I got a Conway 74 into today. It surprisingly has a working sac that feels quite pliable. I'm wondering if it's still worth replacing the sac or not?
I got a Conway 74 into today. It surprisingly has a working sac that feels quite pliable. I'm wondering if it's still worth replacing the sac or not?
To me, the peace of mind knowing the sac will not fail is well worth the few dollars cost of a new sac.
I know I repair pens for a living, but always put a new sac in a pen, even if its my own pen. A sac is under $3 - we often spend that much at Tarbucks without even thinking.
I don't currently have any sacced pens unless I count my Sheaffer Legacy mk1. But if I pick any up, then I replace their sacs as a matter of course.
BTW Ron, I wish I could buy sacs for less than $3....
Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens
I always replace the sac.
I don’t replace working sacs. I may end up not liking the pen and not using it. Also, as time goes by i forget when i’ve resacced a pen. Was it recent enough? I can’t keep track. So i just use it until it doesn’t work anymore or i decide to sell it. (And no, i’m not going to use a spreadsheet to keep track of work i’ve done on pens)
Given my experience with what a ruptured sac can do, I would always replace.
To expand on what I said earlier: I sometimes buy pens that are said to be restored. I check the sac and if it's obviously absolutely brand new I will leave it alone. Otherwise it's replaced. As Chuck said above, a sac that fails can make a real mess that takes time and effort to clean up.. Not only that but sacs gradually stiffen with age. That's not always noticeable but it stresses the lever every time the pen is refilled or flushed. Compared with the price of a good vintage pen, sacs are cheap, especially when bought in quantity from the manufacturer.
When I sell a sac-filler to a customer I am selling a pen that should work trouble-free for the lifetime of the sac in the pen. I want that lifetime to be as long as possible.
Chuck Naill (November 30th, 2019), junglejim (November 30th, 2019)
I don't really know the chemistry of sac deterioration but good pen hygiene does seem to prolong the life of a sac. If I'm refilling with the same ink I'm not sure tha I would *always* flush the pen but it's worth doing fairly frequently, not only for the health of the sac but to ensure good flow in the feed and nib. Some inks - as discussed in other threads - leave deposits.
Chuck Naill (November 30th, 2019)
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