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Thread: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

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    Senior Member Cyril's Avatar
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    Default Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    L1046492-3.jpg

    My Mabie collection so far.

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Ooooooo! OOOOOOOOooo!

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Nothing quite like them.
    Fortibus es in ero

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    I am waiting for this Swan pen I bought recently.
    It ia again an eye dropper with an under and over Feed a rare piece. All the Swans are rare as they Donn't reproduce any?? I guess it has an slight oblique Italic nib. I am very excited to see it.
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    Last edited by Cyril; February 28th, 2021 at 09:39 AM.

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Amazing. Any Visofil model between them?

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Nice spread of one of the more interesting makes. Displaying them in "spread" format is pretty fun. Looks like a treasure trove.
    Mostly/all English? In general, did Swans cross the pond much? I have found some English Swans here, in the Northwest US, but we are pretty close to Canada, so they may have crossed that way.

    Bob

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    @Seattleite.
    It is true, These Swans have spread a bit world wide and find from time to time in some corners, when they find In Uk it is the most cheaper ones and the rest is as highly sort after as high prized as overlay or special flex nibs.
    I never find any although I am always on the look out for. Beautiful pens and none of my pens are having the same character of writing quality.

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Deb and I began to concentrate on Mabie Todd pens last year. They are wonderful writers whether firm or flexible and they're a pleasure to work on - with the exception of the Visofil VT and the Button Bar. They seem always to have been the writer's pen. More nib types turn up than in other brands: semiflexible, flexible to various degrees, stubs of different sizes, both directions of obliques and needlepoints. There's a music nib but it doesn't appear often. Like most other pens they can show cap lip cracks which are a nuisance but repairable in celluloid. The pens are robust otherwise and shrinkage is rare in British Swans, Blackbirds and Jackdaws. The 1930s patterns in self-fillers and Leverlesses are outstanding. The late forties, early fifties torpedo-shaped pens are very reliable though less decorative than their predecessors.

    You never know what will turn up. We bought a small collection of exceptional thirties pens last year and they sold like hot cakes. Just last week a yellow and black hard rubber pen was acquired - not by us, I hasten to add - a great rarity. I hope to get pictures. The history of Mabie Tod is a fascinating one with their constant innovation and survival of Nazi bombing in 1940. They were ultimately taken over by Biro and wound down in the mid-fifties.

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    My 1905 Swan is easily the most reliable fountain pen in my entire crappy collection.
    I just wish it were bigger...
    "I can only improve my self, not the world."

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    Smile Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    @eachan and DEB.
    I have a question for both of you. Being more experienced in fixing/ Restoring the Swan pens perhaps you could help in fixing two Mabie pens.
    I have a slim Eye dropper pen with the " Over and under feed" So in this pen, while I was trying some restoring work, one part of the tiny feed of the pen's dividing tip broke.
    It was due to the old uncleaned cement like ink crust. Usually it is hard to remove it.
    Now the complete pen is useless. So I need a new feed. Is there any feed available and any one is making that feed? if not any way to re-fix this part with glue? ( I have this idea in my mind .High grade glue / or Areldide glue could do that. or cast this peace in fibre and redo it.
    And also the small threadlike metal wire used to increase the ink flow can be replaced by a thing copper wire?

    Two days ago my another second feed of a pen was broken.
    MAMMA MIA. .....Now I have e two nice pens unusable.

    The third new which is on my way. It is having the same feed. Same type of pen which need to be restoring removing the feed
    I have to find a solution to fix the feeds and hope you have the answers for these.
    Thank you for both of you?
    Last edited by Cyril; March 3rd, 2021 at 03:46 AM.

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    I'm sorry, Cyril. I don't have a solution for you. Those feeds were doubtless quite fragile to begin with and due to the passage of time will break at a dirty look. No-one is making replacements. We have tried to do so without success. Repairing any broken hard rubber component seems to be beyond the present capability of repairers. I know there are people who say that one version of Araldite will reliably repair hard rubber but that is not my experience. However, you have nothing to lose so perhaps you should try to repair the feeds that way. I can't remember which Araldite it is but I'm sure someone else will. You really have my sympathy here. I have lost a small fortune due to over-and-under feeds being so fragile but those early pens are so wonderful with a successful repair that I continue to work on them.

    A copper wire of the correct diameter will be fine. There is a possibility that some metals will react with some inks but it's not a huge issue. Mabie Todd determined that silver was the best metal for this purpose. I have used thin silver solder in the past. However, given the number of feeds that have broken, I have a few wire spares :-) The purpose of this wire is to diminish turbulence in the ink flowing into the section and thereby make for more regular flow at the nib, as i understand it, and it does seem to be helpful.

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Cyril, Rick Horne is well respected for his work in hard rubber. He did a wonderful job rebuilding a first decade, 20th-century big Weidlich overlay matchstick-filler that I crushed in my pocket on the way home from acquiring it. At the very least, contact him to ask what he might do...before he retires. The Southern Scribe
    Last edited by FredRydr; March 3rd, 2021 at 04:36 AM.

