Enough Interest In Mabie Todd, Swan Or Otherwise?

[missuslovett]

(Many fine pictures)

 

 

DROOOOOOOL...

[Ambien]

Lovely photos. Do you happen to know the name of the swirly stripe gray in the UK blackbird box? It reminds me of Wasp FPs.

[Greenie]

Those are the Blackbird Top Fill pens. Very cool, transparent mid section with the same pattern as the rest of the pen.

 

The best source

http://www.penpractice.com/page12.html

 

 

Other cool pics.

http://oldfountainpensjustforfun.blogspot.com/2010/12/very-nice-group-of-swan-blackbird-pens.html

[mallymal1]

When I finally get home in August, I'm planning on a post entitled "The Birds of Mabie Todd" with pictures.

 

I have:

1. Swans (American and British)
2. Blackbirds (British)
3. Swallows (American)
4. Jackdaws (British)
5. Cygnets - baby swans - (both British and American I think - the American is a long/short, while the British is a Blackbird)
6. Merle Blancs - White Blackbirds - these are essentially rebranded Blackbirds for either the Belgian or French Markets depending on who you ask
7. Kiwi - Blackbirds rebadged for either somewhere in Europe or New Zealand. Not sure.
8. Gaviota - seagulls - Blackbirds rebadged for Spain

The Big Blackbird was rebadged as Merle Blanc Ceant and Gaviota Gigante,

 

There is supposed to be a mythical Mabie Todd called the Kingfisher, from what I've read for the Australian market - I think there was a post about it on FPN, but I've never seen one myself. Edited - I just saw something about a "Starling" pen that looks like a Blackbird. Again, something I've never actually seen in person.

 

Any others I'm missing?

 

Looking forward to that.

[Cob]

All great stuff.

 

Regarding the top-filler Blackbirds, I once bought one of these (very cheaply) and of course it didn't work. There are, according to Dr Oldfield's book, two types: in a nutshell, the type you can fix and the other one...All this is explained in the excellent Penpractice piece linked to above - if you haven't a lathe and the training to use it, forget it.

 

I was unlucky.

 

The handsome plain black cap with its gold-plated clip now adorns a Blackbird Frankenpen I have christened Morning Dress:

 

 

Turning though to the original theme of this thread, let's all try to keep up the level of posting. With Mabie Todd threads in the Great Britain section and in the USA section, it really is frustrating that we Mabie Todd enthusiasts do not have our own section.

 

Cob

Edited July 14, 2015 by Cob

[Goudy]

I'm a believer in the “Build it and they will come” principle. The problem at the moment is that discussion about MT is scattered all over the forum - and hard to find because some people just refer to their pens as Swans, Blackbirds, etc

[Parcival]

A very useful site: http://www.mabie-todd.com/mt.html

[MarcShiman]

We could just start a facebook group.

[Cepasaccus]

No fb group with me.

[missuslovett]

All great stuff.

 

Regarding the top-filler Blackbirds, I once bought one of these (very cheaply) and of course it didn't work. There are, according to Dr Oldfield's book, two types: in a nutshell, the type you can fix and the other one...All this is explained in the excellent Penpractice piece linked to above - if you haven't a lathe and the training to use it, forget it.

 

I was unlucky.

 

The handsome plain black cap with its gold-plated clip now adorns a Blackbird Frankenpen I have christened Morning Dress:

 

 

Turning though to the original theme of this thread, let's all try to keep up the level of posting. With Mabie Todd threads in the Great Britain section and in the USA section, it really is frustrating that we Mabie Todd enthusiasts do not have our own section.

 

Cob

 

 

 

Ah.This is interesting, Cob. It goes some way to explain my huge disappointment with a similar Blackbird purchased on Ebay. It seemed to have all the right things going for it but no matter how I pimped and tweaked, it just never looked like it was going to play ball. I sold it on, my only Swan disappointment, hopefully someone else can get it working nicely.

 

It is frustrating that there isn't somewhere we can gather to appreciate our pens. Build it and they will come. It's not as if Mabie Todd is some obscure no-make. Perhaps if there was somewhere pinned on the GB forum for discussions, then interested parties would know where to come?

[Greenie]

I would be willing to buy any of those disappointing Blackbird Top fillers! I have a pretty big and broad collection, and some pens just strike my fancy enough that it is OK if I can't get them working. These look nice enough in the tray that function was not my priority.

 

That being said, my un-restorable top filler has the incorrect nib and feed, but with the correct nib and feed I might try to see if my solution for restoration might actually work...

