We specialize in nib repair, adjustment, and customization and specialty repair and restoration such as celluloid restoration and plunger filler repair. In all the work we do, we take great care to treat pens respectfully and make them work up to — or beyond — the potential designed into them by their creators. Here is a comparison image, showing a Conklin Endura cap before restoration and after:

My reference page Restoration: What and Why? shows and explains in more detail what we can do for your pens; it also illustrates examples of some of our specialized work.

	We are a
	Authorized Repair Center for Vintage Fountain Pens

I have a special affection for the Parker “51”, and we specialize in this great pen. In addition to offering repair and general restoration, we have developed some special techniques for the restoration of metal surfaces on the “51” and related models (“21”, 45, 61, etc.).

We also perform general repairs on most pens.

This week, we expect to be working mostly on pens that arrived during the week of . Pens arriving this week should return in about weeks. We can offer expedited turnaround on a case-by-case basis, at our discretion; please contact us for more information.

Clients’ Comments and Art Gallery

Among the nicest things we receive from our clients are notes of thanks. On our Clients’ Comments page you will find some of the email messages we’ve received about our work. Sometimes these notes are accompanied by, or are themselves, lovely works of art. You will find some of our clients’ artwork on our Art Gallery page.

The following table lists many of my services. If the repair you require isn’t listed, please send email to inquire. Prices do not include shipping or insurance.

General Services		Price
Restore Sheaffer (Vacuum-Fil) or Wahl-Eversharp (One-Shot) plunger filler (see below)	Start at	$35.00
Restore Onoto or Pilot plunger filler (see below)	Start at	40.00
Restore Conklin Q.F. plunger filler (includes special packing cartridge, new stainless steel plunger shaft, and nut to replace rusted mild steel shaft and ruined nut; see below)	Start at	75.00
Replace cork packing in piston filler, retractable safety pen, or Dunn pump filler	40.00
Replace crystallized barrel end on Waterman Hundred Year Pen — view restoration example	65.00
Restore black color to worn ink-view section — view restoration example	25.00
Repair or restore broken or damaged resin parts (celluloid repair illustrated at top of page), including removal of personalization — view another restoration example	Start at	50.00
Reblacken discolored hard rubber (see below)	50.00
Basic restoration (disassemble completely; clean thoroughly; replace rubber components; polish lightly to remove tarnish, bring up luster, and minimize or remove surface scratches)	Start at	32.00
Repair a mechanical pencil	Start at	25.00
Special Services for Parker “51” and Related Models	Price
Matte Lustraloy cap restoration — view restoration example	Start at	$25.00
Brushed finish restoration (Flighters, cap and barrel)	Start at	35.00
Bright polished cap restoration	Start at	20.00
Nib Adjustment and Repair (Approximate Prices) (Includes removal when appropriate, repair, reinstallation, adjustment, and fill-testing in the pen)	Price
Smoothing, minor tine alignment	Start at	$25.00
Flow adjustment (can include both nib and feed modification)	Start at	25.00
Straightening tines — view examples: [1] [2] [3]	Start at	30.00
Nib Customization (Regrinding — includes removal, modification, reinstallation, adjustment, and fill-testing in the pen)	Price
(View a selection of writing examples)
Regrinding, round nib F (stroke width 0.020"/0.5 mm) or broader — requires any nib broader than desired finished size	$40.00
Regrinding, round nib XF (stroke width 0.016"/0.4 mm), XXF (accountant point, stroke width 0.012"/0.3 mm), XXXF (needlepoint, stroke width 0.008"/0.2 mm) — requires any nib broader than desired finished size — ground to the Waverley profile for extra smoothness	50.00
Regrinding, round nib XXXXF (super needlepoint, stroke width 0.004"/0.1 mm) — requires any nib broader than desired finished size	65.00
Regrinding, convert round nib to duo-point (writes normally when held normally, writes finer when rotated 180° so that top surface of nib faces toward paper)	25.00
Regrinding, convert round nib to duo-point — applicable only when this work is done in conjunction with regrinding to a finer round size	15.00
Regrinding, crisp italic or cursive italic 0.7 mm or broader, neutral or oblique; stub italic 0.5 mm or broader — 0.5 requires F, 0.6 or 0.7 requires M, 0.8 or 0.9 requires B, 1.0 or 1.1 requires BB	40.00
Regrinding, crisp italic or cursive italic 0.6 mm or finer, neutral or oblique; stub italic 0.4 mm or finer — 0.6 requires M nib, 0.5 or finer requires F	50.00
Regrinding, ItaliFine (like a duo-point, but combines cursive italic with fine) — 0.7 requires M, 0.9 requires B, 1.1 requires BB — some nibs do not have sufficient iridium for this grind	60.00
Regrinding, CONDOR (combines fine with “paintbrush”) — requires BB or larger tip — some nibs do not have sufficient iridium for this grind	65.00
Regrinding, 30° oblique italic 0.7 mm or broader — 0.7 requires M, 0.9 requires B, 1.1 requires BB — some nibs do not have sufficient iridium for this grind	45.00
Regrinding, Arabic/Hebrew italic 0.7 mm or 0.9 mm — 0.7 requires B, 0.9 requires BB — some nibs do not have sufficient iridium for this grind	50.00
Retipping (in addition to regrinding charge; not available separately)	50.00
Adding flex (14K gold only, and some nibs are not appropriate for this operation)	75.00

