Is This A Wick I See Before Me?

[Corvus77]

Pulling apart a Skyline today to replace a broken sac I noticed something curled in the end of the section. See pictures attached. It was curled back into the section, though I suspect it was supposed to run out into the sac. As you can see from the second picture, it wouldn't have run very far even as then, because it is quite short. Well, actually you can't see that,because I can't get that file to upload for some reason. (Suspect my files are too big, but don't know how to make them smaller.) At any rate, my other skylines have had breather tubes, but I have heard that some had "wicks". This doesn't look very wickish (wickable? wicked?), however,as it is just hard plastic. Is that what this is? Can it be replaced with a breather tube that will extend further into the sac?

[LedZepGirl]

I only have one Skyline and it has a breather tube, but I have a Sheaffer Lifetime Balance that has something similar in the section. When I pulled it out I was like WTH! but I left it alone because I figured it was supposed to be in there. The one in my Sheaffer doesn't go into the sac at all, but fits down in side a hole in the section of the pen.

 

I'm interested to find out if it's a wick too, since breather tubes seem the norm in Skylines and also many other pens of the era.

Edited July 18, 2011 by LedZepGirl

[ticoun]

maybe it serves the same purpose as parker's "lucky curve" feed, draining the ink back into the sac when stored nib up.

[SigmaZuiko]

I have a deep green standard sized Skyline and inside was the same piece that you have, but not mangled out of shape. I forgot where I read it, but some early skylines had a wick rather than a breather tube (possibly also ones that were sent in for repair as well?).

 

I have since replaced it with a breather tube since the wick was loose in the feed and I didn't want it floating around in the ink sac.

 

Edited August 11, 2011 by SigmaZuiko

[Ray-Vigo]

The Skyline I worked on last night had one. These pens clean up nicely. The nib/feed to section fit was a bit of an issue at first. Unfortunately it was a stub-ish nib, which is not very useful to me. I may try to seek out parts for it at the DC show this weekend. I'd love a medium-fine nail for it.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Ray-Vigo