An unexpected package arrived in the post today.  On examination, it proved to be a Conway Stewart 150 which the owner wanted me to repair.  If he had emailed me in advance I could have advised him that I’m not a general pen repairer.  I restore pens for my own sales website and I might do the occasional repair for a customer but that’s all.  Furthermore, I could have told him that I didn’t have any spares for this pen.  It’s one of Conway Stewart’s less desirable late offerings and I tend to avoid them as they are troublesome to repair and there isn’t much demand for them.

You know those television programmes where the experts are called in to put things right after some DIY disaster?  Well, that’s pretty much what this is.

Much chewed with pliers!

What can I say?  There’s about an entire tube of superglue on there!

More glue here too!

The only parts of this pen that can be used again are the barrel, cap and nib.  I think there are two lessons to be learned from this experience.  First, contact your proposed repairer before sending a pen and secondly, take that tube of superglue and throw it as far away as you can.

Sadly, I could do nothing with the pen and had to send it back to its owner with some advice.  I suspect that if he must have a Conway Stewart 150 he’d be cheaper buying one in eBay than having the present sad case repaired.