Repair Of Parker 61 Fountain Pen Or Forget It, Buy A New One

[gemgemhk]

Every few years, I took out my Parker 61 fountain pen bought in 1969 Gold Cap 1/10 12 ct gf (gold plated top not jewel top) Turquoise blue and dip the pen into the Parker Quink bottle and wrote a page or two at home (office always use cheap ballpen) just to enjoy the Parker pen writing. Last month, I did the same again, after finishing it, I then started unscrewing the short barrel as usual trying to dip the nib,the feed and the collector into clean water to clean them up but I suddenly found the collector stucked inside the lower barrel. I tried to rotate the feed and the feed was twisted and I have thrown it away into garbage bin. Then the end of the black color thing ( with screw thread ) was decayed and that was why in the past few years ink leaked out from the O-ring thread area. Now the collector was inside the short barrel and the nib was embeded at the tip and could not be taken out. I post my issue here to see if someone can help me:

1. Is the official name of the black color thing stucked inside the short barrel called 'collector' ? How about the black color screw thread thing with the gold color O-ring, is it called 'cell' or ....?

2. How to unscrew the short barrel or how to get the collector detached from the short barrel without breaking up the short barrel now?

3. How to get the nib out?

4. Spart parts like the feed, the collector or the black screw thread thing still avail in market?

5. Or the last thing I should do is : to forget repair no more(but I really love writing with the nib which is very very smooth like ballpen since bought), just list the remaining good parts e.g. the gold cap, the long barrel, the original gold nib ,gold O-ring and the aeromatic pump in eBay for auction/sale, well, can anybody tell me the price of each that I should offer?

Please take a look into the pic attached and let me have some advice from you guys. Thanks a lot.

Edited October 29, 2011 by gemgemhk

[richardandtracy]

The connector looks rather decayed.

By the connector, I mean the bit that connects the hood (where the nib is) to the barrel.

 

This is a known problem with some P61's and P65's, and there are spares occasionally available. There are currently some for sale on UK e-bay in brass: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parker-61-Later-type-65-connectors-/170713850281?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item27bf56a1a9

 

With the brass ones, you'll need to take the stainless steel piercing tube from the decayed connector (visible on the left of the connector in the photo you posted) and put it into the new brass connector. This may be a very tight fit - and I suggest you use a little emery cloth to open the hole out a little if you find it so. I have put a brass one into my Parker 65 and it works well. The brass has had surface corrosion to turn it a black colour in the 2 years since I put it in.

 

I am fascinated that you say the pen has metal jewels from a 1969 pen. There appears to be a general concensus that these didn't appear until 1976/77, however I was given one in 1978 with metal jewels and a pre 1971 price label on it (the UK decimalised on 15 Feb 1971, and the price tag said 6pounds, 6 shillings, or £6.30 in decimal). If you can verify the date by some documentation, that would require a few reference guides on the P61 to be amended.

 

I have to admit to a certain amount of astonishment that you feel the need to disassemble the pen when you wash it out - is it not possible to just to flush it with water until the water runs clear. That way you run much less risk of damaging anything or loosing bits - but I agree you wouldn't have found the cause of the problem you have had you followed my advice!

 

I hope this helps,

 

Richard

(Parker 61 fanatic)

[gemgemhk]

The connector looks rather decayed.

By the connector, I mean the bit that connects the hood (where the nib is) to the barrel.

 

This is a known problem with some P61's and P65's, and there are spares occasionally available. There are currently some for sale on UK e-bay in brass: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parker-61-Later-type-65-connectors-/170713850281?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item27bf56a1a9

 

With the brass ones, you'll need to take the stainless steel piercing tube from the decayed connector (visible on the left of the connector in the photo you posted) and put it into the new brass connector. This may be a very tight fit - and I suggest you use a little emery cloth to open the hole out a little if you find it so. I have put a brass one into my Parker 65 and it works well. The brass has had surface corrosion to turn it a black colour in the 2 years since I put it in.

 

I am fascinated that you say the pen has metal jewels from a 1969 pen. There appears to be a general concensus that these didn't appear until 1976/77, however I was given one in 1978 with metal jewels and a pre 1971 price label on it (the UK decimalised on 15 Feb 1971, and the price tag said 6pounds, 6 shillings, or £6.30 in decimal). If you can verify the date by some documentation, that would require a few reference guides on the P61 to be amended.

 

I have to admit to a certain amount of astonishment that you feel the need to disassemble the pen when you wash it out - is it not possible to just to flush it with water until the water runs clear. That way you run much less risk of damaging anything or loosing bits - but I agree you wouldn't have found the cause of the problem you have had you followed my advice!

