Was This A Good Deal?

[SockAddict]

I have no advice to add, but I'm glad you finally got a good picture of the color. It's lovely!

[Venemo]

I have no advice to add, but I'm glad you finally got a good picture of the color. It's lovely!

 

Thanks SockAddict! It indeed is pretty nice.

 

 

Usually you can just unscrew it, but may require some soaking to loosen it. Worst case scenario is applying heat to loosen it (assuming it hasn't been shellac'd on)

 

Here's what I tried so far:

- holding it above boiling water to make the hot steam heat it

- putting it into boiling water

- soaking in cold water

- holding it above a flame (just a candle) for a few seconds

- using a hair dryer

 

The damn thing just won't come off. I managed to move it a bit, though, so maybe there is hope for it yet.

[BT-7274]

 

Thanks! I think I get it now. So the small hole needs to be at the opposite end, not where the feed is, right?

 

 

Sure!

This is how it looks from the side:

*snip for images*

What I meant by 'deformed' is that the connector looks slightly oval (instead of circular), but it doesn't look like a serious problem.

Yup, that's the right orientation of the breather tube.

 

Also, connector looks good. Just need to find the correct size sac. For reference, here's a listing on the US eBay site whose seller will ship internationally. USPS First Class int'l is usually pretty reliable, in my experience.

 

And for a replacement steel breather, also with int'l shipping: here.

[Venemo]

Yup, that's the right orientation of the breather tube.

 

Also, connector looks good. Just need to find the correct size sac. For reference, here's a listing on the US eBay site whose seller will ship internationally. USPS First Class int'l is usually pretty reliable, in my experience.

 

And for a replacement steel breather, also with int'l shipping: here.

 

Thanks for the advice!

Maybe the shipping costs aren't that high after all.

[mariom]

having paid next to nothing for the pen, I would say that a good bet would be to salvage the barrel, nib and hood and just add one of these complete aerometric units from a seller in the UK - click here. Looks like an OK deal.

Edited January 7, 2015 by mariom

[Venemo]

having paid next to nothing for the pen, I would say that a good bet would be to salvage the barrel, nib and hood and just add one of these complete aerometric units from a seller in the UK - click here. Looks like an OK deal.

 

The trouble is, the hood won't come off and I don't dare damage it by trying anything more dangerous than what I already did.

[mariom]

Try a little heat. I've never had to use any more than a hair dryer on the high setting. Soak and flush first to make sure it's not dried ink in the collector that's holding it in place.Heat for a minute or so, wait for it to cool slightly, grip the section and hood with something non-slip (I use a couple of pieces of rubber sheet) and apply firm but not forceful pressure. If it doesn't budge, apply more heat and try again. Repeat till it comes loose. The only time I had a problem was when I tried too hard on a hood that I'd forgotten I had shellaced and cracked it. If it won't come loose however, it's possible that your collector is stuck inside the hood. See this thread for a discussion of that problem.

 

From what I can see, there are several problems with your connector section, and possibly your collector or feed. The deformity in the sac nipple probably indicates that excessive heat has been applied at some stage. The feed should not pull through the collector in my experience. If you have a good cap, nib, barrel and (hopefully) hood for the price you paid, you've done well.

[Venemo]

Try a little heat. I've never had to use any more than a hair dryer on the high setting. Soak and flush first to make sure it's not dried ink in the collector that's holding it in place.Heat for a minute or so, wait for it to cool slightly, grip the section and hood with something non-slip (I use a couple of pieces of rubber sheet) and apply firm but not forceful pressure. If it doesn't budge, apply more heat and try again. Repeat till it comes loose. The only time I had a problem was when I tried too hard on a hood that I'd forgotten I had shellaced and cracked it. If it won't come loose however, it's possible that your collector is stuck inside the hood. See this thread for a discussion of that problem.

 

From what I can see, there are several problems with your connector section, and possibly your collector or feed. The deformity in the sac nipple probably indicates that excessive heat has been applied at some stage. The feed should not pull through the collector in my experience. If you have a good cap, nib, barrel and (hopefully) hood for the price you paid, you've done well.

 

Please read my above post where I detailed what I tried. Did I do anything wrong?

