Looking For Numbers For My Onotos

July 17, 2015

I have here four old, hard rubber Onotos without number. Maybe you can help me with this.

From top to bottom:

1) Over/under feed. Barrel length 81.3mm. Barrel outer diameter 10.3mm. Hallmark 1919/20.

2) Normal feed. Barrel length 81.5mm. Barrel outer diameter 10.45mm. GF rings. Sadly with a crumbling cap.

3) Over/under feed. Barrel length 81.3mm. Barrel outer diameter 10.5mm. Sadly with a split cap.

4) Over/under feed. Barrel length 55.2mm. Barrel outer diameter 10.9mm.

My guess is that the first three are Onoto 1000s.

Thanks

July 17, 2015

I agree:the barrel length identifies them as 1000s, though the barrel ODs are surprisingly varied. I would identify the short one as a 2000; I have a spare 2000 barrel that measures. 55.6mm x 10.84 OD.

I have had the cap problem with some of mine; fortunately they are not chased so I just have new ones made.

Rgds

Cob

July 17, 2015

It might be good to have one for the undecorated 1000 and the silver 1000 (so that the original cap won't be damaged).Are the new caps good? I asked a long time ago and the person wanted to come back to me when they have new stock of hard rubber. But that never happened.

The silver one is not cleaned and has an old seal, but after that is fixed it should be a quite robust pen with a new cap.

July 17, 2015

Well yes, the caps are OK - I have had three or four made by the same chap; he makes them slightly on the tight side which is a good idea. I recall I sent him one pen (an Onoto lever filler) that appears to have been practically unique - now sold. There was no cap, so no pattern and i asked him to make a "suitably shaped" cap, which he did very well I thought:

Cob

July 18, 2015

Cob Would he be able to make a cap for this pen? I really want to try this broad No. 5 nib but need a cap and not 1 of my MTs will fit. I have no idea what it would look like.

July 18, 2015

Cob Would he be able to make a cap for this pen? I really want to try this broad No. 5 nib but need a cap and not 1 of my MTs will fit. I have no idea what it would look like.

I'm, sure he could - though I would think that really that pen should have a golden band on the cap; perhaps he has something lying around - ask him!

The chap is Peter Crook of Carneil Pens in Scotland.

Cob

July 18, 2015

Well yes, the caps are OK - I have had three or four made by the same chap; he makes them slightly on the tight side which is a good idea. I recall I sent him one pen (an Onoto lever filler) that appears to have been practically unique - now sold. There was no cap, so no pattern and i asked him to make a "suitably shaped" cap, which he did very well I thought:

Cob

He's done a lovely job. Nice pen too.

July 18, 2015

Ok, I asked a different guy in UK.

July 18, 2015

He's done a lovely job. Nice pen too.

Yes, that pen was a curiosity: there was no imprint anywhere on the barrel; the section shows straight away that it is an Onoto; and the lovely lever assembly - with Onoto imprinted on it, plus of course the nib.

Cob

July 19, 2015

Hm. I thought that the silver one is newer than the short one, because the hallmark of 1919/20 is probably from a time, when sales of split feeds are declining in favor of normal feeds. But I have now also repaired the silver one and I am not so sure anymore. The short doesn't have this ring below the washer to stabilize it and the plug for the feed is threaded while the silver one has a ring below the washer and the plug is smooth on the inside. So when did they do what?

July 19, 2015

Hm. I thought that the silver one is newer than the short one, because the hallmark of 1919/20 is probably from a time, when sales of split feeds are declining in favor of normal feeds. But I have now also repaired the silver one and I am not so sure anymore. The short doesn't have this ring below the washer to stabilize it and the plug for the feed is threaded while the silver one has a ring below the washer and the plug is smooth on the inside. So when did they do what?

I have found this when not expected, on one or two old Onotos. I think it's a simple case that at some point they were repaired using later parts which fit and work perfectly. The over/under types should have threaded pistons which are conically shaped. The later pens had the unthreaded type you describe. I do not know when this changed; I suppose some time in the 1930s.

I agree that 1920 is late for an over/under model as i understand that these were discontinued around 1917.

Cob

July 19, 2015

Interesting, that the non-threaded type is later.

In an ad from 1921 there is still one split feed shown together with three under-only feeds. So 1917 seems to be to early.

I have found a source of ads. Will provide here a zip some time.

July 19, 2015

Interesting, that the non-threaded type is later.

In an ad from 1921 there is still one split feed shown together with three under-only feeds. So 1917 seems to be to early.

I have found a source of ads. Will provide here a zip some time.

I would like to see the advertisements - I have one framed on the wall here, a magazine page from 1915.

As for the later type - every 3050/4601/5601/6233/6234 I have repaired has had the non-threaded system - i.e. just located by the little pin. Of course these have the little washer to accommodate the tip of the cup seal whilst the threaded type has a recess thus obviating the washer.

Cob

Edited July 19, 2015 by Cob