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Thread: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

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    Default Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    Hello,

    I was wondering if anyone here has successfully ( no parts damaged at all ) stripped down a clogged Parker 61 Mk I / II capillary feed.

    Practically everyone I have ever spoken to all consider it a ' Dark Art ' & best left to professional pen restorers.

    Spent the last month on working out ways to do it. ( I am retired )

    Bought an Ultra Sonic Unit, a number of specialised tools .........

    Completely freed one on Sunday ...........now feeling little smug.

    Has anyone else done this ?

    Can add photography if anyone is interested.

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    If it's not too much trouble, please add the photos.

    Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    I'm also interested in photos.
    We have met the enemy and he is us.
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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    Hello again,

    I delighted to have received two replies to this post.

    Today I photographed the first P61 Capillary I stripped down. ( attached )

    Over this weekend I will do a short piece on technique - and it does really work..... it is not like looking at the Utube videos.

    I tested my technique further - Today I stripped down 4 more P61's ( Capillary and Mark III cartridge models ) .......then when to 2 P51 MkI's ( the sacs were functional and pre flushed )
    P51's are vastly easier to release.

    Many thanks
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    I guess I was looking for the disassembly of the capillary. Removal of the hood is pretty basic even with the fragile and often shrunken plastic.
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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    Quote Originally Posted by Hawk View Post
    I guess I was looking for the disassembly of the capillary. Removal of the hood is pretty basic even with the fragile and often shrunken plastic.
    I had inferred the same thing, wondering if there would be a new filling system mod to make these pens more useable. Getting the hood off can be a pain at times, but the filler is the real mystery.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    On a 61 you don't remove the hood from the pen, you remove the connector from the hood.

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    Quote Originally Posted by Farmboy View Post
    On a 61 you don't remove the hood from the pen, you remove the connector from the hood.
    I'll be honest: I don't follow. That sounds to me like "you don't remove the lid from the jar, you remove the jar from the lid". Which is only different in description.

    Illumination, please (not that I'll ever tear down a 61...)
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    not that I've attempted to dis-assemble a 61 capillary unit, but wouldn't have imagined that it was a very practical step to take anyway .. these are not rare pens, and the rolled capillary element is not something that I'm aware of seeing anyone having removed.
    The Pen Repair manual says that "The task is to remove the debris from the foam pad at the top (of the capillary) and from the interstices of the rolled capillary element".
    The authors go on to say that when cleaning 61s with a capillary system, they should be flushed from the rear of the unit and never from the nib end - the reason being that the latter method might push debris further into the rolled element and add to the problem.

    With the greatest of respect to proteus, I don't get the impression that flushing the capillary unit is necessarily made any easier by dismantling the hood/shell, as opposed to simply leaving it in place whilst flushing ............ but I'm always someone pleased to be proven wrong

    Capillary 61s can, apparently be converted, but can't imagine this would be a cost effective exercise.

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    The object of his reply is NOT to present any guidelines – it is merely my experiences

    The items I used :

    Plastic Bowl with enough room to submerse an uncapped fountain pen

    I have only ever had limited success just soaking nib sections overnight so a week ago I bought an Ultrasonic Unit – Amazon UK for £32 ( STEWART Ultra 7000S – Ultrasonic frequency of 42,000Hz )
    Some will say that is a lot of money if I only want to clean one pen which, of course, it is. I wanted to clean about 45 pens so for me it is cheap.

    Hair dryer with a nozzle attachment which changes the output from circular to long & flat.

    New piece bicycle inner tube

    Pliers ( I have tried various types but settled on these small jaws. )

    The process I used :

    Removed the pen cap and submerge the nib section into the bowl filled with warm water.

    Allow the ink to disperse from the pen until to runs clear or near clear.

    Place the section into the Ultrasonic unit filled with warm water.
    I did two cycles at 180 seconds with a break of 30 seconds in between.

    Remove the pen and wipe it dry.

    Apply heat using the hair dryer – I used maximum heat and apply it to the area to from the clutch ring to about 25mm down the hood ( That is the area which houses the collector steel cylinder and screw sections )

    Heated for about 15 secs – rotating the pens to disperse the heat even around the whole body.

