I have a TK-matic L that is in great condition except for the cap, which is missing the brown plug to indicate the lead size
I also have a spare TK-matic with a cap, but I am struggling to convince myself that the finishes on both caps are the same. The TK-matic L almost seems to have a more subtle brushed effect, but I could be hallucinating this.
Basically, I want to know if I can swap the caps to have a truly complete piece. If thereās a difference in the finishesāeven a minor oneāthen I donāt want to do this.
They look the same to me. I donāt think FC would bother to manufacture a completely new cap just for the āLā model. But just to be candid, I did have a regular TK-matic for a year or so before I sold it, then got the TK-matic L. I did scrounge up some photosā¦ and they appear to have the same satin silver finish. However, it might be possible that the brown plastic insert at the back end might be a little darker on the āLā model (unless thatās just due to the random chance of aging).
Adding my 2 bits and will echo from what Iāve seen, theyāre pretty much all the same and any variation in the finish is not on purpose.
However I do have one thatās a little different than the others in my collection that Iāve wondered about. In addition to being more polished and less satin, it actually has a lead hardness of HB embossed in the end of the cap rather than being blank and using the silly stickers. Not positive of course, but my current guess is that itās an earlier specimen since I believe the stickers came later down the roadā¦ but Iām not even sure when those came along so just a guess.
I canāt get a good picture, but the only other difference that Iāve found with the caps, is on the inside. On the underside of the brown topper thereās a makerās mark on all of mine that have metal eraser holders. The black one with a brushed finish has a plastic eraser holder and the inside of the cap looks different and also doesnāt have a makerās mark. That one is also a prototype though and one of the only Iāve seen with that font on the clip, so who knows, it was probably made out of the parts bin and canāt be used to correlate much of anything. Now that Iām looking at them all, that one is also slightly darker in color and has āsharperā edges than the rest.
Agreed, a very informative thread. My TK-Matic has the embossed āHBā and I assumed they all came like that. The box came with the lead hardness stickers.
Yep, thatās supposedly a prototype and I donāt think Iāve ever seen that font used on another TK, but it had to have been right? I have to assume as a prototype, the engineer is grabbing whatever they can from the general parts bin available at the timeā¦ but Iām also noticing how squared the edges areā¦ would they stamp one just for a prototype AND use a different font?
Have you or anyone else ever seen this font used on another TK?
Only three of mine came with the lead hardness stickers but unless youāre the original owner, you just donāt know what someone has done. Are you the original owner of this one? I have a few questions if so.
No - ānew old stockā, but obviously the seller couldāve added the stickers.
Can you post a case an embossed pencil came in if you have it please?
Edit: photos of my TK-Matic case. The pamphlet has instructions for the stickers and the cap is recessed at the top, so the stickers made sense to me. But I see your point.
Unfortunately the embossed one I have didnāt come with a box. Interesting to note, the four pamphlets I have do not mention the lead indicator stickers as yours does.
Thatās such a cool piece! Definitely looks like a prototype. I canāt remember off hand, but had you posted about having been fortunate enough to buy some old Faber Castell pieces from someone whoād worked there long ago?
The majority, if not all of them were produced (1979 - 1990) while it was still West Germany but from what Iāve seen so far, they only used Germany on the clip.
If youāre worried about matching metal finishes you can also remove the plastic top and insert it in the other eraser cover. I did this not too long ago in a similar circumstance to yours and there wasnāt any glue; it appeared to just be friction-fit. I used some rubber jar lid grippers for purchase on the parts to avoid marring any surfaces and just twisted+pulled off the top.
None of my tk-matics have any permanent lead grade indicators embossed or imprinted. They all appear to to be first gen to me, so I donāt know if the permanent examples came from later generations? Different markets?
