Will Not Write - Parker 21

[jody_fpn]

Greeting y'all.

 

I purchased a Parker 21 yesterday - and I cannot get it to write.

 

If I write R--E--A--L--L--Y slow, a faint line goes down.

If I lightly tap the point on paper, puddles of ink slop onto the paper.

 

The pen looks pretty much like new - but does not write.

 

I am thinking to let the ink set in the pen, and maybe the ink will start dissolving blockage.

 

Is this likely to work?

What should be my next step?

 

Thanks - Jody

 

[cleosmama]

Hi, Jody,

 

Did you clean the pen first? If there is dried ink in the pen, it will probably not write. You will have to clean the pen and the converter. Even if the pen looks clean, it may still have dried ink in the feed.

Edited September 13, 2015 by cleosmama

[jody_fpn]

I did NOT clean the pen.

I inked it.

It did not write.

So I soaked it in water for a few minutes and inked it again.

Still not writing - which is where I am at now.

 

Can I clean this thing without taking it apart?

I am afraid I may break something if I take it apart.

 

Thanks,

Jody

[jody_fpn]

To the first person that answered my posting:

I am from Lafayette - although I do not live there at this time.

[inkstainedruth]

You may have to soak the nib for a *whole* lot longer than a few minutes. You may also have to try flushing the nib, feed and sac with a dilute ammonia solution for a while, or try flushing it with one of the commercial flushes on the market.

Search for this (pinned) thread: "You’ve Got Your First Found in the Wild Parker 51 In Your Hand, Now What?" in the search box in the upper right hand corner of the page. While 21s don't have the true Aerometric fill system, the advice will still hold.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[jody_fpn]

--Question:

This is a hooded pen, should it write when dipped?

Mine does not write when dipped.

 

--Cleaned the pen

1. Flushed the ink from the pen

2. Then 1 day of soaking in water, and pumping water through the pen.

 

Nothing but clear water came out of the pen.

 

Regards,

Jody

[Sailor Kenshin]

Pictures of the pen would really help. And if possible, more pics of your dipping and trying to write.

[ac12]

In my experience, hooded nib pens (Parker 21, 51, Lamy 2000) do not work as dip pens.

This is because there is very little to nothing that will suck up the ink from the bottle. It is all covered by the hood.

These pens need to load ink into their ink reservoirs and write from that.

[jody_fpn]

Thank you for the information about not expecting to test by dipping the pen.

 

What should I do next? The pen does not write. I soaked it in water for 24 hours to no effect.

 

I could go back to soaking, OR I could try something else.

 

This forum says I run the risk of breaking the hood if I try to remove it.

I am willing to try removing the hood if that is my next step.

 

thanks everyone.

Jody

[Sailor Kenshin]

Thank you for the information about not expecting to test by dipping the pen.

 

What should I do next? The pen does not write. I soaked it in water for 24 hours to no effect.

 

I could go back to soaking, OR I could try something else.

 

This forum says I run the risk of breaking the hood if I try to remove it.

I am willing to try removing the hood if that is my next step.

 

thanks everyone.

Jody

Could you send it out for repair? Can you try re-inking it and see what happens?

[makas]

Hello Jody

 

How much water will the pen suck up? Do you have a different ink you can try? If you try to remove the hood the outcome may not be good, but it is your pen. Sometimes it just isn't that quick or easy. If I liked the pen the last thing I would want to do to a 21 is take it apart. One thing you can do is post a picture and someone may be able to see something you don't.

 

Good luck

 

Mark

[jody_fpn]

I ran a piece of film negative between the tines, and the pen now writes.

Thanks for your patience in the matter.

Regards,

Jody

[jody_fpn]

>>From Mark: How much water will the pen suck up?

 

The pen was picking up water during the flushing - there was some air space at the top though - but assumed that there will always be some air space at the top.

 

It writes now (not real dark, but it does write) - after the film floss trick.

 

Jody

[jody_fpn]

Moderators: Am I supposed to delete this thread - it seems to be of low value yes?

Or do moderators erase threads?

Thanks,

Jody

[Sailor Kenshin]

Would still love to see pictures.

[jody_fpn]

//edit: Figured out how to post pictures directly, see below.

 

Parker 21, after it started writing:

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/111522549847847949136/September152015Pens?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Edited September 15, 2015 by jody_fpn

[Sailor Kenshin]

Thanks. That's a good-looking pen with a very fine nib, so it's not surprising it writes a light, dry line. Glad you got it to work!

[jody_fpn]

Edited September 15, 2015 by jody_fpn

[jody_fpn]

[jody_fpn]