Modern "big Red"

[pajaro]

A quick snapshots with Big Reds and Parker IM & Pilot Metropolitan sections:

 

http://i65.tinypic.com/2wqwvvl.jpg

 

With Parker IM fine nib

 

http://i64.tinypic.com/14kiogx.jpg

 

With Pilot Metro medium nib

 

http://i63.tinypic.com/2lm0xl4.jpg

 

Sorry for bad pictures, but I didn't have time to set properly...

 

Those look great. As long as the sections have the same threading and you don't have to force them in, those are great solutions, and it's very helpful to know about them. Those old Big Red ballpoint pens look great, and they seem to provide a good seal to keep ink from drying up.

[usk15]

 

Those look great. As long as the sections have the same threading and you don't have to force them in, those are great solutions, and it's very helpful to know about them. Those old Big Red ballpoint pens look great, and they seem to provide a good seal to keep ink from drying up.

 

2 more things about; there is a bit of step on these 2 sections and barrel and you can feel it, also Parker IM section is made of metal and as result is a bit heavier down to the nib.

[carlos.q]

A quick snapshots with Big Reds and Parker IM & Pilot Metropolitan sections:

 

.....

 

With Pilot Metro medium nib

 

http://i63.tinypic.com/2lm0xl4.jpg

 

Sorry for bad pictures, but I didn't have time to set properly...

 

Does the Pilot Metropolitan section fit the Big Red ballpoint without modification?

[usk15]

 

Does the Pilot Metropolitan section fit the Big Red ballpoint without modification?

 

Yes, just like that!

[pajaro]

2 more things about; there is a bit of step on these 2 sections and barrel and you can feel it, also Parker IM section is made of metal and as result is a bit heavier down to the nib.

Even if the IM section is heavy, front heavy is better than back heavy.

[carlos.q]

 

Yes, just like that!

 

Cool!

[pajaro]

I was searching for something else in the Parker forum, when I stumbled on this old thread about repurposing a Parker Big Red ballpoint into a fountain pen. Because of the different possibilities offered in this thread, I thought I would throw it out again in case anyone would like to play with this.

 

I picked up my stars and stripes Big Red today, and it still writes quite well with its medium 18K Sonnet rhodium plated nib.

[ac12]

I got to try the Metro section.

That is a bit cheaper than the Cross Solo, and easier to find.

[pajaro]

I got to try the Metro section.

That is a bit cheaper than the Cross Solo, and easier to find.

Good point. Then I could put a Solo back together. The other Solos I have are the best of my Cross pens, or at least of the pens Cross marketed.

[mitto]

I get to find a big red to convert it into an FP.

[texasspangler]

I got to try the Metro section.

That is a bit cheaper than the Cross Solo, and easier to find.

AC did you try the metro or im with the big red? If so how does it feel and is it worth trying?

 

Coach

Edited June 26, 2018 by texasspangler

[Oggie]

I can't get this to work with a current production Pilot Metropolitan. I have 3 Big Red ballpoint pens, and the Metro doesn't fit any of them, sadly.

[ac12]

AC did you try the metro or im with the big red? If so how does it feel and is it worth trying?

 

Coach

 

Finally got around to testing.

• My Cross Solo sections DO screw into the BR body.
• My IM section DOES screws into the BR body.
  • I don't care for how the shiny SS section looks against the plastic body of the BR. IMHO, the black Cross Solo section and gold plated nib looks better.
  • The metal IM section adds some front weight to the pen, for those that prefer a bit more weight up front.
• My Metro section (early model) does NOT screw into the BR body.
• My Sheaffer 'No Nonsense' sections do NOT screw into the BR body.

So it appears that there are different threaded sections of the Metro and No Nonsense pens. Some will fit and some will not fit. The problem is, you won't know until you try it.

 

When I say "screw into," I mean that I can EASILY screw the section into the BR body. The threads on the section and body match, and NO force is required.

 

BUT I just discovered a problem with this conversion.

Neither the Cross Solo nor the IM sections will seat on the inner cap. The section goes INTO the inner cap,

What that means is that when you screw down the cap, the end of the inner cap will touch the tip of the nib.

Soooo, if you turn the cap too hard, you will twist and damage the nib.

The cap needs a sleeve of the correct inner diameter to accept the nib, and the correct length to seat against the front of the section and keep the tip of nib from touching the end of the cap.

