I have a Lucas Holder "Smoothie" travel iron to which I am trying to fit a new lead. I have removed the single screw from the top cover but it also seems to be held by a screw near the front which comes up from the soleplate. However, to remove the soleplate in order to gain access to this screw one has to remove the cover first! Can you help with any dismantling instructions, please?

Ron Nether

Ronald Nether, August 2004

Many thanks John, I had the same problem, but in my case the bakelite top was stuck so hard that I didn't beleve you. Perhaps you should have mentioned that the "internal threaded bar" is not actually screwed into the bakelite top, but rather sits in an unthreaded hole just to stop the top from wabbling.

Emil Kane, December 2008

Hiya,
There is only the one screw (visible on the top) that needs to be removed. The internal threaded bar you mention is just to hold the top on straight :-)
A good bit of wriggling will remove the cover and expose an original bakelite terminal block where you can easily replace the wires. It's worth noting that there is no strain relief mechanism inside the iron, so make sure the wire is terminated well or you'l potentially expose the live wires if you push the iron too far in use! :-o
Chat soon.

John Greenwood, November 2008