I Just Obtained My 1St Parker 61, And I Need Help Getting It Writing!

[djmaher]

Hello,

 

I just got a Parker 61 Silver Jet Flighter, seemingly in decent condition externally, but in unknown internal condition.

 

I know the 61 has a goofy filling system, and is not necessarily everyone's fave pen, but, I'd like to give it a good cleaning, and learn how to use it.

 

Is there anyone who has good experience with the 61 who'd be willing to help?

 

Or, are there guides here that discuss cleaning, filling and use, etc?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[bsenn]

There are a few threads discussing cleaning a 61:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/230131-how-to-clean-a-parker-61-capillary-filler/

 

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/340210-help-with-parker-61-capillary-filler/?fromsearch=1

[inkstainedruth]

Short answer? Remove the barrel, then flush from behind with a bulb syringe over the back of the end of the capillary filler and the nib pointing down. When I bought my first one, the seller said to just run the faucet -- but that's only good if you *don't* have hard water, so I use the bulb syringe and distilled water.

Your choice of course, but I tend to flush just enough to reconstitute the ink, and write with whatever is in the pen. Repeat when it stops writing. I ran the first one for about 4 months -- until the ink was diluted to the point of it being illegible on the page, then flushed the pen really well. Oh and you want to *not* use overly saturated inks when you do fill the pen for real.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[djmaher]

Would doing a pen cleaning solution soak be advisable initially?

 

I'm in no hurry to write with it, and I suppose I want to clean it as well as possible, as I dont know what the internal condition is.

 

Ive also read that the filler is a bit fussy at times, and I dont want to do any damage to the internals.

 

Is the standard pen cleaning solution mix generally ok for all pens, or, are some older vintage pens susceptible to potential "damage" when using modern cleaners?

 

Finally, since the section and filler are all one piece, does soaking the whole thing in plain water help at all to soften up or dissolve some dried, pre existing ink, or is the system closed enough that no significant water is going to get inside where ink can hide?

[inkstainedruth]

I don't use commercial pen flushes, so I can't answer whether that's a good idea or not.

As for soaking the whole thing? I think the whole idea behind the capillary filler is that it's a closed system. I don't thinking soaking it will do much good -- one of mine has a small crack in it (I didn't notice it when I bought it). But I haven't had much in the way of problems with leaks.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[djmaher]

Well, now I know what a 61 looks like, completely disassembled.

 

Fate, in the form of dropping my pen, nib-side down, on the floor, solved that issue for me. Perhaps forced me into a pen-disassembly corner.

 

Now that you are done cringing, at least I can say I now have a rare, right-angle gold pen nib. I will let you know how it writes. LOL I heard it helps you when you want to write around a corner, but, I can't say yet.

 

Since I had really no choice, I decided to take my pen apart. I can tell you that is is different inside, compared to the aforementioned video. It seems that they've made a manufacturing change, at some point, having to do with how the cap filler is attached to the feed. It's completely different than the video.

 

I also now know what the cap filler looks like on the inside. As in, what's actually inside the cap filler. It's a bit of simple, brilliant engineering. To those who have taken one apart, accidentally or otherwise, it's fairly incredible, isn't it? It works, as advertised, even when disassembled! Well, it sucks up water, anyway. LOL

 

My hood didn't crack, so that's intact for now. It was a pain to disassemble, but, it came apart eventually, without deforming, with judicious dipping in very hot water. There was no shellac on the connector, which was a bit of a surprise. It seemed just wedged in tightly.

 

Anyway, I can post photos of the disassembled pen, if that's helpful to those who are brave/desperate enough to give it a go. I wasn't going to disassemble it, but, I really had nothing to lose after I "adjusted" it. Notable would be the differences noted above. And the "corrugated" mylar-type material from inside the cap filler. It sounds/feels like that crinkly clear candy-wrapper stuff, but a bit stiffer. I'm not kidding.

 

Anyway, if someone is interested in photos, I can try to post them. Including the very rare, right-angle nib I now have.

Edited November 30, 2018 by djmaher

[mitto]

Yes, please. Post pictures.

[djmaher]

First, the family group photo.

 

Complete with Holiday Season bad lighting, and odd people showing up in the photo.

 

Note limited edition "right angle" nib, rolled up something or other, and pressure sleeve that binds everything together.

 

As a reminder, do NOT try this at home!

Edited December 1, 2018 by djmaher

[djmaher]

Soon to be famous, right angle nib, for writing around corners.

 

Note: I thought it odd that they would stamp the nib with the Parker imprint, and then punch the hole to raise the alignment tab on the nib. Maybe an anti-copy thing or something.

Edited December 1, 2018 by djmaher

[djmaher]

No, that's not the Holiday Foil or Plastic Wrap.....

 

Mylar, maybe. Stiff, with what looks like tire tracks, to keep the sheets separated from each other, and perforations to allow liquid to pass freely.

 

The sheet had vertical perforations, every inch and a half or so, almost as if to allow someone to tear off just enough for the job, not unlike those select-a-size paper towels you can buy.

 

The sheet measured 6" x 2" or so.

