Parker Duofold Centennial Photo Thread

[encremental]

Many thanks for explaining that, Richard. I think I understand, but it's not unlike when Brian Cox is explaining the finer points of the solar system - I get so far and think I've grasped it .... but then it all turns to jelly in my head ! I look forward to seeing how your modelling experiment turns out.

 

On the modern Pelikan M101N Red Tortoise and Lizard they try to achieve an organic poured quality like the originals by overlaying fine strips of pattern which have a transparent element to them at an angle over each other, so that the overlap achieves an appearance of randomness - which the True Blue seems to have.

 

Lovely pens, Niagra Falls; I do wish Parker had kept the flat top. Those are my favourites.

 

John

[Glenn-SC]

I think I have an idea as to the way the True Blue was made. I will try it out in a cad package at some point to verify it.

 

The blank is where the clever stuff went on. If you imagine making something like plywood with 1 to 1.5mm thick layers of alternate blue and white. Cut that to 8mm wide. At the same time make splints of laminate and angle the base by about 5 degrees, then glue on either side of the first bar. Having done that, turn the whole blank on an axis about 5 degrees off the straight axis of the 8mm bar. You will, I think, get a result similar to the True Blue - but it's hard to fully visualise it without modelling it.

 

I'm afraid that it is a little more difficult than that.

The following are photos of my True Blue.

It appears that they made three stacks of alternating white and blue sheets; one wide and two thinner.

The wide sheet was cut into about 1/2-inch wide and thick blanks and laid down with the sheets in one direction (say horizontal).

The top and bottom sides were cut taper-cut (your 5 degrees works for me) and then the two thinner stacks were stood layers on end and bonded to the sides of the thick sheet.

Then this blank was then turned to be round, and you get the cuts through the layers in two directions.

Maybe the photos will illustrate.

This "from the top of the nib" view shows the stacked central layers and the angle cut on one of the side sheets.

http://i63.tinypic.com/i44y76.jpg

This view is of the pen rotated 45 degrees, and you see the two stacks in opposite directions.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2h34jfs.jpg

This last view is of the pen rotated 135 degrees and you see the angled slice through the thick center stack and the thin sheets on edge.

http://i68.tinypic.com/a5kufs.jpg

Did that help?

Edited July 1, 2019 by Glenn-SC

[richardandtracy]

Glenn, that's pretty much what I was trying (not very well, I admit) to describe. It's good to see your photo as you show the pattern better than any of the Google photos I've seen to date. The blue layer is between 50% and 100% thicker than the white - something that is impossible to see on any of the other photos I have seen. I shall see if I can model it up today.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[richardandtracy]

After a little playing (and I do mean only a little, possibly 12 mins) the blank postulated produced the pen barrel blank shown:

I think that it confirms the idea is correct, even if the exact details (blue:white thickness ratio and exact angles between the axis & laminates) would need a little work to get them to completely duplicate the True Blue.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[Glenn-SC]

Richard,

 

Yeah, as you said, with a few of the minor details tweeked, that's it!

 

Glenn

[Glenn-SC]

Looking at a vintage "True Blue", it appears that Paper took thinner layers of two different colors of blue and one of white, made a single sheet, cut them at a more oblique angle, then stacked these sheets in alternating opposite directions (one sloped upward and the next sloped downward) bonding them to make the blank and then turned the blanks into tubes. Looking from the end of the tubes, on the top and bottom of the tubes you see the "U" shaped color bands while at the sides of the tube you see the angled cuts.

These have a much "busier" pattern.

http://i65.tinypic.com/sw7n6c.jpg

[richardandtracy]

They went to a heck of an effort to make those blanks. And, presumably with it being made from celluloid, the curing process added another 3 years or so to how long the blank took to create.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[MightyEighth]

I took a liking to the "Mark 1" Centennials a while back. Picked up the Black along with the Black & Pearl at the DC Pen Show this past weekend. I think I'm done...

 

(I know the Mandarin is not a Mark 1, but I still had to have it.)

 

 

[thx1138]

I took a liking to the "Mark 1" Centennials a while back. Picked up the Black along with the Black & Pearl at the DC Pen Show this past weekend. I think I'm done...

 

(I know the Mandarin is not a Mark 1, but I still had to have it.)

 

 

 

How about a lapis ?

[MightyEighth]

 

How about a lapis ?

Lapis was in the redesigned Mark II range. While it is very nice, I'm limiting my collection set to the resin Mark I models. My only exception, as I mentioned, is the Mandarin yellow.

Edited August 8, 2019 by MightyEighth

[Glenn-SC]

Lapis was in the redesigned Mark II range. While it is very nice, I'm limiting my collection set to the resin Mark I models. My only exception, as I mentioned, is the Mandarin yellow.

Well, there are will the Presidential, and the Godron Gold and Silver to add!

[MightyEighth]

Well, there are will the Presidential, and the Godron Gold and Silver to add!

 

Right, and they are nice pens, but I'm sticking with the resin models.

[Glenn-SC]

 

Right, and they are nice pens, but I'm sticking with the resin models.

Until you find one at a "good" price and "might as well buy it".

Then you will "only" two pens away from the entire set, so you "might as well get those two too."

 

Just watch!

[MightyEighth]

Until you find one at a "good" price and "might as well buy it".

Then you will "only" two pens away from the entire set, so you "might as well get those two too."

 

Just watch!

 

I actually handled both silver and gold Godrons at the DC show, but I didn't bother asking the vendor for a price. But, okay, I won't rule them out forever....

[thx1138]

After almost four months with Parker Australia my duofold big red is on it's way back to me. It still has a fine nib installed, as my broad nib did not arrive due to some logistics mix up.

 

Parker offered me the choice of waiting for the broad to arrive from France and then parker send ot to me or having it sent back immediately and they will send the broad nib to me when it arrives in a week or two.

 

As I have only had the pen in my posession for about 2 days I elected to have it sent back now.

 

As a very kind gesture to compensate me for the delay I get to keep my original fine nib for free. It is the smoothest fine I have ever written with so that is a huge bonus.

 

So soon I will finally have my duofold FP where it can join its ballpoint brethren in daily service.

[thx1138]

Back from Parker at last.

With a few friends.

[como]

My Orange says hi to your Orange! ;-)

 

orange!

[sansenri]

nice couple!

[thx1138]

I just had to buy the matching ballpoint for my Duofold big red today.

Only $177 AUD from Amazonia.

[thx1138]

Eine kleine bruder.