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| \u00a0Repairs and Restoration<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n We recommend you contact repairs@parker51.com for repairs of your Parker 51 pen or pencil. However, if you would like to try repairing your pen on your own, please see the tips presented below.<\/p>\n Here you will find tips on repairing Parker “51” fountain pens.\u00a0 Keep in mind that repairing pens can be a long\u00a0learning experience and\u00a0that you can very easily ruin a good pen.\u00a0 This is from personal experience of many cracked barrels and melted hoods.\u00a0 You need to practice and practice some\u00a0more on\u00a0ordinary pens, leaving the more expensive pens to the experts.\u00a0 Although overall the “51” plastic is very sturdy and will withstand a lot, some of the “51” plastics are more brittle than others, especially\u00a0the Mustard and Gray colors.\u00a0 Some are more suceptible to staining and although in some cases can be improved with a thorough cleaning, most are beyond hope.\u00a0 Cosmetic improvements can be made with a good polish, although you need to be very careful with imprints.\u00a0 Dent removal from caps is possible, but it really is beyond most amateur repairers.\u00a0 Most parts are widely available except for the rare colors.\u00a0 The art of restoring a pen from near death back to fully working condition is probably one of the most satisfying parts of this hobby.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n |
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<\/a>Some repair people will tell you that you never need to remove the front section when repairing a Parker “51”. I find that this is not true in most cases.\u00a0 A lot of the Parker “51”\u00a0owners used Parker “51” Ink or Superchrome Ink. Both of these inks dried up very quickly and tended to clog up a pen, especially after being stored for years without use. The best preventive maintenance is to remove all the parts and thoroughly clean them. To remove the shell,\u00a0\u00a0you will need to\u00a0apply heat to the shell area near the clutch ring. This can be done with a multiple setting heat gun or alternatively a hair blower.\u00a0 Be careful because the hood\u00a0is rather thin, and will deform easily.\u00a0 Grip the hood and the barrel with two pieces of\u00a0 rubber and twist clockwise.\u00a0 Do not exert excessive force, or you risk cracking the hood.\u00a0 If the hood does not give, apply some more heat.\u00a0 Hoods are shellac-ed in place and you will need to soften it before the hood\u00a0will unscrew.\u00a0 Once the hood is off, soak the front collector and hood in cool water.\u00a0 Do not attempt to twist the collector without soaking, as you will either crack it or break some fins.\u00a0 Once the collector is off, remove the feed and nib.\u00a0 You will need to make sure that the breather tube is clear.\u00a0 This can be done by blowing at one end.\u00a0 If clogged, insert a thin pin through one end of the breather tube to clean.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/parker51.com\/images\/collector.jpg\")
<\/a>The next step is removing the filler.\u00a0 This has to\u00a0be done with a special threaded tool; either a vac wrench or vac block.\u00a0 Again, it is essential that you apply heat around the filler area to soften the shellac often used.\u00a0 Once the filler unscrews, use a wooden dowel that will fit in\u00a0the front of the barrel to push the filler unit out.\u00a0 Remove all leftover remnants of the petrified rubber, especially around the ring where the filler sits.\u00a0\u00a0To replace the diaphgram, you will first need to\u00a0remove the old pellet from the filler.\u00a0 The pellets were made of either rubber, plastic or a hard substance that looks like glass.\u00a0 Removal can be challenging, but in most instances, this can be done by either using a very thin dremel tool, or alternatively, heating a pin and inserting into the ball.\u00a0 Let it cool down, and then slowly work it out.\u00a0 Note that in a lot of cases the ball cup has become very brittle with age, and you run the risk of cracking it.\u00a0 If it cracks, you can try to repair it, but you will probably need to find a new filler.\u00a0 Before fitting the new diaphgram, first make sure it is cut to size, otherwise it will hit the breather tube when filling.\u00a0 In most instances you will need to cut about 1\/4″ from the factory length diaphgram.\u00a0 Push the nipple with the pellet into the cup.\u00a0 You may need a thin wood dowel to assist you.\u00a0 After inserting the new diaphgram, fold it once upon itself until the leading edge covers the retainer ring.\u00a0 Apply silicon or talcum powder over the diaphgram to make re-insertion into the barrel easier, otherwise you run the risk of twisting the diaphgram.\u00a0\u00a0 Once the unit is screwed back into the barrel, check for suction by putting a wet finger in the front opening and pumping.\u00a0 The barrel should “hang-on” to your finger for 10 seconds, otherwise, you have a leak.\u00a0 Make sure to align the blindcap by making\u00a0small turns to the unit until you get a perfect fit.\u00a0 This can be tricky and requires some time and practice.<\/span><\/p>\n