75 Year Old Boston Pen: Need Info And Repair Tips

[TheDutchGuy]

My mother in law gave me her 75-yr old Boston fountain pen. It's a well-used and lovely piece. 14k nib with iridium plated tip.

 

Will post more pics later.

 

-->Any info on this pen and this brand?

 

The pen needs serious work. The nib is super-scratchy, the plunger is stuck, the barrel can't be removed (stuck) and no doubt there will be a worn ink sac inside that will need replacement.

 

-->Any tips on how to safely dismantle this pen without applying force?

 

-->Any tips regarding possible replacement parts?

Edited February 11, 2018 by TheDutchGuy

[TheDutchGuy]

And a view with the plunger exposed. Note the brand name engraved in the side, very subtle, only visible when the light hits it a certain way.

 

Wasn't this brand bought by another brand (Wahl) around 1917? Would that mean that Wahl continued with the Boston name, or would it mean that the pen is much older than I think it is?

[Vintagepens]

Your Boston is a European pen, not to be confused with Boston Safety (of Boston, Massachusetts).

Production likely Belgian or Netherlandish.

 

Disassembly like other button-fillers: pull the button, extract the pressure bar, warm the section-barrel joint area and wiggle or twist out the section (probably press-fit, possibly threaded). Don't soak anything until you have the section extracted. At that point you can soak and clean out the section assembly ONLY.

[TheDutchGuy]

Thanks, Vintagepens! Steep learning curve ahead. No idea yet what a 'button filler' is, nor a 'pressure bar'. This is the first vintage pen I've laid hands on.

 

Would a hairdryer be a good tool to warm the section-barrel joint...?

 

Good warning not to soak the barrel and the cap - will take note.

[mitto]

Watch this video and you would know how does a button filler works and how to restore it - replace the sac. Also, you would lean what a pressure bar is. You may also google for other videos on the subject (how to restore a button filler pen).

The pen in this video is a Parker button filler (AF). But all button fillers works almost the same way.

 

Edited February 12, 2018 by mitto

[mitto]

And yes for the use of a hair dryer for warming the section-barrel joint. Dont use hot water. The nib (and feed) also look to be needing heat setting.

Edited February 12, 2018 by mitto

[TheDutchGuy]

Thanks! Interesting video! Today this pen entered into the expert care of a fellow-FPN member who happens to be a colleague of mine. I'm too much of a novice to do this myself and I really want this pen to become functional again. Not taking any chances here.

[TheDutchGuy]

It's back! The nib was severely damaged and though it writes well after the repair, you can still see that it was bent. Great to see this repaired.

[TheDutchGuy]

*bump*

 

 

This small, Dutch-made Boston pen started life as an affordable school pen for my mother in law, whose parents bought it new back in the day. She passed it along to me and since I had it repaired last year it slowly but surely grew to be my favorite vintage pen. Despite its diminutive size, this pen is very comfortable to use when posted. The semi-flex nib is awesome, I adore it. Its such a pleasure to use this pen! Ink volume has always been its problem area. Even after having the sac replaced last year, Id deplete it in no time at all (its quite a wet writer). Unfortunately the button filling mechanism gave up the ghost this week, so Ill need to open up the pen to see whats wrong. I suspect that the pressure bar has become misaligned, so it doesnt compress the sac.

Edited June 21, 2019 by TheDutchGuy

[majorworks]

The pen looks great; congrats on reviving a family heirloom! Hope you work out the issues with the filling system. I've never owned a button filler myself but I've been eyeing Duofolds lately, so you never know.