The thread you link to is about the feed being stuck in the collector, which is not the case for me.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Venemo

[mariom]

Sorry, this comes from trying to post in a hurry. This thread details a collector stuck in a hood - this could well be your problem, although if you've moved it a bit you could be OK. Just keep adding heat incrementally until it works. Something to grip the hood and connector with is a good idea. Also, from having another look at your photos, it looks like the sac guard screws onto the connector. If this is the case, it's a very early example of the Aerometric 51, and the hood, if you get it off, won't have a recess for an O-ring. if that is the case, and you go down the path of replacing the aerometric unit, you'll need the appropriate varierty, and the sale I linked to isn't the correct one. The seller I posted the link to has both sorts, with and without the recess, so make sure you order the right one.

 

However, if worst come to worst and the hood is fused to the collector, you're stuck. Given that the feed easily slides out of the collector, it doesn't sound like the collector (or feed) is in very good shape in any case. Worst case is that you've picked up a rare 51 nib cheaply.

[Venemo]

Sorry, this comes from trying to post in a hurry. This thread details a collector stuck in a hood - this could well be your problem, although if you've moved it a bit you could be OK. Just keep adding heat incrementally until it works. Something to grip the hood and connector with is a good idea.

 

Can you recommend something appropriate to grip it with?

(Sorry if this is a stupid question; this is my first time when I seriously need such a tool.)

 

 

Also, from having another look at your photos, it looks like the sac guard screws onto the connector.

 

No, that isn't the case.

If you look closely at my photo (the one that shows the connector from the side), you can see that there are threads the barrel screws onto, and on top of that there are other threads that the sac guard screws onto. The connector is not threaded, it just has those horizontal circular lines.

 

 

However, if worst come to worst and the hood is fused to the collector, you're stuck. Given that the feed easily slides out of the collector, it doesn't sound like the collector (or feed) is in very good shape in any case.

 

I have the impression that the collector works correctly, and the only thing I need is a sac replacement. (And maybe a breather tube replacement.) The feed doesn't slide out that easily, it just pops out if you poke it really hard from the other side.

 

EDIT: as to clarify why I think the collector works well: if I dip the pen into ink (even without the aerometric unit), it collects a considerable amount of ink (because it takes an effort to wash it out afterwards).

 

 

Worst case is that you've picked up a rare 51 nib cheaply.

 

I hope it doesn't come to that

Edited January 8, 2015 by Venemo

[mariom]

 

Can you recommend something appropriate to grip it with?

(Sorry if this is a stupid question; this is my first time when I seriously need such a tool.)

 

 

No, that isn't the case.

If you look closely at my photo (the one that shows the connector from the side), you can see that there are threads the barrel screws onto, and on top of that there are other threads that the sac guard screws onto. The connector is not threaded, it just has those horizontal circular lines.

 

For grip I use something like this . It's a square of texture rubber (presumably synthetic) that is draped over a jar lid to provide purchase on tight lids. We keep a couple in our utensil draw. Should be available from any kitchen utensil shop. It does allow you to exert a significant amount of torque, so if the hood isn't moving, don't over-do it. My experience is only with later aerometrics which have O-rings, and the ring seems to produce some resistance in the first couple of turns when unscrewing the hood.

 

When I refer to the connector, it's the central plastic piece that holds all the bits together, and as you observe, the sac guard screws on to the threads between the sac nipple and barrel threads. According to this and other sources, that makes it an early version. Does the sac guard say "press 6 times to fill"?

[Venemo]

 

For grip I use something like this . It's a square of texture rubber (presumably synthetic) that is draped over a jar lid to provide purchase on tight lids. We keep a couple in our utensil draw. Should be available from any kitchen utensil shop. It does allow you to exert a significant amount of torque, so if the hood isn't moving, don't over-do it

 

Nice, I've never seen that kind of jar opener before. I'll try and look around to see if I can find a shop that sells it.

 

 

My experience is only with later aerometrics which have O-rings, and the ring seems to produce some resistance in the first couple of turns when unscrewing the hood.

 

What's an O-ring? Is it the metallic ring my pen has on top of the hood?

 

 

When I refer to the connector, it's the central plastic piece that holds all the bits together, and as you observe, the sac guard screws on to the threads between the sac nipple and barrel threads. According to this and other sources, that makes it an early version. Does the sac guard say "press 6 times to fill"?

 

Sorry. I thought you meant the term 'connector' as a more political correct term for the 'nipple'.

Yes, the sac guard says "PARKER 51" on one side and "TO FILL PRESS RIBBED BAR 6 TIMES." on the other.