We use and recommend

pen care products.

Except for warranty repairs, pens to be worked on are put into a queue several weeks in length to await their turn. We will let you know the estimated waiting time when we notify you that we have received your pens. (The estimated waiting time is only an estimate.) There is a minimum charge of $20.00 for any single repair or restoration order. We encourage you to send multiple pens at the same time in order to reach the minimum and to save shipping costs as well as your time and effort.

We guarantee our restoration and repair work for one year. We guarantee our installation labor and all parts that we provide. (We cannot guarantee parts that you have supplied.) Wherever possible, we use original parts; that is, parts made by the original manufacturer for the pen model in question.

Note   The term “original,” as used here, does not require matching the manufacture dates on pens bearing date codes; thus, according to this definition, a 1946 nib is correct on a 1942 Vacumatic.

If you are ordering custom nib modification, please fill out my questionnaire to help me customize your nib. To learn more about nib shapes and styles, read Nibs I: The Basics, Nibs II: Beyond the Basics with Specialty Nibs, and Nibs III: Flex vs. Italic. For nib retipping, we have made arrangements with a reliable metalsmith who applies the new tipping material and returns the nib to me for grinding and finishing.

Note   To determine the width of an italic, oblique italic, or stub nib, we measure the line width produced by the nib, not the physical nib itself. Many manufacturers measure the nib instead, and their nibs are wider than the lines they make; for example, a 0.9-mm cursive italic nib is actually about 1.1 mm in width. A “commercial” 0.9-mm stub, for example, may produce a line only 0.7 mm in width. Right-click the image at the left (Macintosh users control-click) to download a stroke width chart in PDF format (for Adobe Reader). The chart is designed to print on U.S. letter-size paper (81/2"×11"), and it should also print well on A4 paper. Click this button to download a free copy of Adobe Reader.

Reblackening Hard Rubber Pens

To reblacken hard rubber pens, we use a proprietary chemical solution developed by Giovanni Abrate and called “G-10”. Repeated applications of “G-10” color the rubber by opening its pores, infusing a black dye into the rubber to replace the dye that has been lost to oxidation, and sealing the pores to restore the surface to its previous condition. Oxidized hard rubber has a lower density than pristine hard rubber. The “G-10” process takes advantage of this difference in relative density to migrate the coloring medium into the oxidized layer, without acting on the pristine hard rubber underneath. No pigment is deposited over the surface of the hard rubber: a dye is infused into the material; because of this there is no loss of surface detail or information.The application of the “G-10” process has a protective effect on the oxidized pens. This is due to two reasons:

• The coloring agent acts as a shield against UV radiation, slowing down any further deterioration of the hard rubber.

