English Parker Doufold Nib Repair

February 20, 2017

My English Parker Doufold from the 50's w/ a #25 Nib, looks like it got bent over right at the tip. Not sure what happened since it was writing fine last nite? It's laying down a river of ink now & not sure what to make of it? I live in the SF Bay Area & wondering if there are any skilled nib repairmen in my area. If not the B Area..suggestions. Don't want to attempt fixing it myself, since I'm one of those 'fix it till it's broke' types. :-)

Edited February 20, 2017 by Penntellr

February 21, 2017

Hi, until you can rule out incorrect nib set depth, don't screw on the cap too firmly.

February 21, 2017

That's the automatic first thought -- and look inside the cap, make sure nothing got in there that bent the nib under the pressure of the cap being screwed on the pen.

Tim

February 21, 2017

Hi, until you can rule out incorrect nib set depth, don't screw on the cap too firmly.

Bingo...! Measuring the limits w/ my caliper, that's looks like how the nib got bent over...sigh! You think they would have given a bit more wriggle room to prevent this from happening? grrr

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v420/Rnbguitars/IMG_0201_zpsdffyjdwe.jpg

February 21, 2017

Well, that's a shame, but Parker can't really be blamed - really down to the last person to disturb the nib. It looks like a pretty simple bend and should roll out alright. The nib & feed will need to be knocked out and reset.

There's less that can be done about the missing feed fins, but at least we're not talking about snapped off tipping or whathaveyou.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Flounder

February 23, 2017

My English Parker Doufold from the 50's w/ a #25 Nib, looks like it got bent over right at the tip. Not sure what happened since it was writing fine last nite? It's laying down a river of ink now & not sure what to make of it? I live in the SF Bay Area & wondering if there are any skilled nib repairmen in my area. If not the B Area..suggestions. Don't want to attempt fixing it myself, since I'm one of those 'fix it till it's broke' types. :-)

Come to one of our Pen Posse meetings. Farmboy should be able to fix the nib at the Posse. Let us know ahead of time so Todd (Farmboy) can bring the appropriate tools.

Our next meetings is this Sunday at 1:00 pm in Milbrae. Peter's Cafe.

We typically meet once every other week or every week. It's been closer to every week of late.

February 24, 2017

Come to one of our Pen Posse meetings. Farmboy should be able to fix the nib at the Posse. Let us know ahead of time so Todd (Farmboy) can bring the appropriate tools.

Our next meetings is this Sunday at 1:00 pm in Milbrae. Peter's Cafe.

We typically meet once every other week or every week. It's been closer to every week of late.

Thx ~ I'll remember that! I only live a couple miles from Peters' Cafe.

Although, I've already sent the Duofold off for repair...sigh!

February 27, 2017

Thx ~ I'll remember that! I only live a couple miles from Peters' Cafe.
Although, I've already sent the Duofold off for repair...sigh!

Keep us posted as to the outcome of the repairs along with pictures, ok?

February 28, 2017

Keep us posted as to the outcome of the repairs along with pictures, ok?

Will do. Still waiting for the Duofold to be returned to me.

Also: would like to thank AltecGreen for the 'heads up' on the pen party at Peter's Cafe. I did go & Farmboy looked at & smoothed out another problem pens' nib for me. Thx Todd...!

March 16, 2017

Keep us posted as to the outcome of the repairs along with pictures, ok?

The Duofold was returned to me the other day from being repaired. Although the repair looks to be done well, I can't say that it writes like it did before the tip got bent. I hoped it would've come back as good of writer as it was when I 1st got it. :<(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v420/Rnbguitars/IMG_0267_zps5ghy4wtx.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v420/Rnbguitars/IMG_0271_zpszae3zgwx.jpg

But here's the rub....

In the meantime, I had found another Duofold Std & bought it. So, when I got both pens together I began comparing the differences, questioning why the one w/ the bent tip got damaged w/o my knowledge of how? A few guys here said; 'it bottomed out in the cap'...OK, that's sounds reasonable.

