Parker 51 Aerometric Sac Smell

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

I got a new to me vintage Parker 51 aero today, I took it apart and cleaned everything thoroughly and it seems to be in fine condition. Fills great. The only "problem" is the PVC sac has a very strong antiseptic smell. I've found some posts where people refer to the PVC sacs as smelling like crayons but I don't have any on-hand to sniff so I am not sure. It's fairly clean for a used sac (minimal staining) and I don't see any damage.

 

It's not the first, I've handled aerometric sacs like these. I have had a couple that had "stinky" sacs. The sac is just very slightly sticky but fills perfectly (I am able to fill it all the way up to the top of the sac), especially after taking the pen apart, cleaning it, and fully reassembling it. Is this cause for worry? I've done a google search and wasn't able to find many results.

There's a topic on here from ~2009 where people say it's not worth worrying about but I can't find much else. I'd rather not take the sac off and open pandora's box in regards to seeing if the sac nipple has softened. 

[hari317]

If there is no damage, I would dust it on the outside with some pure french chalk (pure talc) to take care of the stickiness and assemble the sac guard. 

Yes some pli glass sacs do smell like antiseptic, probably its the phenol from the old inks

How was the condition of the breather tube?

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

4 hours ago, hari317 said:

If there is no damage, I would dust it on the outside with some pure french chalk (pure talc) to take care of the stickiness and assemble the sac guard. 

Yes some pli glass sacs do smell like antiseptic, probably its the phenol from the old inks

How was the condition of the breather tube?

 

Ah okay, that sounds good. The breather tube is fine, it's one of those Parker 51 "Special" pens so it has the shorter plastic breather tube rather than the long metal one that the normal pens have.

[Vintagepens]

If the sac is starting to get sticky on the outside, best to replace it. It will be oozing both plasticizer and likely as not chloride compounds that with exposure to moisture will turn strongly acidic. PVC as it deteriorates towards the end of its lifespan is pretty nasty stuff.

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

14 minutes ago, Vintagepens said:

If the sac is starting to get sticky on the outside, best to replace it. It will be oozing both plasticizer and likely as not chloride compounds that with exposure to moisture will turn strongly acidic. PVC as it deteriorates towards the end of its lifespan is pretty nasty stuff.

 

Is it nasty as in toxic? Or might cause the plastic in the pen to deteriorate? I am not opposed to replacing it down the line but I have a feeling if it really is breaking down the sac nipple is probably soft and I will not be able to put a new PVC sac on it anyways.

 

This way at least it can be used for a while until it rips or causes other issues. I guess from my point of view it's working now (writes well, good flow, fills well too) which is better than a pen that is not working (which will likely happen if I take the PVC sac off).

 

Tangentially related but I used to like aerometric 51s more than vacumatic ones but I have changed my mind. Vacs have a higher "skill floor" for restoration in that many aerometrics will just "work" with minimal cleaning and vacs have a whole process - but virtually every part of a vac is easily replaced. I've even rebuilt a few pumps where the pellet cup fell apart.

 

With aerometrics if they have issues, those issues are going to be a hell of a lot worse. For a novice pen repairman like myself replacing the sac nipple on an aerometric is very far out of what I can do. Not even a skill issue (well, maybe it would be, never tried), I don't have the space for a lathe.

[Vintagepens]

It probably won't damage the plastic of the pen, though it may cause some interior pitting to the metal sac housing. Whether the sac nipple is softened is another issue, of course.

 

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

13 minutes ago, Vintagepens said:

It probably won't damage the plastic of the pen, though it may cause some interior pitting to the metal sac housing. Whether the sac nipple is softened is another issue, of course.

 

 

Ah okay, thank you for the info! I will leave it alone for now since it is working, I have a feeling that the sac nipple is softened and it's a little bit out of my skillset to replace those. I wonder how many aerometrics out there have this issue given that most people don't replace the sacs on these and you don't really see the problem until you take the sac off.

 

I've heard an "urban legend" that the earlier PVC sacs were formulated slightly different and were more prone to releasing plasticizers. I have a feeling this is not true since my pen looks like it's from the early to mid 1950's (no date code, but no "halo" logo) which is past the "early" years.

 

That being said, I just looked through my other Parker 51 aeros and the only other one (thought I had more) I could find with a stinky sac was an early one from 1949 with the chrome sac protector. The rest of my "newer" ones don't have this issue and I have near 10 at this point. I guess it isn't a great sample size though.

 

[Vintagepens]

Not clear if Parker changed the composition of the sacs or of the connectors.
I've heard it both ways.
In any event, the really early connectors which mount the sac protector by a threaded joint are made of acrylic and their sac nipples don't soften. These are the ones with the "PRESS . . . 6 TIMES" imprint on the sac protector.
Your 1949 pen probably has this setup.
 

[Vintagepens]

Regarding working on Aerometrics, you are on point about them not being as simple as many think.

That's why I made this video to show what can be involved: 

I've thought for some time it would be useful service to offer an exchange of repaired connectors for connectors with softened sac nipples. Alternatively, to offer a kit for nipple replacement requiring only simple tools.

[John T]

Jeez, after watching the video and just last week I found a Parker 21 desk pen I found in the wild and was going to clean up and resac with a softened nipple... I think I am going to pull all my Aerometric fillers apart to check and resac

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

2 hours ago, Vintagepens said:

Alternatively, to offer a kit for nipple replacement requiring only simple tools.

 

This is definitely something I would be interested in purchasing. I usually just leave my aerometrics alone but it would be nice to be able to replace faulty sac connectors for a more comprehensive "restoration."

[John T]

2 hours ago, Vintagepens said:

Regarding working on Aerometrics, you are on point about them not being as simple as many think.

That's why I made this video to show what can be involved: 

I've thought for some time it would be useful service to offer an exchange of repaired connectors for connectors with softened sac nipples. Alternatively, to offer a kit for nipple replacement requiring only simple tools.

I too would be interested if either a kit or repaired connectors were offered 

[hari317]

On 9/2/2024 at 10:21 PM, LoveBigPensAndCannotLie said:

replacing the sac nipple on an aerometric is very far out of what I can do. Not even a skill issue (well, maybe it would be, never tried), I don't have the space for a lathe.

 

Currently sold out but might come back. Reproduction connectors are available from Dale Beebe ITEM #PUSHAERO. The press 6 times screw threads sac guard connector is available at the moment.

[John T]

Well $%[!, 2 of my Parker desk set pens have soft pegs. One of my 51's has, well the best I can describe it is an earthworm bulging appearance and while I can get the shell, nib, and feed out, so far I can't get the sac protector and collector to come lose, more soaking happening. I found traces of shellac on the threads of the shell So I suspect this pen is glued together. And the peg is probably soft. 

 

I really wish someone with more tools than I would run a bulk batch of 51's and 21 replacements. 

[FarmBoy]

13 hours ago, John T said:

I really wish someone with more tools than I would run a bulk batch of 51's and 21 replacements. 

Which replacements are needed in a bulk batch?

[John T]

7 hours ago, FarmBoy said:

Which replacements are needed in a bulk batch?

51 and 21 Aerometric sac nipple replacements, yes pentooling has them for the 51 press 6 times but there are currently none available for the 21's or 51 press 4 times. 

[FarmBoy]

I forgot Dale had some made. 
 

Nishimura did have a supply of original connectors with sacs on them for 51s in several versions. 
 

In most cases in just pull a connector from a lesser pen. 
 

I remember when Susan Wirth had a box full of NOS connectors