• Surface porosity is reduced, decreasing the degenerative effects on the hard rubber caused by oxidation and exposure to ozone.

The “G-10” process is unique and represents a breakthrough in the restoration of discolored black hard rubber. Following the reblackening process, we lightly wax the pen with a special pen wax to bring up as much as possible of the original gloss and protect against further oxidation. The Waterman’s Ideal Nº 56 cap shown above illustrates the dramatic difference “G-10” can make, while the following “before” and “after” images show the results obtained when a Waterman’s Ideal Nº 452 pen was reblackened while it was on the bench for an otherwise ordinary restoration. To view enlarged versions of these images, click the magnifying glasses next to them:

This is not a vulcanizing process. It uses no heat or caustic agents, which can damage delicate pens. Reblackened pens have been subjected to accelerated aging tests for resistance to light, moisture, and abrasion. Because the reblackening agent is not a paint, the actual hard rubber surface is exposed to view, and pens left in bright light or severe moisture conditions can and will discolor; but this discoloration is less rapid and less severe than would occur to an untreated pen. Similarly, it is possible to remove the reblackened surface layer by rubbing with an abrasive cleaner such as Simichrome metal polish, which will seriously damage the hard rubber itself. With ordinary care, reblackened pens should remain bright and black indefinitely.

The “G-10” process is warranted against damage to your pens. The “G-10” formula does not contain any substance or combination of substances known to harm hard rubber. (Read the complete warranty.)

Note   There are two sides to the question of whether pens should be reblackened. Collectors who favor preservation believe that reblackening a hard rubber pen, especially with a technique that is nominally not reversible, harms the value of the pen because it alters the pen, much as rebuilding a wall with pressure-treated lumber would alter a historic house. Collectors who favor restoration believe that reblackening is not harmful because it does not damage the pen itself but rather enhances the pen’s enjoyability and protects the pen, much like applying a new coat of penetrating stain to a weathered antique house. Ultimately, the decision whether to reblacken your pen rests with you and you alone, but we urge you to investigate the issue before you decide.

Plunger-Filling Pens

There are several variations on the basic plunger filler, as used by Sheaffer (Vacuum-Fil), Wahl-Eversharp (“One-Shot” vacuum filler), Conklin (Nozac Q.F.), De la Rue (Onoto the Pen), and Pilot of Japan. We are set up to restore these pens, which have a thin plunger shaft as shown by the restored pens illustrated here:

We do not repair these pens by shoving a thick rubber washer into the barrel to substitute for the shaft packing, as do many repairers. That method works after a fashion; but it is often a short-lived and unreliable “fix,” and it reduces the pen’s ink capacity and makes the plunger operate stiffly.

Instead, we restore the pens to their original smooth, easy working order by replacing the original cork or felt shaft packing with a Viton^® O-ring and fitting a new plunger washer made of a specially selected synthetic rubber. We reassemble the pen using a thread sealant that is made to Sheaffer’s exact specifications.

Note   If additional parts are required, the cost will be higher. Note that all Conklin Q.F. pens and some others have celluloid-sheathed mild steel plunger shafts that often rust and need replacement. If your pen needs a new shaft, we will “cannibalize” or fabricate one and charge accordingly. This situation appears to be universal on Conklin Q.F. pens; the shaft dies and leaves a solid barrier of rusted metal in the hard rubber gasket retainer nut. We will make new shafts and nuts for all of these pens we restore. My listed charge for Conklin already includes the cost of these parts and a special packing cartridge.

To determine whether your pen’s filler needs repair:

Do not attempt this procedure if the blind cap will not unscrew or if the plunger refuses to move! The plunger might be damaged or the gasket might be ossified, and force can damage things much more severely.

Try filling the pen. With the pen over a sink or a wastecart, unscrew the blind cap (plunger knob) and pull the plunger all the way up. Immerse the entire nib and part of the gripping section in water and then push down briskly one time. Wait 5 seconds, then remove the pen from the water. Hold the pen over the sink or wastecart, and draw the plunger up again and push it down. If the filler is working, it will eject a small amount of water on the upstroke and a great deal more on the downstroke. Check also to see whether there is ink or water on the plunger shaft when it is extended; if so, the packing is compromised, and repair is needed.