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Thank you again Fred,
    I had a quick look at his Web. Quite interesting pen fixing person.
    I'll contact him and see what he could do.
    Cheers!!

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by eachan View Post
    I'm sorry, Cyril. I don't have a solution for you. Those feeds were doubtless quite fragile to begin with and due to the passage of time will break at a dirty look. No-one is making replacements. We have tried to do so without success. Repairing any broken hard rubber component seems to be beyond the present capability of repairers. I know there are people who say that one version of Araldite will reliably repair hard rubber but that is not my experience. However, you have nothing to lose so perhaps you should try to repair the feeds that way. I can't remember which Araldite it is but I'm sure someone else will. You really have my sympathy here. I have lost a small fortune due to over-and-under feeds being so fragile but those early pens are so wonderful with a successful repair that I continue to work on them.

    A copper wire of the correct diameter will be fine. There is a possibility that some metals will react with some inks but it's not a huge issue. Mabie Todd determined that silver was the best metal for this purpose. I have used thin silver solder in the past. However, given the number of feeds that have broken, I have a few wire spares :-) The purpose of this wire is to diminish turbulence in the ink flowing into the section and thereby make for more regular flow at the nib, as i understand it, and it does seem to be helpful.
    Cheers Eachan,
    I guess too these pens are very hard to restore and it is the feeds. They are very delicate and hard to do anything. I understand why most of the sellers don't touch or do any restoring on Swan eye droppers with over and under-feed pens.
    I am trying to get them fix in some way. I have several ideas.
    Thank you for your kind reply and I very much appreciate it.

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    This is my new Swan Mabie Eye dropper.

    I have restored this pen and It was easy to remove the Nib and the Over and under feed without into trouble of getting broken.
    But the ink flow is very dry as it has not having a regulating wire rod which is missing. Need to replace it somehow. This writing is "dip writing" which I do with lot of other pen even with pens Labeled Broken or need fixing.
    So for me no pen is unusable as long as the nib is having a writable tines and smoothness.
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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Sorry for my ignorant question. What's the point of having an over feed?

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    I have no Idea. It was a design during 1900-1920. This nib /Feed design was done on two pens. On this Swan Mabie Todd and Onto (The la Rue Company London )
    I have both pens and they looks very unique. I am not sure this design gives any extra quality for a ink flow.All I know is this pen is dead if the feed is broken and no way to replace it . No apart parts exists. But I am planing some re-moulding/ gluing the broken ones with Xpoxy raisins.
    I am sure it was the part of the pen evolution that was going on so this over and under feed was born.
    Others, Please correct me if you have any other facts and views I like to learn from you!!

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    This is another one of my Swan pens . This is an Eye dropper too It has unique nib medium flex but very extra fine writing.
    These writing was done with the Mabie Blackbird Sand Martin Brown Ink.
    This ink is still in production By the original "HOUSE OF MABIE SWAN " Under same old quality and brand recipe. In UK. I have three inks and love all of them.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by Cyril View Post
    I have no Idea. It was a design during 1900-1920. This nib /Feed design was done on two pens. On this Swan Mabie Todd and Onto (The la Rue Company London )
    I have both pens and they looks very unique. I am not sure this design gives any extra quality for a ink flow.All I know is this pen is dead if the feed is broken and no way to replace it . No apart parts exists. But I am planing some re-moulding/ gluing the broken ones with Xpoxy raisins.
    I am sure it was the part of the pen evolution that was going on so this over and under feed was born.
    Others, Please correct me if you have any other facts and views I like to learn from you!!
    It was a very early stage of the development of the feed and was used by many manufacturers. Considering how slender and simple the feed was, an over part as well as under undoubtedly helped ink delivery. Later, a version of the Swan Safety Screw Cap had what was called a gold overfeed. Actually, it has a normal over and under feed with a thin gold sheet above the upper part. This was said to improve ink delivery and it probably does, by delaying drying out if nothing else. Do let us know how you get on with repairing broken over and under feeds.

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    Default Re: Swan Mabie Todd Pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by Cyril View Post
    This is another one of my Swan pens . This is an Eye dropper too It has unique nib medium flex but very extra fine writing.
    These writing was done with the Mabie Blackbird Sand Martin Brown Ink.
    This ink is still in production By the original "HOUSE OF MABIE SWAN " Under same old quality and brand recipe. In UK. I have three inks and love all of them.
    The statement that this ink is made by "the original House of Mabie Swan" is a little misleading. There is no continuity between Mabie Todd which closed in the late fifties and the company producing this ink. Companies using the names of long-defunct highly respected manufacturers do cause rather a lot of confusion. For instance, a relatively recent company using the Conway Stewart name tried to assume the credit for the production of the original company, leading to much misunderstanding for people new to the hobby.

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