Bent Feeder Fin

[Penman26]

Hi,

I am actually new to using fountain pens, I received a Parker Sonnet fountain pen as a gift and I was doing some research online to know what inks I should and should not use, proper maintenance and such. I took the pen apart for understanding how to properly clean it and I notice that one of the fins on the feeder is slightly bent on the edge, I was curious as to if this would affect the pens operation and if I need to replace the feeder, or if this is something that can happen and it is nothing to worry about. Would it be possible to remove the nib and buy a replacement feeder if necessary, and if so where?

 

Thank you.

[PaulS]

some of these nib units are not cheap, so if replacement not essential then don't. Can't really see too well in your pix, but the obvious test would be to insert a cartridge or fill the converter, and use the pen over some days - this should tell you if there's a problem or not. Welcome to the FPN by the way

[Glenn Atkins]

I don't see anything in either of those pictures that would cause any kind of problems at.

 

Glenn

[tamiya]

I don't see anything in either of those pictures that would cause any kind of problems at.

 

 

i see one...

 

the fact that a brandnew pen was pulled apart BEFORE being tested once, so OP doesn't even know how well/ad the pen performed from its factory-state

 

with no baseline reading, how's OP gunna know if he's reassembled it correctly & performing better/worse than before

 

 

Nothing wrong with the feed's fins... probably just a little squished when stuffed inside the section. Fins are just there to maximise surface area, to store some ink to buffer the flow should the nib suddenly make high demands.

 

Also wasn't aware Parker sold feeds as spareparts... if OP knows where to buy some, pray tell! i could use some Sonnet parts...

[PaulS]

Sonnet f.p. nib units unscrew, and if you have an issue the unit is replaced in its entirety - they can be expensive, depending on the nib material, so perhaps no need to replace unless essential. But what's money if not to be spent and enjoyed

[pajaro]

That fin issue will not cause a noticeable problem. One side of two fins jammed together, out of all those fins.

 

At least you know how the pen fits together. Try to write some, at least a few scribbles, with the pen daily, to keep it from drying out.

[Penman26]

HI everyone,

 

Thank you for responding, I was able to get some inexpensive Manuscript brand ink at a local store to test out the pen's function. There doesn't seem to be any problems with feeding or getting the flow started after sitting for a few hours. So I believe that it may have been some from assembly or something else possibly, but everything seems fine otherwise. I was able to find parts for Parker pens matching the model, they mostly seem to be sold from the UK, one store was selling 18k nibs and such ,however the feeder and nib are sold together, I don't believe they are meant to be separated. The one I found that has a wider selection at reasonable prices is theonlinepencompany.com if anyone is interested.

 

I appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge with me on this topic.

 

Thank you

[tamiya]

Was it hard to unscrew the nib?

 

Truth be told, I too received a new Sonnet last week - a matte black GT, could be from a previous generation.

 

(I haven't bought a Sonnet in 20 odd yrs, my first was when the range first appeared in the 90s!)

 

This new arrival, I found its manufacture to be of very rough quality

 

Am still in two minds whether it's fake or whatnot... on one hand most China efforts aren't that rough; otoh it's nib is stiff as steel yet looks like there's a "750" hallmark partly hidden by the section = weird.

[PaulS]

if you dry heat the section, you should find the nib unit will unscrew fairly easily - you might even use section pliers provided you don't use too much force - then you will be able to read the full nib imprint. I have a matt black example with gold coloured furniture.

Apart from the word Parker, does your cap ring show 'SONNET FRANCE and then a date code? - if it does then I would have thought it was a genuine Parker pen. Unless you heat them, then nib units can be real baskets to move.

[tamiya]

if you dry heat the section, you should find the nib unit will unscrew fairly easily - you might even use section pliers provided you don't use too much force - then you will be able to read the full nib imprint. I have a matt black example with gold coloured furniture. Apart from the word Parker, does your cap ring show 'SONNET FRANCE and then a date code? - if it does then I would have thought it was a genuine Parker pen.

Thanks Paul. Is your matte black GT from a not-current generation?

 

Yes it's got SONNET FRANCE plus some 4-letter code IIIO or thereabouts.

 

I briefly testdipped it, gold plated nib is super stiff compared to my old 18K.

 

It was bought online from a local vendor, looks like endstock clearance. Impulse buy.

 

What gives some comfort is that it's cap & barrel interchange with my existing 1990s Sonnet, the cap pushes on plush and the barrel threads are intercompatible. IMHO most fakes don't bother duplicating to that level of detail, they'd rather spend more time properly finishing theirs hahaha

 

Bit sad to see Parker quality drop so much.

[PaulS]

Using David Nishimura's very useful and helpful data showing post 1970 Parker date codes, then I'm a little confused in trying to relate the code you give to the info. in David's list. There appears not to be an upper case O, although there is an upper case Q, but that doesn't work date wise, and IIIQ translates to 1990, which pre-dates the introduction of the Sonnet.

If we take your code as III only then that gives us third quarter 1994, and if we use QIII then we get third quarter 2000 - so unable to pin this one down as to date - perhaps you might look at the code again.

But there seems no doubt that your pen is a genuine Parker Made in France Sonnet.

 

My pen wasn't purchased new, and I'm not the world's best at identification, but can say that on mine the code is I1 - but unsure of what that means - could be a code for post 2009, which is where David's list seems to end - I think the Sonnet is a current model.

 

nib stiffness brings us back to the eternal gripe against modern Parker pens - nibs like nails - and I can't abide such firmness, and much prefer some flex although it doesn't matter too much since I don't write with my pens. This model did indeed have solid 18k nibs, plus some gold plated ones which assume would be harder than solid gold, but that's an opinion only.

 

Quality drop is due the universal habit of competition - ever spiralling downward prices can be sustained only by reducing the quality of materials and workmanship in order to maintain profit and shareholder dividends - an inevitable consequence with it's effect seen in direct proportion to the degree of influence from the Far East.

 

"Intercompatible" - I like it, but what does it mean

Edited June 18, 2017 by PaulS

[pajaro]

Sonnet nibs are a bit flimsy and susceptible to being bent. I have plenty of them and a few bent nibs. My main complaint about modern Parker nibs is they aren't stiff enough. . I like the 51. Harder to bend by accident.

[PaulS]

are they bending whilst writing - haven't I heard that a well tuned f.p. should leave an ink trail when under just its own weight - or do I have that wrong.? Perhaps this is where flexible nibs score over nails

[Penman26]

Tamiya,

 

I didn't find it stiff to unscrew and I was very gentle with it, since I didnt want to break it. I was told that the pen itself is new old stock, so it was either refurbished or just a pen that couldn't sell.