Help With Parker 61 Capillary Filler

[Kenlowe]

Pretty sure he is referring to the arrow on the hood.

 

 

Yes, some call it a dart, some an arrow. The little /\ on the section.

[Aysedasi]

Sorry, silly me.

[PDW]

... I filled the bulb syringe with water and forced several bulbs-full from the back, with some soaking time at the back end in between, and then a few bulbs-full from the front, until it was running as close to clear as I suspect it will get without taking it apart ...

 

I'm sure the experts will put me right, but ISTR that it's not a good idea to force-flush from the nib end. There's a "foam pad" (Marshall and Oldfield, 4th ed.) filter inside the hole-y end of the capillary to stop stuff getting into the capillary when refilling, and forcing water through from the nib end risks blocking this with gunge from the capillary or further down the pen.

[Paul-in-SF]

Thanks for the word of caution. If that's the case, that would certainly be one of those notes that should be included in the sticky.

 

I did make sure to push water from the back end a few times after pushing it from the front; also, I only pushed water from the front after it was running pretty clear. However, I will keep that caution in mind for the future.

[inkstainedruth]

Yes, that's good to know, PDW. Thanks from me as well (although I can't recall ever having done it on my 61s.

I'll admit that I tend to flush the capillary fillers just enough to reconstitute the ink and get it flowing. I've got J Herbin Violet Pensee in the black 61 at the moment, and so far so good (it's been diluted once with just enough distilled water to get the ink running again. And I have used De Atramentis Apple Blossom in one of the other 61s. But I often put Eclat de Saphir in the black 61 in particular, and keep wondering if I should just break down and buy a 100 ml bottle of the stuff and be done with it (I would have last winter when I was in Fountain Pen Hospital in NYC, but they only carried the 30 ml bottles so I had to make do with a backup of that size to the one I have).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Paul-in-SF]

I've been writing with this pen today, and I can't quite figure out why I don't like it much. It doesn't help that I'm going to have to fiddle with the nib to get it writing as smooth and wet as I would like. It seems very small in my hand, even though the length is perfectly adequate; I guess it's the relative slimness that's bothering me. Are these pens the same size as 45's? I've never handled any of those.

 

I bought this pen out of curiosity, and now that it's satisfied I may end up selling this on. At least I can now sell it with the ink cleaned out (once I finish with this fill).

[Aysedasi]

I've never forced any water in from the front (nib) end. Never seen any need to.....

[Kenlowe]

I've been writing with this pen today, and I can't quite figure out why I don't like it much. It doesn't help that I'm going to have to fiddle with the nib to get it writing as smooth and wet as I would like. It seems very small in my hand, even though the length is perfectly adequate; I guess it's the relative slimness that's bothering me. Are these pens the same size as 45's? I've never handled any of those.

 

I bought this pen out of curiosity, and now that it's satisfied I may end up selling this on. At least I can now sell it with the ink cleaned out (once I finish with this fill).

 

The 61 is roughly the same as a 45, or a 51 for that matter. The 61 is often said to have better nibs than either.

 

I used one at school when there was a need to write quickly, which I think is the 61s trump card, they dont have very expressive nibs and unless you are lucky enough to find an oblique then they don't do very much. Most would say that they are better looking than the 51.

 

On top of that they have much worse plastics than the 51, thin gold plating and an awkward filling system, they can be as temperamental as a Hollywood starlet.

 

As someone once said, marry the 51 but admire the legs of the 61.

[inkstainedruth]

As someone once said, marry the 51 but admire the legs of the 61.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Carguy]

I absolutely love my capillary fill 61’s! They always write well. It’s easy to use a baby ear bulb syringe to flush them out.

 

Can’t let ink dry out in them, or they CAN be a pain!

 

MD

[Glenn-SC]

 

The 61 is often said to have better nibs than either.

 

>

 

Most would say that they are better looking than the 51.

 

>

 

As someone once said, marry the 51 but admire the legs of the 61.

I have not heard any of these three, and would disagree with them all.

[Kenlowe]

I have not heard any of these three, and would disagree with them all.

 

 

 

 

Regards

 

 

Ken.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Kenlowe

[Mangrove Jack]

I love using my two P61 capillary filler pens. The P61 feels a little smaller in the hand than the P51, and they both feel great.

I help the capillary action when filling by sucking very lightly on the nib end to speed up the filling and it seems to work fine. I have learned the hard way when to stop.

[PDW]

 

 

>> I love using my two P61 capillary filler pens. The P61 feels a little smaller in the hand than the P51, and they both feel great.

 

Have you tried a P51 Mk3 - much closer to the P61?

 

>> I help the capillary action when filling by sucking very lightly on the nib end to speed up the filling and it seems to work fine. I have learned the hard way when to stop.

 

Do we need a new thread: 'what colour are your lips today'? I confess that I sometimes clean a capillary by blowing from the hole-y end of the capillary, but I hadn't thought of sucking.

[Aysedasi]

I have three capillary filling P51s and I like them a lot. Actually very easy to clean out and fill. I think it's the sheer novelty of them that intrigues me, apart from the fact that my three all write extremely well.

[Mangrove Jack]

>> I love using my two P61 capillary filler pens. The P61 feels a little smaller in the hand than the P51, and they both feel great.

 

Have you tried a P51 Mk3 - much closer to the P61?

 

Do we need a new thread: 'what colour are your lips today'? I confess that I sometimes clean a capillary by blowing from the hole-y end of the capillary, but I hadn't thought of sucking.

Yes I do have a P51 MK III which I like and used this afternoon too 👍

I use a transparent tube fitted over the nib / nib section which lets me see the ink overflow if I get too enthusiastic.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2020 by Mangrove Jack

[inkstainedruth]

I was using the black 61 just this morning, for morning pages duty. It's still got (slightly diluted/reconstituted) J Herbin Violette Pennsee in it.

The only one of my four 61s I've had trouble with is the grey one, which has developed cracks in the hood. So, hopefully, when pen shows start happening again, I can find a replacement hood (I really like the color of the pen).

The only downside I've seen to 61s is that they did use a lower grade plastic for the barrels and hoods (similar, I guess, to what they used for Parker 21s) and that's prone to cracking (I had the same thing happen with my burgundy 21 as with the grey 61).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Jinhao4Rever]

Finally found a cheap enough Parker 61 for myself. I know that this pen is as fragile as a snowflake so I don't want to spend too much on it. But the capillary filler is fascinating and the nib is much smoother than any 51. I got one at $30. It came with a stuck barrel that only can be removed after sonic clean. And right after the cleaning the arrow fell down. The capillary is scratched. But in general it's still in good shape, capillary works and nib writes well. Totally satisfied with it.

[pgomme]

@Jinhao4Rever, I think the sonic cleaner did in the arrow.