Parker 61 Capilary - Request For Assistance

[Maine Vintner]

I recently picked up a Parker 61 capillary filler. I am looking for assistance/insight as to why it's not writing consistently. I have worked with it to the point now where it will write but it's very intermittent.

 

When I first received the pen it did not write at all. I soaked it for several days, flushed it numerous times, and blew all the water out. After that I let the pen soak in ink for two days and it started to write.

 

The pen writes straight lines, figure eights, and words, then skips especially on the letter W. Then it stops writing for an entire line before writing the odd word here and there.

 

So, what am I missing? Is it just a bad capillary? Thank you in advance.

John

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

From the wee bit of info provided, I wonder if the nib+feed ink channel has a chunk of obstinate ink that comes and goes - fluttering. Then again, it could be as simple as residual water in the capillary reservoir.

 

In cases such as this I put forward the notion that a round of 'cleansing ink' should set things right: dissolve any chunky bits; and refresh the capillary system, which is never a bad idea.

> Personally I use ye olde discontinued Parker inks with SOLV-X to do the necessary, but our dear amberleadavis continues to amaze by discovering other options - far more interesting than pulling rabbits out of hats. viz https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/251595-best-ink-to-use-in-between-high-maintenance-inks-something-lubricating/?p=2762032

 

The P61 is ever so wonderful, and deserves to be one of your favourite writers. (My P45s are jealous.)

 

Please let us know how it goes.

Bye,

S1

Edited June 25, 2017 by Sandy1

[Maine Vintner]

Hi S1,

 

A very good suggestion. I will sort through my inks tomorrow and look for some of the inks mentioned. I do have a non-capilary 61 and do love it so I don't want to give up on this one.

 

I will let you all know how it goes. I will also try to post a writing sample; the picture will be worth 10,000 words!

 

Best,

John

[ac12]

The ink that you use could be a problem.

I have some inks that clog most of the pens that I use them ink. Others that will dry out FAST.

So I suggest using Waterman ink as a starting benchmark. If the Waterman ink does not flow reliably, the pen needs to be looked at.

 

As for the skipping.

If you rotate the pen as you write, you could be rotating off the sweet spot of the nib. Then the ink will flow poorly or not at all.

Check to make SURE that you are holding the nib level on the paper.

With a fully hood nib, it can be difficult to determine that you have the nib level. One trick that some use is to align the cap clip with the nib. The cap clip is easier to see than the hooded nib, but the clip is farther from the paper.

[parkergeo]

One of my P61s shows skipping as you describe, along with slow starts when using a number of inks. It's arrow is intact so I've kept it out of the ultrasonic cleaner. Rather than trying to do anything more invasive with the nib or feed, I just feed it Waterman Serenity Blue, an ink that is known to play well with the 61. It always does fine with that particular product.

[Maine Vintner]

Thank you for the Waterman ink suggestions. I will try that this evening. Here is what I have done in the last 24 hours:

- put pen (nib up) in small vial of Goulet pen flush

- wrote for 5 minutes

- manually blew out pen flush

- soaked pen (capillary and nib submerged) in cup of water for an hour

- manually blew about water

- "wrote" for five minutes (really just moved pen across paper to help dry pen and run out any additional ink/water)

 

I will now put in Watermsn overnight. More to come...

John

[77kath]

[tmenyc]

Capillary-filled P61's are made to be used all the time. Some years ago, to get mine to work consistently, I set up a siphon -- snug fitting tube on top of capillary filler, pen standing nib down in very shallow jar, tube connecting on top to a longer tube that was the feed end of a a drip system from above the pen, through the pen, into the shallow jar, which overflowed into a pan below it, for A WEEK...with ammonia-laced water for a few days, then distilled water. After the water, I used dye-based ink and it was fine, but the filler needed to stay wet. After that, it needed a good slow fill with ink to absorb the ink.

 

Terminally annoyed with the pen because no pen of mine is used all the time (now excepting my Pilot Legance, which is...), I ultimately sold it, but when it wrote it wrote beautifully.

