restoring barrel clarity

Can anything be done to restore a little clarity/transparancy to the barrel
of a striped vac? I thought that I remembered someone saying that they had
success with a diluted 409 soultion. As I'm unable to find any mention of
such concoction, I'll wait for suggestions.

thanks,
Chris Burton

Chris Burton wrote:

Can anything be done to restore a little clarity/transparancy to the barrel
of a striped vac? I thought that I remembered someone saying that they had
success with a diluted 409 soultion. As I'm unable to find any mention of
such concoction, I'll wait for suggestions.

No method on earth works on every barrel since all barrels and what
stained them is also not exactly the same. Deep staing is a chemical
change to the plastic that nothing will ever reverse. Otherwise you can
try 409 and other chemicals and even bleach. There is some risk of
damage to the barrel as well. For the most part if a scrub with a brush
and any sort of dertergant dosen't work, I'd suggest leaving it alone.
Frank

Can anything be done to restore a little clarity/transparancy to the
barrel
of a striped vac? I thought that I remembered someone saying that they
had
success with a diluted 409 soultion. As I'm unable to find any mention
of
such concoction, I'll wait for suggestions.

No method on earth works on every barrel since all barrels and what
stained them is also not exactly the same.

I'm not asking for a "universal barrel clarifier". Only something specific
that someone has had success with.

Deep staing is a chemical
change to the plastic that nothing will ever reverse. Otherwise you can
try 409 and other chemicals and even bleach.

From what I understand, bleaching pens isn't so good. I would imagine that
bleaching would leave an uneven surface and detract even further from what
clarity there already is.

Is 409 a "safe" cleaner to use in that it will clean without damaging the
plastic?

There is some risk of
damage to the barrel as well. For the most part if a scrub with a brush
and any sort of dertergant dosen't work, I'd suggest leaving it alone.

What sort of detergent would you suggest?

thanks,
Chris Burton

"Chris Burton" writes:

Can anything be done to restore a little clarity/transparancy to
the barrel of a striped vac? I thought that I remembered someone
saying that they had success with a diluted 409 soultion. As I'm
unable to find any mention of such concoction, I'll wait for
suggestions.

No method on earth works on every barrel since all barrels and what
stained them is also not exactly the same.

I'm not asking for a "universal barrel clarifier". Only something
specific that someone has had success with.

I've had some success with plain water and a Q-Tip. But staining is,
as Frank said, hard to reverse. It's a chemical change in the plastic
and you can't wash it off. The old Parker repair manual (the small
one) suggested vinegar as a clarifying agent for Vac barrels.

These pens are 60-70 years old. I'm gonna have a few stains by the
time I'm 70, too. Just like me, pens are going to show their age.

Deep staining is a chemical change to the plastic that nothing will
ever reverse. Otherwise you can try 409 and other chemicals and
even bleach.

From what I understand, bleaching pens isn't so good. I would
imagine that bleaching would leave an uneven surface and detract
even further from what clarity there already is.

Dilution is important with all caustic agents.

Is 409 a "safe" cleaner to use in that it will clean without
damaging the plastic?

Dilute it.

There is some risk of damage to the barrel as well. For the most
part if a scrub with a brush and any sort of dertergant dosen't
work, I'd suggest leaving it alone.

What sort of detergent would you suggest?

Parker used the laundry detergent "All" as the secret ingredient
Solv-X in Quink. I'd guess that's a stamp of approval.

Chris Burton wrote:


I'm not asking for a "universal barrel clarifier". Only something specific
that someone has had success with.

You are asking that impossible question that I pre-answered with the
words---
"No method on earth works on every barrel since all barrels and what
stained them is also not exactly the same.

Bascially try what you want but my first and best advise is to leave
things alone beyond any simple brush with any sort of common dertergent.

Like restoring hard rubber color, one method that works great on one pen
may be useless or harmful to the next. If you are afraid or
unsure--don't try it at all.

Hey I've had my most success with plain tap water. But once again, if
the stain has moved INTO the plastic as is most often the case with old
pens nothing in this universe will remove it or even lighten it very
much. The stains that can really be removed or lightened to much extent
are those which are simnple surface stains that respond as much to a
damp brush with water as most anything. The mechanical scrubing action
is far more effective than whatever liquid is used for removal of such a
"stain" since these are surface ink deposits, more than true stains IN
the plastic itself. Frank

"Tim McNamara" wrote in message
...
"Chris Burton" writes:

Can anything be done to restore a little clarity/transparancy to
the barrel of a striped vac? I thought that I remembered someone
saying that they had success with a diluted 409 soultion. As I'm
unable to find any mention of such concoction, I'll wait for
suggestions.

