Vacumatic Barrel Clarity

[nicholasyeo]

Beautiful stuff. Looks like it writes pretty nicely as well!

[user01]

I wish my Vacumatic would write like this black one.

[psfred]

Originally, they should have been perfectly clear. Sadly, celluloid, even the high quality stuff Parker used, turns brown with age.

 

All of my Vacs and Sheaffer Vac-Fills have some ambering, and some of them are nearly opaque. They have not changed in the time that I have had them, but nothing is ever going to make them clear.

 

Too bad acrylic wasn't around then, eh?

 

Washable blue is probably the safest ink to use -- I've got too many "51" Aero's with opaque sacs to trust anything else on a perfectly clear pen. Mine are all too dark to worry very much, so I use whatever I want.

 

Peter

[dcpritch]

An update to this older thread - here is a pretty nice Vacumatic Senior, date code 26 - first year Senior, striped section, matching striped jewels. Something about the clarity of this pen, the materials, the design - I guess this identifies me as a bona fide pen nerd, but I just love its looks - it is functional art at its best, in my opinion. Here are some pics:

 

[farmersmums]

Wow! Your photos make me want to rush out and find one of these immediately! Easier said than done, I'm sure. Gorgeous pen- don't find many with that kind of clarity.

[Ron Z]

 

 

Originally, they should have been perfectly clear. Sadly, celluloid, even the high quality stuff Parker used, turns brown with age.

 

Not quite correct. I have seen and worked with NOS barrels, and have quite a few NOS clear celluloid sections. The original celluloid was quite clear, but was not glass clear. It always has a green tint to it. But even the mint Vacumatic varrels or Sheaffer plunger fill barrels were not perfectly clear. The brown discoloration comed with exposure to and/or staining by ink, or the outgassing of the sulpher in latex sacs. If they are not exposed to ink, they do not turn brown.

[Matth13]

The only two vacs that I have are a golden pearl and a golden web, so the amber discoloration isn't much of a problem. dcpritch, those vacs that you posted are amazing! The clarity on the first one is very impressive!

[dcpritch]

Thanks you guys for the nice comments - I'm pretty taken by Vacs in general and these two (well, three, including the lovely burgundy shown above) in particular.

 

Ron, after your comment at #26 I have two questions: Are the pens posted here, the black at #1, the burgundy at #9, and the grey at #24, close to what these models would have looked like when new; and second, if one has a Vac that exhibits remarkable clarity, would he be advised not to expose it to ink? My second question is asked with some reluctance (fearing the answer), as I do like to use my pens.

[georges zaslavsky]

very ncioe vacs dcpritch

[Rick Propas]

Just to join in late to the party, I have a few pieces as clear as dc's and I use them from time to time, but carefully and according to the above guidelines, gentle inks, frequent cleaning.

 

As noted above, they are too pretty not to use.

[Brian-McQueen]

Thanks you guys for the nice comments - I'm pretty taken by Vacs in general and these two (well, three, including the lovely burgundy shown above) in particular.

 

Ron, after your comment at #26 I have two questions: Are the pens posted here, the black at #1, the burgundy at #9, and the grey at #24, close to what these models would have looked like when new; and second, if one has a Vac that exhibits remarkable clarity, would he be advised not to expose it to ink? My second question is asked with some reluctance (fearing the answer), as I do like to use my pens.

 

Having handled several NOS pens and parts myself, I would say that the back pen in #1 and the burgudy at #9 are just about as clear as can be found. The gray Senior in #24 is close, but has yellowed just a tiny bit. I hate to say that the only way to ensure you keep them that crystal clear is to remove the diaphragm and keep them far away from ink.