I have a 3/0 Hunter Case with a sprung hinge. It's the rear hinge. Is there any way of" making it whole again".

Frank Juchniewicz

Frank,

"Sprung" meaning:

1. Opens past 90 degrees.

2. Won't snap close.

3. Ready to fall off.

Do you have a picture of the affected area?

John D. Duvall
Vice President, Education

John

It is #2 on your list.

I have a camera,but have not mastered it yet.But I have every intention of mastering the Beast soon. Those are my wife's orders,as we are going on a trip to the West coast next month.

The case is a Keystone JBoss 14k 25 yr.
Front cover- no problem
Dome-closes w/no problem

Frank Juchniewicz

Frank,

Where on the West coast are you headed to?

The small size of a 3/0 case makes truing the covers very difficult. Without removing the hinge pin and cover, there's not a lot that can be done.

You may want to check and see if the rear cover closes evenly on both sides. If it's warped a little to one side and the hinge is not cracked or damaged, you can try gently tweaking it back until both sides are even.

On a 16s case that had a rear cover that was sprung, I inserted a tiny piece of pegwood between the cuvette and rear cover hinges and applied closing pressure on the rear cover. The rear cover snapped closed after that but I risked doing further damage.

I would recommend finding a place that does case repairs such as Wuischpard & Son.

John D. Duvall
Vice President, Education

John

We will going to San Francisco for seven days. Just going to see the sights,sample some resturants,and relax. I will probably check out some firehouses,if I come across them in my wanderings.

I soaked the hinge in WD-40 for about three days,it was very stiff. That seems to have freed it up some, but it is still stiff in its movement.
From a 90' position,down to about 15' before closure,no problem. From 15' to 0', I have to force it down. It will spring back from 0' to 15'on its own,wont snap when down. Do you think if I removed the hinge pins, I might be able to do something with it.

Frank

Frank Juchniewicz

Frank,

Find someone with an ultrasonic cleaner. Watch cleaning solution may find its way into the affected area of the hinge where heavier oils won't. If that works, dry the case completely and oil the hinges. Also, if you immerse the complete case into a cleaner, the stem and sleeve must be completely dry and lubed. A light application of oil on the case springs wouldn't hurt either.

If the hinge pin moves with the cover during opening and closing, the cover hinge is seized to the hinge pin. This will require the hinge pin to be removed and repaired/replaced.

Again, I would recommend a case repair professional.

John D. Duvall
Vice President, Education

John

Thank you for the advice.I have access to a ultasonic cleaner,I will give it a try. If that doesn't work ,it's on to plan B.



Frank

Frank Juchniewicz