 

I hope this helps,

 

Richard

(Parker 61 fanatic)

[gemgemhk]

The connector looks rather decayed.

By the connector, I mean the bit that connects the hood (where the nib is) to the barrel.

 

This is a known problem with some P61's and P65's, and there are spares occasionally available. There are currently some for sale on UK e-bay in brass: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parker-61-Later-type-65-connectors-/170713850281?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item27bf56a1a9

 

With the brass ones, you'll need to take the stainless steel piercing tube from the decayed connector (visible on the left of the connector in the photo you posted) and put it into the new brass connector. This may be a very tight fit - and I suggest you use a little emery cloth to open the hole out a little if you find it so. I have put a brass one into my Parker 65 and it works well. The brass has had surface corrosion to turn it a black colour in the 2 years since I put it in.

 

I am fascinated that you say the pen has metal jewels from a 1969 pen. There appears to be a general concensus that these didn't appear until 1976/77, however I was given one in 1978 with metal jewels and a pre 1971 price label on it (the UK decimalised on 15 Feb 1971, and the price tag said 6pounds, 6 shillings, or £6.30 in decimal). If you can verify the date by some documentation, that would require a few reference guides on the P61 to be amended.

 

I have to admit to a certain amount of astonishment that you feel the need to disassemble the pen when you wash it out - is it not possible to just to flush it with water until the water runs clear. That way you run much less risk of damaging anything or loosing bits - but I agree you wouldn't have found the cause of the problem you have had you followed my advice!

 

I hope this helps,

 

Richard

(Parker 61 fanatic)

[gemgemhk]

Hello, Richard,

thank you very very much for your help, at least I know something that can help. I will wait and gather more views here before I make a decision what to do.

 

Well about the gold plated jewel of my pen, I think I am quite certain that the pen was bought before 1970. why? Because I started working in a bank since 1965 when I was a lad. After two years,that was 1967, I spent quite a handsome money to buy a Swiss watch, nowadays still performing, and at that time, I promised myself that I will buy a glamorous fountain pen within the next two years time, so that was in 1969, I really bought a P61 for HK$61.00. When at an exchange rate of pound stg 1=HK$16, it was close to 4 pounds stg, I remember the price because it was the same 61 as Parker 61, P51 would cost HK$51,what a coincidence. I regret that I did not buy a box set with the ball pen as a pair set but it seems the price would go up to pd stg6.5 which was really expensive at that time. If I remember correctly, global economy revived in 1968 and became significant in 1970, that's why UK sold a single pen with a price nearly 1/3 more in 1971. My salary was turned, I think,nearly doubled from 65 to 71 due to inflation.

 

My P61 got a wider O-Ring which should belong to the 'after 1962 series - the 61 colors 1969 version Turquoise Blue Classic gold jewel', for your interest, here is a URL : http://www.pentrace.net/2002/article042502_178.html talking about P61 exclusively. Very likely, I shall buy a second hand Turquoise blue P61 then I replace it with my nib which I love very much, and I use my own Gold Cap, long barrel which is of course more than 100% better than those second hand pen in eBay. Well, I am a bit cautious because another second hand old pen may have a decayed connector as well and that's why so far I have not bidded anyone in eBay yet. All pics of Parker in eBay only show how nice looking of the gold cap or the barrels but not the conditions of the connector or the collector,the feed. I hope by means of this posting here I can arouse the attention of those who wish to bid 2nd hand Parker 61 in eBay to scrutinize the conditions of the inner parts of the P61 too.

 

 

I like to learn from you :

1. hood(where the nib is) means the lower short plastic barrel?

2. connector means the black color screw thread thing where the O-ring is put on?

3. barrel means the upper longer plastic barrel?

4. Can you tell me how to get the nib out? the collector was stucked inside,no way.

5. Where to find a new feed?

Thanks a lot for your interest in my posting and reply. Surely everybody's view is welcome.

 

gg

Edited October 29, 2011 by gemgemhk

[gemgemhk]

Do you think I have a 61 with a cartridge converter, which will also take a parker cartidge?

 

I attach another pic for you to see. Thanks very much.

Edited October 29, 2011 by gemgemhk

[Beechwood]

Do you think I have a 61 with a cartridge converter, which will also take a parker cartidge?

 

I attach another pic for you to see. Thanks very much.

 

 

Yes you do

 

PM sent

[Aislingean]

These guys make spare parts for 61s and 65s etc

http://www.custompenparts.co.uk/

 

Their connectors are brass but there is a guy in Worcester who used to make them out of Delrin.