    After this the area should feel hot to touch – do not over heat – the plastic is brittle.

    Wrap the piece of inner tube around the steel screw section near to but not touching the clutch ring.

    Apply the pliers and offer a firm hold – it will not need much pressure to hold it very firm.

    With the pliers in one hand used the other to turn the hood anti clockwise.
    Be gentle ( firm grip ) once it is loose it will easily unscrew.

    Placed the ‘opened ‘ section in the bowl of warm water.

    When the ink has dispersed place the whole unstripped section back into the Ultrasonic unit filled with warm water. I gave it two cycles again at 180 secs.

    After this all the ink was removed and I then stripped the nib section.
    If you try to strip down before it is totally clean you risk hardened dry ink damaging the fragile plastic sections.

    I could have easily removed the small teflon ( PTFE ) coated rolled plastic sheet from the black capillary cell by releasing the plastic ring – the downside is that this unit will need to be resealed.
    A month ago I did this to my another nib section just to see what was inside.
    The long nib feed sits inside it.
    I thought it was a very clever piece of engineering.


    I suspect that experienced pen restorer do not take the time amount of time and effort to complete this process. If any thing is damaged they just charge the customer more money to replace parts that were damaged.

    That is the prime reason I did this – I wanted to keep all the parts undamaged and, of course, learn to do something new.

    If anyone has any comments / observations / questions please do post a reply.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    Quote Originally Posted by PaulS View Post
    not that I've attempted to dis-assemble a 61 capillary unit, but wouldn't have imagined that it was a very practical step to take anyway .. these are not rare pens, and the rolled capillary element is not something that I'm aware of seeing anyone having removed.
    The Pen Repair manual says that "The task is to remove the debris from the foam pad at the top (of the capillary) and from the interstices of the rolled capillary element".
    The authors go on to say that when cleaning 61s with a capillary system, they should be flushed from the rear of the unit and never from the nib end - the reason being that the latter method might push debris further into the rolled element and add to the problem.

    With the greatest of respect to proteus, I don't get the impression that flushing the capillary unit is necessarily made any easier by dismantling the hood/shell, as opposed to simply leaving it in place whilst flushing ............ but I'm always someone pleased to be proven wrong

    Capillary 61s can, apparently be converted, but can't imagine this would be a cost effective exercise.
    In spite of Parker's recommended flushing in one direction, I don't know where the debris is located in the capillary. Personally, I have flushed in both directions with the hood on. Some pens with great success and others not so much success. One needs to be careful in flushing so the small foam pad isn't lost or dislodged. I don't know if losing the foam piece keeps the pen from functioning. However, it must have a purpose.
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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    quote ................. "I wanted to keep all the parts undamaged and, of course, learn to do something new." I agree with that philosophy - I'm a great believer in trying to understand what's going on inside the pen - I've cut one or two sections and caps down the middle to see exactly what's happening and to show how I should have taken something apart. Of course, if you cut into a pen part then you've probably ruined the pen anyway, so it's a measure not to be recommended unless the pen is knackered in some way or other.
    Anyway thanks for the tutorial - very useful

    Always possible the foam piece acts as an additional filter of some sort.

    I don't yet have an ultra sonic cleaner - I'm still toying with the idea of getting a plating kit before the cleaner, but don't have it yet.

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Farmboy View Post
    On a 61 you don't remove the hood from the pen, you remove the connector from the hood.
    I'll be honest: I don't follow. That sounds to me like "you don't remove the lid from the jar, you remove the jar from the lid". Which is only different in description.

    Illumination, please (not that I'll ever tear down a 61...)
    The hood is keyed in place with the internals making rotation difficult and prone to cause damage so you rotate the collar. Once loose you slide it off the filler shell and then pull the hood off.

    Parker sold as spare parts replacement capillary packing, feeds, and teflon coated shells. They also had a special tool to stake them all back together. Parker also listed the entire assembly as a part.

    NOS guts are available but I'd only advise putting them into a rare barrel/hood combination due to the cost of said items.

    61s are nice pens with many finish options though I find them to be about 10 to many for me.

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    I add the following images.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by proteus; May 26th, 2017 at 03:17 PM.

