I came across this new mechanical line by POP bazic. It looks interesting so I decided to buy it for a review. As the pencil was encased in a bag, I could not test it to see if it is working before buying. To my horror, when I got home and opened my newest collection, the mechanism was spoilt. The entire lead practically dropped out when I activated the mechanism. I thought to myself, is this how this particular mechanical pencil is supposed to work or is it a manufacturing defect? Hence, I searched google for some answers.
What I found out was that it was actually a manufacturing defect and that my pencil came without a retainer. The retainer is a integral part of a mechanical pencil's lead advancing mechanism, located in side the tip cap, just before/within the thin sleeve of a mechanical pencil. It has a loose grip on the lead to prevent the entire lead from falling out when you push the lead advance button. Apparently it is usually are made out of rubber or plastic.
As I lost my purchase receipt, I had no choice but to choose between two options. Throw the pen away or try to repair it. I decided with the latter. It was a success, and that is why this post exist. I decided to share my method with everyone in case anyone end up in a situation like me - losing their retainer or purchasing a defective pencil.
Anyway, the first thing that came into my mind was that I needed something to be grippy, small and able to fit into a small area. I have tried many things - blue tack, eraser dust, tissue paper, but they didn't seem to work for long. After some experimentation, I finally found something that works quite well. By the way, this method only works for mechanical pencils that you are able to unscrew the tip to access the sleeve from inside. It involves trying to coat the inside of the sleeve with some substance to provide some grip that a rubber retainer would otherwise provide.
This is what you will need:
1) Glue gun
2) Glue sticks (the plastic glue bars that you feed into the glue gun)
3) A needle that has roughly the same diameter as your lead. 0.5/0.7mm.
4) 1 or 2 pieces of lead (you won't be able to use them anymore)
5) A lighter
What to do:
1) Heat up your glue gun. Press the trigger a few times to feed the glue sticks into the glue gun. Wait for the glue sticks to completely melt. This would take some time. For me, it took about 10 mins. Go take a bath or something.
2) Unscrew the tip of the mechanical pencil. If your mechanical pencil has a unretractable sleeve, you are ready to begin. If your mechanical pencil has a retractable sleeve, try to remove the sleeve from the tip by using a piece of wire or a sharp point. Poke the sharp point where the sleeve would come out from. This should disengage the sleeve, causing it to fall out from the other side.
3) Using the needle, dab some of the hot melted glue from the tip of your gun. Make sure it is just a little bit!
4) This requires steady hands. Slowly and steadily, push the needle into the sleeve. It would get stuck. I pushed the needle into the sleeve in the same direction as how the lead would advance. If you are unable to push it through and the needle is stuck, it is alright. Now pull the needle out from the opposite direction. Now you should have a sleeve that is choked with gooey substance from the inside.
5) Using the lighter, heat the sharp tip of the needle. You might need to hold the needle using gloves or something to prevent your finger from getting burnt. Now from the opposite direction, push the needle through the sleeve. Why I push it from the opposite direction is because, the sleeve would guide my needle into the correct path my lead would take. The gooey substance should be melted by the hot needle. Push it all the way through and pull out. The needle would have some hardened glue on it. Heat the needle using the lighter again. Using tissue paper, clean the needle. Repeat this step until the needle is able to pass through the sleeve without a hard push. I repeated this step 3 times.
6) Now is the trial and error stage. Try to fit a lead through it. If it breaks, there is too much grip. Without heating the needle, place it into the sleeve again and using a hard surface, push the needle to and fro in the sleeve, in attempt to "file" glue that is able to fit the lead.
7) After a few attempts, there should be sufficient grip to allow your mechanical pencil function normally again!
Hope this helps!
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