Plugging holes in a Sonnet

[wimg]

Hi Rique,

... I left out another Parker I have around: my Parker Vector also leaks at the clip/cap joint. That means all modern Parkers I own have those cap vents...

Do the modern Duofolds have them too?

Yes, the modern Duofolds also have those darn @#$%^@%@$@$ holes!

 

Speaking of cap holes, and going waaay down in PenDom, I´ve noticed that even the Bic sticks have now holes at the tip of their caps. They surely didn´t have those when I was a kid and used them at school. Now, what are they for?  :blink:

Less material used? Or maybe the same reason as the hole in Parker caps? Been wondering about that myself, but I guess it saves about 0.1 cent in production cost... .

 

Regarding your question on other brands not using holes: Many brands have systems that allow air to escape when capping the pen, but making it more or less airtight when closed.

 

Generally, many clip systems are not entirely airtight, I guess that is another approach to the problem. In many Parkers they are, because of the clip construction, so maybe the holes are there as the only solution to solve the problem they had. Not entirely sure here, guessing really .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Roger]

Isn't the reason for the vented caps, as much as any other, to allow equalization of pressure when one goes flying at 35,000 ft. with cabin pressure at ~8,000 ft.?

 

That, along with making sure that your pen is full, or nearly so, might save a whooosh from your pen during flight.

Edited June 2, 2005 by Roger

[wimg]

Isn't the reason for the vented caps, as much as any other, to allow equalization of pressure when one goes flying at 35,000 ft. with cabin pressure at ~8,000 ft.?

 

That, along with making sure that your pen is full, or nearly so, might save a whooosh from your pen during flight. 

Hi Roger,

 

That may well be so now, but they didn´t fly all that high in the early 1920s, I think . Also, I never had any problems with non-sacced modern pens in that regard.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[Roger]

That may well be so now, but they didn´t fly all that high in the early 1920s, I think

True, but even *I* wasn't born at that time. All 4 of my collection (soon to be 5 when the Etruria 991 arrives) are modern pens. Haven't decided what area of vintage pens will 'light my fire', so am content to just look around.

 

The Sonnet, Phileas and the FILCAO Columbia can be vigorously blown through at the open cap end. The Pel 250 (just arrived) obviously has some ventilation, but a much smaller orifice because you would pass out by blowing hard into its cap.

 

What will be the situation with the 991 cap?

[wimg]

Hi Roger,

What will be the situation with the 991 cap?

The answer to that, if it is like mine, is: tight, snug as a bug, close up, no way you can blow through it. .

 

So I tried all my other ones as well, with interesting results. Both of my blue ones, the Ocean Blue and the d'Inverno, are not airtight, around the fitting of the clip, the Grande is almost closed up, and so is the black one. Looks like it is lthe luck of the draw.

 

The blue ones dry out a little, but not a lot. The Grande and black one don't, and neither do the others. All of them always start right away anyway.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[Roger]

Looks like it is lthe luck of the draw.

Well, if I get one that's tight as a drum, I'm gonna get out the pin vise modelers' drill and put a little puca (Hawaiian for hole) in the cap. Field engineering at it best and about as well informed.

[Rique]

Perhaps I have parachuted onto the wrong thread, but I´ve never had any sort of trouble with my Sonnet cap (which leaks like a sieve, BTW). On the other hand, I do have a lot of trouble with the feed, that seems to get drier and drier, as one writes. I have been writing quite a lot these days with it, and sometimes I have to stop, open the pen, and turn the converter to pump a little ink down. This sort of thing never happens with my Pelikan 200, which i have been using at the same time.

Does anyone know a cure for this?

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I left one of my Parkers sitting around for two weeks and when I touched the nib to the paper, it wrote. It does not have plugged holes of any sort. It prevents suction when the cap is pulled off the pen.

 

Dillon

[southpaw]

I have a medium nib Sonnet (blue laque) and if it sits for 2-3 days unused, it's dry as a bone! I have to shake it repeatedly, roll the nib around on paper, etc., to get it started.

[Roger]

I have the same pen and M nib in black laque, Southpaw. If I don't use it for 2-3 days, it, too, doesn't start immediately, but nearly so. I only have to roll it on paper for about 1/8 in. before it starts up and begins laying its nice uniform med. line.

[southpaw]

Mine is not so easy.

[Gerry]

I recall a post from somewhere or other about someone who used to quickly dip his pen point into his morning coffee (they both seemed to need a wake-up shot of caffeine). Claimed no ill effects whatsoever...

 

As a result, I have taken to keeping a tiny jar of water (I'm fussier about my coffee) on the desk for those balky starters. Works every time. Just a little dip and even a month unused dry starting pen will respond.

 

Gerry

[southpaw]

Gerry, thanks for the tip! I'll give it a try next time I pick it up.

[WilliamK]

QUOTE (Rique @ Jun 3 2005, 01:45 AM)

Perhaps I have parachuted onto the wrong thread, but I´ve never had any sort of trouble with my Sonnet cap (which leaks like a sieve, BTW). On the other hand, I do have a lot of trouble with the feed, that seems to get drier and drier, as one writes. I have been writing quite a lot these days with it, and sometimes I have to stop, open the pen, and turn the converter to pump a little ink down. This sort of thing never happens with my Pelikan 200, which i have been using at the same time. Does anyone know a cure for this?

I've had this happen on my Ocean Blue Sonnet, but I didn't crank any more ink down. One of the two times I had it happen, the pen was low on ink. Not sure what caused the next problem. I got home and gave it a flush and fill.

[sicro]

 

I think (but am not sure), that the vent hole, despite reports to indicate it is there to prevent small children from choking when it gets in the wind tube, it really is there to prevent ink accidents to happen with under- and overpressure. Try sucking air in, and breathing out again, through the cap, and you'll understand what I mean regarding the choking problem.

 

 

 

Warm regards, Wim

 

I can breath fine like that, lol. :roflmho: