Parker 61 Flighter Barrel Replacement

[blindmanpugh]

My Parker 61 Flighter (de Luxe - with Gold Clip and barrel ends), which has been used on a regular basis since it was purchased as a present for me by my parents in the late 70s, early 80s has suddenly become unusable.

 

This is due to the plastic thread inserts inside the barrel becoming worn, and when writing the barrel will suddenly move and become detached.

 

I am trying to find a replacement barrel, but in case this isn't achievable does anyone know if the plastic insert can be replaced?

 

Thanks for any help in advance.

[mitto]

Is the pen capilliary filler or is it the later cartridge/converter version?

 

Any pictures?

Edited November 26, 2017 by mitto

[jchch1950]

Is it possible to use a small piece of silicon tape on the thread?

[mitto]

The threads are different on the two variants of P61. Try to source a replacement barrel.

[Chrissy]

Is it possible to use a small piece of silicon tape on the thread?

 

I would not. That might crack the barrel.

 

Have you looked on ebay? I've seen them on there.

 

Be sure you check that you're getting the right barrel. As mitto says the threads are different between the capillary version and the C/C version

[blindmanpugh]

Thank you for all your replies. I have been checking ebay, and thought about ptfe tape etc However, I was aware that a UK Pen show was taking place some 125 miles for my home yesterday, and thought if i could only get there no doubt someone would be able to help, but unfortunately I was due to work. A welcome phone call late Saturday afternoon informed me that work on Sunday was cancelled. So after a quick phone call to make sure the show was still on and a 6 hour return trip, which included a visit to see some close relatives who sort of lived nearby - ie the purpose of the journey ;-) all was sorted in about 5 minutes.

 

Also ended up spending a lot more money than i intended, but hey that's life!

 

Once again a big thank you for all your suggestions and help.

[PaulS]

quote .................... "Also ended up spending a lot more money than i intended, but hey that's life!​" ... I agree, it's life plus pen shows. I can never go to one of these things and keep within budget - come to that I can never go anywhere and keep within budget.

 

I've cracked BHR and celluloid barrels, for a variety or reasons - most of which have been due to my own carelessness - but I'm sceptical of the comment that a couple of turns of silicon tape might stress a steel barrel to the extent of cracking it. Now that the op has his spare correct barrel all is well, and I'd not recommend such tape as a permanent repair unless you were half way up the Amazon and out of reach of replacements entirely. Has anyone every cracked a steel Flighter barrel on a P61 through such repairs?

 

Of course we might ask the op to experiment on this question - for our future guidance.

Edited November 27, 2017 by PaulS

[Chrissy]

quote .................... "Also ended up spending a lot more money than i intended, but hey that's life!​" ... I agree, it's life plus pen shows. I can never go to one of these things and keep within budget - come to that I can never go anywhere and keep within budget.

 

I've cracked BHR and celluloid barrels, for a variety or reasons - most of which have been due to my own carelessness - but I'm sceptical of the comment that a couple of turns of silicon tape might stress a steel barrel to the extent of cracking it. Now that the op has his spare correct barrel all is well, and I'd not recommend such tape as a permanent repair unless you were half way up the Amazon and out of reach of replacements entirely. Has anyone every cracked a steel Flighter barrel on a P61 through such repairs?

 

Of course we might ask the op to experiment on this question - for our future guidance.

 

The OP was talking about the plastic threads inside the barrel, on the inner plastic barrel. Not the metal barrel itself, so when I suggested that the addition of tape might crack those threads, I was referring to the same plastic ones as the OP was.

[PaulS]

quote from Chrissy ... "That might crack the barrel." We've mentioned silicone tape in some discussions some while back - it's so ultra thin that unless half a roll was used it would seem unlikely to cause damage in a situation such as the op's - but this is to overlook the fact that use of said stuff - if at all - should be a very temporary fix only.

Glad the op resolved his problem in the proper way.

[mitto]

quote .................... Has anyone every cracked a steel Flighter barrel on a P61 through such repairs?

 

 

Yes, Paul. I have seen cracked threads on 61 flighter inner plastic barrels. On both the capilliary as well the C/C versions. Though I don't know what actually might have caused that cracking. I have also seen cracked threads on inner plastic barrels of Sheaffer Targa and P45 Insignia. So I think chances are there that use of silicon tap on section threads might cause stress on the threads of plastic inner barrel even in a metal barrel pen.

Edited November 27, 2017 by mitto

[PaulS]

thanks Khan - I guess I move in the wrong circles and need to get out more. The vast majority of sac pens (older) appear to have 'plastic' barrels, and it's the more recent cartridge pens that have steel ones ......... the odd 'plastic' barrel I have broken/split, but the same has yet to befall me on a metal barrel or the threads on same - the strength of steel is no doubt the reason. I assume that most of us would imagine it to be far more difficult to break a steel barrel than a plastic one, though I'm not going to try and test this theory.

Older plastic barrels with sacs often involved shellac as thread sealant - another reason why older f.ps. sometimes end up broken.

Edited November 27, 2017 by PaulS

[Ron Z]

quote .................... "Also ended up spending a lot more money than i intended, but hey that's life!​" ... I agree, it's life plus pen shows. I can never go to one of these things and keep within budget - come to that I can never go anywhere and keep within budget.

 

I've cracked BHR and celluloid barrels, for a variety or reasons - most of which have been due to my own carelessness - but I'm sceptical of the comment that a couple of turns of silicon tape might stress a steel barrel to the extent of cracking it. Now that the op has his spare correct barrel all is well, and I'd not recommend such tape as a permanent repair unless you were half way up the Amazon and out of reach of replacements entirely. Has anyone every cracked a steel Flighter barrel on a P61 through such repairs?

 

Of course we might ask the op to experiment on this question - for our future guidance.

 

Silicone tape, or teflon tape? The self sealing silicone tape I've used to wrap RF connections on towers is pretty thick stuff.

 

OTOH, teflon tape isn't very thick. But I still wouldn't use it to snug up threads. It could cause a crack, and it displaces - creating a heck of a mess to clean out of threads.

[mitto]

thanks Khan - I guess I move in the wrong circles and need to get out more. The vast majority of sac pens (older) appear to have 'plastic' barrels, and it's the more recent cartridge pens that have steel ones ......... the odd 'plastic' barrel I have broken/split, but the same has yet to befall me on a metal barrel or the threads on same - the strength of steel is no doubt the reason. I assume that most of us would imagine it to be far more difficult to break a steel barrel than a plastic one, though I'm not going to try and test this theory.

Older plastic barrels with sacs often involved shellac as thread sealant - another reason why older f.ps. sometimes end up broken.

 

The steel barrel of Parker flighters (at least the early ones) have the plastic threads in the plastic inner shells/barrels. :)

Edited November 27, 2017 by mitto

[PaulS]

thanks Ron - I was continuing someone else's use of the word silicone, probably without thinking - what I had in mind was the ultra thin plumbers/fitters non-adhesive tape - usually white - used to seal gas joints, I think. Apparently the old style horse hair and mastic allegedly hardens and cracks after fifty years and gasses the occupants in their houses, so now they use ptfe thread seal tape for joints, which is apparently something like 0.075 mm thick - seven and a half hundredths of one millimetre.

Edited November 27, 2017 by PaulS

[Chrissy]

thanks Ron - I was continuing someone else's use of the word silicone, probably without thinking - what I had in mind was the ultra thin plumbers/fitters non-adhesive tape - usually white - used to seal gas joints, I think. Apparently the old style horse hair and mastic allegedly hardens and cracks after fifty years and gasses the occupants in their houses, so now they use ptfe thread seal tape for joints, which is apparently something like 0.075 mm thick - seven and a half hundredths of one millimetre.

 

Just so you're aware, rather than retyping pieces of quotes from posts, if you just press Quote & Reply on the actual post you want to reply to, the white box appears for you to type your reply into with the quoted post already in there.

[PaulS]

all help, in whatever form it comes, is appreciated. However, have to say I don't understand the reasoning as to why entire immediately previous posts are, often, re-quoted, in full. Surely readers of a thread are aware of, and can see, what has just been said - this habit appears to lack an obviousness as to its use - but then I'm old fashioned and am likely to be missing some hidden piece of necessity.

Edited November 27, 2017 by PaulS

[Chrissy]

all help, in whatever form it comes, is appreciated.

You don't have to requote them in full. You can still edit bits inside the quoted post. Like I did

 

I only mentioned it because you quoted a part of Ron's post that was several posts before as well as a piece of my post that was even further back. If you're happy to keep typing out bits like " quote from Chrissy ... "That might crack the barrel." and saying so and so said this or that, then NP.