Koken Barber Chair Repair 1950's Model (Double-Posted Headrest)

Check some of these:

Re: Antique Koken Barber Chair Repair from THREAD Antique Koken Barber Chair Repair posted in General Discussion	05/06/2010 6:41 AM by DP-1	192
		Re: Antique Koken Barber Chair Repair from THREAD Antique Koken Barber Chair Repair posted in General Discussion	05/06/2010 6:01 AM by Guest	192
		Koken Barber Chair Problem - Bad Hydraulic Cylinder? posted in General Discussion	05/21/2009 12:42 PM by Guest	192
		How Do I Remove Frozen Hydraulic Piston? posted in Mechanical Engineering Pathfinder Tags: Restoring an Antique Barber Chair	04/01/2010 7:50 AM by OK-ck	64
		Re: My Koken Chair from THREAD My Koken Chair posted in General Discussion	05/13/2009 4:02 AM by scotchdrnkr	53
		Koken Barber Chair Repair 1950's model (double-posted headrest) posted in General Discussion

Thanks for the reply. I've already read through those threads and came up empty. There were a few people in those threads that seemed like they might have the answer, but they haven't chimed in on this one yet.

Well then:

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4. Barber Chair anyone ?? - Straight Razor Place Forums9 posts - 5 authors - Last post: May 13

Thanks again, lynlynch, but still no answer found! Does anyone here know the answer to my question?

It turns out one of the one-way check valves was broken at some point. the upper (intact) check valve allows oil to flow down into the chamber closed by the plate with the broken valve. The O-ring on the outside of the cylinder is intact and without nicks, cuts, etc. I found the tiny broken pieces of what seemed to be the valves retaining parts. I tried to MacGyver one while watching my twin 6 year-old boys today (FAIL!) I have to pull it apart again in the coming days and fabricate a better valve. The upper check valve (the intact one) keeps the oil flowing downward into a small chamber which is capped by a plate with a second check valve (the broken one). My question is, should the two check valves keep the oil flowing down? I think downward, no? If so, why are there two in the same direction; what does the small chamber do?
-Danny

Update: I removed the failed first try at a check valve and then suddenly remembered that plastics were in their infancy when my chair was designed.

I ended making a simple flat valve out of a plastic container's top; I cut it to fit neatly over the hole in the bottom plate and attached it using two of the piston's mounting screws.

I hope your last fix worked. If not try posting to the other thread. Maybe Herr Heitman will see it and reply. His info is good. Are you south of waco? I am southeast of waco (south of groesbeck). Good luck.