Do you use a fountain pen?

[C&C]

Fair point - I'll get a bit more creative and see what I can find around the house!

[Sway]

How about the ink tube in a bic biro? Chop the 'nib' off, flush the ink out, job jobbed...

[ClockworkCupcake]

Sway said:

How about the ink tube in a bic biro? Chop the 'nib' off, flush the ink out, job jobbed...

Or use the rear end, which is cleaner.

(depending on how much length you need)

[Robbo 27]

Its a case of trial and error, there will be some plastic tubes around the house that will fit I am sure.

[Sway]

And we're straight back to smut...

[C&C]

Sway said:

And we're straight back to smut...

ClockworkCupcake - on form as usual!

[ClockworkCupcake]

C+C said:

ClockworkCupcake - on form as usual!

Somewhat embarrassingly, I wasn't actually being intentionally smutty!

[AlexC1981]

I really need to catch up on this thread (for the smut if nothing else).

[Robbo 27]

Bought a Parker Sonnet yesterday, a friend said he had bought three pens in a deal and would I like one, Sonnets are not my favourite pens.

Will leave it as it is until I need a new pen, must admit that it is not bad looking.

[SystemParanoia]

Robbo 27 said:

Bought a Parker Sonnet yesterday, a friend said he had bought three pens in a deal and would I like one, Sonnets are not my favourite pens.

Will leave it as it is until I need a new pen, must admit that it is not bad looking.

with the lid on, you can see where the jinhao x250 got its inspiration

[8Ace]

Using a Jinhao 991 today - all clear so you can see all the innards. I really like it. It's a fine nib but not quite as fine as the one on my Jinhao 250 and it writes really nicely.

Guess it's similar to the TWSBI pens, but it onl;y cost 99p. Using it with Diamine Wild Strawberry - having a colourful ink in the demonstrator makes it look pretty.

[C&C]

Ok - I finally got the Vacumatic cleaned up, nib aligned, new breather tube fitted, inked up and the nib smoothed.

Robbo 27 said:

No special techniques on setting up the nib and feed. the Vac nibs can be a bit stiff unless yours is a canadian model which flexes a bit more, but thats fine, this is one pen that isnt all about the nib. Yours looks to be a little broader than the usual Fine.

It is a Canadian model, and date code of 5 with 3 dots indicates 1st quarter 1945.

Robbo 27 said:

Whilst the pen is apart use a cotton bud with some suitable detergent, and then a tissue, on the inside of the barrel will help to to improve clarity, and you can also feel if the diaphragm is working properly.

I gave it a good clean with soapy water, and careful use of this: . .

cleaner by conradsphotos, on Flickr

Robbo 27 said:

I have asked a friend of mine who fixes my Vacs on where he gets his breather tubes.

In the end I ordered 5 feet of Teflon tubing from Vintagepens.com as I liked the idea of the Teflon coating reducing any chance of ink build up on the breather tube.

The nib and feed went back without too much drama:
vac_feed_aligned by conradsphotos, on Flickr

vac_nib_and_breather by conradsphotos, on Flickr


Then put it back together (with a little shellac on the section thread)...

vac_together by conradsphotos, on Flickr

vac_nib_cap by conradsphotos, on Flickr


Loaded it with ink (Pelikan Edelstein Topaz), and smoothed the nib with the micromesh and mylar film.
It actually writes really well - very pleased!

vac_paper1 by conradsphotos, on Flickr

vac_paper2 by conradsphotos, on Flickr

[Robbo 27]

Very impressed, looks excellent.

Nice nib too by the way, the two colour nibs are sought after.

Vacumatics are very easy to develop an obsession, there is even a site called vacumania

http://www.vacumania.com/websitesales/forsaleparke...

You will see that there are some very big prices for the more unusual Vacumatics


You have done a very nice restoration on that Vac, turning into a clogged up and abused pen into something that will be used and treasured for another 70 years.

[C&C]

Robbo 27 said:

Vacumatics are very easy to develop an obsession, there is even a site called vacumania

http://www.vacumania.com/websitesales/forsaleparke...

You will see that there are some very big prices for the more unusual Vacumatics

Wow - some very big prices. Also on a bunch of the "51"s it seems!

[C&C]

8Ace said:

Using a Jinhao 991 today - all clear so you can see all the innards. I really like it. It's a fine nib but not quite as fine as the one on my Jinhao 250 and it writes really nicely.

Guess it's similar to the TWSBI pens, but it onl;y cost 99p. Using it with Diamine Wild Strawberry - having a colourful ink in the demonstrator makes it look pretty.

I know what you mean - I had a Jinhao 599 clear demonstrator, also 99p. Had Pelikan 4001 Purple ink in it (same as I have in a TWSBI Eco).

I lent it to one of the young guys at work to sign a birthday card, and he commented on what a nice pen it was.

Need less to say, as he showed an interest in it, I told him to keep it. He's very happy with it and says his handwriting is already improving.

Must go and order another one (or 3).

[Marty Funkhouser]

Recently started using my school Parker 25. Really very satisfying after years of biros. It also doesn't disappear after one use like every disposable pen I've used in the intervening 25 years.

[Robbo 27]

Marty Funkhouser said:

Recently started using my school Parker 25. Really very satisfying after years of biros. It also doesn't disappear after one use like every disposable pen I've used in the intervening 25 years.

If you said to a ballpoint pen user you will enjoy writing much more with a fountain pen they would look at you like you had two heads, and yet it is a fact.

The Parker 25 is becoming much more difficult to buy, 10 years ago they were buyable for a couple of pounds, now you would do well to buy one for £20. People are buying fountain pens again and wanting the pens that they had at school or for the first job. The Waterman Laureat is another, not too expensive when new, 10 years ago under £5, now they are £30+



Hope you enjoy the 25.

[ClockworkCupcake]

I've recently acquired a lovely Swan by Mabie, Todd and Co. Ltd., who became Swan Biro in 1952 and ceased trading in the late 1950s.

Given that it is a Made in England pen, and the English arm of Mabie. Todd & Co. Ltd were incorporated in 1914, and the name went out of use in 1952, then obviously the pen is between those two dates but I'd like to narrow it down further.

It's 9K gold (stamped 375) and is a lever filler, with screw cap. Nib is 14K gold.

Can anyone help me identify what model it is please? And a better estimate of its age?

Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Wednesday 5th July 20:23

[Robbo 27]

That is an amazing pen CC, really envious. There is often a number stamped on the end of the barrel, often reading something like 6/101

The nib should have quite a lot of flex to it as you write, Mabie Todds are famous for it.

There are some Mabie Todd experts, would you mind if I showed the pic to see if anyone has some better information?

[ClockworkCupcake]

Robbo 27 said:

That is an amazing pen CC, really envious.

Thanks!

Robbo 27 said:

There is often a number stamped on the end of the barrel, often reading something like 6/101

Sadly not on this one. The barrel end is smooth and very slightly rounded. There are hallmarks all over the pen, but no model number that I can see.

Robbo 27 said:

There are some Mabie Todd experts, would you mind if I showed the pic to see if anyone has some better information?

Not at all! Please do. This is a public forum after all.