Cleanup barely helped... Seems whatever engages the grooves on the brass was removed or it wore off.
Robert Oliver
Isn't a ball bearing supposed to be sitting on the dimple of the metal spring (10 oclock position) in your second pic?
I'm not sure...
When you slide the switch, it moves a brass shim up a ramp. Not sure what is supposed to click.
There definitely weren't any springs or bearings in there when I opened it up. I have a feeling there is some spring steel that is missing.
Robert Oliver
I had this problem on a 80mm Componon from a yard sale. Turns out the small steel ball was missing. That is sitting on a leaf spring (phosphor bronze??) and engages radial v-grooves. Selected a ball from a ball point pen, "bold" writing (~1mm diameter ball). Free the ball from the pen tip using a jeweler's file. Clean thoroughly in lighter fluid or similar. Epoxy where it belongs: a small depression in the leaf spring; wait for epoxy to cure; re-assemble: works!
Most times the ball is not epoxied in place, but sitting in a dimple, or in a "tube" with a spring behind it.
p.s. I never thought of salvaging a ball from a ball point pen, but it makes sense. I keep looking in the carpet beneath my work bench when I need one. There must be at least 2 of them there at this time.
Robert Oliver
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