I’ve said it before , and I’ll say it again - the history of a pen plus the restoration gives us such synergy that we enjoy your video much more. You knocked this one out of the park. Great job! 👍
Love it! Nice restoration and a beauty of a pen! Recently acquired what turned out to be a 1929 senior streamline in red. Didn't do that wonderful polishing but bent nib back and replaced the sac. Luckily, it writes beautifully. I enjoyed your great narration!
Not bad Doug for your first major pen resurrection .The satisfaction you get from this is like no other,plus it gives you a greater understanding of how different pen designs work.I can tell you’ve got hooked👍
Yes, I agree Doug. It’s a misunderstanding that old gold nibs equals to flexy wet noodle. Especially when you don’t take in consideration how many people on a business/office job writing on memopads or filling formularies needed stiff nibs to write on carbon copy paper. Thanks for the video, Doug. That is an incredibly beautiful pen, hopefully you’ll get the nib in shape
Wow, a very beautiful pen. Restoring an old pen to life can be a very rewarding experience. I've restored several pens myself and it is always a joy to fill the pen with ink after the restoration and then it writes flawlessly. Congratulations to a job well done!
Excellent show, Doug! It's the little quirks of old pens that makes them so interesting, even the unsolvable ones (like the crack at the barrel mouth.) With a little more TLC you'll have that nib performing at its best, though you may want to borrow Doodlebug's microscope. Here in Oz the most common Parkers were made in England, and I swear by the 1950s Duofold range, of which I have a complete set from 'Lady' to 'Maxima' in black. Once again, thanks for a great episode.
Ahh someone else who uses hex wrenches to tap out their nibs! I thought I was the only one. I use a drill guide as my knockout block, it has a bunch of different sizes holes that have worked for me for a ton of different section sizes. Thanks for doing this series! I've been really enjoying it. In regards to nib stiffness, wait til you try a Sheaffer Lifetime nib, those are stiff as nails. Thickest (in terms of material, not tipping) nibs I've ever seen too. They make my Jowo steel nibs look like flex nibs. I have a really dry one I'm struggling to open up right now actually.
Thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Thank you,Doug! I trust you will do something amazing with that nib. Such a beautiful old pen;it was lucky to have found you.
General Douglas MacArthur used his wife's 1927 "Big Red" Duofold Junior signing the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII. Parker used 2 types of pressure bars (no "J," so not a J bar) in their button fillers. One that a bit at the top hooked over the top, under the button, and probably the same as the Challenger, without the "hook." Seems to have depended on the day. Not entirely sure on the Duofold Junior, but a lot of Parker pens of that time used "necked" sacs (it's a number 21, necked, in the Challenger, for example.) Might impact the quantity of ink it can hold using a straight sac. Appreciate your job on this pen! Scratches and such? Shows that it has history. Looks like you have a manifold nib, designed for using with carbon copies. Really came into their own in the 1930s. Plenty of vintage out there without a bit of flex from the early 1930s on. Might have been even before, for the tiny writing in accountancy legers and the like. And as it's an extra fine, I am betting on an accounting "posting" nib. Get a spark plug gap tool and re-gap the slit. Should help.
Yes! I did a video showing the two WWII fountain pens; MacArthur's Big Red and Eisenhower's P51. I was using the term J bar in the generic sense. I should have said "pressure bar". When I buy them new, this type is called an "A bar". I have been using a spark plug gapping tool for years and I worked on this nib in particular up to a .004".
Thank you for the video. It makes sense that not all vintage pens would be bouncy or even flexable. I am sure as their are now many pens (even more I supposes) that would like different writing experiences. It would be fun to see a video exploring vintage nibs and types. I realized this as I started to buy more vintage pens. I have some modern nibs with more "flex" than some of the so called flex vintage! As always Doug you feed my addiction.
Thanks for a great video. Your pen is really beautiful and perfectly polished. Great job of restoration. The feed needs to be heat set, and the nib tines have to be raised a little. That's why it has ink starvation. I've been restoring pens now for 25 years, and even did some work for Parker Janesville about 15 years ago. I always enjoy your videos.
As usual, great video. I feel privileged to be able to view and enjoy these videos. Suggestion: some (many?) of your viewers have had experience rebuilding these vintage pens. You could give a heads up a few weeks in advance of a future project and I bet you wou would get a ton of advice as well as generate interest.
