Hello, I have this beautiful little Parker 21 that was a gift. The cap inner plastic
near the top jewel disintegrated on me but was able to fix it with some epoxy and
remaining threads. I fill it and last squeeze is out of the ink, so supposedly extra ink
is sucked in with some air. The problem I'm having is that while in the cap, there's always
some ink bleed towards the tip. I don't know if it is because of the suction created
while uncapping or otherwise. Any help is appreciated. The pen writes nice.

I have four 21s. I use them as my "everyday, general purpose" pens. There is a trick to living with them: keep them upright when you are not writing. You don't have to hold them nib-up while you pause to think a minute; just store them upright after you put the cap on. Especially don't leave the pen horizontal overnight.

I think the problem comes from the low-capacity feed used in these pens. When the air in the sac warms up and expands, it can push a little ink out of that feed. The ink runs down the shroud and into the spaces around the clutch ring and the barrel threads. The problem gets worse as you use up the ink and get more air in the sac.

You can actually watch this phenomenon as it happens. Wait until the pen is a little more than half-empty (or a little less than half full ). When the pen is cool (usually in the morning), write with it for a few minutes. Then remove the barrel and, holding the pen nib-up, warm the sac and filler assembly in your hand. Soon, the pen will hork* up a drop of ink.

Paddler

* Hork is a technical term coined by Richard Binder.

Interesting I've never noticed mine doing that. And all this past week I've been using it in warm, unairconditioned class rooms. Although I have noticed that I can let it sit filled for a few weeks and not use it, but when I use it again it always writes. Never gets clogged.

Could you have a Super "21", rather than the original "21"? They have a big "51"-style collector.

-- Brian

Don't think it is a super, The super has the arrow clip and the nib hole is much larger than
on my 51. I've noticed that as I use up the ink, the problem is less and less.
Maybe its just a case of overfill.

The original 21 (ridged clip) is a know blobber -- it will even occasionally flood ink onto the page while you are writing, typically as the ink gets low. The feed was re-designed in the Mk II version (inverted V clip) and the problem is greatly reduced.

I've noticed that all my Parkers of similar design will bleed out a drop or so of ink with wide temperature or air pressure changes if lying horizontal. Four of them one day back when I was restoring a bunch. Quite annoying.

This, I suspect, one of the reasons that people switched to ball points. Less hassle.

Peter

That's what I have.