How I stopped my Parker Sonnet from drying out

[Chrissy]

Every time I filled my Parker Sonnet with ink, the ink dried out. Even in the twist action converter. I got to the stage where I would only fill it with ink that I didn't mind would dry out, or I would fill it, write with it and empty it again. So I saw a couple of ideas over on the other place and decided to fix my Sonnet once and for all.

I read that when Parker made the Sonnet, the caps could crack when the black jewel was inserted at the clip end, and that was what caused them to dry out.

First I tried filling my cap with water. It poured out from the jewel end, so no surprise there. I started quite low tech, with my trusty Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure, but that didn't seem to do the job.

I then went straight up to Araldite 2020 two part resin, very carefully mixed. I added a drop or two right down into the end of the cap, then tinted the rest with black powder pigment. I added it carefully with a tiny tool, all around the jewel and immediately wiped off the excess. I froze the remaining mixture for use the following day, and after 24 hours I repeated the operation. I was very careful to not get this anywhere else, and cleaned the inside of the cap carefully too.

After the next day it was set. This is a permanent fix. Now when I fill my Sonnet, the ink doesn't evaporate. Other epoxy resins would work just as well.

20170806_Parker Sonnet_0002.JPG

[Deb]

That was a great repair, Chrissy.

[Chrissy]

That was a great repair, Chrissy.

Thanks.

[Jon Szanto]

Like a boss!

[stub]

Well, how about that.

I fixed mine by buying a Sheaffer Prelude. heh.

The black powder pigment is a nice touch. Hats off.

[pajaro]

Thanks Chrissy for the detail of how you fixed the Sonnet. I wouldn't have thought to freeze the epoxy.

My Sheaffer Prelude dries out as the Sonnets I have do. Possibly the same fix is necessary for all of them. Refilling a cartridge has helped both types of pens. Nibs dry out, but you can wet them.

My solution is Pelikan in the guise of M200, M300, M400 and M600, and Parker 51. A Lamy 2000 is also in the mail, having left the Detroit mail center headed to Tecumseh.

[Chrissy]

Well, how about that.

I fixed mine by buying a Sheaffer Prelude. heh.

The black powder pigment is a nice touch. Hats off.

That's a completely different way to fix it.

I have loads of powder pigments, so I thought I may as well use some.

[Chrissy]

Like a boss!

[Chrissy]

Thanks Chrissy for the detail of how you fixed the Sonnet. I wouldn't have thought to freeze the epoxy.

My Sheaffer Prelude dries out as the Sonnets I have do. Possibly the same fix is necessary for all of them. Refilling a cartridge has helped both types of pens. Nibs dry out, but you can wet them.

My solution is Pelikan in the guise of M200, M300, M400 and M600, and Parker 51. A Lamy 2000 is also in the mail, having left the Detroit mail center headed to Tecumseh.

You're welcome.

I was just being frugal with it, and I have been in the past. Once mixed with a pigment, silica or talcum etc it freezes very well to enable use again the next day. In fact it makes it very slightly stiffer which was easier for the job I was doing. I'm not sure how I found that out.

If you need a permanent fix, it works. But with something like Araldite 2020 you can't go back. I've successfully used it to repair cap cracks too.

[FredRydr]

A parcel containing 23 Sonnets is on its way to you, Chrissy.

Fred

[Chrissy]

A parcel containing 23 Sonnets is on its way to you, Chrissy.

Fred

Fred you're so funny.

[pajaro]

I have twenty-five I could send. I know, another comedian.

[Chrissy]

I have twenty-five I could send. I know, another comedian.

Very nice. I'm envious. This Laque Moonbeam is the only Sonnet I have, from my jeweller friend who had it sitting in stock for years. I would like to find the Laque Firedance or Indigo too. On eBay it's risky, and they always look badly worn.

[pajaro]

I have twenty-five I could send. I know, another comedian.

Very nice. I'm envious. This Laque Moonbeam is the only Sonnet I have, from my jeweller friend who had it sitting in stock for years. I would like to find the Laque Firedance or Indigo too. On eBay it's risky, and they always look badly worn.

I have the Moonbeam in two color variations, very dark and much brighter with almost white patches. Likewise, I have found a few Firdance pens in the usual dark red and black and one much brighter, the red being almost raspberry. I really love these pens so much I am hesitant to try to fix them, for fear of getting epoxy on the lacque finish. I got one Firedance to work with a cartridge, and it has an 18K medium italic. I don't need to write with the others. The color variations are interesting.

[Chrissy]

I love my one too, but I'm very careful.

[proteus]

I love my one too, but I'm very careful.

I have two variations of this Sonnet Sundance pen.

Both are NOS Boxed with outer sleeves.

One has standard GP nib the other is 18k - both are standard Medium width.

Any ideas of current values ?

[Chrissy]

I love my one too, but I'm very careful.

I have two variations of this Sonnet Sundance pen.

Both are NOS Boxed with outer sleeves.

One has standard GP nib the other is 18k - both are standard Medium width.

Any ideas of current values ?

I don't see any model called Sundance in Parker Penography. Is that the name on the box?

I would say check on eBay but there are no results for Sonnet Sundance.

[pajaro]

[Chrissy]

Is the red & black called Sundance or Firedance?

I've never seen a new one for sale, and sadly most of the used ones I've seen for sale have been so well used I haven't been tempted.

[pajaro]

Is the red & black called Sundance or Firedance?

I've never seen a new one for sale, and sadly most of the used ones I've seen for sale have been so well used I haven't been tempted.

The red one is called "Firedance." This is one of the early patterns. The ones I found on ebay are used, but nice, generally about $50 on average from sellers who knew pens. I think the pens came from estate sales and such. I haven't shopped for a Sonnet in some time, so I don't know what the market is today.

The color contrast between the Firedance samples and the Moonbeam samples is greater than it appears to be in the pictures. I do enjoy looking at all these.