@@InkquiringMinds I'm in the middle of a protracted relocation and all my tools and workbench stuff is in storage. I'm reduced to watching other people have fun on RUclips for a few more months. 😞
Part of the joy / frustration of restoring an older pen is watching the process bringing it from being a relic to a working pen. As you have shown on previous pens, the results can be astonishing. In this case it would appear that you may have to flatten the nib, if that can be done. You may have something called a steno (as in stenographer) nib. I was also thinking that some of the polish you used on the feed may still be on/ in it? Thanks for sharing.
Quite a job! Thank you. A lovely pen. I have four Duofold models, three vintage and one fairly modern. I am not sure how to date them. All perform very well, but are rigid. Duofolds are indeed expensive.
I didn't think I'd enjoy the restoration stuff as much as I do, but I LOVED it. Thank you for the journey through this one. Where do you get the replacement sac stuff for these types? I've been so curious to go looking at antique places around here (though if our Goodwills are so crappy I dont think our antique stores will be much better lol) to keep my eyes open for old pens for funsies. It just increases my enjoyment and love of the realm of fountain pens, seeing the intricate way they were made ... I mean seriously it seems like the whole ink sac mode was a lot more finicky or difficult than cartridge style pens, but I don't know lol. Either way I thoroughly enjoyed this, so thank you!
It's a learning experience, isn't it? That is how you hone your skill. Next time (or on some project further down the road) it will come back to you. Great vid! Waiting for next weekend!
Wonderful video. Not my cup of coffee though. Far beyond my pen addiction, which is diminishing anyway along with my price tolerance So, I'll see you on Saturdays!
My most sincere congratulations for the wonderful job you have done with that precious Duofold. And, of course, my thanks for sharing it with us. There are real jewels out there that it’s a pity they cannot be restored ‘cos there are fewer and fewer fountain pens restoration workshops.
I’ve had this trouble with Parker hooded nibs, but not open, standard size Parker gold nibs. In watching this very closely, I’m wondering if the gold thickness has anything to do with the stiffness. When compared to the Sheaffer gold nib, the Parker nib appears much thicker. Perhaps it was the angle of the video, but I would try another Parker nib. All of my vintage Parker nibs have been super flexy. Nice restoration!!👍
That nib is almost certainly a "manifold" nib; that is, one designed for writing on carbon copies. The mid '20s was when carbons started becoming really common in business settings, so nibs started getting stiffer to keep users from destroying them. Beyond that, penmakers also offered manifold (sometimes called "posting") nibs that were even stiffer than usual for people filling out carbons all the time. This is also how Sheaffer and Parker got away with having "Lifetime" guarantees on their nibs. Make 'em nails and customers can't ruin 'em!
That "Christmas Tree" ebonite feed is pretty vintage. I don't think it is the problem as the channels are quite wide and open. I'm speculating that some of that polishing compound might still be on the feed so I'm going to flush it again with some soapy water.
Patient Name - Parker Duofold Junior Age- 91 Birth year - 1931 Symptoms- Trouble Breathing, Shortness of Breath Treated Location - Inkquiring Minds Pen Hospital Treated by - Dr. Douglas Rathbun Treatment Date - October, 2 2022 SUMMERY On 10/2/2022 Patient was brought it due to trouble breathing was treated and saved and brought to life by Dr. Doug. 🎉🎉🎉 Thank you job well done 👍👏👏👏
I’ve said it before , and I’ll say it again - the history of a pen plus the restoration gives us such synergy that we enjoy your video much more. You knocked this one out of the park. Great job! 👍
Love it! Nice restoration and a beauty of a pen! Recently acquired what turned out to be a 1929 senior streamline in red. Didn't do that wonderful polishing but bent nib back and replaced the sac. Luckily, it writes beautifully. I enjoyed your great narration!
Very cool!
Not bad Doug for your first major pen resurrection .The satisfaction you get from this is like no other,plus it gives you a greater understanding of how different pen designs work.I can tell you’ve got hooked👍
Thanks, Ed! 👍
That little sniff at the end when you were putting "talc" on the sac sent me into hysterics!
Talc just has no "kick"! LOL
The sound of bubbles always makes me smile 😀
I always like a little bubbly.
Yes, I agree Doug. It’s a misunderstanding that old gold nibs equals to flexy wet noodle. Especially when you don’t take in consideration how many people on a business/office job writing on memopads or filling formularies needed stiff nibs to write on carbon copy paper.
Thanks for the video, Doug. That is an incredibly beautiful pen, hopefully you’ll get the nib in shape
I'll work on it! :) Thanks, Jorge!
