Hi!

I purchased a red/gray striped Parker Duofold and noticed something odd when I install the cap. The cap threads on normally for about 2 turns before any resistance is felt. As I continue to turn, I expect something to stop the cap at some point to prevent damage to the nib. When I look inside the cap, I don't see any inner cap or ledge that stops the inward motion of the pen.

My concern is that some day I will turn too far and either split the cap or damage the nib from turning too far. Is there something in the design of the cap that should stop me before I go too far? I have some Vacumatics that will go only so far before the caps solidly come to a halt. You can look inside those caps and see that they are different from this Duofold.

Could someone tell me if this cap has something missing?

Thanks!
Craig

The Striped Duofold's inner cap is a small tube of hard rubber about 2/3 the length of the nib. It sits on a ledge that's way down there inside the cap. Many of these tubes have shrunk to a shape resembling a wooden keg, and once they shrink like that they tend to fall out. That may be what's going on with your pen. Repair entails finding or fabricating a replacement inner cap and installing it.