Parker 51 Feed Stuck In Collector

[PDW]

I'm disassembling a Parker 51 which was very well gummed up with ink. As I tried to remove the nib and feed from the collector, the collector/feed/nib assembly came out of the connector unit. No sign of a breather tube. OK, so then I tried to remove the nib and feed from the collector, and with a little pulling the nib came out by itself, leaving the feed in the collector.

 

I still want to get the feed out of the collector; I'll need to do this anyway in order to get the nib back in. I'm thinking of removing the feed from the collector by pushing it from the back of the collector rather than pulling from the front, on the basis that this way there is less chance of snapping the feed if I pull it at an angle. As a first 'tool' I might use a thin cotton bud on a stick in case I'm actually pushing on breather tube debris rather than the back of the feed. Is such a procedure acceptable? If not, what would people do in this situation?

[OldGriz]

I generally use a small pin punch to push the feed from the back of the collector.... sometimes I need to give it a little tap to get it moving...

[PDW]

Thanks

 

Actually I found a cocktail stcick with one flat end; I cut a short length off the stick at the flat end and inserted it into the collector. Some pushing and the feed came out cleanly (or, to be more accurate, inkily). Sounds like I'm not the first to find myself looking at this situation

Edited November 22, 2011 by PDW

[OcalaFlGuy]

And your "missing" breather tube? (in the sac I'm guessing)

 

PDW just curious if you soaked the assembly beforehand to remove any of the old ink before you started pulling the feed and nib?

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

Edited November 22, 2011 by OcalaFlGuy

[Ron Z]

This is one case where I would pull it out after a good cleaning in an ultrasonic. The wall of the feed around the breather tube hole is rather thin and could be damaged with a punch. Cleaned and then warmed, it should pull out the front fairly easily. It's not like a standard feed and nib where the wedge of the nib is holding the feed snug in the pen. Just friction against the collector wall.

[PDW]

And your "missing" breather tube? (in the sac I'm guessing)

 

PDW just curious if you soaked the assembly beforehand to remove any of the old ink before you started pulling the feed and nib?

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

Yes, soaked it in water, soaked it in ammonia solution, and it was still a swine to get off - and the collector is still coloured blue.

 

And yes, now I given the foundation unit/sac/sac protector assembly a good flush I can hear the rattle of the breather tube in the sac. Next job: get the sac protector off the foundation unit because the breather tube won't fall out when I shake the assembly ... unless anyone has a trick for this.

Edited November 25, 2011 by PDW