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Disassemble and reassemble a mid-'40s Valiant cap


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#1 haywoody

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Posted 31 January 2011 - 02:47 AM

I picked up a Valiant II from eBay last week. I believe it is pretty uncommon - brown striated with 14kt cap and band. It arrived this weekend and looks pretty much as described except for four cracks creaping from the corners of the clip hole. The seller described it as having "a little movement of the clip," but also "... no cracks." I certainly understand that not everybody has perfect eyesight but the cracks are very obvious to me. I have contacted the seller and am waiting to hear back and come up with a resolution.

So, on to the question... has anybody had success rebuilding the cap from one of these pens? I assume the clip and cap band are compatible with the cap from any wide-band Valiant II. If it can be done, any estimate of what it might cost me and who could do the rebuld? I'd like to have something as reference if I get the chance to negotiate with the seller. I hate to send the pen back but the cap is pretty useless in its current state.

Thanks,
Woody

#2 david i

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Posted 31 January 2011 - 04:25 AM

I picked up a Valiant II from eBay last week. I believe it is pretty uncommon - brown striated with 14kt cap and band. It arrived this weekend and looks pretty much as described except for four cracks creaping from the corners of the clip hole. The seller described it as having "a little movement of the clip," but also "... no cracks." I certainly understand that not everybody has perfect eyesight but the cracks are very obvious to me. I have contacted the seller and am waiting to hear back and come up with a resolution.

So, on to the question... has anybody had success rebuilding the cap from one of these pens? I assume the clip and cap band are compatible with the cap from any wide-band Valiant II. If it can be done, any estimate of what it might cost me and who could do the rebuld? I'd like to have something as reference if I get the chance to negotiate with the seller. I hate to send the pen back but the cap is pretty useless in its current state.

Thanks,
Woody



Might be possible to swap clips and bands but recollection is that it is not easy on these. Sam Marshall might've done some clip swaps. Cap bands iirc are full-thickness metal pieces (not just a true band) and can be separated from the cap, but I'm not sure off hand that your quite scarce brown striped Autograph has same cap lip (band) size as a substitute Valiant.

regards

david


David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

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#3 Sam Marshall

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Posted 31 January 2011 - 05:23 PM

I picked up a Valiant II from eBay last week. I believe it is pretty uncommon - brown striated with 14kt cap and band. It arrived this weekend and looks pretty much as described except for four cracks creaping from the corners of the clip hole. The seller described it as having "a little movement of the clip," but also "... no cracks." I certainly understand that not everybody has perfect eyesight but the cracks are very obvious to me. I have contacted the seller and am waiting to hear back and come up with a resolution.

So, on to the question... has anybody had success rebuilding the cap from one of these pens? I assume the clip and cap band are compatible with the cap from any wide-band Valiant II. If it can be done, any estimate of what it might cost me and who could do the rebuld? I'd like to have something as reference if I get the chance to negotiate with the seller. I hate to send the pen back but the cap is pretty useless in its current state.

Thanks,
Woody



Woody,

The pen you describe seems to be the Valiant model 94W Auto in plunger vac-fill. It was available in Brown Striated and Black. The Valiant model 94T Auto lever fill was available only in black. These autographs are interesting and I have a 94W Autograph in Brown Striated with a flexible nib that is in my rotation of daily users

I switched the cap on my 94W Auto some years ago because of the same problem you have and it is a relatively straightforward procedure. However there are at least two different inner cap variations with slightly different repair techniques required. The 94W Auto and the 94W pen both have 19/32 inch cap bands with the only difference one is 14k and the other gold filled.

If you have the Model 94W Auto, the cap switch with the non-Autograph Valiant 94W requires some experience and some special tools so you do not damage the plastic, so I would suggest Rick Horne for that procedure. I do not know his price, but a major additional cost will be acquiring a donor cap. Rick can also repair the vac-fill system, if needed.

Good luck. That is a relatively uncommon pen and worth the expense of repair.

Sam
Sam Marshall. Website (Under Construction). http://www.penchantforpens.com
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#4 haywoody

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Posted 01 February 2011 - 01:18 AM

Might be possible to swap clips and bands but recollection is that it is not easy on these. Sam Marshall might've done some clip swaps. Cap bands iirc are full-thickness metal pieces (not just a true band) and can be separated from the cap, but I'm not sure off hand that your quite scarce brown striped Autograph has same cap lip (band) size as a substitute Valiant.

regards

david



David,

I have a non-autograph version of the same pen here. From what I can tell they are interchangeable and the construction appears to be identical with the exception of the solid gold vs. gold-filled parts. I think the chances look good. Now I just need to find a donor cap. The one on the non-auto pen is too nice to wreck.

/Woody

#5 haywoody

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Posted 01 February 2011 - 01:23 AM

Woody,

The pen you describe seems to be the Valiant model 94W Auto in plunger vac-fill. It was available in Brown Striated and Black. The Valiant model 94T Auto lever fill was available only in black. These autographs are interesting and I have a 94W Autograph in Brown Striated with a flexible nib that is in my rotation of daily users

I switched the cap on my 94W Auto some years ago because of the same problem you have and it is a relatively straightforward procedure. However there are at least two different inner cap variations with slightly different repair techniques required. The 94W Auto and the 94W pen both have 19/32 inch cap bands with the only difference one is 14k and the other gold filled.

If you have the Model 94W Auto, the cap switch with the non-Autograph Valiant 94W requires some experience and some special tools so you do not damage the plastic, so I would suggest Rick Horne for that procedure. I do not know his price, but a major additional cost will be acquiring a donor cap. Rick can also repair the vac-fill system, if needed.

Good luck. That is a relatively uncommon pen and worth the expense of repair.

Sam


Sam,

Thanks very much for the information. I have contacted Rick and hope to get a reply with good news soon. My pen has a 19/32" long cap band so I think we have a positive ID. As I mentioned in the reply to David, now I just need to find that donor cap... assuming Rick does not have one to sell.

Kind regards,
Woody







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