I have two HandiLamp model 200’s, which I have refurbished to the best of my abilities thus far. They both seal and make pressure, hold pressure and light, but then suffer the black mantle after guttering. I have ‘serviced’ the generators, using heating and dunking, then some time in the ultrasonic cleaner. Both suffer from missing pricker wire. I believe this is the critical problem. One of them had the wire bent downwards and jammed in the jet. It broke off when I tried coaxing it into position and I never found it again. I have not been able to remove the pricker rod from the valve and I don’t know if it unscrews or some other method. I don’t want to break them by ham-fisting them out. I am asking for instructions on the removal and possible fettling of new prickles. I don’t have suitable wires, and I am not experienced in brazing skills. I have seen and enjoyed Darryl Durdins posts on pricker making and wonder how to proceed. I tried with Sands…no luck there.
