What Could This Be?

[O'Hare]

I bought this at the local flea market today. It's all metal, and the only parts that work are the clip, and a threaded section that looks like any section on a cartridge-filling pen. There is nothing on the other end though. The barrel is hollow, and empty except for one full ink cartridge. There is even what looks like a bit if ink on the bottom. Kinda cool, but would be more cool if I know what it is. Found it in a box full of ball-points and a largish fold-over pen holder with BIC on the front (the kind that looks like a salesman's carrier). I initially thought maybe a cartridge demonstrator, but what's the point if nothing else works? Any thoughts about what it might be or even what brand?

[watch_art]

So there's no nib? THat's weird. Maybe you're just missing something and another part of it comes off. Hmm....

[mana]

Mystery... Could you try separating the rightmost part in the second picture into two pieces by either pulling or twisting it apart? Seems like there should be room for a nib there...

[watch_art]

looks like a pelikan clip.

[ticoun]

looks like a pelikan clip.

that's what i thought too, but i don't think pelikan would make a pen as useless as this one.

[watch_art]

does the button above the clip serve no puprose? Maybe it's an old ballpoint but the guts have been removed and a cart put in out of ignorance. ??

 

Something else has to come off. Are the bits completely hollow? Can you shove a wire or skinny rod in there for the whole length?

[rwilsonedn]

I'm with mana. I would bet that the rightmost piece in your photo separates into two pieces at the gold-tinted ring, by unscrewing the threaded cap, revealing a nib.

ron

Edited May 22, 2011 by rwilsonedn

[The Royal Pen]

Umm....maybe it's a cartridge storer?

[The Royal Pen]

OOH! Or it could've been one of those cool message-hiders that spies used to use. You know, you put a note in the barrel and then give it to someone, or somehow sneak the message through something?

[O'Hare]

OOH! Or it could've been one of those cool message-hiders that spies used to use. You know, you put a note in the barrel and then give it to someone, or somehow sneak the message through something?

 

That's awesome! There's enough room in there for a message. :roflmho: The barrel is hollow for a good 3", which is more than halfway up the "cap," so I won't keep trying to move that. But mana and rwilsonedn are right. I was able to twist a nib unit out of that small section on the right.

 

I thought a piece was missing, so it took me a couple more minutes to figure it out. It's a pretty nice writer! I wonder who makes it?

 

Thanks for helping

[rockydoggy]

I have one of these pens. It's a clever design--the short cap screws off of one end to reveal the nib and it then posts by screwing onto the threads at the other end. I'm pretty sure that I bought the pen back in the 90s, perhaps on a trip to China. Regardless, I'm pretty sure that it's Chinese-made. I used mine for a while but eventually found the nib too scratchy and the flow too sluggish and I put it aside; I've not taken the time to see if I can get the pen up to snuff.

[ticoun]

wow, tiniest cap i ever seen. good to hear it's a nice writer.