Need some help finding parts

[Suggy]

I just picked this up on the bay, a Cardinal and Esterbrook. Got em cheap! Both need/needed a bit of work. The Esterbrook I had an extra sac and nib for, so it's rocking along nicely. The Cardinal is another matter. The sac was filled solid with ink and I trashed it. Not sure what I could have done about that.
Could use a bit of help with 2 things. 1. How do I fix that converter? and are there other options? 2. I don't know if the nib on the Cardinal is functional, but the Esterbrook one isn't. What's the best way to unplug it. I've been soaking them in dish soap and water. Now,they're in diluted nail polish remover. Again, if the E nib dies, I have an extra and another one on the way. I can blow through the Cardinal one, so I think it's ok. Any suggestions? Thanks y'all!

 

[nemo]

Well, first thing would be to get them out of any acetone (nail polish remover). Now! That is what restorers use to "weld" the barrels since it melts plastic.

Esterbrook nib units unscrew from the section. A long soak in plain water will help if stuck. The squeeze converter could be repaired with a latex sac once you get the diameter figured out.

 

[Suggy]

Thanks Doug. They're out and back in good ol water and Dawn. I do have an extra sac laying around. I'll see how it fits and can gauge from there!

 

[Suggy]

Well, it worked. Installed a new Sac, pulled out the straw in the process, but she writes and writes nicely!

 

[nemo]

Good ending for the Cardinal, a pen brand I have never heard of.

 

[Suggy]

I googled it (It was part of a 2fer on the Bay paired with an Esterbrook that I was more interested in... Got 'em both for $20 shipped! I found a bit about them, but not a lot. One post on the FPN. It looks just like mine, but it's red. They're an older brand from what I saw. Seems solid enough. Thanks for the repair on the sac. It was a snap!

 

[Snargle]

I've got an old Cardinal pen that looks, from the outside, almost like a Parker 51. The difference is the Cardinal has an open (non-hooded) nib. It's obviously an inexpensive pen with cheap, thin-plated hardware, but it's quite a nice writer. It's not buttery-smooth, but strikes a nice balance between feedback and smoothness. Mine is currently residing in the kitchen where it's used for my grocery shopping list.

 

[Suggy]

Excellent Larry, glad I'm not the only one with the Cardinal. I did see a few currently on the bay. I'm a complete FP noob, so I don't really know what I don't know... That brings my total FP count to 5 working ones, 2 esterbrooks, 1 Cardinal, 1 Osmiroid, and one Pilot 78G. The Pilot was PIF'd to me. I'd like to get a new one, maybe a TWSBI, then pass the 78 along to another victim.... As an added bonus, I got the nib that came with the Esterbrook in this purchase working after a long long long soak. WOOOOO.

 

[Snargle]

Just as a side note, if you find yourself with a pen that's not yielding to long soaks with water and dish detergent, try a solution of 90% water and 10% household ammonia. That really helps dissolve the petrified ink.

 

[Suggy]

good to know. Thanks!