Are Parker "51" Collectors Supposed To Look Like This?

[kudzu]

Have a lovely English P51 in Burgandy with a factory stub. Doesn't write worth beans. FarmBoy coaxed me through removing the hood. Here's what the collector looks like. There's either a very straight open line down it, or it's a crack. Is this what a collector should look like? or is it a crack that would the be cause of the nib being so balky?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4828630113_77d7b0eb30_b.jpg

[FarmBoy]

Have a lovely English P51 in Burgandy with a factory stub. Doesn't write worth beans. FarmBoy coaxed me through removing the hood. Here's what the collector looks like. There's either a very straight open line down it, or it's a crack. Is this what a collector should look like? or is it a crack that would the be cause of the nib being so balky?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4828630113_77d7b0eb30_b.jpg

Kudzu,

 

Looks like it should.

 

Step 2.

 

Grab the collector and with a slight twist pull it out. Then with the collector in one hand and the nib in the other, pull the nib/feed out of the collector.

 

The collector should have a second wider groove on the nib side.

 

If all is good in Parkerville tonight the breather tube will be attached to the back of the feed and will not be rotted to bits. You will want to make sure the breather tube is clear. There should be a small hole about 3/16 inch up from the feed in the side of the breather tube. I just blow in the tube to see if it is clear as a starting point. The tube is most likely sterling silver and if there is any corrosion at all it can break right off at the base.

 

That gunk on the collar should be cleaned off.

 

T

[kudzu]

You're the man, Todd! I'm on it.

 

Ok, here's what the breather tube looks like. Looks like a poor restoration?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4829183013_7825d3de1a.jpg

Edited July 26, 2010 by kudzu

[Xing]

Your 51 seems to be a later production, in which case the plastic breather tube might be correct. Both the collector and the feed show signs of being made from injection molded plastic, which points to later production.

 

You would want to gently pull the nib and feed out from the collector and see if anything is up. The problem might be as simple as the feed being held too tight to the nib or too far away.

 

EDIT: spelling.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Xing

[FarmBoy]

You're the man, Todd! I'm on it.

That was quick.

 

Lets see that nib/feed out of the collector.

 

(You should have known I'd get you to completely disassemble the pen!)

 

No worries we can put it back together.

 

I'm going to go with the suggestion that the feed or hood is not sitting correctly with the nib unless there is a slug of gunk in the feed.

 

Now about that plastic breather tube. Since I've never replaced a damaged breather tube in a 51 with a plastic one; for those that do, do you drill the proper hole in the tube near the feed?

 

Todd

[kudzu]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4829895092_8fa62ca733.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4829262233_6eacc7c7a4.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4829856658_cc1926c58a.jpg

 

Heaven help me. I just know taking it apart is easier than putting it all back together!

Todd, I blew through the breather tube, and there was no obstruction. I think there is a small hole in the side of the plastic tube just above the feed.

Everything look ok so far?

 

Thanks, Xing & FarmBoy, for your idea that the feed/hood might not be seated to allow for correct ink flow. Is the way to tell if one of those is the problem for me to put it all back together and try inking it again?

Edited July 26, 2010 by kudzu

[kudzu]

Ok, really. I do need some handholding here. I have no idea what I'm doing. Is the next step to try to put it together again to see if it writes better? Do I shellac the hood back into place? (Sweat pouring off my brow.)

[jniforat]

ha, this topic rocks. it's a great reference on how to dismantle a P"51", which i wasn't too familiar with. so thank you.

[J English Smith]

Good luck! If it doesn't go back together nicely, I will take that annoying factory stub off your hands

 

JK

[Xing]

Yeah, I'd just put it back and try again. Though thats on the assumption that the problem is just inconsistent flow. The collector is usually assembled with the thin ink slit facing down and the wider air groove up (with respect to the writing orientation of the nib) for this is the way shown in the patent drawings, though in the 2 51s I've taken apart, I've always aligned the collector "upside down" (so that the ink slit of the collector match the ink slit on the feed) with no ill effect on the performance. I don't think the alignment of the collector is very important, but I might be wrong.