No method on earth works on every barrel since all barrels and what
stained them is also not exactly the same.

I'm not asking for a "universal barrel clarifier". Only something
specific that someone has had success with.

I've had some success with plain water and a Q-Tip. But staining is,
as Frank said, hard to reverse. It's a chemical change in the plastic
and you can't wash it off. The old Parker repair manual (the small
one) suggested vinegar as a clarifying agent for Vac barrels.

These pens are 60-70 years old. I'm gonna have a few stains by the
time I'm 70, too. Just like me, pens are going to show their age.

Deep staining is a chemical change to the plastic that nothing will
ever reverse. Otherwise you can try 409 and other chemicals and
even bleach.

From what I understand, bleaching pens isn't so good. I would
imagine that bleaching would leave an uneven surface and detract
even further from what clarity there already is.

Dilution is important with all caustic agents.

Is 409 a "safe" cleaner to use in that it will clean without
damaging the plastic?

Dilute it.

There is some risk of damage to the barrel as well. For the most
part if a scrub with a brush and any sort of dertergant dosen't
work, I'd suggest leaving it alone.

What sort of detergent would you suggest?

Parker used the laundry detergent "All" as the secret ingredient
Solv-X in Quink. I'd guess that's a stamp of approval.

Thanks for the info. I'll see what a little ALL in solution does.

wrote in message ...
Chris Burton wrote:


I'm not asking for a "universal barrel clarifier". Only something
specific
that someone has had success with.

You are asking that impossible question that I pre-answered with the
words---
"No method on earth works on every barrel since all barrels and what
stained them is also not exactly the same.

Bascially try what you want but my first and best advise is to leave
things alone beyond any simple brush with any sort of common dertergent.

Like restoring hard rubber color, one method that works great on one pen
may be useless or harmful to the next. If you are afraid or
unsure--don't try it at all.

Hey I've had my most success with plain tap water. But once again, if
the stain has moved INTO the plastic as is most often the case with old
pens nothing in this universe will remove it or even lighten it very
much. The stains that can really be removed or lightened to much extent
are those which are simnple surface stains that respond as much to a
damp brush with water as most anything. The mechanical scrubing action
is far more effective than whatever liquid is used for removal of such a
"stain" since these are surface ink deposits, more than true stains IN
the plastic itself. Frank

Thanks.

I have had some success with a home-made polishing mop and the buff machine
polish you use for machine polishing plastic.

To make the mop, cut a thin slit half an inch long in a steel rod (a thin
6-inch nail will do; cut off the head and the tip). Then pass a 3-inch by
half an ink piece of fabric (a J-cloth is what I use) through the slit so
that half of the fabric is on each side. Then wipe the mop you have just
made with polish, insert the plain end into a cordless drill (set to its
slowest setting), wind the mop on the shaft and insert into the vac barrel.
Then "polish" slowly (if you let it rotate too quickly two things happen: it
will overheat and you will lose control). The polish will very gently
remove much if not all of the staining from inside of the barrel. I mount
the barrel horizontally in a machine vice and hold the cordless drill in
both hands for maximum steadiness.

If you are in any doubt practise on a no-value barrel first.

Christopher W.



"Chris Burton" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Can anything be done to restore a little clarity/transparancy to the
barrel
of a striped vac? I thought that I remembered someone saying that they had
success with a diluted 409 soultion. As I'm unable to find any mention of
such concoction, I'll wait for suggestions.

thanks,
Chris Burton

"Christopher Wigdor" writes:

Then wipe the mop you have just made with polish, insert the plain
end into a cordless drill (set to its slowest setting), wind the mop
on the shaft and insert into the vac barrel. Then "polish" slowly
(if you let it rotate too quickly two things happen: it will
overheat and you will lose control).

You are a brave man. "Power tools" and "fountain pens" seem to me to
be a non-compatible set of ideas.

If you are in any doubt practise on a no-value barrel first.

Excellent advice, even if one has no doubt. ;-)

"Tim McNamara" wrote in message
...

These pens are 60-70 years old. I'm gonna have a few stains by the
time I'm 70, too. Just like me, pens are going to show their age.


Given that anyone will arrive at the biblical three score and ten, they
should consider themselves privileged to be able to hold and write with a FP