 

Tim

Edited June 27, 2017 by tmenyc

[Sasha Royale]

I have two Parker 61 pens. Your procedure seems correct. Try doing it three or four times as long.

Sorry, but it was neglected, and dried ink has clogged the ink path. A couple of hours of soaking may be insufficient to undo years of neglect. Hopefully, the capillary reservoir has not been damaged.

In addition, I bought a rubber, ear bulb, from the infant section of the pharmacy. I trimmed the tip to fit tightly over the capillary part, so I can force clean water through the pen. The device is especially useful in back-flushing, from the nib end.

 

I believe the Parker 61 was a great ideal and excellent engineering, as long as the owner NEVER stops using it. I hope you get yours up to speed. It can be an very good writer.

[inkstainedruth]

When I bought my first 61, the seller told me to stick it under the faucet and let water run down through the capillary filler and out through the nib and feed until it ran clear. I don't do that, because I have hard water where I live -- but I flush distilled water through it that way with a bulb syringe. Although when I did that I ended up writing with the ink that came out of the pen. When it ran dry I did that again, and did so repeatedly till the ink was too light to be legible. Then I flushed it out really well. That pen gets relatively unsaturated and/or wet inks (most recently J Herbin Eclat de Saphir).

Hopefully your pen was not filled with something it shouldn't have been (like India ink). But Sasha is right -- it may have had years of neglect before you got it, and may need to be soaked and flushed a LOT (I'm going through that at the moment with an Esterbrook I got a couple of weeks ago... there have been times when I've considered taking a file to the sides of the collar because of the amount of ink buildup.

Sometimes you just have to get into the zen of pen flushing....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[corgicoupe]

Or buy an Esterbrook from Gary, letting him do all that for you...

[Maine Vintner]

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You are very welcome; happy to be of service ;-)

 

Beautiful pen! Continue to use it in good healt!

 

Best regards,

John

[Maine Vintner]

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You are very welcome; happy to be of service ;-)

 

Beautiful pen! Continue to use it in good healt!

 

Best regards,

John

[Maine Vintner]

Capillary-filled P61's are made to be used all the time. Some years ago, to get mine to work consistently, I set up a siphon -- snug fitting tube on top of capillary filler, pen standing nib down in very shallow jar, tube connecting on top to a longer tube that was the feed end of a a drip system from above the pen, through the pen, into the shallow jar, which overflowed into a pan below it, for A WEEK...with ammonia-laced water for a few days, then distilled water. After the water, I used dye-based ink and it was fine, but the filler needed to stay wet. After that, it needed a good slow fill with ink to absorb the ink.

 

Terminally annoyed with the pen because no pen of mine is used all the time (now excepting my Pilot Legance, which is...), I ultimately sold it, but when it wrote it wrote beautifully.

 

Tim

Wow, that's dedication to the cause! You've inspired me to keep going. One more night of soaking in Waterman serenity blue then I'll try writing tomorrow.

 

Best,

John

[Maine Vintner]

I have two Parker 61 pens. Your procedure seems correct. Try doing it three or four times as long.

Sorry, but it was neglected, and dried ink has clogged the ink path. A couple of hours of soaking may be insufficient to undo years of neglect. Hopefully, the capillary reservoir has not been damaged.

In addition, I bought a rubber, ear bulb, from the infant section of the pharmacy. I trimmed the tip to fit tightly over the capillary part, so I can force clean water through the pen. The device is especially useful in back-flushing, from the nib end.

 

I believe the Parker 61 was a great ideal and excellent engineering, as long as the owner NEVER stops using it. I hope you get yours up to speed. It can be an very good writer.

 

I have read and utilized some past posts from you on the topic of P61s and ear bulbs. I did as you suggested and it worked great to get me this far so I want to acknowledge that and thank you.

 

Now it sounds like I have to be much more patient! Not giving up as I agree they are great writers. My other P61 was a £5 find in a Chiswick UK thrift store; this one is Murphy's revenge :-)

 

Best,

John

[Maine Vintner]

Or buy an Esterbrook from Gary, letting him do all that for you...

What, and miss out on all the fun the others are promising ;-)

[mwpannell]

How's it going with the capillary P61?