Alternate Way To Fill A Parker 61 ?

[Mangrove Jack]

I had one that wouldn't fill but after repeated flushing it nows fills within a minute or two.

How many flushings ?

[mitto]

How many flushings ?

 

Countless. Kept flushing for about a month or so intermittently.

[Mangrove Jack]

Countless. Kept flushing for about a month or so intermittently.

'You gotta be kidding', but I know you are not.

 

Will soaking the pen in water for a day or two cause the section to discolour or cause the arrow marker on the hood to come off ?

[mitto]

Yes, soaking the section in water for longer periods is not advised. The section may or may not disclour but there are chances the arrow would come off. I have heared people saying the arrow was heat set in the section. But I am not sure. What I am sure about is that some kind of adhessive was used to make the arrow stick in its place and that adhessive tend to give up for one reason the other. Here is a beat up 61 section whose arrow came off just last night. The remenants of the adhessive can clearly be seen in the picture.

 

 

 

Edited to add I have been purchasing such beat up 61 sections from local antique stores for parts. I find them either with intact nib but no arrow or with intact arrow but bent nibs. I bought this particular one along with another one for around $2 for both. I have already made a good use of the arrow in another pen of mine that didnt have it.

 

Best.

Edited October 23, 2016 by mitto

[Mangrove Jack]

Mitto, thank you.

[Beechwood]

As Mitto says, its frustrating when you have a perfect 61 and, in my case, the first time it was flushed through the arrow falls away.

 

It also takes a steadier hand than mine to replace the arrow so that the pen looks factory fresh, most attempts have the arrow sitting proud of the section but I have seen reasonable results when people have smoothed off the indent, to look a little like a 51.

 

 

As someone once said, love and use the 51 but admire the 61 from a distance, but to each their own.

[mitto]

As Mitto says, its frustrating when you have a perfect 61 and, in my case, the first time it was flushed through the arrow falls away.

 

It also takes a steadier hand than mine to replace the arrow so that the pen looks factory fresh, most attempts have the arrow sitting proud of the section but I have seen reasonable results when people have smoothed off the indent, to look a little like a 51.

 

 

As someone once said, love and use the 51 but admire the 61 from a distance, but to each their own.

Yes, mine was a brand new / unused / NOS Insignia / Signet and the arrow fell off and disappeared in a few days. I have now a perfect pen after replacing the arrow. And, as you said, I took great care for the replacement arrow to look factory fresh and to not sit proud of the body. Here is how it looks:

 

 

 

 

[Kenlowe]

Thats very impressive, no sign of a crease and looks flush.

 

Was this with superglue or shellac?

[mitto]

With two tube (black and white) mender/filler sold in the local market under the brand name 'Majic Depoxi' on the recess/indent for the arrow. And, after it dried, applied a tiny bit of super glue on the sides so as to tighten/harden the fit. And then polished the sides with great care to even out any excess glue.

Edited October 23, 2016 by mitto

[Mangrove Jack]

Mitto, good work. Professional looking finish.

[mitto]

Mitto, good work. Professional looking finish.

 

Thank you, Mangrove Jack.