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What's Shorter Than A Parker Vacumatic Junior (Canadian)?


Paul-in-SF

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What I have is very similar to one that Grandmia Pens did a video about. He called his a Junior, it too was Canadian made, and it looked in every discernible way like mine except for two things. One is that mine is almost 4mm shorter. The other is that mine has three narrow cap bands while his had two. Here's a link for his video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzO7r4vRbck

 

Both pens are lockdown fillers; both pen have date markers on the barrel that say "37" which corresponds to the last year they made lockdown fillers (at least in the US). His nib says 14K and mine doesn't (unless it is buried at the bottom of the nib inside the section, I haven't taken the nib out yet), his was a nice red marble, mine is plain black but with a visualated barrel.

 

Speaking of which, should I be able to see the bladder or sac or whatever this pen has through this visualated barrel? I don't see anything except a long rod which I suspect is the breather tube. When I depress the plunger, the end of the plunger becomes visible just at the top of the visualated area. The pen doesn't take up water so I suspect there is no sac, and that I'm going to have to take it apart. I hope I don't screw it up, it's a nice little pen, even though it's only 118 mm long. Obligatory photo.

 

post-147249-0-28836100-1562796920_thumb.jpg

 

Anyway, is this just an oddball extra-small Canadian Junior? On Richard B's site this size matches approximately a Debutante, but that says that those pens didn't have lockdown fillers because they started in 1938. Maybe Canada was a little ahead in that area?

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A 51 Vacumatic Demi?

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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I have successfully taken the pen apart without any breakage, and cleaned out old bits of diaphragm, so that's one thing. I have also researched how to put on a new diaphragm, which is fairly daunting, possibly requiring some specialized tools.

 

Or not. There seems to be some conflict among what I would call authorities, between an old thread I read on here, and a site that sells such specialized tools. It seems to hinge on whether the part of the pen (I forget what they called it) at the bottom of the barrel (where the blind cap screws on and the button/plunger is attached and the diaphragm's pellet is inserted inside) is a piece that is friction fit into the barrel or is a piece that screws into the barrel. If it is friction fit it can be knocked out; if it is screwed in it may require a specialized tool. Or is either true depending on the model?

 

edited to add: I haven't seen any mention of a lockdown filler demi size in anything that I have read.

Edited by Paul-in-SF
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are you thinking of the pump bushing (threaded) - you can make do and mend with a split nut with appropriate matchng threading, but there are proper tools avaliable (these also have a split to allow for compression when gripping with pliers etc.)

Edited by PaulS
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Many vacs will be found with different fillers than original but the blind cap on that one indicates that it always was a lock down. I no longer have it but think I remember having a debutante with a lock down filler.

PAKMAN

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are you thinking of the pump bushing (threaded) - you can make do and mend with a split nut with appropriate matchng threading, but there are proper tools avaliable (these also have a split to allow for compression when gripping with pliers etc.)

Having read further and more closely, apparently there are two parts: the filler pump's threaded retaining collar, and the pump itself, which can be stuck in the barrel and need to be knocked out (r it might come out easily). So that was my confusion, I thought this was all one piece.

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For your consideration....Read Richard Binder....

How to replace a Vacumatic Diaphragm

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/repair/vac.htm

 

Fountain Pen Anatomy II: The Parker Vacumatic

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/anatomy/vac.htm

 

Profile: The Parker Vacumatic

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/profiles/vac.htm

 

Light years ahead of the video you posted above.

Fred

Edited by Freddy
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Bring the pen to a Posse or a PPPC meeting. I would hate to see a lockdown filler damaged taking it out. The specialized tools also exist at such functions.

PPPC is on the 20th in Sunnyvale. Not sure when the next Posse is but anyone can call one at any time.

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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