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Fixing A Parker 75 Bicentennial (Aka "i Might Be In Over My Head")

alexwi

By alexwi
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alexwi Extremely Rare

alexwi

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Hi,

 

I got a Parker 75 Bicentennial whose cap jiggles. Don't know if that's the right term, but when capped, the cap doesn't stay in place, and it moves up and down about half a millimeter. The issue is the inner plastic cap, which needs to be replaced, as the cap behaves the same when I put it on another 75, and other 75 caps work perfectly with the Bicentennial.

 

My problem lies in disassembling the cap. With regular tassies, that's not a big deal, because the tassies are solid, so it's not difficult to get a good grip on them and start turning the cap. This pen, however, has a hollow tassie, and to make things even more fun (the euphemism of the year), they're made of very soft pewter (see picture). As it is, attempt #1 already resulted in a slightly deformed and, even worse, marred tassie.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding WHAT to grab the tassie in a way that I'll have enough friction and not ruin the tassie? If it's something I can pick up at home depot that might serve this purpose, even better.

 

I'll take care of the marring I already caused with a burring tool and will then figure out how to deal with the slight deformation, but one step at a time - I have be first be able to remove the darn thing first.

 

Also, since, as I said, this might be more than I can chew, can I get recommendations on who to send the pen to in case I determine that this is more than I can do?

 

Thanks all and happy thanksgiving!

 

Alex

 

post-143115-0-43894700-1542964334.png

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We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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Parker51

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My suggestion may sound odd, but I suggest you go to a low end antique and collectable shop and buy a cheap peice of damaged pewter from the same time period. It shouldn't be more than 3 or 4 dollars. Then experiment on it. As you indicated, the pen is pewter. Few pens are made from it as it is very soft and easily deformed and damaged. You risk destroying the valuable pen due to your very understandable lack of experience with the metal. You can become the expert on it.

Otherwise you risk doing what my wife did when she was young, but with Sterling, fortunately just a spoon; deforming it due to a lack of knowledge. She never had sterling as a child, so when she was asked by an employer to polish some, without instruction, she treated it as silver plate. Pewter is even softer than silver.

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ardene Vintage

ardene

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The 75 caps have some metallic hooks in them, don't they? A repair by a specialist might not cost very much at all. It might also be easy. I don't know of anyone to recommend in the US unfortunately.

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alexwi Extremely Rare

alexwi

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My suggestion may sound odd, but I suggest you go to a low end antique and collectable shop and buy a cheap peice of damaged pewter from the same time period. It shouldn't be more than 3 or 4 dollars. Then experiment on it. ...

 

Hi P51,

 

The closest thing to an antique shop around here are a Salvation Army and a hospital's charity store. I'll try those next week.

 

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

Alex

---------------------------------------------------------

We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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alexwi Extremely Rare

alexwi

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The 75 caps have some metallic hooks in them, don't they? A repair by a specialist might not cost very much at all. It might also be easy. I don't know of anyone to recommend in the US unfortunately.

 

Hi Ardene,

 

Older P75's have the metallic hooks you mention (metallic clutch). This one's from 1976 and the inner cap is made of plastic. Part of the repair involves replacing the plastic inner cap with a metallic clutch.

 

Alex

---------------------------------------------------------

We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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FarmBoy Museum Piece

FarmBoy

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I believe there should be a small wooden disc in the tassie that appears to be missing.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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alexwi Extremely Rare

alexwi

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The tassie on the pen has the relic, wich is missing from the pictured tassie.

 

I was [amazingly] lucky to find this tassie on ebay (ordered already, just in case).

 

Alex

---------------------------------------------------------

We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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ardene Vintage

ardene

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Hi Ardene,

 

Older P75's have the metallic hooks you mention (metallic clutch). This one's from 1976 and the inner cap is made of plastic. Part of the repair involves replacing the plastic inner cap with a metallic clutch.

 

Alex

 

I didn't know that. I'm sorry I haven't been able to be of any help. Best of luck with the repair.

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alexwi Extremely Rare

alexwi

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No need to apologize Ardene!

 

We're all hear to learn a thing or two :-)

 

Thanks for pitching-in!!!

 

Alex

---------------------------------------------------------

We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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