[djmaher]

Fairly normal looking collector. Kind of a crudely drilled breather(?) hole. Note slits in bottom of collector.. I'm thinking at least in part, to keep the collector from cracking when the cap tube is attached, The cap tube is pushed right up against the fins on the collector, and the black retainer/pressure ring is pushed up over the outside of the top of the cap tube, to hold the whole thing together.

 

There is no washer on the collector, as in the video. It makes me wonder if Parker did a manufacture mod of some kind. As to the date of the pen, it's a Stainless Mark II Jet Flighter, which according to Richard, would put it at around 1962ish. Pen was nearly new externally, but full of dried out black ink of some type. You can see the staining on the nib, sort of.

[djmaher]

Ever had a cat roll and entire roll of toilet paper off the roll, because, well, it's there? This is kinda like that.

 

When the feed came out of the cap tube, the "guts" came out with it. Easily, actually. I suspect they were sort of stuck to the feed. The mylar did not unwind much. The black lines you saw was old ink, but most of it was gone, except what you see. The raised ridges on the mylar were smaller in the middle of the roll. It's highly unlikely that the roll was attached somehow to the feed. The ridges alternated, but, there did not seem to be a top or a bottom direction they were pointed in.

 

I carefully took the feed and evenly wound the roll around it, and was able to re insert it into the cap tube. I used the collector to push it down gently, once inside. I left the feed inside, although I did try to pull it out. The mylar came with it, so, I just left it as is. When I get a new nib, I will be able to reassemble it, just as it sits.

 

The photos are as far as the mylar will go.

 

In the bottom inside of the cap tube, there was a three-fingered cup of sorts, It's visible from the outside, when you look at the bottom of the cap tube, through the fill holes, but, I'm uncertain as to its purpose. I didn't try to move it or take it out. I've already pushed my luck way further than I probably should.

Edited December 1, 2018 by djmaher

[djmaher]

So, DO NOT try this at home. LOL

 

This pen belonged to my grandfather. I found it in a box of his things a couple of weeks ago. He passed recently, and it was in a box of his stuff. I didn't even know he had fountain pens. Back in the day, everyone had fountain pens, I suppose.

 

Anyway, the pens has tons of sentimental value to me, even if it may not be a good writer. Believe me, I was sick when I dropped it.

 

I've taken apart a few 51s before, but, I'm no expert. I repeat, I'm no expert. It's the only reason I felt like I might attempt this. And, I supposed I owed it to Grandpa.

 

I was careful, and patient, and likely, a bit lucky. I used warm to hot water to release the hood from the connector. There was no shellac present that I could see, so, I got lucky there too. 61s are notorious for being brittle and cracking and getting deformed. None of that has happened so far.

 

I haven't seen any 61 cap filler "guts" pictures anywhere, so, I thought I'd post these in hopes of demystifying, a tiny bit, just how the system works. Hope it helps someone here. Paying it forward a bit for all the help I've received through the years. The rolled up mylar even soaks up water. That was cool to watch! And, now I get how it works. Simple, brilliant engineering.

 

Anyway, now I have to reassemble the thing, once I get a nib. I'm not even sure it will write when I'm done. Crossing fingers. The orig nib wasn't marked anywhere, but, I suspect a F or an EF. I'm trying to find a M.

 

Feel free to fire off any questions or comments. Like I said, I WOULD NOT recommend trying this. Unless you know the risks, and just cant help yourself.

 

You have been warned. Wish me luck LOL

[mitto]

Thank you for the pictures, djmaher. Nice that you learnt how to tinker with your capilliary filler 61. What tip size replacement nib did you select for your pen? Hope it arrives sooner than later.

 

I picked up 6 units of P61 broad and medium nibs for £60 including shipping charges (for all six). I need just one for one of my 61s. The rest I would use in my English P51s after necessary modifications.

Edited December 1, 2018 by mitto

[Dolganoff]

Great photos and descriptions!

[djmaher]

Well, I managed to get the pen back together, with little trouble. The feed had a bit of crusty buildup, that I cleaned as best as I could. I actually "flossed" it with the nib cleaner that comes with the Pilot Parallel pen. It fit the slits in the feed perfectly, with minimal chance of damage.

 

And, I went easy, as I didnt want to damage the feed. Some crunchy stuff came out (no it wasn't feed bits.) Anyway, does anyone know how long to keep the cap filler in ink, before it takes up a decent amount to write with? Because the pen was basically dry, I don't know how long it takes for ink to saturate the collector, afterwards. I've inked it with J Herbin. The nib is quite fine. It writes, but, with fits and starts. I understand that the 61 had issues along these lines.

 

I might dip the nib, and try to saturate the collector a bit, and see what happens. Suggestions? Should the cap filler, if saturated, provide enough ink to get things going, for a 1st time ink?

 

I took further photos of the reassembly. Nothing special. The main difference was the use of the coupling pressure ring, as opposed to the gasket pictured in the attached video. The cap unit attached to the feed, and the ring pushed up and over the connection, to seal everything together, seemingly. No leaks yet.

Edited December 10, 2018 by djmaher