Challenger Question

[mphstteach]

I think, by the clip, this would be a late Challenger model, seller THOUGHT it was a challenge and I concur. Thoughts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Parker-Challenger-Fountain-Pen-Grey-Gray-Black-Celluloid-/161487450340?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&autorefresh=true&hash=item259966f0e4&nma=true&si=hqkSx7uF%252BZAlIv%252BO8fU4A%252FPTG18%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[icardoth]

It's not marked as Challenger, so it should be a "depression" pen, quite similar and from the same period as Challengers

[mphstteach]

It's not marked as Challenger, so it should be a "depression" pen, quite similar and from the same period as Challengers

Interesting; do these have a model name or just the nickname depression era pens?

[OcalaFlGuy]

Here's mine. I could never get the nib and feed set correctly...

 

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[mphstteach]

I took a chance on mine for a cheap price and hope it works

[OcalaFlGuy]

I took a chance on mine for a cheap price and hope it works

 

I did the zoom in thingie on all the pics. It looks pretty clean to me. Needs a nice polish job. The nib looks nice and straight.

 

You should start searching on resaccing Challenger posts, if you don't need them now, you will. (Assuming you haven't done a button filler before.)

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[mphstteach]

I have never done a button filler; is it easy for a guy to do at home or should I just go ahead and email the write pen again? LOL

[OcalaFlGuy]

If you've resacced a lever filler, this is a good next choice.

 

I Wouldn't do this one as your first resac, not when Danny charges so little.

 

There's not a lot of Challenger restore posts but they are there, use the site Googler too.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Brian-McQueen]

If you look at the plastic of the pen shown in the eBay auction, you will see that it is different from the plastic that Bruce's pen has. Bruce's pen is a proper Deluxe Challenger.

 

The pen in the eBay auction, however, is not a Challenger, but is very closely related to one. It doesn't REALLY have a model name, so we call them "Challenger-like" Thrift Pens to avoid confusion with other "Thrift Pen" styles. The pen in the auction has regular Challenger plastic and Deluxe Challenger cap bands. Take a look at this article over at FPB for further discussion on these types of pen: http://fountainpenboard.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2236-parkers-challenger-like-thrift-time-pens/

[OcalaFlGuy]

Aren't the button fillers in each of them the same?

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Brian-McQueen]

Aren't the button fillers in each of them the same?

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

 

Yes, they are essentially the same pen. The button fillers are the same. Just cap band variations, more or less.

[mphstteach]

Wow so much to learn! Glad to get my hands on one of these even if it is a thrift pen; I think anything that survives 80 years is worth collecting.

[OcalaFlGuy]

The 3 things I remember are;

 

The button should (carefully) pull right off and slip right back onto the pressure bar.

 

You put the resacced section in first, then the pressure bar from the button end, to avoid twisting the sac on the pressure bar.

 

Magic doesn't hold the J-bar in place, there's a micro-lip on the bar that catches on the end of the inside of the barrel.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Brian-McQueen]

Wow so much to learn! Glad to get my hands on one of these even if it is a thrift pen; I think anything that survives 80 years is worth collecting.

 

I'd rather have the thrift pen than a Challenger anyway. It's a nice example of an uncommon pen.