Parker 45 Questions

[kansaskyle]

I acquired the pen below at an estate sale in a bag of office supplies for $2.

 

It has the #45 to the left and right of the Parker name on the base of the cap. It has a 'F' on the underside of the nib. Can anyone tell me what year this one comes from?

 

I didn't think to take a pic of the top of the cap. It doesn't have any kind of jewel, just a little recessed area that I guess could have held something?

 

Capped & Uncapped Pen Pics

 

 

 

Also, it came with a cartridge. I assume I can flush it out and refill with a syringe. Would I be better off going that route, or just using the converter from a modern Parker IM that I bought a while back? The converter is the same length, and seems to fit.

 

Nib/Feed and Cartridge

 

 

ntainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1429022042__cartridge.jpg][/url]

 

 

 

Thanks!

[RMN]

The original converter was a squeeze converter, nice! They hold a lot of ink. The modern (Parker) converters should fit.

Any current (Parker) cartridge will fit.

 

The cap end was, as far as I remember in several versions. I think the original ones were just with the dimple. The latest version had a jewel. I don't know the exact dates for the changes.

 

D.ick

[mitto]

That is an earlier flighter version 45 of the sixties with the barrel having an end piece. The nib might also be 14k gold.

[mitto]

The black platic end 45 flghter is dated 1964. It is the earliest 45 flighter version. See here :

 

http://pencollect.co.uk/images/45timeline02.jpg

[kansaskyle]

Thanks for the info on the pen! I went ahead and filled the converter from the Parker IM, and the pen seems to be working great!

 

[mitto]

Thanks for the info on the pen! I went ahead and filled the converter from the Parker IM, and the pen seems to be working great!

 

You are welcome. Enjoy using your pen.

[Ceilidh]

$2? Wow!!! 45s are really good little pens. Not fancy, but very reliable and write nicely. Congrats on a great deal.

[mitto]

$2? Wow!!! 45s are really good little pens. Not fancy, but very reliable and write nicely. Congrats on a great deal.

The early 45 flighters , coronets , TXs , Insignia , Arrows and deluxes are , definitely , among fancy pens.

 

A great little pen Indeed. And $2 is equal to nothing. It is like for free. I wonder if the pen has a gold nib? Well , it should have if not replaced.

Edited April 14, 2015 by mitto

[kansaskyle]

Below are a couple close-ups of the nib. I'm not sure if you can tell by looking if it is gold versus steel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2015 by kansaskyle

[Sailor Kenshin]

Why'd you 'hide' the pics of the 45? So the rest of us wouldn't be jealous?

 

GREAT find! Good luck with it!

[mitto]

Below are a couple close-ups of the nib. I'm not sure if you can tell by looking if it is gold versus steel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It looks gold. Why don't you unscrew the little part that holds the nib , pull the nib apart and read the marking on it. If gold it should be marked so.

The tines of the nib , however , look as if needing a little adjustment. But don't do the adjusment if you don't feel comfotlrtable doing it. It looks as if it writs well, though.

[ac12]

Looks like stainless steel on my monitor.

 

If it is yellow, it is gold. In the later pens, it could be gold PLATED.

If it is silvery, it is stainless steel.

Edited April 14, 2015 by ac12

[mitto]

Looks like stainless steel on my monitor.

 

If it is yellow, it is gold. In the later pens, it could be gold PLATED.

If it is silvery, it is stainless steel.

It is not a later pen. So if yellow it is gold and not gold plated unless it is replaced.

[mitto]

The pen is a flighter GT and of 60s. And all GTs of that era came with gold nibs. So if steel the nib is definitely replaced at some later stage.

[kansaskyle]

Why'd you 'hide' the pics of the 45? So the rest of us wouldn't be jealous?

 

GREAT find! Good luck with it!

 

The page loads faster if it doesn't have to display all the images.

 

It looks gold. Why don't you unscrew the little part that holds the nib , pull the nib apart and read the marking on it. If gold it should be marked so.

The tines of the nib , however , look as if needing a little adjustment. But don't do the adjusment if you don't feel comfotlrtable doing it. It looks as if it writs well, though.

 

Thanks, I didn't know how to remove the nib. I took it apart as you guided, and I see a 10K on it, which must mean it is gold. It also looks more yellowish at this magnification. I've not done any nib alignment before, so I'll pass on that for now.

 

I washed out the feed section when I had it apart, and it must have had some old ink that hadn't come clean because the Noodler's looks a little more blue now than it did before. The important part (for me) is it still works after I put it back together!

 

Nib

 

 

 

 

[mitto]

The page loads faster if it doesn't have to display all the images.

 

 

 

Thanks, I didn't know how to remove the nib. I took it apart as you guided, and I see a 10K on it, which must mean it is gold. It also looks more yellowish at this magnification. I've not done any nib alignment before, so I'll pass on that for now.

 

I washed out the feed section when I had it apart, and it must have had some old ink that hadn't come clean because the Noodler's looks a little more blue now than it did before. The important part (for me) is it still works after I put it back together!

 

Nib

 

 

 

 

Great. That is what I was expecting. These 60s/70s pens with gold nibs are not so common. Now that you have disassembled the nib section keep the nib , feed and hood soaking in warm water overnight. You may also add a few drops of liquid detergent in the warm water. Remember the hood has a collecter glued inside. Afterward flush the pen with clean water until no more soapy fluids remain in the nib section.

 

Enjoy your pen.

[Matlock]

Nice, a 10k gold nib. Not so common as the 14k but very nice nibs.

[Captivelight]

It's always hard to precisely date the earlier 45's. One of the pointers is the cap at the end of the barrel ... plastic before around 1970, Chrome or Gold from 1970 to around 1979 after which the cap vanished. Another pointer is the clip screw on the cap ... original pre-1970 ones were a simple conical design, after 1970/71 they became dimpled with round area designed to fit the Parker Personal Touch stickers that you could use to personalise your pen.

 

It looks like your pen has a black plastic end cap on the body, which would make it an earlier model pre-1970. If it has a simple conical clip screw on the cap then it's a rough date of 1964 - 70. If it has a dimpled clip screw then you are looking at a transitional pen and you can narrow the date down to around 1970 - 71. After this Parker got rid of the black plastic end cap and replaced them with gold or silver.

The F on the underside of the nib denotes a Fine Nib. 10K is 10 Karat Gold.

 

http://pencollect.co.uk/personal/09.jpg

Probably not a collectors piece but a good honest work horse that deserves a little more then $2!

 

[archeology]

I have an otherwise very nice green Parker 45 that is missing the small metal (?) inset at the bottom or the barrel. Are these obtainable, or do I need to craft something to fill the void?

[Captivelight]

If it's green plastic then there is not supposed to be anything at the bottom of the barrel. Some have a small hole left by the manufacturing process.

If it's green metal it is probably a Parker 45 Coronet and should have a gold end piece ... these are not readily available and it can be difficult to get all the bits out to replace it as the end cap screws onto an internal sleeve which is usually stuck in place.