Fun Repair - Radius Extra

[MarcShiman]

On my last trip to Italy, I picked up this pen unrestored. Its a Radius Extra, a "Doric" shaped pen in a gorgeous brown/gold color with a basketweave that runs the length of the barrel. It's a big pen with a big nib, and really destined to be a favorite.

 

OK, so time to dissasemble. Here's what I found:

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2792/4436491315_90a0923daf_o.jpg

 

 

So what do we have here? The barrel is divided in two - the upper half uses a button and a sac to create a vacuum to fill the bottom half of the barrel through a breather tube. Weird. Some say "ingenious". I think its awful, because it doesn't leave much barrel left to fill.

 

Notice the size of the pressure bar and old sac. That's a 20 cut way short. It sits inside a metal sleeve (I figured out why later) and has a washer and button assembly sitting on top. The pressure bar was in decent shape, and for that I was thankful.

 

Here's where I said "Huh?" - the nipple for the sac sits in the center of the barrel. How do I get at that? As it turns out, its suspended in the barrel with a tight fit with rubber edges. In the picture, the piece is sitting to the left of the sleeve. How did I get it out? The universal fountain pen tool - Chinese Takeaway Chopstick whittled down to the right size.

 

Once that came out, I mounted the sac on the nipple, and then had to reseat it in the center of the pen. Ah, the sleeve! Set that baby right down where it was supposed to be. Washer in, button assembly tightened, button put back, and voila! Suction.

 

Unfortunately, the cap has a few cracks, and the nib may need new iridium. I don't do either of those things, But I can't stop now!

 

Marc

[CS388]

So, the ink goes into the lower barrel and the sac is just there to generate suction - not to be filled?

 

Ingeneous! (sic)

 

Where and why the metal sleeve? Is the black part a blind cap?

 

Nice looking pen. How old do you think it is?

[MarcShiman]

The metal sleeve slides over the top of the sac and helps sink the nipple to the center of the barrel. And the black piece on the far right is a blind cap.

 

I am definitely not an Italian Pen expert, but I'm figuring out this is probably late 30's, early 40s.

 

Marc

[LedZepGirl]

Reminds me of a Vacumatic that bred with a Duofold. Sorry for the irrelevant comment.

[Buzz J]

Interesting stuff! Love the exploded view - a great reference tool.

 

Thanks Marc.

 

John