Sticky Parker Vector Ink Converter

[fiberdrunk]

I use a lot of Parker Vectors with iron gall inks. The pens don't give me a problem at all with this ink, but the ink converters do. The slide on the converter often gets stuck. This happens with Noodlers Bad Blue Heron ink, too, so I'm thinking it's the converters rather than anything to do with the ink. Is there a way to disassemble these converters and perhaps grease them somehow so that they don't become stuck? This is the slide-type converter and not the twist type one Parker makes. I use a lot of these and many of them have had this happen. Thanks!

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTMwWDkwMA==/z/k1oAAOxy4c5Ro5zv/$(KGrHqVHJF!FGSed61BgBRo5zvgsFg~~60_35.JPG

Edited October 29, 2014 by fiberdrunk

[londonbooks]

I use a lot of Parker Vectors with iron gall inks. The pens don't give me a problem at all with this ink, but the ink converters do. The slide on the converter often gets stuck. This happens with Noodlers Bad Blue Heron ink, too, so I'm thinking it's the converters rather than anything to do with the ink. Is there a way to disassemble these converters and perhaps grease them somehow so that they don't become stuck? This is the slide-type converter and not the twist type one Parker makes. I use a lot of these and many of them have had this happen. Thanks!

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTMwWDkwMA==/z/k1oAAOxy4c5Ro5zv/$(KGrHqVHJF!FGSed61BgBRo5zvgsFg~~60_35.JPG

 

I've got a Parker with that converter and I have the same problem. Tried using silicone grease but it didn't help. I'll be watching this thread to see if anyone has an answer.

[ac12]

There is a click detent on the converter, to hold the plunger in the full back position.

[Mike 59]

These converters do 'run-in' with time and use.

It's possible to get them apart, there is only a ridge in the mouldings to 'beat'.

It's just brute force, pulling the two sides apart, while rolling one side at a slight angle to separate them.

There is a 'tag' of plastic on the clear part, which fits into the black fixed part, beneath the slider.

 

[fiberdrunk]

These converters do 'run-in' with time and use.

It's possible to get them apart, there is only a ridge in the mouldings to 'beat'.

It's just brute force, pulling the two sides apart, while rolling one side at a slight angle to separate them.

There is a 'tag' of plastic on the clear part, which fits into the black fixed part, beneath the slider.

 

 

Thank you for the photo showing how all the pieces come apart!

[fiberdrunk]

There is a click detent on the converter, to hold the plunger in the full back position.

 

I think I figured it out. On top of the slide, there is a piece of plastic, and if you push down on this, it frees the slide. In the photo below, the tip of the nib is touching this piece of plastic. Because it's in the groove, you'll need to use a pencil tip or something pointy to press it down to free it. Be careful... I have squirted ink on two shirts now since last night! What a royal pain!

 

 

[Mad Pen]

I have two 105LE "Royal Wedding" 1981 pens,one of which came with the sticky and flimsy standard pump action convertor as mentioned in this post.
It's absolute rubbish! If the pen was not already dry a day after being filled it
certainly dried up within a few minutes while writing a letter.
Fed up I sent off for a "Parker" (?) convertor with twist action (a ridiculous £ 2.80 with free p&p via Amazon) and I am a happy writer again:
the pen writes straight away every time and every day.

[fiberdrunk]

I wanted to give an update. I disassembled my converter, based on Mike 59's excellent photo above. I applied a little silicone grease to the o-ring at the end of the slide (the part shown at the top of Mike 59's photo, at the far left end... that little o-ring does come off, just fyi, though you don't need to remove it). It seems to be working fine now. But you'll need to do what I mentioned in message #6 of this thread to budge the slide first if it's stuck. I'm glad I don't have to replace my converters. It's a bit of a hassle, but consider it just a part of pen maintenance.

[ac12]

BTW the sliding converter has to be used on some Parkers, as the screw converter is too thick to fit the narrow barrel.

[mitto]

BTW the sliding converter has to be used on some Parkers, as the screw converter is too thick to fit the narrow barrel.

There are two different sizes of Parker screw converters. The thicker one and the smaller / narrow one. The thicker , for example , is used in Parker Frontier and the smaller / narrow one in Parker Sonnet and probably in Parker Vectors.

 

Here they are :