Stylomine 303

[chunya]

I bought a job lot of pens from an auction, pretty much blind as to what was in the collection, but was really pleased with what I got. Included was a lovely Onoto 1915 - 1920 vacuum pump (which works and which i am definitely going to add to my collection) with a lovely No 3 nib .... A waterman No 12 POC eyedropper, with a lovely No 2 flexi nib ...... an early UNIQ lever fill with an 18 Ct nib (I just need to fit a new sac) ... and finally a Stylomine 303, which I had heard of, but never seen one.

 

The Stylomine seems to have quite a unique filling system, which I think is probably broken. .... But I could be wrong. When you remove the blind cap, the piece which I imagine is meant to be a pump just moves loosely.

 

Anyone any ideas as to how to repair .... is it worth repairing?

 

Apologies for the poor lighting in the photo

 

Thanks

 

Edited January 16, 2015 by chunya

[amk]

If I remember correctly the Stylomine 303 is an accordion sac filler - when you pushed the button the sac would fold up on its pleats, when you released it the sac would spring back. You could repair it as a bulb filler; I don't think anyone makes accordion sacs any more - they were exclusively a French thing in any case.

[chunya]

  On 1/16/2015 at 9:34 PM, amk said:

If I remember correctly the Stylomine 303 is an accordion sac filler - when you pushed the button the sac would fold up on its pleats, when you released it the sac would spring back. You could repair it as a bulb filler; I don't think anyone makes accordion sacs any more - they were exclusively a French thing in any case.

Hi amk,

 

Yes, you're right, and that whole section is missing... I've found a thread on the FPnuts forum where someone recommends using a break cable bellows protector ..

 

http://fountainpenboard.com/forum/index.php?/topic/6591-french-stylomine-303-mastodonte/

 

Next time I go into town I may just pay a visit to the cycle shop.

[Polanova]

The simplest thing is to take a regular ink sac, snap off one end, so you have an ink tube & attach one end unto the nipple & the other to the glass bottle.

I`ve repaired several that way and it works sometimes better, sometimes not so good.

The nice thing is, that you can fill it the way it was meant to be.

The downside is that it won`t fill as much ink as with an accordion sac (but at least the equivalent of a standard cartridge).

 

Please keep us informed if you made any headway with that bicycle thingy as I haven`t tried that yet.

 

Btw, I have exactly the same pen. It`s a lovely writer

[Licensedtoquill]

I just came across one of these interesting pens at the Boston show [a bad show to miss!! Even at one day.] and note that the 303 (it is the size of the MASTODONTE but only calls itself a 303) does indeed have an accordion sack. Even late 303s.

 

Not only does it have one but these pens were being repaired with accordion sacks some time ago! Mine has a replacement accordion sack which the repairer seems to have replaced with a bike brake protector: He doesnt seem to have trusted the elasticity of the protector and has supplemented the (I presume) shellac with string. Or maybe the protector doesn't have a neck and he didnt trust the accordion bit straight on the nipple?

 

Interestingly, it has a white metal nib marked VAEDIUM PARIS 40, which is one of the most flexible metal nibs I have ever seen, - almost as flexible as white gold would be. It may be original (wartime, metal and not marked with the name of the company?) but from the shape of the air hole, it looks mid fifties to me while the pen is mid to late thirties. Curiously, if it is a replacement, the fins of the ladder do fit rather well to the sside of the nib.

 

JR

[johntdavis]

I just got one of these at the Dallas pen show, and I am very eager to start using it. The accordion sac has been replaced with a regular sac, and it works is able filler.

 

What is the body material? Any reason I shouldn't be soaking the nib and section in cold water?

[Polanova]

  On 9/24/2015 at 5:30 PM, Licensedtoquill said:

I just came across one of these interesting pens at the Boston show [a bad show to miss!! Even at one day.] and note that the 303 (it is the size of the MASTODONTE but only calls itself a 303) does indeed have an accordion sack. Even late 303s.

