Parker 61 capillary

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

What is the 61 capillary filler material made of? I see that is is red, but what is it?

 

I have a "First edition" grey Parker 61. You can start that now.

 

Anyway, I have that crazy bulb thing to flush the 61, so anyone who has a dirty 61...I will do it for free.

 

Dillon

[Blade Runner]

Hi Dillo,

 

Say you have an inked P61 and want to put it away into storage.

What do you do?

 

Cheers,

Jeen

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

You should clean it really well.

 

Dillon

[Richard]

It's not always red. It is a plastic sheet, quite likely a vinyl or maybe a variety of HDPE. It has holes punched all over with a sharp point that extrudes the edges of the punched holes. These extruded edges keep the layers from touching when the sheet is rolled up like paper towels. The space they create is just right for capillary action to pull ink in between the layers. They also provide the path by which ink travels from one layer to the next on its path to the center, where there is a long feed with a channel to route the ink to the collector.

[Dillo]

It's not always red. It is a plastic sheet, quite likely a vinyl or maybe a variety of HDPE. It has holes punched all over with a sharp point that extrudes the edges of the punched holes. These extruded edges keep the layers from touching when the sheet is rolled up like paper towels. The space they create is just right for capillary action to pull ink in between the layers. They also provide the path by which ink travels from one layer to the next on its path to the center, where there is a long feed with a channel to route the ink to the collector.

Hi,

 

Nice, thanks Richard. That way, I think it is quite possible to clean it much more easily than if it were a wick. :bonk:

 

Dillon

[Richard]

Say you have an inked P61 and want to put it away into storage.

What do you do?

Cut the nose off a rubber ear syringe so that the remaining opening fits tightly over the capillary cell. Use the syringe to force the ink out of the pen, then use it to force cool water through the pen in both directions until it comes out clear, then force air through to drive out as much of the water as possible. Then swaddle the nib end of the pen in a few layers of paper towel and shake the pen down using a flip of the wrist to drive out the remaining water.

[Blade Runner]

Thanks again Richard.

 

Regards,

Jeen

[Glenn-SC]

I just won a red 61.

Pretty pen.

I've been soaking it all weekend and dirty water has been sloooooowly coming out.

Guess I need to get a bulb.

 

edited to add:

BTW are 61s dated coded?

Edited January 30, 2006 by Glenn-SC

[Richard]

BTW are 61s dated coded?

Not so far as I know. Parker had discontinued date coding by 1954, and the 61 was introduced for the 1956 Christmas season. The 61 lasted until 1982, but date coding resumed irregularly after Parker started it again in 1980, and my guess is that the 61, on its way out, would not have been a prime candidate for dating. If there are dated 61s, they will be C/C fillers.

[Johnny Appleseed]

What is the 61 capillary filler material made of? I see that is is red, but what is it?

 

I'm no expert on these, but I seem to remember reading somewhere on Jim's PenHero site that the filler material is actually white but that Parker used a red ink to test it with, so it came from the factory with a pink or redish look to the filler unit. If so, you may have a mint "un-inked" (outside the factory at least) pen.

 

John

[konstantinos_d]

Here is a nice site with info on the 61, got towards the end, it talks about the "Parker 61 ink ejector", the original tool with which the 61 was supposed to be cleaned, a syringe with a hermetic seal to the filler. It would be interesting if one could find one of these.

 

http://www.pentrace.com/2002/article042502_178.html

[konstantinos_d]

I am looking at a very nice "Rage Red" 61 Classic with the capillary fillind system. Is it possible to replace it completely with a converter ?

[Johnny Appleseed]

I believe all 61s can be converted - though I would have a professional do it.

 

I would also recommend against it. There are a fair number of converted pens out there already, and while rage red is a hard-to-find color, it should be findable. I think converted pens usually bring a lower price as well, but it has been a while since I was looking for one of these. As the pool of working capillary fillers gets smaller, they will become rarer and more valuable.

 

On the other hand, if the capillary feed is not working and not repairable, then feel free.

 

And of course, if you buy it, it is your choice what you do with it, but one enthusiast to another I would say to keep the capillary filler.

 

John

[konstantinos_d]

I absolutely agree. I thought the conversion was and easier and reversible procedure. The 61 I am negotiating is an uninked capillary filler, that I would like to use, but it would be a real pity to ink such a rare pen just to try it out and use it every now and then, hence the thought about the converter. I wouldn't even consider such an invasive procedure.

 

PS. I must apologize, my intention was not to hijack the thread.

[Richard]

I thought the conversion was and easier and reversible procedure.

It's not easy, and it's not reversible. I can do it, I have the parts; I charge $50.00. But I prefer not to do it for the reasons Johnny Appleseed gives.

 

You don't need a special Parker tool to flush a capillary 61. Go to the drugstore and buy a rubber ear syringe. Cut part of the nose off, leaving an opening that will fit tightly on the capillary cell. That's all the tool you need.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/shared/61_syringe.jpg

 

There are Rage Red C/C pens out there. The number of them in the wild is, however, one fewer than it might be, because this one is mine:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/61_cc.jpg

[Glenn-SC]

Richard,

 

If got a Rage Red like yours but with a brush steel cap and a gold arrow clip.