Parker 75 issues

[pitmutt]

My wife got me a vintage Parker 75 set with both the fountain pen and the ballpoint.

I loaded the fountain pen with a sample of Noodler's Liberty Elisyum and I am having a hard time getting the pen to write. The ink was not flowing well and this morning I opened the pen and there was a droplet of ink on the nib (like nib-creep) but it still wouldn't write well. It looked clean before I loaded it and now I have flushed it, took it apart, cleaned the feed and refilled it and now it's not writing at all.

The pen is full, just a touch on the refill bulb produces ink out of the filling hole but the nib is dry.

Is it the ink? Could old ink be gooped between the nib and the feed?

 

[Jut]

I would soak the pen's nib and section in a solution of water and dish soap or 90% water 10% ammonia (for a day or two either way). If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, it may help to try that too.

 

[InkStainedWretch]

@Jut has some good suggestions.

Other things to check:

• The ink. If you have something else, try it. Preferably other than Noodler's. I have nothing against Noodler's, but it's try Waterman, or Parker ink instead.
• The nib slit. Is there sufficient separation? Is there something caught in the nib?
• Is there a slight separation between the nib and the feed (there should be, but not too big).

If you have other fountain pens, take a look at them and compare your 75 with the others.

 

[Vacumatic]

The trouble with any secondhand pen is that you don't know its history.

All good advice above, the only other test that I would add is to try a new Parker cartridge and to leave the pen uncapped, nib down, on a piece of kitchen towel. Leave it overnight and the towel should be an inky mess by the morning. If it is dry then you know, girl certain than there is a blockage. At this stage and having more money than ability I tend to send an awkward pen away to a specialist.

The 75 is a great pen, some say it is Parkers best.