1940S Vacumatic Not Filling With Liquid

[mx-fan]

Two days ago I received in the mail my first Vacumatic, a very clean one having a shiny, gold-colored Parker nib and a plastic plunger (therefore it dates from the wartime or post-war years). As soon as I opened the package, I put the section end in water and pushed the working plunger in a number of times. Old ink and bubbles came out into the water and the bubbles and old ink ejection happened during numerous sessions when I'd check the pen. But no water is ever drawn up into the pen so I wonder if something's wrong with the pen. It's impossible to see a breather tube even using a bright light. For some reason unknown to me the pattern of the pen (the pattern running normal to the length of the pen) is extremely dark almost black in two bands running the length of the pen.

 

I don't have an ultrasonic cleaner and know from this forum that it can be risky to use one because of damage to nib plating.

 

Yesterday when I examined the still-standing-in-water pen first thing after getting up, I noticed a blob of inky water at the base of the plunger. I took that as a bad sign.

 

Does it seem that this pen is non-functional for writing for some reason and should be returned? Or does proper functioning just depend on leaving the leaning, standing pen soaking in water for many more days? [i don't think I should leave the pen entirely submerged in water either placed horizontally or near vertically. Correct?]

 

I've never inked this pen because it doesn't even hold water.

Edited February 29, 2016 by mx-fan

[Glenn Atkins]

Did you buy the pen as restored? If not, your pen needs a new diaphragm to create a vacuum to draw the ink into the pen. Replacing the diaphragm requires a special tool to remove the pump bushing from the barrel end and some knowledge of how to do the restoration.

 

Glenn

[icardoth]

It's a normal condition for Vacumatics. The diaphragm need to be replaced after 10-15 years. If the seller listed it as "restored" you should begin a claim, but if you like the pen and the price paid is not unreasonable, then keep it and have the filler restored by a pro.

 

By the way, if your pen has a gold colored nib, it's real gold and not gold plated.

[ac12]

Sounds like a broken diaphram. Do not do anything with the pen, until you have the diaphram replaced.

Send the pen to a pen tech to replace the diaphram, and give the pen a good cleaning at the same time.

 

And as icardoth said, if the pen was represented as restored, file a claim. Cuz the diaphram should have been replaced in a restoration, not just polishing the barrel to make it look pretty. But if no mention was made of the pen being restored, then the monkey is on your back. Unless stated very specifically that the pen was recently restored, it should be assumed that OLD pens will need to be serviced, to replace the ink sac/diaphram. Rubber degrades with time.

Edited March 1, 2016 by ac12

[mx-fan]

My thanks to GAtkins, icardoth, and ac12 for the useful advice and tips.

 

I just dipped the nib of this blue diamond Vacumatic in Parker Quink. The EF nib (which I favor) writes nicely.

 

The seller never wrote that the pen is restored. The seller advertised the pen this way: along with some other words, "This pen is Blue in color, 5" long (6" posted) and in very good condition. I have not inked the pen, but it appears to be in good working order."

 

It seems to me, now that I know I own a non-working pen, that that last part is deceptive, is misleading and would cause some people (I'm one of them) to buy this pen. I suppose I have grounds for returning it since it certainly is not "in good working order" even if a seller says it "appears.....". Also, "[is] in very good condition" also should cover proper functioning but that isn't so.

 

I'll wait to see what users here might write about my latest report.

[inkstainedruth]

My thanks to GAtkins, icardoth, and ac12 for the useful advice and tips.

 

I just dipped the nib of this blue diamond Vacumatic in Parker Quink. The EF nib (which I favor) writes nicely.

 

The seller never wrote that the pen is restored. The seller advertised the pen this way: along with some other words, "This pen is Blue in color, 5" long (6" posted) and in very good condition. I have not inked the pen, but it appears to be in good working order."

 

It seems to me, now that I know I own a non-working pen, that that last part is deceptive, is misleading and would cause some people (I'm one of them) to buy this pen. I suppose I have grounds for returning it since it certainly is not "in good working order" even if a seller says it "appears.....". Also, "[is] in very good condition" also should cover proper functioning but that isn't so.

 

I'll wait to see what users here might write about my latest report.

 

Well, I returned a pen (also a Vac, as it happened) because the seller described it as being in "Very Good Condition". But the photo of the nib was so blurry I asked to see better ones, especially from the underside. And the underside photo did NOT show the tines as being as splayed as they turned out to be. So I returned it (I had been going under the assumption that the diaphragm was toast -- I had not planned on shelling out and *additional* $20-$40 US to have the nib worked on, on top of the $20-$40 I was expecting to pay for replacing the diaphragm and any other repairs to to the pen.

But I'm still waiting for the USPS to figure out where the (H-E-double hockey sticks, only change the word to one beginning with an "F") the package is (last location, Denver as of last night, using the OLD tracking #; the NEW tracking # lost it as of the 23rd, when it supposedly left my regional sort facility. I had a very pointed discussion yesterday with someone in "Customer Service" (after spending several minutes in Voicemail Hell) and my case file has now been escalated; i.e., where they start searching EVERYWHERE (including the Dead Letter Office in Atlanta), but it will take a couple of days.... Of course in the meantime I'm getting tracking info status updates from the old number. And I told the woman I talked to that, no, nobody from here has contacted me -- the ONLY person who has been remotely helpful was the woman in the post office in the seller's location (she left me yet another phone message today, which unfortunately got cut off because my answering machine is now full...). And that I'm STILL considering taking the USPS to Small Claims Court for the cost of the pen + shipping that I won't get back until the seller has the pen back in his little hot hands; PLUS the additional postage I paid to ship it back, plus the $20 they tried to stiff me on for "package intercept" (oh, no Hell no).

Pinged the seller today with a status update, in which I said that this experience has been a nightmare of epic proportions.... And his response was to snark about "technology" and how it was all supposed to be "Better" and "Easier".

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[JonSzanto]

The seller never wrote that the pen is restored. The seller advertised the pen this way: along with some other words, "This pen is Blue in color, 5" long (6" posted) and in very good condition. I have not inked the pen, but it appears to be in good working order."

 

It seems to me, now that I know I own a non-working pen, that that last part is deceptive, is misleading and would cause some people (I'm one of them) to buy this pen. I suppose I have grounds for returning it since it certainly is not "in good working order" even if a seller says it "appears.....". Also, "[is] in very good condition" also should cover proper functioning but that isn't so.

 

Having purchased many a used pen via eBay... this is a lesson. It does NOT say that the pen works and fills properly, as most of the pen sellers - who do or have had the restoration done - will say. This person says it "appears" to be in "working condition". They don't know, and they haven't vouched for it. They certainly do NOT say "the diaphragm has been replaced, and the filling system tested and is working properly". In fact there is nothing to indicate anything beyond surface condition, and is typical of an ad for someone who knows little to nothing of pens.

 

You will need to send the pen to a good repair/restore person, and then you will have a lovely vintage pen that writes well. There are many to choose from, and I happen to have a favorite in Danny Fudge, in terms of skill, short turnaround, and reasonable prices. That said, there are many fine restoration people that can make this pen write again, and it is worth the investment.