 

But the alignment of the nib and feed with the hood, obviously, is very important. The patent specifies that the hood to be installed first, and then the feed and nib be inserted from the front, and that is how I've done it. Some times it requires a little force for the nib and feed to seat into the proper depth, but don't over power it; it might be better to just pull out and try again. Make your that neither the feed, nor the hood is pushing too tightly against the lower (or upper) surface of the nib. The space in between the hood and the nib or the nib and the feed should not be large enough to fit a sheet of paper, but should exist.

 

When you put it back together, make sure that the internals doesn't have any oil from you hands. After I clean them, I would handle the internals with pieces of tissue paper between my hands and the parts. While you can always flush a few times with soap to get it out later, I just don't like there to by any there to begin with.

 

I would not seal the pen until I feel confident that the problem has been solved and I won't have to open it again. While an unsealed pen might seep a little ink when you test it, especially if the ink is "creepy", it would be far from a gushing fountain of ink. When you do seal it though, you'll want to apply just a little shellac on the treads where the gunk was in the first photo. Make sure that the threads and the inside of the hood is dry before hand, and let the section sit to cure for at least over night, preferably a whole day, before you put ink into it.

 

Hopefully that will solve your problem. If not, I would be tempted to replace the feed with an earlier ebonite feed.

[kudzu]

Xing - that is some serious help. Thank you so much. Now I know what I'm doing tonight after 10 p.m. I'll report back later.

 

Glad this thread might be of help to someone else, too.

[cjabbott]

Good luck! If it doesn't go back together nicely, I will take that annoying factory stub off your hands

 

JK

 

You took the words right out of my mouth!

 

Seriously...it looks to me like your doing a great job so far. Good luck with reassembly! Take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy yourself!

[eckiethump]

Anthony Xing

Very good and concise information,

I'd only add, if the flow is still a problem, take apart again and manipulate the nib, very, very slightly opening the tines, if pen dries, which is a commoner problem, highlighted by the pen working well when the hood is off.

et

[FarmBoy]

I tend to install the collector/feed/nib first and then put on the hood, make a note where the hood is in relation to the nib, remove the hood and rotate the collector assembly to the proper orientation and then put the hood back on. Keep in mind that when the hood is lubricated with sealant, it will have a tendency to go just a bit further.

 

Don't forget to put the clutch ring on first and your later Aero should have an o-ring in the hood

 

The top of the hood should not be touching the nib when assembled.

 

Sorry I'm a little slow but we seem to have this going pretty good.

 

Todd

[kudzu]

Oh, (potty mouth)! You mean as I was disassembling the hood/nib/collector/feed that I was supposed to "make a note where the hood is in relation to the nib, remove the hood and rotate the collector assembly to the proper orientation" before I put the hood back on!? Way too late for that. I'll do the best I can, & if it doesn't work, I may be shipping you another pen, FarmBoy!

[richardandtracy]

Don't worry, just put the hood on, see if it lines up with the nib. If not, remove hood, turn collector & try again. It may take 10-15 minutes to align, but you'll get there in the end. And you'll make an alignment mark next time!

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[FarmBoy]

I've never made an alignment mark that was meaningful. Just do like Richard and Tracy say, guess, screw on the hood look at how they are lined up, remove the hood and adjust.

 

If you want, you can cheat, put the hood on first note the orientation of the top, remove the hood insert the guts and put the hood back on. Most likely you will need a bit of adjustment but no big deal.

 

T

[Ernst Bitterman]

That's not cheating, that's skillful application of experience!

[grimakis]

I would not insert the feed/nib while the hood is still on the pen. I would screw the hood down all the way, make a wax pencil mark on the barrel, and then install the collector/nib/feed accordingly.

[kudzu]

An O-ring, eh? That's just a rubber gasket, right? I don't see one in my hood. I know I didn't lose it. I don't think the hood had one. Might that have anything to do with my writing issue?

 

Should I hold off reinstalling the nib/feed/collector until I get an O-ring? Where might I get an O-ring that small? (They probably come in bags of 100. :roflmho: )

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4843073018_b1b93136ab.jpg