Those Ewarts taps can certainly be a pig to refurbish. One thing that helps with the corks is to soak them in Castor Oil, available from most Chemists. It does not last long though.
I'm currently running a pair of taper cock taps, new stock, which will last for a little while before they either sieze up or start to leak. They don't answer to lapping in very well because of the hole in the taper makes the lapping in unequal.
If you do have them it pays to exercise them or they will sieze up, which I found out when trying to go on to reserve, in the dark, a few years ago. It took much banging on the small end to free it up.
As has been said the Gas Cocks seem to be the way to go, those who have fitted them say they work and last a long time.
I'm currently running a pair of taper cock taps, new stock, which will last for a little while before they either sieze up or start to leak. They don't answer to lapping in very well because of the hole in the taper makes the lapping in unequal.
If you do have them it pays to exercise them or they will sieze up, which I found out when trying to go on to reserve, in the dark, a few years ago. It took much banging on the small end to free it up.
As has been said the Gas Cocks seem to be the way to go, those who have fitted them say they work and last a long time.