First Parker 61 Questions

[Pennenut]

How does one clean a capillary filling 61 and subsequently fill it? What are the safest inks to use with this filling system? I don't want to ink the pen yet for fear of ruining it. Waiting to hear from those with far more expertise/knowledge in the use of Parker 61s. Thank you for your advice!

[Glenn-SC]

Get a Baby Nasal Aspirator, Bulb Syringe, Ear Wax Syringe.

Cut the tip off progressively until the inside diameter of the opening is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the capillary filler tube.

Press the bulb over the tube. The bulb should seal tightly on the tube.

You can now put the nib into a container of cool water and pull water into and expel water out of the collector by squeezing the bulb.

Do this until the water has no ink in it.

Remove the bulb and fill with water using the capillary fill method.

[moylek]

You certainly can't go wrong with Park Quink Washable Blue. I have two 61s, and one was dry and fussy - but the PQWB, it's been super reliable.

[max dog]

I let the the pen fill with water through the capillary filler (back of pen) as you normally would ink, and then gently blow air into it through my mouth (like blowing into a straw) to expel the water out of the nib. Repeat until the water begins to run dry. May take a dozen cycles to clean it out.

 

I use Montblanc inks. You probably won't go wrong using any of the major pen brand inks like Waterman, Parker, Pelikan or Sheaffer.

Edited November 5, 2017 by max dog

[nigelg]

To add, if your pen still has the gold arrow attached to the section I'd advise not to "reverse-flush" the pen as there is a good chance that the arrow may detach and become lost. How do I know...........?

[Beechwood]

Good point Nigel.

 

I had a new and unused Parker 61, I made the mistake of listening to people who said its just an ornament if its not used, first time that the pen was filled it was fine, second time I pulled ink through the capillary and that was the last time I saw the arrow.

[mitto]

The arrow is notorious for flying off with no warning. I have seen two disappearing from my pens all of a sudden.

[inkstainedruth]

When I bought my first 61, the seller told me to stick the pen under the faucet, nib down. I don't do that because I have very hard water (if I don't want that gunking my feed, I *certainly* don't want it gunking up a capillary filler!) but I do the flush with a bulb syringe using distilled water. I haven't tried pulling liquid or air through the nib and feed -- only flushing from the back of the capillary filler down through the nib, and that works well.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Hanamizu]

The arrows do tend to come off. I use a strainer when flushing my 61s, just in case the arrow picks that time to let go. I've had two arrows come and off have been lucky enough to find them. They are much smaller than you might think maybe the size of a toenail clipping from your little toe. On the other hand, most of my arrows have stayed on. Although "51"s are my most reliable pens, the 61s are the ones I tend to use the most. HTH

[nigelg]

I've found that in less than ideal lighting the arrow quickly helps to orient the nib for writing. I find I often have to "twirl" the nib on a 51 back and forth for a second or two to find the sweet spot. In the scheme of things no big deal of course, just one of those ever so slight irritations.

[inkstainedruth]

I've found that in less than ideal lighting the arrow quickly helps to orient the nib for writing. I find I often have to "twirl" the nib on a 51 back and forth for a second or two to find the sweet spot. In the scheme of things no big deal of course, just one of those ever so slight irritations.

 

My understanding is that the arrow was supposed to aid in doing just that -- orienting the nib on the page (one of the complaints about 51s and other pens with hooded nibs). But one of mine had long since lost the arrow off the hood before I got it (which is probably why I got such a deal on it on eBay a couple of years ago. I picked up a replacement over the weekend at the Ohio Pen Show -- it's the wrong color but I'm going to try and harvest the arrow off of it.

I do have one question that maybe someone more knowledgeable can answer. I picked up another 61 at the show but discovered after I got home that there is a small crack in the barrel, right at the threading. Can anyone tell me whether the pen is safe to use as is, or if I'm going to have to hold off and not use the pen until I get the barrel repaired or replaced? (I'm thinking in terms of leaks, as opposed to further damage....). It's a capillary filler, and I'm of the opinion that there shouldn't be a lot of issues with leaking simply because of how the capillary system works on 61s (and that one doesn't have to even wipe the teflon shell). But of course I could be way off base, here -- and that using the pen as is just dumb.... So could I have a consensus of opinions here (I have not even tried flushing the pen yet -- I spent Monday doing laundry from the weekend, and yesterday not doing a whole lot except voting and mailing some bills because my back decided to do Bad Things™ ....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[parkergeo]

Another option for flushing is to use a pipette bulb. If you don't work in a lab where they are easy to get, Amazon sells small packets of the 2ml size that slip securely on the capillary filler of a 61 (see picture). I've used both and find I prefer the pipette bulb to the nasal bulb. Once the flush water runs clean, use a "thermometer shake" to very carefully get most of the water out, then stand the pen vertically in a cup with the nib sitting in tissue paper overnight. It should be ready for filling the next day.