 

Finally, perhaps FPN needs a multi-national section if they won't allow MT to have its own forum. However, the brand specific is what makes it possible to discuss Parkers, Watermans, etc without breaking it up to UK, Canada, France, etc.

[Cob]

I would be willing to buy any of those disappointing Blackbird Top fillers! I have a pretty big and broad collection, and some pens just strike my fancy enough that it is OK if I can't get them working. These look nice enough in the tray that function was not my priority.

 

That being said, my un-restorable top filler has the incorrect nib and feed, but with the correct nib and feed I might try to see if my solution for restoration might actually work...

 

Finally, perhaps FPN needs a multi-national section if they won't allow MT to have its own forum. However, the brand specific is what makes it possible to discuss Parkers, Watermans, etc without breaking it up to UK, Canada, France, etc.

Exactly.

 

I switch constantly between USA and GB.

 

The Parker and Waterman's and Sheaffer enthusiasts do not have to do this. - and WE know about Mabie Todd don't we?!!

 

Cob

Edited July 14, 2015 by Cob

[Cepasaccus]

Got last week my P.R.2 with 18ct NY nib and Made in England. Maybe I should open two threads (when picture posting works again)? Sadly the last two mm of the axis broke of where the pin is. Though I have no idea when this happened. Will probably glue it with shellack once I have fitting O-rings so that it won't fall out.

[Cob]

Got last week my P.R.2 with 18ct NY nib and Made in England. Maybe I should open two threads (when picture posting works again)? Sadly the last two mm of the axis broke of where the pin is. Though I have no idea when this happened. Will probably glue it with shellack once I have fitting O-rings so that it won't fall out.

May we see a picture?

 

Rgds

 

Cob

[Cepasaccus]

When my upload is working again, yes. Until then a link to the auctions:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391180879762

[Cob]

When my upload is working again, yes. Until then a link to the auctions:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391180879762

 

When my upload is working again, yes. Until then a link to the auctions:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391180879762

Thanks.

 

I'm pleased it arrived via resistrated (sic) mail!

 

I had no idea that MT produced safety pens; the 18ct nib is the clue. Obviously destined for France where safety pens seem to have enjoyed a great vogue. I have two French ones at present: one is a lovely Gold Starry and the other a fake Waterman's - called a Wattman; both are in mottled hard rubber. I have been working on them and will sell them soon - I have a black Waterman's 42 and two Whytewarths as well - all of which need to be fixed up.

 

There appears to have been a vigorous industry in France producing fake Waterman's pens - I have had a fake MHR 52 for example.

 

Incidentally, when you say "axis" do you mean the spiral? I have a spare Waterman's one from a 42 which might fit - in fact I have all the bits except the twist knob and nib. I doubt shellac would work; Devcon just might, but I have found that whilst BHR is difficult enough at the best of times, when it has been soaked in ink for 100 years, it's impossible.

 

Cob

[Cepasaccus]

Yes, I mean the axis from the spiral. It is just at the end. It is just, that the piece will not fall out of the knob which it probably will not do even without shellack. I doubt a Waterman spindle will work. I believe the axis diameter is to small.

 

The French have mostly a Waterman-like mechanism. In Germany, there is another mechanism common. I have made here a drawing:

http://www.penexchange.de/pen-wiki/index.php/Datei:Schemata_Deutsche_Fuellerdichtungskapseln.png

 

I wonder, if there are other regional mechanisms.

[Cob]

Yes, I mean the axis from the spiral. It is just at the end. It is just, that the piece will not fall out of the knob which it probably will not do even without shellack. I doubt a Waterman spindle will work. I believe the axis diameter is to small.

 

The French have mostly a Waterman-like mechanism. In Germany, there is another mechanism common. I have made here a drawing:

http://www.penexchange.de/pen-wiki/index.php/Datei:Schemata_Deutsche_Fuellerdichtungskapseln.png

 

I wonder, if there are other regional mechanisms.

I have just measured the Waterman's spiral. It's OD is 7.59mm Overall length including its integral shaft is 61.2mm. Nominal shaft diameter is 4.3mm

 

Cob

Edited July 15, 2015 by Cob

[Cepasaccus]

It might really fit. Fascinating!

 

Edited July 15, 2015 by Cepasaccus

[Cob]

It might really fit. Fascinating!

 

On mine, the shaft part is 30.7mm long. There is a groove machined into it as the /waterman's system used an off-centre dowel to locate the shaft in the turning knob. You would have to file it flat and drill a suitable hole to accept your locating pin.

 

Cob