 

Not only does it have one but these pens were being repaired with accordion sacks some time ago! Mine has a replacement accordion sack which the repairer seems to have replaced with a bike brake protector: He doesnt seem to have trusted the elasticity of the protector and has supplemented the (I presume) shellac with string. Or maybe the protector doesn't have a neck and he didnt trust the accordion bit straight on the nipple?

 

Interestingly, it has a white metal nib marked VAEDIUM PARIS 40, which is one of the most flexible metal nibs I have ever seen, - almost as flexible as white gold would be. It may be original (wartime, metal and not marked with the name of the company?) but from the shape of the air hole, it looks mid fifties to me while the pen is mid to late thirties. Curiously, if it is a replacement, the fins of the ladder do fit rather well to the sside of the nib.

 

JR

 

The 303 is NOT the same size as the so called Mastodonte - the latter is similiar in length to the 303 Oversize model, but much thicker.

The accordion sacs were used until the mid- or late 50ies.

In fact, when Stylomine`s patent ran out (ca. 1950/51), most French companys copied this filling system, including Waterman and Barclay in Czechoslowakia.

Originally, the accordion ink sacs were glued with shellack to the Capsule de Verre (little glass bottle, covered in a metal "cage" from around 1947/48 onward & made later from plastic during 50ies - the first filling system, in which the ink window is under the end cap and simultanously serves as a push button) and instead of string were supplemented with a little "bendable" metal ring.

The original Stylomine nibs, in 18K Gold or Metal (often, though not always very flexible) are imprinted with `Stylomine´.

 

The bike brake protectors could potentially be used in lieu of original accordion sacs.

The ones I`ve seen so far seem to be too thick in diameter (about 1 cm)

Edited October 16, 2015 by Polanova

[Polanova]

  On 10/9/2015 at 4:41 PM, johntdavis said:

What is the body material? Any reason I shouldn't be soaking the nib and section in cold water?

 

The body material: Impossible to say without further description or photo!

The black pens are either Celluloid or Plexiglas (don`t know when exactly Plexiglas was used; probably from early to mid 40ies). Same goes for uni-colored pens (bordeaux, grey, green etc).

The marbled ones are Celluloid!!!

Of course, Hard Rubber was used until the mid to late 30ies.

 

I`m not sure what the sections are made of on my Celluloid pens; could be Hard Rubber, Celluloid or Plexiglas. I had no problem with soaking in water. I would in general recommend NOT soaking the barrel (or cap) in water!

 

So proceed with caution!!!

Edited October 16, 2015 by Polanova

[johntdavis]

  On 10/16/2015 at 7:34 PM, Polanova said:

 

The body material: Impossible to say without further description or photo!

The black pens are either Celluloid or Plexiglas (don`t know when exactly Plexiglas was used; probably from early to mid 40ies). Same goes for uni-colored pens (bordeaux, grey, green etc).

The marbled ones are Celluloid!!!

Of course, Hard Rubber was used until the mid to late 30ies.

 

I`m not sure what the sections are made of on my Celluloid pens; could be Hard Rubber, Celluloid or Plexiglas. I had no problem with soaking in water. I would in general recommend NOT soaking the barrel (or cap) in water!

 

So proceed with caution!!!

 

Hey. Thanks for the information. I can't get a photo right now, unfortunately, but I can give a bit more information. It's opaque black. I doubt it's plexiglass--it feels and looks like resin would look, and I imagine plexiglass would be somewhat translucent, maybe? If I didn't know better I would assume it was resin/plastic. Or would plexiglass be indistinguishable from resin?

 

I've used/had a couple of ebonite pens, and this one doesn't feel like ebonite. It has a hard, plastic feel and sheen that, as I said, reminds me most of all of modern resin/plastic.