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    not a suitable place to show my latest acquisition, but since it's the same model under discussion, and apparently an uncommon design, thought I might be forgiven - found this morning in a local charity shop for Sterling £20 - very chuffed of course.
    This grid-lined pattern occurs both on the cap only, as here, and on a full bodied r.g. pen, known as the Consort Insignia - made, it seems, for only two years - 1967 - 69, due to a lack of popularity, according to Lambrou.
    I've not seen a picture of a Consort biro, so could be very wrong, but get the impression from the book that there is also a ball pen with this pattern - unlike this one which is a full plastic body, although don't doubt for a moment that these two belong together as a set. Both made in the U.K.
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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    Hello,

    Thank you for posting your photography here.

    It would appear you have got a bargain.

    Your P61 is called a CONSORT, manufactured at Newhaven, Sussex on the dates you have mentioned 1967 -69
    It is, of course, the last of the capillary pens.

    If you are interested the word ' INSIGNIA ' is only designated to Gold / Rolled Gold Cap & Barrels.

    Your cap is 1/5 RG unlike all the other versions which are 1/10 RG - Most call this ' Gold Fill ' it is a american designation.
    It has twice the amount of gold.

    Your ballpoint is called a Parker 45 Deluxe which was produced at Newhaven from 1967 onwards.

    The box is from the early 1970's - at quess I would say 1971/3

    Your P61 Consort would have been sold in a Metal White Polka Dot case.

    There are also P65 version of this pen.


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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    thanks for the information - much appreciated. From what you have said, the box for these pens is not the original - it's covered in what looks like an imitation leather material - simply plain black with leather textured surface and the word PARKER in silver.
    I see lots of Polka Dot boxes and they become boring after a while - this one looks to be a better quality than Polka dot Underneath the red tray there were three Parker long cartridges - although in fact there is provision for four. Can also tell you that someone has removed the capillary tube and inserted the shortish steel squeeze fill (not the P51 type) - perhaps I should convert the pen back to capillary? mode?

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    Many thanks for your reply.

    The box is correct for your P45 ballpoint, just not for your P61 FP

    You must move in very different circles to me if you think Mid / Late 1960's Polka Dot Metal clam boxes are common.

    I would very impressed if you have ever seen a perfect 2 or 3 pen version ( have attached a photograph of one I recently sold to a fellow collector for £50 )

    Your words ' Can also tell you that someone has removed the capillary tube and inserted the shortish steel squeeze fill (not the P51 type) - perhaps I should convert the pen back to capillary? mode? '

    I would very much like to look at pen 'open'

    Can you please photograph it with the barrel removed , also one of the nib section

    Many thanks again
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    sorry for the delayed reply - I don't always look in every day.

    Attached are pix of the squeeze fill, also the nib section - trust these are the parts you wanted to see. I believe that 1969 was the year of the formal demise of the capillary system - so my suggestion is that my P61 is either a late 1969 or perhaps even a 1970 model which was able to accept a converter and yet still retained the Consort patterned cap. As with Parker's factory practice over many decades, they continued to use up stock of parts where models had already been discontinued, rather than bin these parts.
    Of course I could be wrong, but that sort of reasoning seems as good an explanation as any other.

    The fully hooded nib on this pen, plus the inlaid gold arrow on the section, confirms this as a P61 rather than any other model.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by PaulS; June 1st, 2017 at 07:43 AM.

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    Default Re: Parker 61 Capillary nib section strip down

    PaulS,

    Thank you for posting the photography of your pen.

    It looks magnificent.

    What a great buy.

    The barrel, nib section and ink converter are P61 MkIII ( 1969 - 1982 )

    If you have the time please can you tell me what is printed on the cap band.
    All marks - PARKER MADE IN ENGLAND 'HALLMARK SHIELD' ' 1/10 12CT R GOLD ' 'HALO'
    Will date the cap if you wish.


    Your comments ' As with Parker's factory practice over many decades, they continued to use up stock of parts where models had already been discontinued, rather than bin these parts. '

    Of course you are right, I have a question if may how did you know that ?
    ( Would be impressed if you tell me you know ' Bunny ' - she worked reception at Newhaven )
    Last edited by proteus; June 2nd, 2017 at 02:42 PM.

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