Mechanical Pencil Repair

From time to time, clients ask if we can repair mechanical pencils. I hadn’t started out to be a pencil mech, but I don’t like telling people no, and my success rate has turned out to be pretty good. If you have a pencil with a problem, please contact us to see about resurrecting it. We have a small supply of parts for vintage pencils, and we can frequently adapt parts or repair existing parts to get your pencil working again.

Shipping Your Pens to Us

	PLEASE DO NOT SHIP PENS WITH INK IN THEM!
	When you ship a pen with ink in it, the pen frequently arrives at its destination with the ink all over the outside. This can damage the pen permanently! Also, please include appropriate cartridges or converters for pens that require them.

On the advice of our insurance company, our mailing address is not here on our site. Please contact us to arrange in advance for repairs.

You should feel free to ship your pens by the method that gives you the greatest confidence. We can accept shipments by post, FedEx, UPS, Airborne, and other carriers — but we recommend that you avoid DHL because packages shipped via DHL arrive almost invariably in the condition illustrated to the right. We recommend that you ship pens with insurance for full replacement value. Please include inside the package a slip of paper with your mailing address and ours, in case the outside address should become obscured. If we have sent pens or other items to you in the past but you have moved since that time, it is especially important to let us know that you have a new address, either on the inside address slip or on other paperwork inside the package. The return address outside the package, even if it is present and legible, is not a reliable indicator of where we should send things!

Inadequately packed pens can, and sometimes do, suffer irreparable damage in transit, as shown here:

Use plenty of bubble wrap, plastic “peanuts,” or other protective materials. Sections of PVC plumbing pipe protect pens well, but they should be packed in a box, not shipped loose or in a padded envelope, and the pens should be padded within the pipes so that they cannot bounce around. Note, however, that because pipes can apparently be mistaken for bombs when scanned in an X-ray machine, we recommend specifically that you not use pipes in international shipments. Presentation boxes are not usually a good way to pack pens because many of them do not hold the pens securely for shipment. Also, note that pipes and presentation boxes add significant weight. Particularly valuable pens should be sent via Registered Mail. Except for Registered Mail, a Delivery Confirmation receipt (U.S. Postal Service) is advisable to assist in tracking lost packages. If you are not in the U.S.A., please ask your local postal authorities for advice on the best way to ship your pens to the U.S.A.

Note for International Clients   If you are sending your pens from outside the U.S.A., it is critical that you mark Customs documents to indicate that you are exporting the pens temporarily. If the U.S. Customs Service thinks that your pens are being imported permanently into the U.S.A., we will be charged importation duty on the declared value. If this happens, we will add the Customs charges to the cost of whatever work your pens require.

How to Pay for Repair Services

We accept electronic payment via PayPal, and we're also able to accept a personal cheque, a cashier's cheque, or a money order so long as the instrument is drawn on a U.S. bank and is made out in U.S. dollars. If you want to use a credit card, PayPal is your only choice, as we cannot accept credit cards directly. Anyone can use this service; you do not need to be a PayPal member.

To pay via PayPal, please fill out this quick and easy form. The dollar amount you enter will be the amount described in my estimate email or the amount listed in a “Your pens are ready to come home” email from Barbara or me.

How We Will Ship Your Pens Home

We use the postal system, not private couriers. We package pens in boxes, with bubble wrap and packing “peanuts” as needed to keep package contents stable and secure. In the U.S.A., we normally send pens by U.S. Priority Mail, insured by our own insurance carrier. For other countries, shipping costs depend on your choice of method. We can ship via Air Letter Post or EMS (faster than Air Letter Post, but much more costly). We prefer not to ship pens without insurance. If you insist that we send your pens without insurance, you assume all risks; we cannot be liable for uninsured shipments. The safest possible — and also the slowest — shipping method is Registered Air letter Post. The U.S. Postal Service Web site offers a postage calculator to help you decide which shipping option is best suited to your needs.