Edited August 27, 2019 by ac12

[Ron Z]

I have a Big Red that came out of the Parker model shop - peace symbol on the top, Parker 75 nib in the section. It works great.

I've modified one to take a Jowo nib unit. I cut off the cone, bored out the section to take the collar, then bored the end so that the flange on the end of the nib unit sat flush with the end of the section, and solvent welded the collar in place. I wasn't in the mood to try to machine threads in the section, and figured that since the nib and feed pulled out easily, there was no need to be able to remove the collar. The only other modification needed was to open up the end of the barrel a bit so that a converter could fit into the barrel.

With an original section it looked good, but would have been better with an unmarked gold plated nib instead of two tone. I don't have a picture of the pen (maybe I should do another) but I do have a picture of the one that Parker did in their model shop.

http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pix/BigRedFP.jpg

[mariom]

I've had one of these Big Red BPs sitting around for a couple of years and just saw this thread, so I might give conversion a go if I can find suitable fountain pen internals to use. Given that (presumably) there's no inner cap to seat the section against, is drying out likely to be a problem?

[ac12]

I've had one of these Big Red BPs sitting around for a couple of years and just saw this thread, so I might give conversion a go if I can find suitable fountain pen internals to use. Given that (presumably) there's no inner cap to seat the section against, is drying out likely to be a problem?

 

If you use a Cross Solo or Parker IM section, the section will NOT seat on the inner cap, it will go into the inner cap.

I confirmed this by taking the cap apart and putting the inner cap on the pen, and the cap went completely down and around the section.

 

IF you find a Sheaffer No-Nonsense FP section that threads, it will seat on the inner cap.

 

Cross sections:

• Pen #2, M nib, has not dried out in the last week, since I inked it up with Monteverde Mercury Noir.
• Pen #1, F nib, has periodically dried up, requiring a dip in water. Waterman black was injected into a dried Cross black cartridge. So some of the drying out might be a clog from the old Cross ink. I should have cleaned out the cartridge first.

But with the section going into the inner cap, I am more afraid of damaging the nib, than the nib drying out.

Luckily I don't crank down my caps, so the nib was not damaged, before I discovered the problem.

I will retire the pens, until I figure out how to put a tube into the inner cap, to seat the section onto. Otherwise, it is a damaged nib, just waiting to happen.

Edited August 28, 2019 by ac12

[pajaro]

I have a Big Red that came out of the Parker model shop - peace symbol on the top, Parker 75 nib in the section. It works great.

 

I've modified one to take a Jowo nib unit. I cut off the cone, bored out the section to take the collar, then bored the end so that the flange on the end of the nib unit sat flush with the end of the section, and solvent welded the collar in place. I wasn't in the mood to try to machine threads in the section, and figured that since the nib and feed pulled out easily, there was no need to be able to remove the collar. The only other modification needed was to open up the end of the barrel a bit so that a converter could fit into the barrel.

 

With an original section it looked good, but would have been better with an unmarked gold plated nib instead of two tone. I don't have a picture of the pen (maybe I should do another) but I do have a picture of the one that Parker did in their model shop.

 

http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pix/BigRedFP.jpg

 

Seriously groovy!

[Ron Z]

I took a little time before dinner and made one of the Big Red fountain pens using a Jowo nib. I cut the cone off of the section and faced the end, then bored out the section and the front end so that the flange on the nib collar is flush with the end of the section. (I should get a picture of that). I didn't solvent weld the nib collar in on this one, but neither will it unscrew easily. I can knock it out if I want to. What I like is that the pen still has has the original section, and you could get an unmarked, or a 14K nib from Brian Gray, who is the distributor for Jowo here in the USA. I tried the Cross Solo nib, and it did fit. I just didn't like the Cross nib in a Parker pen.

The inside of the barrel has ribs to keep the refill from rattling around, so I had to shave them off with a drill bit for a Rotring converter to fit. A slimmer one, like a Cross converter, will fit without any problems.

http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pix/FPBigRed.jpg

[peroride]

Dear @Ron Z may we see these as Pen #2680s at http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pensales.htm ?

 

Pretty please?!

[Ron Z]

I've thought about that, and may make some. I stupidly passed on lot of 4 of the pens at the flea market back at the end of May. The nib on the one shown is really nice, and the combination of pen and nib have me hooked. It'll have to be another one.