Get an Estimate
If you haven’t figured it out by now …. I’m a one man operation. I try to keep things simple. That makes it easy for you to do business with me, and allows me spend most of my time on restoration work. Here’s the simplest way to arrange a repair with me (
Unfortunately due to shipping and customs issues I no longer accept repair work from outside the USA and Canada.):
1. Click on the buttons above to look at photos and text describing various kinds of repairs and what they typically cost. For example, nearly everyone wants me to refurbish their fountain pen’s filling mechanism. Go to the Filling Mechanisms page and compare your fountain pen to the types shown there. You’ll see that the price varies according to the complexity of the repair. Cracks to be repaired? … gold parts to be replated? … dents to be removed? … the other buttons show what can be done, and give you an estimate of the cost of repairs.
2. If you decide to send your fountain pen to me, goto the Repair Order Form, fill in the blanks, print it, then send it to me with your fountain pen.Don’t send any money yet. The repair order gives you a clear way to explain which repairs are needed for your fountain pen. It also tells you how to pack the fountain pen to prevent breakage during shipping, and where to send it. Don’t forget to put your printed Repair Order with the fountain pen so that I know who sent the fountain pen, what work you want done, and where to return it. (You might be surprised how many fountain pens I’ve received without any information about who sent it.)
3. When I receive your fountain pen and repair order, it will be placed in the queue. This is where I ask for your patience because I don’t open packages until I actually get to you in the queue. When your turn comes up I’ll email you an estimate. If you decide not to have me repair the fountain pen, there is no charge for my inspection. I ask only that you pay $14.00 for return shipping and insurance.
4. Your reply to my e-mail will be the authorization for me to proceed with the repairs. I repair fountain pens in the order that I receive them. I typically work 6 to 9 months out.
5. I’ll send you an e-mail when your fountain pen is repaired. You can send me a check, and I’ll ship the fountain pen back to you. If you prefer to pay with Visa, Mastercard, or American Express just call or e-mail me with your credit card number.
6. Please be patient, as I’m a one man operation it somtimes takes me a while to get the estimate done. I go to numerous fountain pen shows (and car shows) across the country.
7. After I get to your repair and estimate the cost you’ll have 30 days to send payment. After 60 days your pen will be considered abandoned and will be used for parts. This 60 day time period begins after I get to your repair, not when you send it.
Each writing instrument that I repair is thoroughly inspected, then cleaned inside and out. The nib is checked and adjusted, if necessary.
Vintage fountain pen restoration often involves repairing parts that were never intended to be repaired. For example, in the 1920’s, if a customer damaged the filigree overlay on a Waterman’s fountain pen, the Waterman’s factory didn’t straighten the overlay, they replaced it with a new one. Since these parts are no longer available, I repair and restore the old parts to the best possible condition. However, if the initial condition was poor, it is tough to make it to look like new. I do the best I can.
In nearly every case, I make the fountain pen function properly as a writing instrument and I restore its appearance. However, there will be a few cases where I will not be able to do this. In these cases, I will let you know that there are issues, so that we can discuss how you wish to proceed. Line width and/or flow adjustments are limited to the factory grind of the nib.
The last step is to polish the entire fountain pen or fountain pencil. I do not use a buffing wheel. ‘Over-enthusiastic’ buffing can damage the material. I have seen fountain pens where the gold filled or gold plated trim was buffed down to the brass underneath; the manufacturer imprints were dimmed or obliterated; the cap & barrel surfaces were overly shiny, or even melted, due to the heat build-up from the friction of a buffing wheel.
Your writing instrument will be hand polished to a correct vintage standard, unless you specifically request that I do not polish it.