 

Nib is one of the original 18K gold nibs, with the model number stamped on it as previously described. it has an odd sac, that narrows and widens repeatedly. It's ruffled, for lack of a better word. There's something (an agitator) inside it that's very long and thin. I think it's maybe part of the mechanism that makes the button at the top spring back up. I'm not sure if this is one of the original sacs or not. It doesn't seem to leak at all, and has a quite musty/old smell that the rest of the pen doesn't.

 

I will try to get some pictures tomorrow.

[Polanova]

  On 10/16/2015 at 10:11 PM, johntdavis said:

 

If I didn't know better I would assume it was resin/plastic. Or would plexiglass be indistinguishable from resin?

 

I've used/had a couple of ebonite pens, and this one doesn't feel like ebonite. It has a hard, plastic feel and sheen that, as I said, reminds me most of all of modern resin/plastic.

 

it has an odd sac, that narrows and widens repeatedly. It's ruffled, for lack of a better word. There's something (an agitator) inside it that's very long and thin. I think it's maybe part of the mechanism that makes the button at the top spring back up. I'm not sure if this is one of the original sacs or not. It doesn't seem to leak at all, and has a quite musty/old smell that the rest of the pen doesn't.

 

I will try to get some pictures tomorrow.

 

I honestly couldn`t tell the difference between resin and plexiglass. Isn`t resin even a version of plexiglas?

The sac you describe sounds like the original accordion ink sac. If it`s still supple, you might be able tu use it.

Test it with water and look if there`s any leakage. If any part of the sac is hardened or has cracks - well, then you can throw it.

It is, btw, the sac itself that works as a spring!

The "something long and thin" is merely the breather tube

[Polanova]

Here`s your typical Stylomine set-up:

As I`ve said, after 1947/48 the little glass bottle was (for reasons unknown & unattractively) covered by a little metal cage. It`s the only part of the pen which is bonus, so to speak.

 

 

[Licensedtoquill]

How does that Capsule de Verre come off please? It looks like it just pushes through, like the A A Waterman twist filler.

 

I am counting about 13 folds of the accordion on the photo. I have taken about 13 folds out and the glass is still jammed tightly into the threaded metal piece.I have heated it up slightly with no effect. It is still tight. I am a bit reluctant to force the glass although I figure that it should push and pull easily to fill with ink? Soaking in water? An ultrasonic bath in water? Overnight in releasing oil in between the glass and the metal? Maybe the metal has just corroded onto the glass?

[Polanova]

Not sure I´m understanding you correctly?

You`ve pulled the inc sac out & the Capsule is still stuck?

So you must have torn the inc sac?

 

The Metal Cage & the Glass Capsule beneath can be pressed down (into the barrel) for filling.

If it can`t be pressed down, something is not right.

 

In any case the Capsule is normally only protected by the cage, but not glued into it.

 

Perhaps only stuck with dried ink: Run a little water throgh the barrel - if it discolors, it`s only dried ink.

If not it`s perhaps glued with shellac. Heating is then the only option.

Theoretically the metal cage could have rusted?

 

You can remove the metal cage only by pushing it into the barrel - you cannot pull it out.***

 

The glass cage/Capsule/little metal ring-ensemble sometimes is a bit difficult to remove.

You might need to push it with some elongated (but not sharp!!) tool; a plastic pipette or else...

 

You should not pull the section. By doing that you`d tear the accordion sac!

(Course, if the sac is a goner, it won`t matter)

 

You might soak the barrel in water (with 10 % ammonia) for a few hours (I assume it`s plexiglas/resin/acryl); maybe not overnight, as the metal parts may start rusting.

 

Also, there`s the possibility of old ink sac pieces sticking to the inner walls of the barrel. Those parts, if there, should be removed so that there`s a clear pathway for the Cage/Capsule to be pushed through.

 

Last but not least, keep en eye on the breather tube as it can easily break during the removal process.

 

***Maybe I should`ve waited for you to post a pic of your patient

I`m not even sure if you DO have the metal cage or not?