 

And speaking of arrows, the other picture shows a product sold as Sugru Moldable Glue being tried out as an arrow replacement. This is a silicone-rubber putty that comes in black, white, red, yellow and royal blue. It appears to adhere well, doesn't stain with the inks I've immersed it in, and fills the arrow cavity better than paint. It won't win any design awards, but it would be nice to have something rather than an empty void for daily-use pens.

 

Here's my question - What's the safest way to get a good arrow out of a cracked section for reuse? They fall out so easily when you don't want them to, but then when you need one as a replacement they will stubbornly stay put...

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Depending on how things go, I prefer to back-flush the 61:

 

Slip a length of soft [surgical] tubing over the nib_arrow - well up the section - then with a siphon introduce a gentle flow exiting thru the ink intake holes.

 

I much prefer the simple aniline low dye-load inks with the P61 - Aurora Blue being a personal favourite, but if there;s MB Royal Blue on your shelves, give it a go. (Hey - who's seen Diamine Syrah? Is it out on the tiles yet again??)

 

Bye,

S1

[Venemo]

I do have one question that maybe someone more knowledgeable can answer. I picked up another 61 at the show but discovered after I got home that there is a small crack in the barrel, right at the threading. Can anyone tell me whether the pen is safe to use as is, or if I'm going to have to hold off and not use the pen until I get the barrel repaired or replaced? (I'm thinking in terms of leaks, as opposed to further damage....). It's a capillary filler, and I'm of the opinion that there shouldn't be a lot of issues with leaking simply because of how the capillary system works on 61s (and that one doesn't have to even wipe the teflon shell). But of course I could be way off base, here -- and that using the pen as is just dumb.... So could I have a consensus of opinions here (I have not even tried flushing the pen yet -- I spent Monday doing laundry from the weekend, and yesterday not doing a whole lot except voting and mailing some bills because my back decided to do Bad Things™ ....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

My own Parker 61 has a hairline crack on the barrel. I used it for a couple of months before it grew to be noticable (before that, it was only a hairline fracture and i thought it's just a scratch), but even then it was mostly an aesthetic issue, and did not impair the usability of the pen. When I got the chance, I took it to a guy who is a proficient pen repairer. He fixed it up, but told me it wasn't easy to do so and if I'm unlucky if may continue to crack.

[inkstainedruth]

 

My own Parker 61 has a hairline crack on the barrel. I used it for a couple of months before it grew to be noticable (before that, it was only a hairline fracture and i thought it's just a scratch), but even then it was mostly an aesthetic issue, and did not impair the usability of the pen. When I got the chance, I took it to a guy who is a proficient pen repairer. He fixed it up, but told me it wasn't easy to do so and if I'm unlucky if may continue to crack.

 

Well, unfortunately in my case the crack is by the threads. My fault entirely (I was going "ooh" over the nib" and not looking the rest of the pen over carefully enough... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Venemo]

 

Well, unfortunately in my case the crack is by the threads. My fault entirely (I was going "ooh" over the nib" and not looking the rest of the pen over carefully enough... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Sorry if I wasn't clear. Yes, my crack is also by the threads. So now that it's fixed, I still have to watch out not to screw the barrel on too tight, because then it would crack again.

Edited November 12, 2017 by Venemo

[mitto]

Well, unfortunately in my case the crack is by the threads. My fault entirely (I was going "ooh" over the nib" and not looking the rest of the pen over carefully enough... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

The crack on the barrel threads is also repairable.

 

BTW, what is the color of your barrel?

[inkstainedruth]

The crack on the barrel threads is also repairable.

 

BTW, what is the color of your barrel?

 

It's -- I guess -- what was designated as "red" (although it looks more like brick red/brown-red to my eye: a bit redder than Cordovan Brown on a 51, if that helps). Lustraloy cap, silver arrow. Not sure which model that makes it (I was told the black one is a "Deluxe" but I don't know enough to be able to differentiate 61 models...).

Oh, and I looked at the pen again when I went to flush it out the other night -- and the crack *isn't* in the barrel, it's in the hood, just in front of the clutch ring. But so far I'm not seeing any leaking (and I'm not getting ink on my fingers -- although that may be because the crack is at the top, sort of in line with the arrow, and I'm not holding the pen at that precise spot).

Did my usual trick of flushing *just* enough to get ink running. Some variety of black ink (guessing maybe modern Quink Black), that's a little on the dry side, but not clogging so far. Forgotten just how much I actually like my other 61s. We'll see how long this one goes with repeated flushing just enough to get the ink started again.... Of course, the problem with pens that hold a lot of ink is that I'm not running through the pens fast enough and trying all the samples I have....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth