What is on your bench?

[VacNut]

9 hours ago, eckiethump said:

It varies wildly how many pens are worked on in a day, I pictured 12 here, but after the photograph I added another 6. Seems easy, then there is one Conway Stewart, the lever is detached, so had to remove and fit it back again, one of my least favourite tasks. The hanging pressure bar, did not want to attach to the lugs for love nor money, I even have a bespoke tool for this task. Eventually got it, so what all seems straight forward, can mess up a timetable that I never make, when it's not working , "take a breather". I have quite a few lathe jobs to do, so my day can and does vary quite a bit. Other than Conway Stewart's , who I am the recommended vintage repair person for, I don't get too many lever or button fill pens to service.

There is only one client I will do re-blackening for, I know he would never sell a pen without declaring the work. I don't advise the work to be done. Another customer I do servicing for, does re-blackening, but only on pens to sell if they are in absolute mint condition, with no wear at all, his work is so good you would never know, I've shown examples to well known long term dealers, who had never seen it so good and I have seen many peoples attempts.

I use Deb Stoko Kresto for cleaning hands after work, developed for the printing trade to clean up their hands, very effective.

Eric

Thx for the lead on the Deb. I was wearing gloves, but that isn’t useful. No more blue and black fingers!!!👍

[eckiethump]

 Onoto 1850 Mammoth Mottled red hard rubber

Never thought I'd be able to get my hands on one of these to own, but did this week end. Excellent colour and condition with strong imprint. No more difficult than a Magna to service.

 

[Fermata]

12 minutes ago, eckiethump said:

 Onoto 1850 Mammoth Mottled red hard rubber

Never thought I'd be able to get my hands on one of these to own, but did this week end. Excellent colour and condition with strong imprint. No more difficult than a Magna to service.

 

 

 

A stunning pen.

[VacNut]

1 hour ago, eckiethump said:

 Onoto 1850 Mammoth Mottled red hard rubber

Never thought I'd be able to get my hands on one of these to own, but did this week end. Excellent colour and condition with strong imprint. No more difficult than a Magna to service.

 

👍👍👍👍

is it comfortable to use?

it must have an enormous ink capacity

[eckiethump]

Some serviced Onoto's being delivered back to the dealer at the Birmingham Pen Show this Sunday

 

Year aprox	Maker	Model	Fill type	Colour
1. 1932/3	Onoto	5601? #2 nib	Plunger Filler	Green /Black Marble
2. 1932/3	Onoto	5601?(9.6) #3Nib	Plunger Filler	Green white veins
3. 1935/8	Onoto	5600(3.4) #2Nib	Plunger Filler	Black Latticed
4. 1928/34	Onoto	5123 #3Nib	Plunger Filler	Vitrine Green ?
5. 1928/34	Onoto	5123 #3/st Nib	Plunger Filler	Silver Hatched
6. 1928/34	Onoto	5123(9.6) #3Nib	Plunger Filler	Mottled RHR
7. 1934	Onoto	6164 #3/st Nib	Plunger Filler	Green white veins14ct gold band
8. 1928/34	Onoto	5123 #3Nib	Plunger Filler	Green /Black Marble
9 1924	Onoto	6000? #4 nib	Plunger Filler	Chased BlackHard Rubber
10 1924	Onoto	3500 ? #2nib	Plunger Filler	Chased BlackHard Rubber
11. 1932/3	Onoto	5501 (3.6)? #3/st nib	Plunger Filler	Vitrine Green ?

