Duofold Roller To Fountain Pen

[Waltz For Zizi]

Does anyone know if you can convert a Parker Duofold rollerball into a fountainpen, by replacing it's front section with one of a fountainpen?

I found a rollerball mosaic red for sale, but since I don't use rollerballs I wanted to know if it is posible to convert it into a fountainpen if I have a modern duofold fountain pen and exchange the sections between them.

Thanks in advance!

Edited November 4, 2017 by Waltz For Zizi

[encremental]

Yes - use mini cartridges or a sawn-off slider converter and you can have the best of both worlds!

 

John

[aggoo]

I'm not sure if you can to be honest, because the rollerballs have a different inner cap liner to the fountain pens to prevent dry-out and the nib will try to push through the liner. I will check tomorrow, as I have both roller and fountain pens, but I seem to recall that when I tried the swap, I couldn't get the roller cap on. There is also the issue John mentioned above about fitting a converter in to the barrel, which would have a spring in the bottom for the roller refill, but that can be addressed by the cartridge idea.

 

Also be aware that all rollerballs are International not Centennial sized, so you will need an International nib section to fit.

[encremental]

Well, aggoo, it seems we are talking amongst ourselves as Waltz For Zizi looks to have found better things to do - what we in the UK might call a 'Knock Down Ginger' poster*.

 

John

 

* (translator's note) ringing someone's doorbell and then running away

[Waltz For Zizi]

Well, aggoo, it seems we are talking amongst ourselves as Waltz For Zizi looks to have found better things to do - what we in the UK might call a 'Knock Down Ginger' poster*.

 

John

 

* (translator's note) ringing someone's doorbell and then running away

I'm just waiting for a definitive answer.

[aggoo]

I've just checked my Duofolds, both Mk1 and Mk3 for which I have both rollerballs and fountain pens, and it seems John is correct.

The caps will fit each other, so as long as you modify the converter or use cartridges, it should work.

I was confused because Waterman pens do not allow cap switching for the aforementioned reason.

 

Good luck with the swap if you decide to go ahead.

[Waltz For Zizi]

I've just checked my Duofolds, both Mk1 and Mk3 for which I have both rollerballs and fountain pens, and it seems John is correct.

The caps will fit each other, so as long as you modify the converter or use cartridges, it should work.

I was confused because Waterman pens do not allow cap switching for the aforementioned reason.

 

Good luck with the swap if you decide to go ahead.

Thank you! I'll go and see if that roller is still available. Wish me luck

[mitto]

I've just checked my Duofolds, both Mk1 and Mk3 for which I have both rollerballs and fountain pens, and it seems John is correct.

The caps will fit each other, so as long as you modify the converter or use cartridges, it should work.

I was confused because Waterman pens do not allow cap switching for the aforementioned reason.

 

Good luck with the swap if you decide to go ahead.

And so are the Sonnet Rollerballs. You remove the cartridge stopper from the Rollerball barrel, put in a fountain pen section and the Roller is converted to a fountain pen. The caps are interchangable having the same clutch mechanism. And the Rollerball barrel would accept the converter once the plastic stopper is removed. Not sure about the stopper removal in the Duofold Roller's barrel, though.

[joss]

I've just checked my Duofolds, both Mk1 and Mk3 for which I have both rollerballs and fountain pens, and it seems John is correct.

The caps will fit each other, so as long as you modify the converter or use cartridges, it should work.

I was confused because Waterman pens do not allow cap switching for the aforementioned reason.

 

The caps may be interchangeable but are the inner caps of the Duofold rolllerball and fountain pen also identical?

[terim]

There's a part in the very end of the modern Duofold rollerball barrel which can be removed to allow you to use normal converters and (long) cartridges. It cannot be successfully removed from the inside, you have to remove the black end piece on the barrel to get at it.

[ncpenfan]

just had to revive this old thread!

 

I have been using a duofold international rollerball body with a short cartridge and a swapped out nib unit. I works just fine!

 

Teri Morris indicated that to the piece holding a rollerball can be removed by removing the black end piece on the barrel. How exactly can that be done?

 

All the best.

[sapient]

On 10/11/2020 at 6:20 AM, ncpenfan said:

Teri Morris indicated that to the piece holding a rollerball can be removed by removing the black end piece on the barrel. How exactly can that be done?

 

I would like to know, too, as I have done the same conversion myself.

[joss]

2 hours ago, sapient said:

I would like to know, too, as I have done the same conversion myself.

 

The end piece unscrews from the barrel. If it does not unscrew readily, there is some info (and warning) given on how to proceed in this FPN thread.

 

[Ron Z]

I answered this for someone else a while back - the link in the post above will take you to the thread.

 

Short answer - The black end on the Duofolds screws on.  There is a brass thread bushing between the barrel and blind cap, and it is secured with what Parker called "white glue."  From the looks of it, I would not say that means white Elmer's Glue.  There is a plug inside that you can take out and fit a nib unit with regular converter into the pen.  If you are uncomfortable doing that, a good pen mechanic can do it for you.  Usual caveats about risks involved, but it is done quite often.