Then I got my caliper out & took a few measurements comparing the two Duofolds. The inside length of damage pen's cap is 50.58mm, while the newer pen is 53.44mm. Nearly 3mm's in length difference. Same goes for the caps' length on the outside. I believe the shorter cap belongs to a Duofold Demi. This appears to be why the tip got smished.

Overall length for a Demi supposed to be 125mm while the Std model is 130mm in total length. Both pens are nearly the same length uncapped & both have a #25 Nib, which is correct for a Std Duo Model. They were both ebay deals & I realize it is a (bleep) shoot as to what you get sometimes. Most often, no surprises! I have contacted the seller to see what he's going reply with...if at all? Bottom line, I think along the line, the cap got switched out...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v420/Rnbguitars/IMG_0266_zpsu9tbmev3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v420/Rnbguitars/IMG_0264_zpsc6lqgn3o.jpg

March 16, 2017

sorry to hear of your problems with the bent nib ........ and bearing mind your calculations of cap depth etc. then would agree the reason for the problem may well be the wrong cap on a standard length pen - your measurements for internal cap depths is correct. There is always some minor variation in dimensions, but it wouldn't be enough to create the problem you have assuming there is a correct match of model of cap and barrel.

A rather glaring issue here is that it appears that the barrel imprint for both the demi and the standard pens says PARKER DUOFOLD, at least that's how it reads on my four examples - two demis and two standards - so no way, other than by comparison, to differentiate between the larger and smaller pens........... and that's assuming you have examples of both in front of you, and as far as I can see the clip size and jewel details etc. are the same for both sizes of pen. It's likely therefore that an inexperienced seller would genuinely not know that he was selling a hybrid pen - I'm not excusing the seller - I've bought from some real muppets in the past - but in this instance it's a plausible error, and you may struggle to prove your case that it was deliberate fraud.

The original 1953 U.K. U-tube (aerometric) DUOFOLDS also had Duofold on the nib, plus the letter N for Newhaven - for both sizes of pen - so again no help in differentiating between the two sizes of pen. Some five years later both the N and the word DUOFOLD were dropped from the nib, and replaced with a series of numbers indicating the size of pen (numbers which correspond to model names).

Another common issue which blight all pens and their originality, is the replacement of nibs - it is just possible that your nib may post date the rest of the pen, at least we can probably say your nib is after 1958 since it carries a model No. and not the letter N. All seven models in the U.K. Duofold aerometric range were popular and had a hard life, so nib replacement was no doubt common. I mention this as it's possible that when the nib was replaced maybe it wasn't seated correctly in the section.

The very early examples of the DUOFOLD were date coded - I have a demi which shows the figure 1 with three dots - I forget what that means now....... unfortunately most such early pens are worn and the code is often obliterated.

Almost all of my aerometric filler DUOFOLDS have a thin cap band, apart from the models we're discussing here (and the SUPER 17) - regret I've no idea whether this changed to a thin band, for this model after 1958, or not.

Obviously if you put a standard pen cap on a demi section/barrel there's not a problem with nib clearance - and you'd assume if you reversed this then there could be a problem such as you now have, of probable bent nib due to lack of clearance. However, unless I'm doing something very wrong, then it appears not to be the case - I've just tried standard barrel/section into demi cap, and there looks to be sufficient room to screw home without mangling the nib.

Perhaps others here who might have both sizes would try this reversal (with care) and see what result they get.

Edited March 16, 2017 by PaulS

March 16, 2017

had meant to add............. the op doesn't comment as to how long they owned the pen before the damage occurred - but we would assume there hadn't been a problem until very recently. This does suggest that there may have been a mishap with the pen, unknown perhaps to the op - which caused the bent nib - and the cap clearance issue is innocent of blame after all.

March 17, 2017

That's assuming you have examples of both in front of you, and as far as I can see the clip size and jewel details etc. are the same for both sizes of pen. It's likely therefore that an inexperienced seller would genuinely not know that he was selling a hybrid pen - I'm not excusing the seller -- in this instance it's a plausible error, and you may struggle to prove your case that it was deliberate fraud.

All seven models in the U.K. Duofold aerometric range were popular and had a hard life, so nib replacement was no doubt common. I mention this as it's possible that when the nib was replaced maybe it wasn't seated correctly in the section.

Obviously if you put a standard pen cap on a demi section/barrel there's not a problem with nib clearance - and you'd assume if you reversed this then there could be a problem such as you now have, of probable bent nib due to lack of clearance. However, unless I'm doing something very wrong, then it appears not to be the case - I've just tried standard barrel/section into demi cap, and there looks to be sufficient room to screw home without mangling the nib.
Perhaps others here who might have both sizes would try this reversal (with care) and see what result they get.

Thx for your resolve Paul. Both Duofolds are new to me, bought w/in a months time. The 1st pen was delivered to me 2/13/17. Within a week or so of having it, the nib got bent. I got the 2nd pen after I sent the damaged pen in for repair (2/20/17). I was afraid the pen would not be as good as it was when it came to me, so I began looking for another...

Without the Caps on, you'd be hard-pressed to differentiate between the two pens. Identical lengths & identical Nibs w/ #25 on them. With nearly a 3mm difference on the inside & outside, the caps are clearly 2 different lengths. I did try switching the caps around on the 2 pens, but wasn't about to screw the cap on too much on the 2nd pen for fear of it getting hurt.

Maybe I did jump the gun on getting the pen repaired? What the repairman did was on me, but it needed to be fixed anyway. I got real precise w/ my measurements again & it appears that with the cap screwed down, I have a very minimal of clearance before it bottoms out now. I had initially informed the repairman about this & maybe he did reset the nib further in...Have not spoke w/ him, so I don't know?

No, I don't think it was the sellers' intention was to pass off a pen like this. I have been in correspondence with him & congenial. I hold him w/ high integrity. He is willing to have the pen returned to him, but seeing he's more or less, an innocent bystander, I have empathy for him. I was a bit annoyed over the fact that I've spent $135 for the pen & a repair and still have a cap problem, which I did not cause. However, at this point, I probably just put it to rest & keep the pen. For me, it's a lesson in the learning. I do Luv the English Duofold line & have a few other models from the 40's in house that I'm very content with. Good news is: Don't know how or why, but the pen is now writing as good as it 1st was & that's somewhat comforting. :>)

March 17, 2017

thanks - and good to hear that your pen now writes as it should - congratulations.

Most of the models in this aerometric Duofold range remain common finds in the U.K. - obviously very popular at their inception and no doubt zillions made and sold. The colours lack imagination when compared to other earlier Parker pens, and their writing abilities don't seem to lean toward any flex (or very little). The more choice members of the group are the Senior and Maxima models, the latter being the largest in the group and which carries a No. 50 nib, and comes in at something like 5.5/8".

They make for an interesting series to collect and most are fairly easy to find - plus there are the French made ones.

Worth mentioning perhaps that there is potential confusion within this particular range, regarding the use of the name Duofold, which as we've discussed here was used for the first Newhaven aerometric U-tube filler model - these being the standard and demis - both pens using a size 25 nib.

The next model up (after yours) was called the Senior - something like a smidgen over 5.1/2" in length and provided with what became known as a size 35 nib, and this model was first issued either in 1954 or 1955, and my four examples all have thin cap bands.

Unfortunately, it seems that early examples of this larger (Senior) pen are found frequently with a barrel imprint that simply says PARKER DUOFOLD, and out of my five examples I have only one that shows the word SENIOR on the barrel.

So to avoid confusion when speaking of your pen, and the next one up (the Senior), it would be useful to differentiate them by including the length dimension and if possible the nib number.

Probably true to say that the Maxima (introduced around 1958) is the least commonly found model.

Edited March 17, 2017 by PaulS