Help With A Parker 61(?)

[PeterR-C]

This is my old student Parker, which has turned up at the back of a drawer after I put it aside in about 1980 in favour of inferior means of writing. I thought it was gone forever. Among other things I hand-wrote my entire PhD, 110,000 words, with this. The Parker Penography website shows it to be a Parker 61 (I think?), which would fit with a purchase date at the start of the 1970s. Is it an Insignia? This seems to be the nearest but the photos on the Parker website aren't that good. The converter was long gone so I have bought it a squeezy rubber one off ebay.

 

Can anyone tell me anything more about it? There is a tiny shield on the cap (photo herewith) which has I and IO in the top spaces I2 and CT in the middle, and R and G in the bottom ones.

 

The arrow was lost some time in the 1970s, and the tip of the section broke aff as well. I don't want to buy a new section and nib, since these are the originals, but can anyone tell me whether I can get hold of a new arrow to insert, and if so, where from? In the photo the whole end of the section looks pretty dirty, what is the best way to clean it?

 

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

 

Peter

[Glenn-SC]

Imperial model.

 

The pen cap and barrel are 1/10 12kt gold (i.e. "Rolled Gold" or "RG")

[peterg]

Fatnibs on E-bay sell lots of Parker spares. You could give them a try but I suspect you would need to buy a complete section and salvage the arrow.

[welch]

May not be worth trying to find an arrow. I haven't seen many alone. Some one who knows (Ron Zorn?) mentioned that it requires care to clear out the glue that left. And you might clip away a replacement arrow when you cap the pen.

 

If your hand remembers and likes the feel of the nib, why not use the pen as is?

[bsenn]

An option is to fill in the arrow pocket with epoxy, then Micromesh it smooth. Black epoxy on a black shell looks good, you see the outline of the arrow, but it's kind of stealthy.

[FarmBoy]

Easiest way to get an emblem is to buy a good hood and do the swap.

farmboy

[PeterR-C]

Thanks for this help. I am using it at the moment, as it is, and it does work very well - so for the time being I'm doing what Welch suggests. My hand certainly does remember the pen, remarkable how it comes back. I do fancy a new arrow though, so thanks peterg I'll look to cannibalise in due course.

[Chrissy]

Don't worry about trying to find an arrow because it will never look very good even if you find one and glue it on. They really can't be retro fitted after the original is lost.

A new section is your best bet and it will keep the nib in the correct position for writing whereas your chipped section won't. The rest of it would still be original, but it's worth restoring the pen to it's former beauty.

[PeterR-C]

Thanks Chrissy, understood. I'm coming round to agreeing with you. What I don't know is how to remove the nib from my section, and replace it in a new one. Can you or anyone help with that? (And you are sporting a Welsh flag - hwyl fawr!)

 

And Glenn-SC, thanks for the info that it is an Imperial. So far as I can see, this isn't mentioned on the Parker website. Can you tell me more about this model, and/or point me towards somewhere that has more information? Seems a rather up-market buy for the impoverished student I then was! How glad I am that it has survived and reappeared.

[Glenn-SC]

Parker75.com

 

Be prepared to spend a lot of time there!

[PeterR-C]

Thanks Glenn, I've just had a ook and I see what you mean!

[Chrissy]

Thanks Chrissy, understood. I'm coming round to agreeing with you. What I don't know is how to remove the nib from my section, and replace it in a new one. Can you or anyone help with that? (And you are sporting a Welsh flag - hwyl fawr!)

 

And Glenn-SC, thanks for the info that it is an Imperial. So far as I can see, this isn't mentioned on the Parker website. Can you tell me more about this model, and/or point me towards somewhere that has more information? Seems a rather up-market buy for the impoverished student I then was! How glad I am that it has survived and reappeared.

 

I would do a Google search online for You Tube videos that cover repairing or restoring Parker 61 pens and watch a few. You can also search on here for repair threads for Parker 61. You will need to use heat before you can unscrew the hood from the connecter. Once you've successfully managed that you should be good to go.

 

I should have said you will only need a shell or hood (only.... ) For that you might need to do a Google search for Buy a Parker 61 shell or hood UK. Battersea Pen Home has a couple, but they aren't black. Check out any vintage pen sellers who might have one. I checked on ebay UK and didn't see any, but they show up sometimes.

 

I was born in North Wales but have lived in England almost all of my life. Sadly I don't speak Welsh.

[FarmBoy]

On a 61 you unscrew the connector from the hood; you do not unscrew the hood from the connector. (Hold the hood and twist on the connector.)

 

FB

[PeterR-C]

Thanks Chrissie - not a Welsh speaker either!

 

Farmboy - thanks for this. I'm new to this - am I right that the connector is the top bit of the hood, with the screw thread for the barrel? I'm a bit scared about applying too much force.

 

Peter

[PeterR-C]

All's well that ends well. I bought a new shell, but it turned out I was unable to remove the nib from the old shell. I was scared of damaging it, so I sent it to the Battersea Pen Home, who got the nib out and put it in the new shell, and serviced it. Now it writes better than it ever did - very good to have it back in such good nick.

 

Thanks to you all for your help.

[crescentfiller]

All's well that ends well. I bought a new shell, but it turned out I was unable to remove the nib from the old shell. I was scared of damaging it, so I sent it to the Battersea Pen Home, who got the nib out and put it in the new shell, and serviced it. Now it writes better than it ever did - very good to have it back in such good nick.

 

Thanks to you all for your help.

 

Very good move and good news!

BPH is a great resource for repairs and sales!

Happy writing!

[mitto]

Good that you got your pen repaired. Congrats.