Fountain Pen Sac Size Guide For Repairers

[Richard]

In response to a dearth of requests, I have just created a Fountain Pen Sac Size Guide for Repairers.

[kirchh]

Not sure you really mean "dearth"...

--Daniel

[Chi Town]

Thanks Richard

[Ron Z]

Not that sac size is an absolute.....

[viclip]

Yet another great resource on your terrific site, provided for all to benefit from...thx!

[professionaldilettante]

Would It be possible to include a table of sac dimensions for those of us who are into tinkering?

[Richard]

Not sure you really mean "dearth"...

Dave Guard (banjo player and resident humorist for the Kingston Trio) once remarked during a concert at the Hungry I that the Trio would play the next tune in response to a diminishing number of requests. I always liked Guard.

[Richard]

Would It be possible to include a table of sac dimensions for those of us who are into tinkering?

Please be more specific — I don't understand what you're asking for.

[JonSzanto]

Richard!

 

Thanks for the resource - as timing would have it, I'm gearing up to do my first re-sacs. 3 are very straight-forward (Estie J/SJ), but one is a Sheaffer Touchdown Tuckaway. I believe it to be a #17 sac, the info of which I seem to recall I got on David Nishimura's site. I don't see it in your Sheaffer table - do you concur with that sac size?

 

Cheers,

Jon

Edited April 13, 2012 by JonSzanto

[professionaldilettante]

Would It be possible to include a table of sac dimensions for those of us who are into tinkering?

Please be more specific — I don't understand what you're asking for.

I wanted to stick a sac over the mating end of a halved Sailor cartridge to increase ink capacity, and I wasn't sure of what size sac I'd need.

[kirchh]

Not sure you really mean "dearth"...

Dave Guard (banjo player and resident humorist for the Kingston Trio) once remarked during a concert at the Hungry I that the Trio would play the next tune in response to a diminishing number of requests. I always liked Guard.

From the responses so far, it seems reports of its dearth have been greatly exaggerated...

 

--Daniel

Edited April 13, 2012 by kirchh

[fhhcpen]

What is the sac size number for short pens like Waterman 452 1/2? Is it the same as 45 1/2 and trim it?

 

 

[Richard]

… one is a Sheaffer Touchdown Tuckaway. I believe it to be a #17 sac, the info of which I seem to recall I got on David Nishimura's site. I don't see it in your Sheaffer table - do you concur with that sac size?

It should be a 17¹/₂x1⁷/₁₆ N. Since that size isn't available, you can use a 17. But a better choice would be a 17¹/₂x1¹¹/₁₆ N, cut to length. It won't be necked, but it will still hold if shellacked properly. The advantage of using the slightly larger diameter is that the pen won't hork up so much ink when you pull the plunger out because the sac won't have as much room to expand under the partial vacuum. All this technical stuff — fun, huh?

[Richard]

What is the sac size number for short pens like Waterman 452 1/2? Is it the same as 45 1/2 and trim it?

The 452¹/₂ is a full-length pen, not a short pen. It has the same internal diameter as the 52¹/₂, and it uses the same sac. (The 4 in its number refers to the sterling overlay, and that goes on over a standard-size barrel.) The 452¹/₂V is the short version, and it uses the same sac. As for trimming, all straight sacs need to be trimmed to fit the pen; there are instructions here. And there is an explanation of Waterman's Standard Numbering System here.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Richard

[JonSzanto]

It should be a 17¹/₂x1⁷/₁₆ N. Since that size isn't available, you can use a 17. But a better choice would be a 17¹/₂x1¹¹/₁₆ N, cut to length. It won't be necked, but it will still hold if shellacked properly. The advantage of using the slightly larger diameter is that the pen won't hork up so much ink when you pull the plunger out because the sac won't have as much room to expand under the partial vacuum.

Xlnt, just the kind of stuff I needed to know.

 

All this technical stuff — fun, huh?

Well, basically... yikes! Except that I'm drawing the line at the re-sacing - anything beyond this goes to a professional,

[Richard]

I wanted to stick a sac over the mating end of a halved Sailor cartridge to increase ink capacity, and I wasn't sure of what size sac I'd need.

The dimension you need is simply the outside diameter. It's the sac number times ¹/₆₄". Thus, a Nº 16 sac is ¹⁶/₆₄" in diameter. That's ¹/₄", or 6.35 mm. For your purposes, the stretch in putting this sac over a ¹/₄" tube would do the job nicely. Adjust the sac size to the diameter you need.

[adyf]

Nice resource Richard, thank you.

[adyf]

Could Conway Stewart be added to the list at some point please? I have a couple of 58's and aren't sure of their sac size.

[puss in pens]

Just can't help myself...

 

sack size isn't eveything

 

 

Puss

[professionaldilettante]

I wanted to stick a sac over the mating end of a halved Sailor cartridge to increase ink capacity, and I wasn't sure of what size sac I'd need.

The dimension you need is simply the outside diameter. It's the sac number times ¹/₆₄". Thus, a Nº 16 sac is ¹⁶/₆₄" in diameter. That's ¹/₄", or 6.35 mm. For your purposes, the stretch in putting this sac over a ¹/₄" tube would do the job nicely. Adjust the sac size to the diameter you need.

Thank You! This is just what I've been looking for.