The name escapes me but someone here will come up with a contact I am sure.

Cheers

Dave

Edited October 29, 2011 by Aislingean

[Beechwood]

These guys make spare parts for 61s and 65s etc

http://www.custompenparts.co.uk/

 

Their connectors are brass but there is a guy in Worcester who used to make them out of Delrin.

The name escapes me but someone here will come up with a contact I am sure.

Cheers

Dave

 

 

I thought it was Brian at Worcester pen company

 

http://www.worcesterpencompany.co.uk/sess/utn;jsessionid=154eac2498ca21c/shopdata/index.shopscript

 

But I cannot see the connectors listed on his site anymore

[richardandtracy]

I think Bryan at Worcester Pens is now making so many pens he's not got the time for thinks like Jewels or connectors for the P61.

 

The P61 you have, gemgemhk, is suitable for cartridges or any of the current Parker cartridge convertors.

 

The nib comes out with the collector (the bit that's still left inside the hood) and cannot come out of the front due to three tabs on the nib which make it too big to come through the hole. Unfortunately Parker made a real mess of material selection with the P61, thinking the materials used would be as stable as those of the P51, They are not by a long shot, and the P61 hood can shrink and distort. If this has happened, you won't be able to get the collector out without a serious risk of breaking the hood or the collector. And P61 hoods in any colour other than black are very difficult to get.

 

Your naming of the parts is correct - the only part I have just mentioned is the 'collector', this is a deeply finned clear acrylic ink overflow chamber to absorb & buffer excess ink that comes out of the convertor, and it's inside the hood wrapped around the feed. It looks like one from the Parker 51 if you have ever disassembled one.

 

If the feed is damaged, I really cannot make a suggestion of where to get the part, other than to canibalise one off another P61. Make sure it's a c/c version, as the feed on a capilliary P61 is much longer and needs modification before use in a c/c P61.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[gemgemhk]

I think Bryan at Worcester Pens is now making so many pens he's not got the time for thinks like Jewels or connectors for the P61.

 

The P61 you have, gemgemhk, is suitable for cartridges or any of the current Parker cartridge convertors.

 

The nib comes out with the collector (the bit that's still left inside the hood) and cannot come out of the front due to three tabs on the nib which make it too big to come through the hole. Unfortunately Parker made a real mess of material selection with the P61, thinking the materials used would be as stable as those of the P51, They are not by a long shot, and the P61 hood can shrink and distort. If this has happened, you won't be able to get the collector out without a serious risk of breaking the hood or the collector. And P61 hoods in any colour other than black are very difficult to get.

 

Your naming of the parts is correct - the only part I have just mentioned is the 'collector', this is a deeply finned clear acrylic ink overflow chamber to absorb & buffer excess ink that comes out of the convertor, and it's inside the hood wrapped around the feed. It looks like one from the Parker 51 if you have ever disassembled one.

 

If the feed is damaged, I really cannot make a suggestion of where to get the part, other than to canibalise one off another P61. Make sure it's a c/c version, as the feed on a capilliary P61 is much longer and needs modification before use in a c/c P61.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[gemgemhk]

Hello Richard, gd morning to you

thanks a lot for your reply which is absolutely clear and valuable,

in particular, the choice of c/c version (ie cartridge converter)but not

capillary system for the feed.

Actually I have been the owner since 1969 and I have dissembled

the pen for cleansing, but since the nib section inside the hood too old

and my memory not so good now,I suddenly forget if the nib and collector

are screwed out from the hood or pushed out whatever, so I asked for advice here. Well

there have been some kind hearted fellows here giving me helping hands

already. This TOPIC is supposed to finish now. Thanks guys bye bye.

 

REALLY DONT KNOW HOW TO DELETE THIS TOPIC AWAY, SORRY.

Edited October 30, 2011 by gemgemhk

[Chrontius]

Topics don't go away, even when you're done with them - they stick around so the second person who has your problem can figure out how it was solved (or not...) the first time.

[gemgemhk]

Topics don't go away, even when you're done with them - they stick around so the second person who has your problem can figure out how it was solved (or not...) the first time.

thanks icic, cos I dont know much about the forum matters. FPN is so far the forum which I have written something inside and post some pics, for others I just browsed and did nothing. well, here I can say I could find some more new info. from the others, really time saving to have FPNers. oh. btw I got promoted to silver medal member from bronze , I think I got to say thanks to the moderator id richardandtracy. lol.......now i message him.

Edited November 10, 2011 by gemgemhk