Hi all repair gurus:

I recently acquired some Parker pens (a Vacumatic 51, a standard 21, and a Super 21), all with hooded nibs.

The nib on the Super 21 was bent and did not write well, so I'm going to replace it myself.

I warmed the hooded section in hot water, and the sealant eventually softened and allowed me to unscrew the hood. Now, the question is:

Do I have to use shellac (as is indicated in the Parker repair manual) to seal the hood back on the threads, or can I just use silicone grease?

As I understand it, the purpose of the shellac is two-fold: To keep the hood from unscrewing, and to keep the ink from leaking back on the threads to the clutch ring.

The silicone grease will definitely accomplish the second aim. To re-align the hood with the new nib in place will take a bit more than "finger tight-ness." So, I'm not really concerned about the hood coming loose.

Ultimately, I know this is my pen, and I can do whatever I want. But, is there some really compelling reason why someone should NOT use silicone grease?

THANKS!

Especially with the 21, silicone grease will make things slippery, and could cause you to over tighten the hood to get it to stay put. That will put stress on the edge of the hood that could lead to cracks.

The advantage of shellac is that you can tighten it until it'sjust snug, and no more. Once the shellac dries, the hood won't loosen on you.

Thanks Ron, these explanations are the answers I have been seeking as to the question of shellacing, particularly 51 hoods, section sealant is better though is it not ?

et

I use shellac especially on clients pens, but even on my own pens, because I don't want the pen to come apart too easily. I use the section sealant only when I have a hood that won't seal properly, as has been the case with some of the fantasy 51s from Argentina. There's also less clean up with shellac.

From what I've seen on the 51s that I restore, Parker used shellac - the sealant used was very thin and light brown, unlike what I've seen on the Vacumatic threads. I also think that shellac is more appropriate because the threads on the 51 hood are very fine, unlike those on the Vacumatic, which are quite coarse by comparison.

OK, I understand the technical reason behind using shellac over silicone grease.

Does shellac soften under the same heat regime that I used to remove the hood in the first place?

It will, within some broad variations. I've run across some whose hoods came loose under a warm look, and some that demanded hours of almost-too-much heat before shifting. I suspect it's a matter of who made the batch of shellac.

I do appreciate a well turned phrase!