mhosea
November 2nd, 2014, 09:35 PM
Several years ago I bought a used Sheaffer Connaisseur off eBay. It didn't come with a converter, and it was the kind that had the brass plug in the back, so the only converter that would fit it was a Sheaffer squeeze converter, which I didn't have and which did not seem to be that cheap compared to the price of the pen. I modified a twist converter that I had on-hand to fit (at reduced capacity), but it seemed wobbly on the piercing tube of this version. So I converted it to ED. I removed the piercing tube, which I wish I hadn't done, but I did, sealed off the brass end plug with silicone to protect it from contact with ink, greased the threads, and started using it as an eyedropper.
That was fine, but the threads have to be greased on this pen for it to work properly, and I started to feel that it was a bit of a pain. I used the pen less and less. But recently I repaired a couple of Parker "51" Aerometric connectors that had become gummy. I have this polypropylene tubing that is the correct outer diameter for the job, and I realized that this grip section could be drilled enough to admit a section of tubing to form a sac nipple. So I drilled it out (actually holding the drill bits, small to large, and turning them by hand) and epoxied in the tubing. After some deliberation, I decided to go with a new Parker "51" PVC sac. I just put a paper insert in the barrel to keep the sac from making direct contact with the plastic. Perhaps I may update the paper insert to brass someday.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3941/15511747179_e0a593223f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pCHL1T)
Voila! Goodbye ED, hello squeeze filler. It should be no worse than the Sheaffer squeeze filler.
That was fine, but the threads have to be greased on this pen for it to work properly, and I started to feel that it was a bit of a pain. I used the pen less and less. But recently I repaired a couple of Parker "51" Aerometric connectors that had become gummy. I have this polypropylene tubing that is the correct outer diameter for the job, and I realized that this grip section could be drilled enough to admit a section of tubing to form a sac nipple. So I drilled it out (actually holding the drill bits, small to large, and turning them by hand) and epoxied in the tubing. After some deliberation, I decided to go with a new Parker "51" PVC sac. I just put a paper insert in the barrel to keep the sac from making direct contact with the plastic. Perhaps I may update the paper insert to brass someday.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3941/15511747179_e0a593223f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pCHL1T)
Voila! Goodbye ED, hello squeeze filler. It should be no worse than the Sheaffer squeeze filler.