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Some Repair/restoration Questions On A Parker 21 Of Varrying Complexity.


ironwampa

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Hi guys,

 

I have a Parker 21 I want to replace the sac in and have some questions.

 

First off is which sac? My searching online has yeilded only results suggesting that sac replacement might be similar the aerometric Parker 51. However when ever such a thing is referenced there is always mention of a pliglass sac which, clearly, my pen does not have.

 

post-119750-0-14964300-1422075058_thumb.jpg

 

As might be visible in the picture the filler is a three push aerometric with a, broken, latex(?) sac.

 

Secondly there is the issue of removing the sac guard where I can't seem to find consistent information.

From what I have gathered, it seems that I can use water for heat on this particular pen but some seem to say never ever use hot water. What is the correct answer?

 

Lastly I have some questions about the integrity, of the "stainless" steel used in the pen. The pressure bar has black gunk on it and I can't quite make certain of whether it has anything to do with corrosion of the stainless steel. The reason I question the stainlessness of the stainless steel is because there also appear to be rust, the red kind, on the inside of the cap. I still don't think it is likely that there is a serious steel corrosion problem but I'm curious of other peoples' opinions on it.

 

post-119750-0-85097600-1422075733_thumb.jpg

 

post-119750-0-85554100-1422075509_thumb.jpg

Note to self: don't try to fix anything without the heat gun handy!

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The sac on a 21 is the same Plyglass sac as found on a 51. If memory serves correct, you need a Demi sized sac but if you purchase a 51 sac from vintagepens.com you can trim it to size or use as is.

The filler shroud pulls off the connector to expose the sac nipple.

 

I would use gentle heat on the very end of the shroud and protect the hood from heat.

 

Why are you replacing the sac?

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

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I had thought that the sac was broken because after having soaked the nib and feed for a while the sac wouldn't fill and no more ink was comming out. But then a few minutes of additional soaking after I made this post ink started gushing out from the nib and feed and the sac came back to life. Was that normal?

Note to self: don't try to fix anything without the heat gun handy!

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Welcome to what is, over the decades, a large club. You have just begun to learn that the Parker 51 and its relatives were very resilient pens. Those Plyglass filler sacs are the stuff of legend. Yes, they do really last and last, and no, you shouldn't give up out of simple impatience.

 

The other lesson to be learned here, which applies to pens other than midcentury hooded-nib Parkers, is that old pens often have dried-up old ink in them. After that ink dissolves and is expelled, it may seem that the pen is almost as good as new. Before dried-up ink decides to do the right thing, a long time may elapse during which you are free to imagine that something fundamental is wrong with the pen. More fundamental than old crud obstructing the free flow of ink.

 

In some cases something major has indeed gone wrong. In very many cases, as you can learn from reading these adventure stories on FPN, the user will gnash his teeth and say "This is taking much too long" until suddenly, as you describe in your second post, the pen frees itself from blockage. Enjoy this experience. It's a thrill when it happens.

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I have also taken the first few steps on my Parker 21 restoration journey. I have a bent clip and would like to remove it from the cap for repair, however, I do not want to cause more damage in the process. Do the 21 caps have the same jewel/screw as the 51's? Any help is much appreciated!

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The Tassie on top is a screw which threads into a plastic inner cap. A wooden dowel pushed into the inner cap and held will hold the inner cap from rotating. Heat before attempting to remove the tassie. I have not had any luck without using a pliers but there is the chance of scratching. The pliers I use was for crimping something and has no teeth, and I use a piece of innertube between the pliers and the tassie.

 

Brian

One test is worth a thousand expert opinions.

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Can you please post a pic of the bent clip. In some cases it is not necessary to remove the clip for repair.

 

Thanks.

 

Glenn

+1. Safer.

One test is worth a thousand expert opinions.

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As I had hoped....make sure you use something between whatever you use to raise the clip up and the cap so as to not scratch the cap....

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/33761-how-can-i-bring-the-clip-closer-to-the-cap/

Edited by GAtkins
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Thanks for this excellent inquiry. Though most members will not be replacing a sac, the discussion

yields a good lesson. Dried ink is a hard "crust", resembling the plastic of a pen barrel.. Flushing

removes ONLY liquid ink. Dried ink has first to be dissolved, in order for flushing to remove it.

A few hours of soaking may not remedy months, or years, of neglect. Be gentle. Be patient.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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As I had hoped....make sure you use something between whatever you use to raise the clip up and the cap so as to not scratch the cap....

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/33761-how-can-i-bring-the-clip-closer-to-the-cap/

 

A piece of drinking straw (Hi El Zorno!) or just some good masking tape over the very end of the clip.

 

[EDIT] I use some of my best pen tools, the wooden coffee stirrer slats, under the clip. They won't scratch and I can add or subtract a stirrer to get the right height for the proper rebending leverage.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Edited by OcalaFlGuy
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"proper rebending leverage"

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Sounds pretty technical. Somewhere in a basement lab an engineering student is feverishly working on their doctoral thesis... Eureka, the Proper Rebending Leverage formula!

 

Brian

One test is worth a thousand expert opinions.

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When presented with a loose clip on a 21, I take the hard road and grab a replacement cap from the box of 21s that have hood issues.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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