[da vinci]

On 11/26/2021 at 3:51 PM, eckiethump said:

Some serviced Onoto's being delivered back to the dealer at the Birmingham Pen Show this Sunday

 

Year aprox	Maker	Model	Fill type	Colour
1. 1932/3	Onoto	5601? #2 nib	Plunger Filler	Green /Black Marble
2. 1932/3	Onoto	5601?(9.6) #3Nib	Plunger Filler	Green white veins
3. 1935/8	Onoto	5600(3.4) #2Nib	Plunger Filler	Black Latticed
4. 1928/34	Onoto	5123 #3Nib	Plunger Filler	Vitrine Green ?
5. 1928/34	Onoto	5123 #3/st Nib	Plunger Filler	Silver Hatched
6. 1928/34	Onoto	5123(9.6) #3Nib	Plunger Filler	Mottled RHR
7. 1934	Onoto	6164 #3/st Nib	Plunger Filler	Green white veins14ct gold band
8. 1928/34	Onoto	5123 #3Nib	Plunger Filler	Green /Black Marble
9 1924	Onoto	6000? #4 nib	Plunger Filler	Chased BlackHard Rubber
10 1924	Onoto	3500 ? #2nib	Plunger Filler	Chased BlackHard Rubber
11. 1932/3	Onoto	5501 (3.6)? #3/st nib	Plunger Filler	Vitrine Green ?

That looks like a good days work to me eckiethump! Did you encounter any particular issues? I know Omotos can be tricky..

[VacNut]

The black lattice pen is smashing. Are all these pens celluloid or BHR?

[eckiethump]

On 11/28/2021 at 3:53 AM, VacNut said:

The black lattice pen is smashing. Are all these pens celluloid or BHR?

The small red one is MRHR and end two are BHR, The 6000? has a #4size nib, which is bigger than the later Onoto #5 size nib.

et

[eckiethump]

On 11/27/2021 at 10:40 PM, da vinci said:

That looks like a good days work to me eckiethump! Did you encounter any particular issues? I know Omotos can be tricky..

Though all complete when dismantled, the delicate piston seal carrier, had to be repaired/replaced on three of them. There is a table on Custom Pen Parts site https://www.custompenparts.co.uk/gb/content/7-onoto-model-identification but at times, you have to change the seal size for a pen to work, shrinkage in celluloid perhaps, 7.65 to 7.85 mm dia. is a very small change.

I've written an article, which should be published in the next

Writing Equipment Journal  http://www.wesonline.org.uk/ on some of the vagaries and tools required in servicing of Onoto pens

et

[da vinci]

14 hours ago, eckiethump said:

Though all complete when dismantled, the delicate piston seal carrier, had to be repaired/replaced on three of them. There is a table on Custom Pen Parts site https://www.custompenparts.co.uk/gb/content/7-onoto-model-identification but at times, you have to change the seal size for a pen to work, shrinkage in celluloid perhaps, 7.65 to 7.85 mm dia. is a very small change.

I've written an article, which should be published in the next

Writing Equipment Journal  http://www.wesonline.org.uk/ on some of the vagaries and tools required in servicing of Onoto pens

et

I look forward to reading the article! Thank you for the reply. 

[VacNut]

17 hours ago, eckiethump said:

Though all complete when dismantled, the delicate piston seal carrier, had to be repaired/replaced on three of them. There is a table on Custom Pen Parts site https://www.custompenparts.co.uk/gb/content/7-onoto-model-identification but at times, you have to change the seal size for a pen to work, shrinkage in celluloid perhaps, 7.65 to 7.85 mm dia. is a very small change.

I've written an article, which should be published in the next

Writing Equipment Journal  http://www.wesonline.org.uk/ on some of the vagaries and tools required in servicing of Onoto pens

et

That is the coolest website. I never knew there would be a site dedicated to custom parts. Is the host a member of this forum? The selection of available parts are very model focused.

[VacNut]

The end of the year gave me time to catch up on the pens. I was lucky to find a group of Canadian Vac OS this time. (Ehh!).

The Emerald OS is always spectacular when they are lightly polished, but there is something modern and alluring about a Silver OS with a two-tone nib that outshines the emerald pen. The Silver OS was particularly soiled and difficult to clean. 
The Brown OS are the most common, but the pen on the far right is almost 1/4” shorter than the typical OS (the barrel threads were not shortened, this time). There is talk about a Canadian Sub Max/OS that was made shorter than  the typical OS. This brown pen matches a Canadian Black OS that is also in my collection. 
I have been told the Canadian pens are sometimes different lengths and diameters, to the extent that they are not interchangeable with US-Built pens.