If not, then the Glass Capsule could be either pushed OR pulled out

Edited October 19, 2015 by Polanova

[TomSch]

Hi all!

 

I've got a very similar problem with an old fountain pen named "Compaktor - Tuffi" (pictures can bee seen here). This pen wasn't used or inked at all.

I guess that there was an accordion rubber sac inside, but I didn't find any leftovers disassembling the pen. Aside from the fact that I don't know where to order those special ink sacs (I've got lots of regular ones 'cause I'm doing a few repairs on my own), there is another question I can't answer myself:

The nib and feed section is stuck from the front, the glass cartridge can only be inserted from the back end.

Has anyone an idea how I may fit any sac on both sides?

 

P.S.: By the way - I forgot one more question. Last days I got a Stylomine cartridge fountain pen. There was no empty one in it, so I tried different ones like LAMY, standard international, Parker, Pilot, Sheaffer's, Waterman's (old and new), MB ... but no one fits. So I guess Stylomine had their own special cartridges. Does anyone know about an alternative to use?

 

Thanks for reading/answering.

Regards, Thomas

Edited January 27, 2016 by TomSch

[Paul-in-SF]

Reviving this thread with my own experience, with a much later Stylomine 303 from the 1960s. As you can see from the photos, it is slimmer and more modern looking, with a little less luxurious trim, and the cap has a flat top. The first photo shows the sac and plastic (not glass in this case) pump button (for lack of a better term) separated, and you can see the sac nipple on the bottom of the pump button. The second photo shows the sac attached at both ends, the section and the pump button. The third photo shows me holding the button down and how the sac folds when the button is depressed.

 

Although this is not a bellows-type sac, I think this is the original sac for this particular pen, because it is not ordinary sac rubber. It is much more springy and rubbery than a regular fountain pen sac. I think when I got this and filled it, it may have been the first time it was filled, partly because the red ink I put in has already stained the clear plastic (fortunately only on the sac nipple) and partly because the pen has the original chalk markings on the barrel. I don't remember but I think it was sold as NOS. The sac is 4 cm long and about 0.6 cm wide on the outside. The rubber in the sac is about .05 cm thick, as near as I can measure with calipers. The distance you can push down the button before it runs into the breather tube is about 1.5 cm. The sac looks like it could be compressed more, maybe the breather tube could be shorter, but I'm not going to mess with it.

 

Anyway, time to put the pen back together (the sac had come off the button so it wasn't drawing ink) and see if it is fixed.

[Paul-in-SF]

I remembered later that the person who sold me the pen recommended twisting the button rather than pushing it. I think I overdid that when cleaning the pen, which is how the sac came off the button. Now that it is re-shellacked thoroughly, twisting does seem to work fine. One twist in either direction, then let go and the sac snaps back to its regular position. Another reason to suppose this is a special sort of sac material.

[Freddy]

Stylomine: Accordion Filler.....Sac in your pen is not original......

No reason to twist the dang thing....................................

Fred

CK1 DUX4 MYOTUBES X ENOGRAFT..........

Fun with Capitalization...........................

[tmenyc]

I've also seen a late Stylomine with that strange sac, and it is a strange one. Yes, that one twisted instead of pushed, since it's not an accordion. My belief is that Stylomine, as it neared the end of active manufacture, had more verres plastiques to use up, so fitted a sac to them that sort of worked. Frankly, I've had better luck replacing an accordion with a proper sac, one step smaller to fit tight over the sac nipple and the end of the verre plastique, and pushing it inside the barrel to fill, as if it had been an accordion.

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do...

 

Tim

[Mr.Rene]

What about this? I think It will work to repair this kind of filler system...

 

[Paul-in-SF]

Mr. Rene, those look very possible (depending on the size), what are they and from where are they available?

 

Are those the fabled bicycle brake bellows protectors I've heard about? After a search that was obviously not thorough enough, I sort of gave up on those...