Well done, Doug. More visually detailed in some of the repair process than Ive seen here on RUclips.
Thanks, Stefan!
Wow, a very beautiful pen. Restoring an old pen to life can be a very rewarding experience. I've restored several pens myself and it is always a joy to fill the pen with ink after the restoration and then it writes flawlessly. Congratulations to a job well done!
Well said!
Excellent show, Doug! It's the little quirks of old pens that makes them so interesting, even the unsolvable ones (like the crack at the barrel mouth.) With a little more TLC you'll have that nib performing at its best, though you may want to borrow Doodlebug's microscope.
Here in Oz the most common Parkers were made in England, and I swear by the 1950s Duofold range, of which I have a complete set from 'Lady' to 'Maxima' in black.
Once again, thanks for a great episode.
Thanks ibpopp!
Ahh someone else who uses hex wrenches to tap out their nibs! I thought I was the only one. I use a drill guide as my knockout block, it has a bunch of different sizes holes that have worked for me for a ton of different section sizes. Thanks for doing this series! I've been really enjoying it.
In regards to nib stiffness, wait til you try a Sheaffer Lifetime nib, those are stiff as nails. Thickest (in terms of material, not tipping) nibs I've ever seen too. They make my Jowo steel nibs look like flex nibs. I have a really dry one I'm struggling to open up right now actually.
Great idea with the drill guide!
Thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Thank you,Doug! I trust you will do something amazing with that nib. Such a beautiful old pen;it was lucky to have found you.
Many thanks! I'll keep working on it!
What fun! Great job.
Thank you 🤗
Great video. An old Parker like this is one of my grail pens.
Right on! Fascinating pen.
General Douglas MacArthur used his wife's 1927 "Big Red" Duofold Junior signing the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII.
Parker used 2 types of pressure bars (no "J," so not a J bar) in their button fillers. One that a bit at the top hooked over the top, under the button, and probably the same as the Challenger, without the "hook." Seems to have depended on the day.
Not entirely sure on the Duofold Junior, but a lot of Parker pens of that time used "necked" sacs (it's a number 21, necked, in the Challenger, for example.) Might impact the quantity of ink it can hold using a straight sac.
Appreciate your job on this pen! Scratches and such? Shows that it has history.
Looks like you have a manifold nib, designed for using with carbon copies. Really came into their own in the 1930s. Plenty of vintage out there without a bit of flex from the early 1930s on. Might have been even before, for the tiny writing in accountancy legers and the like. And as it's an extra fine, I am betting on an accounting "posting" nib. Get a spark plug gap tool and re-gap the slit. Should help.
Yes! I did a video showing the two WWII fountain pens; MacArthur's Big Red and Eisenhower's P51. I was using the term J bar in the generic sense. I should have said "pressure bar". When I buy them new, this type is called an "A bar". I have been using a spark plug gapping tool for years and I worked on this nib in particular up to a .004".
@@InkquiringMinds Posting nibs tend to be drier. Trying to avoid spread which could mess numbers and such up. But hoping you can help it out!
Thank you for the video. It makes sense that not all vintage pens would be bouncy or even flexable. I am sure as their are now many pens (even more I supposes) that would like different writing experiences. It would be fun to see a video exploring vintage nibs and types. I realized this as I started to buy more vintage pens. I have some modern nibs with more "flex" than some of the so called flex vintage! As always Doug you feed my addiction.
I'm proud to be your enabler!
@@InkquiringMinds LOL. :) bring on more.
Thanks for a great video. Your pen is really beautiful and perfectly polished. Great job of restoration. The feed needs to be heat set, and the nib tines have to be raised a little. That's why it has ink starvation. I've been restoring pens now for 25 years, and even did some work for Parker Janesville about 15 years ago. I always enjoy your videos.
Thanks for the tip!!
As usual, great video. I feel privileged to be able to view and enjoy these videos. Suggestion: some (many?) of your viewers have had experience rebuilding these vintage pens. You could give a heads up a few weeks in advance of a future project and I bet you wou would get a ton of advice as well as generate interest.
well done sir.
Thank you David Parker! :)
That was fantastic. Thank you for sharing. I'm looking forward to doing things like this myself.
Go for it!
@@InkquiringMinds I'm in the middle of a protracted relocation and all my tools and workbench stuff is in storage. I'm reduced to watching other people have fun on RUclips for a few more months. 😞
In my own limited experience, Parkers tend to be rigid nibs compared to some of its competitors.
