Restoration Starting Points

[CatchyNameHere]

So I picked up these vintage Parkers and several others. Most of them I am thinking of just selling for parts. These two, though, I would like some advice on. I have done a bit of research on Youtube regarding the basics of polishing, cleaning dry ink out of the nibs and feeds, etc. The plungers still work, the springs feel good to me. My question is, though, did the Parker Vacuum pens use sacs? I assumed that they would have to, but whenever I see restored Vacs I usually don't see anything regarding a sac.

 

And, lastly, I'm just curious where you all would start. 

 

Here's the Duofold Vac. 

 

 

[CatchyNameHere]

Orange Vac. Jewelers cloth didn't get the black marks off of the gold band. I'm not sure what to try next. And of course there are some other problems. 

 

 

[da vinci]

I am going to have a try at answering your questions but I am a novice so best wait for others to comment too before doing anything! 
 

first, I would buy the book on pen repair by Oldfield and Marshal. It will answer your questions far better than I, I am sure. If that’s not an option I always found the you tube videos by Grandmia Pens helpful.

 

in relation to the black on the cap ring, I am not sure that is dirt. I think it maybe where the gold plate has worn away to expose the rings base metal? 
 

The Vac uses a diaphragm attached to the plunger unit activated by the plunger knob concealed by the blind cap. The diaphragm creates a vacuum in the barrel and when the plunger is released from the depressed position whilst the nib is submerged in ink the vacuum is filled by ink being sucked into the barrel. It is not sucked into a sac like a lever filler. 
 

I think to start, I would examine the pens under bright light with a loupe to look for cracks or other damage. If you find none start by filling your pens with water. If that works a clean/polish maybe all you want to do.  You might be able to remove the section with the use of heat, knock out the nib and feed and give them a proper clean if you wanted but you need tools for this. If the pen doesn’t draw in water then the diaphragm may need replacing but a description of that exercise goes beyond this post 😊 I hope that helps and I hope an expert will let me know if I have the above incorrect!

[lionelc]

it's hard to pick 2 better pens for restoration than your duofold and vacumatic - the restoration process can be found here on fpn with attached video.  the two tools handy to have around would be a nib knock out block and a vac tool if required.

 

 

 

[dipper]

5 hours ago, CatchyNameHere said:

My question is, though, did the Parker Vacuum pens use sacs? I assumed that they would have to, but whenever I see restored Vacs I usually don't see anything regarding a sac.

The Vacumatic filler system uses a folded rubber diaphragm.

A replacement diaphragm looks like a short sac when you buy it. But, when fitted up at the back end of the pen body, the sac tube is folded up into itself making a sort of springy bellows.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/anatomy/vac.htm

 

 

[CatchyNameHere]

46 minutes ago, lionelc said:

it's hard to pick 2 better pens for restoration than your duofold and vacumatic - the restoration process can be found here on fpn with attached video.  the two tools handy to have around would be a nib knock out block and a vac tool if required.

 

 

 

 

19 minutes ago, dipper said:

The Vacumatic filler system uses a folded rubber diaphragm.

A replacement diaphragm looks like a short sac when you buy it. But, when fitted up at the back end of the pen body, the sac tube is folded up into itself making a sort of springy bellows.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/anatomy/vac.htm

 

 

Thank you both, I really appreciate that.

[Armo]

Nice pair. Especially like the first one. Well worth the effort.

First step: download a service manual here

 

https://parkersheaffer.com/parker-service-manual/

[dipper]

15 hours ago, Armo said:

First step: download a service manual here

Wow! ...... how did I not know of that goldmine of information?! Thanks for posting.

 

Skimming through the manual shows one statement that I think needs expanding with a warning, relevant to the type of nib in @CatchyNameHere's Duofold.

 

The manual says that nib adjustment can be done with the naked nib removed, out of the pen.

 

In my (painful) experience that is true if, and only if, the curvature of the nib shank is a perfect fit to the curvatures of the feed and of the hole in the grip section. (So when the nib is refitted in the pen nothing much changes.)

 

I nearly ruined one Duofold nib this way: Out of the pen the tines tips were much too tight. A thin brass shim between the tines, pulled out smoothly, gave a sharp "click" as the tines snapped shut against each other!

Much careful adjusting later the nib was close to perfect - out of the pen.

Reassembled with feed into grip section..... The springy nib shank flexed to a flatter curve. Gave a nice firm fit, without excessive jamming or sticking. But the shank flexing also changed the tines angles. They were now spread wide apart at the tine tips.

Much careful adjustment later, after undoing all the adjustments done outside the pen, the nib was OK again, in the pen.

 

All that adjustment and readjustment was a total waste of time. The nib suffered unnecessary bending in the process.

The pen now writes very well, but the tines show a slight ripple visible in certain lighting reflections. I will leave the nib like that as a permanent reminder to me of past follies.

[bsenn]

Don't knock out a nib and feed unless there is a reason to. In general,  cleaning is not a reason to (cleaning out India ink or paint may be exceptions).

 

Brian

[LoveBigPensAndCannotLie]

17 hours ago, bsenn said:

Don't knock out a nib and feed unless there is a reason to. In general,  cleaning is not a reason to (cleaning out India ink or paint may be exceptions).

 

Brian

 

Big agree on this, it's a lesson some of us have learned the hard way. I just broke the sac nipple on a fairly nice Sheaffer ringtop trying to get the nib out a week or two ago. It's not a particularly rare or valuable pen but it stung a bit even so. Especially when I saw that the feed and nib were more or less clean and would have been fine if I just slapped a sac on it.

[CatchyNameHere]

@Armo@dipper@bsenn @LoveBigPensAndCannotLie

Thank you all for the insight. I'm actually not sure I want these to be my first attempt. May need to go a little further down in value, I think practice sounds necessary for me.

[da vinci]

On 6/6/2022 at 9:29 AM, Armo said:

Nice pair. Especially like the first one. Well worth the effort.

First step: download a service manual here

 

https://parkersheaffer.com/parker-service-manual/

That is very helpful thank you!