Parker VS

[OldGriz]

I have a Parker VS coming....

I was looking at "DA BOOK" and noticed that the sac appears to have a tapered front end.... It also states that the VS often came with a 51 sac....

Do these pens in the wild generally need to be resaced, or am I looking at something in the line of the Aero 51s that generally just need a real good cleaning...

[Ron Z]

It depends on the VS. If it's a US model, you'll want to replace the rubber sac. It has a standard Duofold style pressure bar, and the British AF button unit. The button housing unscrews using a Vac wrench so that you can pull the pressure bar prior to removing the section. These are the most comon ones found, and I've worked on several.

 

If it's a Danish model, IIRC, it will have a 51 plyglass sac and 51 style filler unit. I have to admit that I've had only one of these in my hands, and that was a while ago, so my memory may be a bit hazy.

[Richard]

The button housing unscrews using a Vac wrench so that you can pull the pressure bar prior to removing the section.

Only 1946 VSes have an aluminum button collar (below, left). In 1Q1947, at the same time they changed the acrylic feed to hard rubber, Parker began machining the threaded "collar" integrally with the barrel (below, right). On these pens, you can get the button out by a firm pull/wiggle.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/ref_info/vs_profile/vs_button_1.jpg http://www.richardspens.com/images/ref_info/vs_profile/vs_button_2.jpg

[OldGriz]

OK, judging from the information received it looks like I will have to pull/wiggle (I am assuming this is a technical term ) out the button and then unscrew the section and replace the sac.... What size sac does this pen take.

This is the pen I have coming.... I asked about them in the Parker forum

http://selardo.i8.com/DSC00364.jpg

[Ron Z]

OK, judging from the information received it looks like I will have to pull/wiggle (I am assuming this is a technical term ) out the button and then unscrew the section and replace the sac.... What size sac does this pen take.

This is the pen I have coming.... I asked about them in the Parker forum

http://selardo.i8.com/DSC00364.jpg

I'm assuming a 16 or 18, which I'm sure that you have in stock.

 

Didn't know about the '47 vintage - I've never seen one of them.

 

The plastic feed is kind of fun - you can see the bubbles work their way back up into the sac as you write.

[penmanila]

thanks to this old thread, i was able to resac an NOS 1947 parker VS (yes, i made the mistake of unscrewing the section years ago and taking out the old sac with it, then finding myself unable to put everything back in place). i'd been wondering how to get that button off, and it turns out the vac wrench was the thing--no need, even, to remove the button from its collar. hallelujah!

 

used a #18 sac, btw.

 

and re richard's note above, my VS, curiously, has a 7 date code (with three dots around the 7) and a clear acrylic feed, and a button collar.

Edited April 26, 2012 by penmanila

[Richard]

re richard's note above, my VS, curiously, has a 7 date code (with three dots around the 7) and a clear acrylic feed, and a button collar.

The changeover happened sometime in middle of the first quarter of 1947. Your pen was made during that quarter, and there exist 1Q1947 pens with both configurations; this is how I can state that the change happened in the middle of the quarter.

[Yarizky]

Thank you for this discussion. I just got a Parker VS of 1946 with clear feed and a broken sac. I am just about to order a couple of new sacs. This forum is just great for anybody, not least for a total beginner like myself.

Thank you all for your valuable thoughts, ideas, help and enthusiasm.

Best regards,
Jari Mäntylä
Finland

[Ron Z]

I haven't looked at this since the original post.

 

The comment about the button....  If your pen has the aluminum button and threads at the end of the barrel  you can not pull the button out.  Old Griz would have known that....   The button is firmly locked in the thread unit.  The good news is that if you have a vac wrench or block, you can unscrew the thread bushing from the barrel, and the button of course will come with it.  Then you can pull the pressure bar out and safely remove the section.  You may need to warm the barrel to get the section out.

 

Take a look at these articles before you start.