Give Them Now...

... And you'll receive thanks for (many, many, many) years to come.

A very prophetic ad for Parker Duofolds.  There are still loads of these pens around today and all they need is a new sac to be in working order again.  I've heard stories of people inheriting these pens from grandparents, great grandparents, a great aunt or uncle (unfortunately I'm not that lucky) and they are usually glad to have them and sometimes want to know more about them if they are new to the world of fountain pens.

1920s Duofold ad probably from National Geographic

I've had this ad for a few years now, I found it while digging through a bunch of other random ads at a local antique shop and the classic Parker logo jumped out at me.  I know there are some people out there who disapprove of tearing apart old magazines for ads and photos but I'm certain this is from National Geographic- you know most thrift stores have boxes of them for free when you come in because people hoarded so many of them they have little or no value.  The ad copy is all very true, no false advertising to be found here, well the non-breakable barrels part is a bit of a stretch, dropping most any nice pen on a hard surface will damage it and the Mandarin Yellow Duofolds crack if you look at them funny.  A very pricey pen at the time, but the Duofold was Parker's top of the line pen and still is today in some respects, although the prices now exceed what the listed were when inflation is taken into account.  It's really something how much care and thought used to go into print advertising, today you just get some generic photograph of the product, a few words and maybe a photo some generic-looking girl who has undergone a silicone beef up that society at large has deemed appealing (I think everyone can picture the type I'm taking about).

I also wanted to just stop in and show everyone I'm not dead.  In fact I've been really busy and haven't had much of any interest to blog about.  But I am pleased to write I'm now hired full time at a local branch of a nation wide printing company (thankfully not the one that is associated with a mailing company and has store fronts in strip malls, this is the real deal only interested in skilled labor and paying good wages), I work forty-eight hours a week Monday through Thursday so that doesn't leave me much free time during the week.  Despite this I'm going to try to make an effort to post more often.  Anyway what good is a blog if it just sits there with the same old posts for weeks on end?

Exploded View of Parker Duofold

A look at a very popular, well designed and engineered fountain pen.

Parker Duofold Jr

Part of the beauty of the Duofold's design is that it is easily broken down into it's most basic components.  There is no need for any special tools (like an inner cap puller) to take this pen apart, this allows for damaged parts to be replaced easily.  The Duofold is also one of the simplest pens to repair, first you remove the blind cap at the end of the barrel and pull the button straight up and out without rocking it side to side (that could crack the blind cap nipple).  Next the pressure bar is eased out, they are designed to fit through the hole that the button is placed in.  After that you can open the pen, the threaded section makes it very easy to do.  Although it should be noted that 'streamlined' Duofolds have a friction fit section.

Streamlined Duofold Jr: the only difference is the friction fit section and the slightly tapered,  rounded off ends.  This pen also still has its original factory three-part pressure bar.

Duofolds were streamlined sometime around 1929 in an attempt to keep up appearances, competing pen makers had come out with radically streamlined pens and Parker wanted in on the action while retaining the Duofold's classic shape.  This pen model introduced sometime in 1921, although there was a similar model pen, the Parker Jack-Knife Safety that debuted in the late teens, utilizing the same basic shape and filling system.  The first Duofolds were made of hard rubber in either Chinese Lacquer Red (more burnt orange than anything, earned the pen the name Big Red), and plain black.  Celluloid or Permanite pens as Parker called it came out around 1925.  The Duofold was released in several sizes throughout the time it was on the market, oversize, junior (standard), a ladies ring top pen and a mens vest pocket ring top, there were also several variations on cap bands, the double band seen on the pens above being the most common.  Being a popular model the Duofold was on the market as a button filler until 1940, when is was drastically redesigned and released as a Vacumatic filler (more on Parker Vacumatics in a future post).

Left: Streamlined Duofold friction fit section.  Right: Original (flat-top) threaded section.

How Does it Work?

When the button is pressed, the pressure bar is forced down and bows outward, depressing the sac.  It's a very fool proof and failure proof filling system as there is little in the way of moving parts that can break.  When the button is released the bar goes straight allowing the sac to take in ink.  The original factory pressure bars have a lip that rests on the blind cap nipple, which holds the bar in place.  The new replacement are longer and rest against the section of the pen.

New Two Part Replacement Duofold Pressure Bar: When the button is pressed, the bar bows out depressing the sac.

Duofold Jr. seen above back together

Several Different Models- L to R: Flat-top 'True Blue' long, jade green Jr. streamlined, red flat-top Jr., chased hard rubber Deluxe Lady Duofold