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Odd Eyedropper Configuration


Uncial

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I have an old eyedropper (at least I think it is very old) which is in black chased rubber. I was cleaning off some of the old ink stains in the threads of the barrel when I noticed that the interior oft he barrel has an inner circle of rubber with a smaller hole in the centre. I have always used the same ink in this, so until now I haven't actually paid a lot of attention to the insides, assuming that it was just a big empty space. Then as I was flicking the remaining water out of it I heard a little click and there seems to be a metal (?) thing inside it too, held in position by the inner circle, but free to move up and down in that area of the barrel. I was wondering if anyone knows why it is there and what purpose it serves. All other eyedroppers I have don't have it.

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Nope, not a button filler; it is definitely an eyedropper. It is very, very plain with a push on cap, a friction fit nib and feed and rounded off at the end of the cap and the end of the barrel. I wondering if it was a sort of strange diaphragm inside to control ink flow. It's still a notorious belcher though.

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I can't get pictures of it (although I could get a pic of the pen) as it's deep inside the barrel. I suspect it is to do with burp prevention, although it doesn't help! I have no idea of the maker.

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Hmm ... Evidently your pen was originally designed by some country's intelligence service as a means of safely carrying secret information. The metal part you hear is obviously a sealed cylinder for carrying microfilm or Minox film. You detected it because with age, the adhesive that held the cylinder to the rubber retaining ring has failed allowing the cylinder to move in the barrel and make noise. No doubt the pen came to the market because some misfortune overtook the agent who was carrying it, leaving her no time to properly dispose of it.

(Or of course it could be some sort of scheme to prevent burping, but what fun would that be?)

ron

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