Platignum ink sac help

[SammyZadgan]

I recently bought a vintage platignum fountain pen...it has a lever fill system, but the the sac has perished, which is fine because i was looking for a mini project.

 

now, i have had a look at some othe literature on replacing sacs, but this pen doesnt fit the normal look of the lever fills.

 

when i unscrew the nib, there doesnt seem to be any room for a sac, the hole in the barrel seems too thin!

 

just wanted to know if anyone has had one of these pens before and where i might be able to find a replacement sac.

 

thanks

Sammy

[Maja]

I recently bought a vintage platignum fountain pen...it has a lever fill system, but the the sac has perished, which is fine because i was looking for a mini project.

 

now, i have had a look at some othe literature on replacing sacs, but this pen doesnt fit the normal look of the lever fills.

 

when i unscrew the nib, there doesnt seem to be any room for a sac, the hole in the barrel seems too thin!

 

just wanted to know if anyone has had one of these pens before and where i might be able to find a replacement sac.

 

thanks

Sammy

Hi Sammy,

I don't know Platignum pens well (my pen friend "Oxonian" does, though, so I hope he see this topic ) but if we had some idea of the model name, that might help (or a photo, of course). If if is a lever-filler, then the pen should use a sac of some sort. It might just be that a narrow sac is needed ....or is there a chance that the old sac is stuck inside, hugging the walls of the barrel?

 

As for buying sacs, if you live in Australia you can try Melbourne Vintage Pens as they sell replacement sacs here : http://www.vintagepens.com.au/parts.htm

 

(edited for grammar only)

Edited September 15, 2008 by Maja

[Ernst Bitterman]

There's a very good chance that the unscrewing of the point has left the section in place-- a lot of Platignum pens are rigged for changeable points. The only examples I've got are a cartridge and a couple of "pressmatic" fillers (aerometric, really), but I expect that there were lever-fill examples.

[Univer]

Hi,

 

I think Ernst has it right - although, like him, I don't happen to own a Platignum lever-filler, so I can't speak authoritatively. I suspect that you've simply unscrewed the interchangeable nib/feed unit; you'll need to remove the section in order to replace the sac, and my guess is that when you do you'll discover that the internal arrangement corresponds to the setup you've seen in the literature you've consulted.

 

Like Maja, I hope Oxonian looks in on this thread; I wouldn't be at all surprised if he were able to offer practical advice on section removal as well as sac size.

 

Good luck!

 

Jon

[WillAdams]

I've got a Platignum lever filler in need of a new sac as well --- and it also has a separate removable nib unit from the section, but I can't recall how the section is removed --- if you have trouble w/ it, drop me a PM and I'll haul mine out and see how it comes apart.

 

William

 

 

[Oxonian]

Hi Sammy et al,

 

It would help to know exactly which model you have Sammy as Platignum tended to use the same name for several not necessarily very similar pens and similar looking pens do not always use the same filler, for example during its life models carying the Varsity name were available in cartridge, pressmatic, press bar and leverfill as well as later in hooded nib capillary filler form.

 

Most of the later open nib Platignums use screw fit sections all use standard 'twist to the left to loosen' threads, but there are a couple of lever fillers that have fused sections that do not come off at all, the pens were assembled and then the joint was fused as it saved on the cost of making the thread.

 

The screw in sections can get a bit tight but a bit of heat will usually free them.

 

From your description you have, as suggested unscrewed the nib unit rather than the section as the filler tends to come out with the section.

 

If there is no visible filler lever you may have a 'Pressmatic' patent filler, which is a sac squeezer crossed with a button filler with everything cased in a steel sleeve inside the barrel, or you may have a straight press bar sac squeezer like the Parker Slimfold and later UK made Duofold ranges or a cartridge filler.

 

Sacs on some Platignums were not latex, they were made of a similar looking material to the Parker 'Pliglass' sacs fitted to Aero 51s, UK Duos etc, the Platignum sacs are thicker than usual with ribs running along the length of the sacs, these sacs last for years and are usually intact, the steel press bar and cage tend to rust around them.

 

The 'Pressmatic' sacs in a tube were latex and can be a pain if it sticks to the inside of the tube which can be a pain to remove.

 

Most sacs are size 14 or 16 (Silverline, most Regals if they come apart and, lever fill Varsity), smaller pens usually Petite or Cadet models, the even smaller Bijou and earlier Petite can be 12s. If you need one of the heavy duty sacs let me know I have some salvaged ones although the heavy weight silicone sacs that are available from some sources will do the job in most cases.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers,

John

 

If you need more info PM me with details of the pen

Edited September 16, 2008 by Oxonian

[Maja]

Ooh, it never occurred to me that only the nib-feed section was unscrewed from the pen :embarrassed_smile: ....

 

Thanks for the info, gentlemen...and congratulations to John (Oxonian) on his 1000th post here on FPN!

:clap1:

 

[SammyZadgan]

thanks Oxonian...i'll put up some pics tomorrow...but from what you've written i think the "fused" argument applies.

 

I tried my heart out trying pry the sections apart and it would not budge...and yes it wouldnt unscrew either.

 

i can see the money saving side of things...but how are they expecting repairs to be done to the damn pens!

 

as for the model...i have no idea...i bought it off ebay as a project pen...maybe when i post pictures it may be clearer as to what model it can be.

 

thanks

Sam

 

ps congrats on 1000th Oxonian!

[WillAdams]

Okay, I dug out mine and the section unscrews, but that doesn't seem to apply to Sam's case. Bummer.

 

William

 

 

[SammyZadgan]

checked it last night again...doesnt unscrew or pull out...its definately fused...

 

here's some pics...

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h49/SammyZadgan/n762180829_1356055_3730.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h49/SammyZadgan/n762180829_1356054_3349.jpg

 

[weemike]

How does one go about replacing the sac if the section is fused? I recently bout a platinum 'slim pen' which appears to have a fused section, and the sac is perished