 

The pens are not perfect. Typical ambering to the barrels with brassing on one of the clips and the banding. I have the parts to return the pens to a more pristine condition, but that would mean replacing part of their history.

[VacNut]

 Brown Vacumatics this time. I had two Canadian-made Vacs already in the bin awaiting cleaning, when a 3rd arrived from the EU. Ironically it was made in the USA.

One of my favorite smaller vac pens. Some ink staining on the barrel and cap seam. This is one of the vacs with both the cap and barrel formed over a “mandrel” - not a die. 🙄😀

End cap is solid stock. It would have been incredible if they had made the end cap match the barrel, similar to the Italian knock-offs. The Juniorette has a stable crack at the cap.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/forum/21-repair-qampa/

 

Still searching for the Diamond Medal equivalent in brown, green, or grey …

 

[VacNut]

1 minute ago, VacNut said:

 Brown Vacumatics this time. I had two Canadian-made Vacs already in the bin awaiting cleaning, when a 3rd arrived from the EU. Ironically it was made in the USA.

One of my favorite smaller vac pens. Some ink staining on the barrel and cap seam. This is one of the vacs with both the cap and barrel formed over a “mandrel” - not a die. 🙄😀

End cap is solid stock. It would have been incredible if they had made the end cap match the barrel, similar to the Italian knock-offs. The Juniorette has a stable crack at the cap.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/forum/21-repair-qampa/

 

Still searching for the Diamond Medal equivalent in brown, green, or grey …

 

sorry wrong link.

 

 

[eckiethump]

The latest Batch of Onotos I'm about to start work on, during which I'll research all the information I can on each one. My main source for details is Stephen Hulls excellent book "Onoto The Pen", where I am told by him some of these pens can be found.

 

[ralfstc]

Okay, Eric, this is getting ridiculous. I think I should send you my old Swan with a bent nib and a missing cap lip, just to keep your feet on the ground.

 

Seriously, are you able to say if this is one lucky collector, or a few folks' pens? They are gorgeous.

 

I love the third from the left. Is it a demonstrator?

 

Ralf

 

 

[VacNut]

If those pens are from a single collector, they have found quite a cache. The 3rd pen is very reminiscent of a demonstrator or a crystal Vac pen. The 4th and 5th pen look similar to the Vac and Valentine Candy Stripe Pens. Are they of the same era or time line?

[eckiethump]

From the left No's 1, 4 and 5 are what is termed as Ink Visible 1935ish, solid mesh through translucent material. Pen #3 is an earlier model called transparent.

The stickered pens can be seen in Stephen Hulls book"The Onoto Pen", the sticker position is positive i/d.

The owner of the pens is a very long term pen collector and dealer, whose table at shows, I always make a bee line for.

Eric

[VacNut]

Counting my blessings. A nice Silver Vac Max this week. Some time in its life, it was converted to a button filler with an internal push bar. I am still working out how to remove the replacement feed and the make shift collar. The collar is sized for an OS Filler, which is unusual for a Max. The blind cap has been tapped for the larger threaded collar. I suspect the collar has been adhered to the barrel.
 

The great result of the conversion, is that the barrel is relatively clear of ambering since the ink was in a sac. 
 

It is odd that they would have gone through the trouble of the retrofit, unless they were not able to find the Parker parts.
 

 

[eckiethump]

9 hours ago, VacNut said:

Counting my blessings. A nice Silver Vac Max this week. Some time in its life, it was converted to a button filler with an internal push bar. I am still wo..................................

Is the nib an original Danish one, slightly sad seeing a Maxima altered in such a way.

"The collar is sized for an OS Filler, which is unusual for a Max"

Is this the collar to take the smaller nib in the section ?

"The blind cap has been tapped for the larger threaded collar"

Any chance of a photo of this at the barrel end, my minds eye, says that a long tailed pressure bar would be required to go beyond the vac diaphragm seating ?

Eric