Part of the joy / frustration of restoring an older pen is watching the process bringing it from being a relic to a working pen. As you have shown on previous pens, the results can be astonishing. In this case it would appear that you may have to flatten the nib, if that can be done. You may have something called a steno (as in stenographer) nib.
I was also thinking that some of the polish you used on the feed may still be on/ in it?
Thanks for sharing.
That was a thought I had as well, Paul. I'm going to give it a thorough cleaning again with some soapy water and see if the flow improves.
Creative idea for makeshift knock-out block. I need to bite the bullet and just drill out a piece of wood one of these days
Quite a job! Thank you. A lovely pen. I have four Duofold models, three vintage and one fairly modern. I am not sure how to date them. All perform very well, but are rigid. Duofolds are indeed expensive.
You're very welcome!
I didn't think I'd enjoy the restoration stuff as much as I do, but I LOVED it. Thank you for the journey through this one. Where do you get the replacement sac stuff for these types? I've been so curious to go looking at antique places around here (though if our Goodwills are so crappy I dont think our antique stores will be much better lol) to keep my eyes open for old pens for funsies. It just increases my enjoyment and love of the realm of fountain pens, seeing the intricate way they were made ... I mean seriously it seems like the whole ink sac mode was a lot more finicky or difficult than cartridge style pens, but I don't know lol. Either way I thoroughly enjoyed this, so thank you!
Awesome! Thank you so much, yappytown!
It's a learning experience, isn't it? That is how you hone your skill. Next time (or on some project further down the road) it will come back to you. Great vid! Waiting for next weekend!
Wonderful video. Not my cup of coffee though. Far beyond my pen addiction, which is diminishing anyway along with my price tolerance So, I'll see you on Saturdays!
Thanks, William! See you then!
My most sincere congratulations for the wonderful job you have done with that precious Duofold. And, of course, my thanks for sharing it with us. There are real jewels out there that it’s a pity they cannot be restored ‘cos there are fewer and fewer fountain pens restoration workshops.
Thank you very much!
I’ve had this trouble with Parker hooded nibs, but not open, standard size Parker gold nibs. In watching this very closely, I’m wondering if the gold thickness has anything to do with the stiffness. When compared to the Sheaffer gold nib, the Parker nib appears much thicker. Perhaps it was the angle of the video, but I would try another Parker nib. All of my vintage Parker nibs have been super flexy. Nice restoration!!👍
It could be, but that arch is pretty pronounced.
Love your vids :)
Glad you like them!
That nib is almost certainly a "manifold" nib; that is, one designed for writing on carbon copies. The mid '20s was when carbons started becoming really common in business settings, so nibs started getting stiffer to keep users from destroying them. Beyond that, penmakers also offered manifold (sometimes called "posting") nibs that were even stiffer than usual for people filling out carbons all the time. This is also how Sheaffer and Parker got away with having "Lifetime" guarantees on their nibs. Make 'em nails and customers can't ruin 'em!
Thanks for this information!
An interesting video, as usual. Is it possible that the Nib is a south paw grind?
No. I looked at that. Apparently it is a stenographer’s nib made for pressing through carbons.
Ask your son to 3d print you a "knock-out-block" - easy to make and very useful on the long run.
Great idea!
Could someone please tell me what ink you are using in the intro? It's beautiful!!
It is J Herbin Kyanite du Nepal.
Well done, Doug. Would it be possible to replace the feed with a new ebonite one?
That "Christmas Tree" ebonite feed is pretty vintage. I don't think it is the problem as the channels are quite wide and open. I'm speculating that some of that polishing compound might still be on the feed so I'm going to flush it again with some soapy water.
@@InkquiringMinds, I was thinking the same thing right after you mentioned that you polished the nib with the jeweler’s cloth.
Patient Name - Parker Duofold Junior
Age- 91
Birth year - 1931
Symptoms- Trouble Breathing, Shortness of Breath
Treated Location - Inkquiring Minds Pen Hospital
Treated by - Dr. Douglas Rathbun
Treatment Date - October, 2 2022
SUMMERY
On 10/2/2022 Patient was brought it due to trouble breathing was treated and saved and brought to life by Dr. Doug. 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you job well done 👍👏👏👏
LOL! That's awesome, Jas! Thank you! 😂😂🙌
Hmm.. and that all she try to wrote.. 😄😄👍👍🇪🇸🇪🇸