The bottom end of the barrel has the inscription "MADE IN ENGLAND 0" and the bottom of the cap says "PARKER".

[OcalaFlGuy]

Bicycle inner tube. Used. Free most everywhere on earth.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Venemo]

This was pretty bloody business. I hairdryered it until death, squeezed it hard with some rubber and a plier and when I almost gave up, it started moving. After a lot of squeaking and crackling sounds, the hood finally came off.

 

 

Both the hood and the connector is okay, although I had to grip it so hard (even with the rubber) that I almost destroyed the threads on the thing.

 

After this, taking off the collector and the nib was easy. The collector is transparent (instead of the black ones usually shown on pictures) and the nib has an inscription "PARKER", "B. P." (not sure what that means) and "950" which seems to confirm that it was manufactured in 1950.

Both of them had some dried ink on them, so all the stuff is now being soaked in some warm water.

 

Bad news: I managed to break the breather tube, so that settles the question of whether I need to replace it.

[mariom]

This was pretty bloody business. I hairdryered it until death, squeezed it hard with some rubber and a plier and when I almost gave up, it started moving. After a lot of squeaking and crackling sounds, the hood finally came off.

 

Well done, although I'm not sure that "cracking" is a sound I'd like to hear.

 

The nib you have sounds similar to one in one of my 51s, although mine is not an oblique. Also marked BP (Broad point I believe), Made in England, 1950.

 

To answer an earlier question, the metal ring is a "clutch ring" which helps to secure the cap. An O-ring is a rubber type ring which sits below the clutch ring to help seal the hood on later models. There is a small (perhaps 1mm) recess between the edge of the hood and the start of the threads where the O-ring mates with the hood if your pen is of that variant. Yours shouldn't have one, so if you go down the path or replacing the aerometric filler unit, make sure you get one without an O-ring.

 

Now that you have to replace both the breather and the sac, it may just be easier to replace the whole filler.

[Venemo]

First off, thanks mariom for all your helpful answers!

 

 

The nib you have sounds similar to one in one of my 51s, although mine is not an oblique. Also marked BP (Broad point I believe), Made in England, 1950.

 

Nice! I'm not sure if mine really is an oblique, but it does look like one. Apart from dipping it into ink once, I haven't really tested it yet. At that time, it felt like it has a 'sweet spot' - it was very smooth when I held it in a specific angle and not very smooth otherwise. I'll give it a more thorough test once I reassemble the pen successfully.

 

 

To answer an earlier question, the metal ring is a "clutch ring" which helps to secure the cap. An O-ring is a rubber type ring which sits below the clutch ring to help seal the hood on later models. There is a small (perhaps 1mm) recess between the edge of the hood and the start of the threads where the O-ring mates with the hood if your pen is of that variant.

 

Thanks for the explanation. You said it right, mine doesn't have an O-ring.

 

 

Now that you have to replace both the breather and the sac, it may just be easier to replace the whole filler.

 

I'm looking around to see what I options I have.

[mariom]

First off, thanks mariom for all your helpful answers!

 

 

Nice! I'm not sure if mine really is an oblique, but it does look like one. Apart from dipping it into ink once, I haven't really tested it yet. At that time, it felt like it has a 'sweet spot' - it was very smooth when I held it in a specific angle and not very smooth otherwise. I'll give it a more thorough test once I reassemble the pen successfully.

 

 

My pleasure.

 

My similar nib may be the smoothest I have - it literally glides over paper leaving a broad, wet line. However, like yours, it has a definite sweet spot, probably acquired from years of writing by the previous owner. Fortunately for me, that owner must have held the pen in a similar way to me because I don't have too much trouble finding the spot.

[OcalaFlGuy]

David Nishimura sells Stainless steel replacement tubes in the correct size with the side vent hole.

 

Be sure there's not a stub from the old one still in the feed. If there is, there's a pinned topic in Repairs about that.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Venemo]

Be sure there's not a stub from the old one still in the feed. If there is, there's a pinned topic in Repairs about that.

 

Fortunately, there isn't a stub; I could pull it out.

[Venemo]

After soaking the parts overnight and some cleaning, this is what I have:

 

 

Here is a close-up of the nib:

 

 

EDIT: the dark lines on the nib are just shadows.

(and sorry for the bad picture quality)

Edited January 9, 2015 by Venemo