Parker Duofold Button Filler - Help appreciated

[Annie]

I have this pen disassembled (mostly) and have found out what ails it (twisted sac) but I cannot get the flaming button out! All the wisdom is that it just pulls out. No it blooming well doesn't! This is not corroded or otherwise nasty. Really don't want to do damage and would be grateful for any wisdom on how to get the blighter out without damage. So far have wrapped the end of the barrel in plastic bag and dumped in hot water and then tried to pull. No joy.

I am at the stage of reassembling this pen and want to put the pressure bar in after the section with the sac is back in the barrel. I hate to be beaten. Help, perlease before my language gets too dreadful for the cats to listen to...

[Paul-H]

Hi

If its anything like mine then it should just pull out, all that holds it in place is a small lip on the end and as the button has a slit in it
, the edge should compress enough for it to pop out.

If the pressure bar is still in place an the button works I would leave it alone, I have found it much easier and safer the just slip the sac down in the barrel rather than trying to feed the pressure bar in afterwards.

Don't forget the twisted sac might just be because it was starting to perish and had stuck to the wall or pressure bar and got twisted when you unscrewed the section. A new sac that has talc on it will slip in ok and not twist when you do the section up.

Unless you Duofold is built different to mine as I have only done English Duofolds.

Paul

[Annie]

Excellent. Many thanks Paul. I will do as you suggest. It's a lovely pen and it would be a terrible shame to break it.

[Deb]

Buttons can be a bit tricky to get out. I use a little dry heat to loosen things up and a piece of bicycle inner tube to grip the button. It is best to stick to the traditional method of disassembling button fillers. It's worth examining the pressure bar to see that it's OK while the pen is apart, and relocating it isn't all that difficult.

[Flounder]

Here's some photos showing the lip Paul refers to on a regular style button, and the revised Duofold AF style button that comes out either via unscrewing the housing using a vac tool, or leaving in situ during a resac.

[Annie]

Unfortunately the pressure bar sort of fell out. The sac parted company with the section and having done the re sac, I am now faced with a button that doesn't want to come out and a pressure bar that doesn't want to stay in. Any advice appreciated.

[Deb]

Persist in removing the button. That's the key to the repair.

[Flounder]

What kind of Duofold are we talking about? Is this a hanging pressure bar style scenario?

[Chi Town]

Can you post a picture of the pen and the button that you are talking about? If it is a regular button filler, on one of my stubborn ones I used a small needle nose pliers and wiggled the button out very carefully!

[Paul-H]

You could as the pressure bar is out of your pen, probably push the button out with the aid of a long rod inserted up the barrel and into the bottom of the button.

Paul

[Annie]

As requested, a picture of the immovable button. Grrr.

duofold AF.JPG

[Paul-H]

Thanks for that

So its an English AF Duofold, you should be able to get the pressure bar back in as the long tab with a slight bend in it just fits up into the button, if the button does not just pull out you will need a vac tool to grip the exposed thread section to unscrew the whole button assembly, but you shouldn't need to as the bar should just slip back in, as it just slipped out. Easy said I know.

Paul

[Flounder]

There's no real consensus on the best way to do this. Some people have wiggled the AF button out, others unscrewed the button assembly, and others have left the button in place. I left the button in place on mine, and used a similar method to Pauls. Wedging the top of the pressure bar in one of the button grooves, liberally talcing a size 17 sac, and rotating the button to match section rotation every so often got everything reassembled with no twisting or binding. The size 17 sac still manages a decent 0.9ml, measured by expelling the contents of the sac and picking it up with a syringe.

Some links:
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...acing-the-sac/

Differing approaches:
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...d-disassembly/

What worked for me:
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...sure-bar-okay/

[Annie]

Huge thanks all. I will have another go and report back. Wish me luck!

[Flounder]

Gluck!

[Annie]

Ooooooh, exciting news here. Dunit!!!

The method went as follows...

Tried dry heat and that button just wouldn't budge. Then tried Paul's 'stick a big prongy thing down the barrel and push the sucker out.' Nope. At this point I said a lot of rude things loudly and walked around the garden.

Eventually, I went with a combination of things, including a No. 16 sac and enough talc to powder a whole post natal ward of babies bums. And then I fiddled. I twizzled the button, a la Flounder at the same time as screwing in the section. Result? Satisfying little click on the button and bubbles when filling with ink. Next, I sorted out the scratchy nib. This is a great nib with some flex and it was scratchy because the left tine wasn't lined up with the right. I lined 'em up, flossed out the slit and smoothed the whole lot. Oooooooooooh, it's lovely. Want to keep it now only this is not my pen and it must go back to its owner.
Duofold 1.jpg

[Jeph]

Woot!

[Annie]

Woot!

Er, is that a good thing?

[Flounder]

As good as this huzzah. Huzzah!

[Annie]

As good as this huzzah. Huzzah!

Well that works for me. Also did a complete dis/re assembly on a capillary 61 and it holds ink and it doesn't leak and it has a nice gold cap and this is one I can keep. Not a bad pen day really.