when
exposed to ink, that will flex but be hard enough that
it won't pull off of the piston rod. These
washers are within 0.001" of the thickness of the
material used by Sheaffer. . Unlike head
gaskets made by generic punches, the diameter of these
gaskets are precisely sized for the Sheaffer pens.
They're what I use when I
repair a Sheaffer Vacuum filler. We offer an assortment pack of head gaskets, with all three sizes. The distribution in size based on our experiences repairing the wire pens. You'll receive a total of 20 in the assortment - 14 small gaskets (the most common size), 4 medium size (for the 500 and 1000 Balance wire pens) and 2 oversize, for the oversize Balance pens. |
| LED
penlight
$10 |
||
 |
||
| COMMENTS:
I like a lot of light when I work on pens, and have two bright lamps on my bench. But they aren't enough when I need to look down inside a pen. A simple flashlight, whether LED or incandescent, has a beam that's too wide, and the light reflects off of areas around the pen making it difficult to see down inside a pen or pen cap. Years ago I bought an LED flashlight that was really skinny, and had a focused LED beam that would shine down into a cap. Neat! But the problem is that when I get involved in a repair it's not uncommon for me to put the flashlight down without turning it off. I was always running the batteries down, and the stupid things cost $10 or more to replace! (ouch!) Then I found this little gem. It has a very bright LED that lasts years that has a lens in front of it to focus the beam (no scatter, no refection!), and it uses a single, cheap AAA battery. I was hooked. I bought three - one to use, one as a spare in the tool box, and one in my supply cabinet as a backup. I like it that much. But I haven't needed them. Over 3 years later I'm still using the same one, even though it's been dropped off of the bench, stepped on, and acetone spilled on it. Do you get the idea that I like them? I think that you need this bright little flashlight which is why I'm offering them here. It's as indispensable as a pair of section pliers. The package includes one AAA battery. |
|
Main Street Pens wax free pen polishing kit
$10 |
||
 |
||
| COMMENTS:
There have been many discussions about what to use to polish a pen, and whether or not one should use wax of one kind or another to polish a pen. My clients like to receive their repaired pens not only working, but looking great, but I have considered the arguments pro and con, and have moved away from using any polishes containing wax on vintage pens. This is the last step in my repair process, done before the pen is put in it's bag as completed. The polish contains no solvents, no wax - simply a water based polish that takes a really nice shine and turns it into a "wow!" shine that allows the colors of a pen to pop. The kit contains a 1 fluid ounce bottle of polish and a micro-fiber polishing cloth. It's what I use all day, every day. The cloth can be washed and reused when needed. Note that if you have a pen that needs a heavy cleaning or polish you'll want to use micro-mesh or some other preliminary material before using this polish. |
| Silicone
grease
$5 |
||
 |
||
| COMMENTS:
Pure, unadulterated silicone grease. Designed to be used on rubber, plastic and synthetic rubber 0-rings and seals, and according to the application notes, compatable with many elastomers and polymers. This is a lower viscosity grease, i.e. it's stiffer than the stuff from scuba shops, and is more resistant to washing off than some others on the market, and silicone oil. That means it's less likely to get into the ink or feed. You'll find it on my shop bench and on the table at pen shows. You use it on anything that needs to be lubricated on fountain pens like Sheaffer touchdown tubes, plunger rods, Pelikan piston seals, mechanisms etc..... Not recommended for use as a thread sealant - use the rosin based thread sealant at the top of this page. |
| Sunshine
Cloth $5.00 |
||
 |
||
| COMMENTS:
I'm often asked what I recommend for polishing sterling silver and gold pens, especially pens like a Parker 75 cisile'. I have only one answer - a Sunshine cloth. They work very well indeed to remove tarnish from a pen or nib, without any of the residue that gets into every nook and cranny from a paste polish. Use something like Simicrome on a pen, and you'll take out the blackening on a Parker 75. I've seen it, and repaired it, many times. It's also effective in cleaning up the surface of a gold plated or solid gold pen. Use sparingly though on plated metals. You can also use a Sunshine cloth to polish a gold nib without fear of getting the polish into the slit or heart of a nib (that's a mess to clean out too!). The Sunshine cloth cleans with special non scratch micro-abrasives, and will last a very long time. You can keep using the cloth, and it will keep working long after it appears to be loaded up with the removed tarnish. Don't wash it though - you'll destroy it's ability to clean. One 5" X 7 3/4" cloth per tube. |