Duofold Rollerball --> FP conversion

[Jarno]

I would like to convert a Parker Duofold rollerball to a fountain pen. Are the threads of the RB section and FP section the same?

From an older thread I gather that some work is needed to allow a converter to fit in the barrel, and that long cartridges will fit without modification, is this correct?

Could someone with both the RB and FP try to swap sections?

 

Thanks!

 

Best regards,

 

Jarno Verhoeven.

 

[Alriel]

I have an International size Duofold rollerball that I can swap an International size fountain pen nib unit if I wanted to. There would be some work required to fit the converter, but I opted to modify the converter instead of the pen barrel. I sanded the end of the converter down so much that the worm gear sticks out if you try to draw up too much fluid!

I would recommend to go this route just so you can go back and forth between RB and FP. Converters are cheaper than Duofold barrels.

 

Regards,

Al

[Jarno]

Hello Al,

 

Thanks for the reply, I think I saw a review of short converters somewhere, perhaps those are an option as well.

I guess that because the rollerball refills are loose in the section, they need something to keep them in place in the barrel. I could try to drill this out in the lathe,

and use a small metal insert to convert it back to RB-mode. This would also give the pen a bit more heft. Decisions, decisions.

 

Are there more people who have done a succesful conversion from RB to FP in a Parker (I guess there are some people who have done this in a Sonnet?)?.

 

Best regards,

 

Jarno Verhoeven.

 

[lewertowski]

The Barell of the RB is not the same than the barell of the FP, in the RB barell there is a screw to stopped the RB refill, if you remove this screw you can use this barell to fit a nib, the problem is the same for all WATERMAN and PARKER rollerball, J.M.L.

[Jarno]

Bonjour Jean-Michel,

 

That's all the encouragement I need!

Let's go on a shopping spree.

 

Best regards,

 

Jarno.

 

[lairddouglas]

The barrel for the international fountain pen and roller ball are the same. where the issue comes in is the plug in the back of the barrel. Unlike other Parker pens from earlier periods this plug is not removable from inside the barrel. to remove the plug you will need to apply low heat to the end cap. This will loosen the adhesive which the end cap is held tight by. Unscrew the end cap and remove the small plastic plug and you now have a fountain pen barrel.

[tipstricks]

I would know if rollerball is in both size (international and centennial) or not.

Thanks

[lewertowski]

I would know if rollerball is in both size (international and centennial) or not.

Thanks

 

Only the Fountain Pens are available in CENTENNIAL ( and INTERNATIONAL) size, J.M.L.

[Jarno]

How do you apply "low heat", are we talking hairdryer or paintstripper (high heat being an open flame)? And with what kind of glue to put it back together?

Sounds like a pretty scary thing to do.

 

Regards,

 

Jarno.

 

 

[tipstricks]

Only the Fountain Pens are available in CENTENNIAL ( and INTERNATIONAL) size, J.M.L.

 

Je vous remercie, Monsieur Lewertowski!

[entertainment]

Here is a photo showing the end cap and rollerball plug removed from the barrel. The rollerball plug has a flange, as shown, that prevents it from being extracted without removing the end cap as lairddouglas stated.

 

 

(Earlier versions of the Duofold with flat trim rings have a threaded end cap that screws directly into the barrel with no connector, at least on the Centennial. These have a brass liner inside the barrel. I have not seen a rollerball version of this type though.)