As we are all probably aware, the fountain pen was an essential tool during the time of Indiana Jones. In fact, Henry Jones, Sr. got out of a pickle in Last Crusade by squirting the German Tanker with ink from his fountain pen! Based off careful observation of the scene, and matched with the Lucas Archive photo below, the pen most likely used, and shown as the front pen of the two, is a Conway Stewart 58. The 58 model was actually produced post war, in the 1950s, which goes to show that the filmmakers were not 100% concerned with making sure all props were authentic to the era.
The other pen appears to be a Mabie Todd Swan Leverless, possibly a pre-war model.
There have been a few members as of late who have expressed the desire for me to dedicate a thread to the care and feeding of fountain pens. Whereas Michaeslon could go on endlessly when it comes to watches, I am much the same when it comes to pens. It doesn’t help that I work in a vintage fountain pen shop most weekends apart from my “real” job. What I hope to achieve here is to give folks a very basic understanding and appreciation of the vintage pen. Since more folks seem to be adding fountain pens as part of their Henry, Sr. gear or period “Indy kit,” this primer should help initiate new fountain pen owners (or those wanting a pen) as to their use and maintenance.
While the idea of a pen with a built-in ink reservoir is nothing new (with record of one dating back to the 10th century!), early fountain pens were unreliable and often messy. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that improvements in design began to make the fountain pen a more viable and popular writing instrument. These early pens were usually filled by means of unscrewing a portion of the pen barrel and inserting ink via an eyedropper. The body of the pen, then, also acted as the ink reservoir. However, these pens were messy to fill and prone to leaking inside the cap or at the joint where the barrel unscrewed for filling.
By the turn of the century, newer “self-filling” pens became more prominent. Companies began to experiment with designs that allowed the user to fill the pen more easily. Likewise, previous issues with pen leaks and proper ink flow were being solved and improved upon, making pens more durable and practical than ever.
The fountain pen was not a “disposable” item during the day. Like a watch, a good writing instrument was meant to last a considerable time, if not a lifetime. Paying 7 dollars for a high end Parker Duofold in the mid-1920s was a LOT of money for a pen. Even though other companies, like Esterbrook, would come to provide economical “dollar pens” to the masses, a fountain pen was not meant to be blindly discarded. Though the ballpoint pen can be traced back to the 1940s, they were expensive, leaky, and unreliable. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the modern ballpoint became more refined and began to surpass fountain pens in use and popularity.
Fountain pens are still made to this day. Though considered by some as more of a modern status symbol, is not uncommon to find them in use in schools throughout Europe and the UK, and there are serious collectors of new and vintage pens worldwide. If you are interested in in-depth history of fountain pens, there are many books and online resources at your disposal.
So, you’ve read this far and you’re still interested in pens. From this point, we’ll assume that you either have, or are looking at purchasing, a fountain pen. I’ll go into the basics of what you might expect or come to find.
NOTE: First of all, say you find an old “fancy” pen sitting around. It’s got a cap on it. You pick it up. What is your first instinct? To open it! But WAIT! You might be used to tugging on the cap to remove it. With most fountain opens, you UNSCREW the cap. If you are unsure, always try unscrewing the cap first. If it’s not a screw cap, then you can try a light tug to pull off the cap. We had one customer buy a MINT 1930s Parker Vacumatic, only to come back half an hour later because she tried to force the twist cap off by pulling on it. It didn’t budge, so she pulled so hard that it snapped the pen clean in half. Needless to say she tanked the value of a previously mint pen that she had just purchased for several hundred dollars.
TYPES OF FILLING MECHANISMS
Though there are many different types of filling mechanisms out there, I will touch on those you are most likely to encounter.
CARTRIDGE FILLERS
The average fountain pen you will encounter in a typical office supply store will likely be a cartridge filler, like the cheap Cross pen below. These are meant to use a specific type of ink cartridge and cannot use bottled ink unless they include a specially designed converter. For the sake of this thread, I will be concentrating on vintage pens with internal filling mechanisms designed for bottled ink.
CRESCENT FILLER
The Conklin Crescent Filler (introduced about 1901) was a favorite of Mark Twain. He referred to it as a “profanity saver” in that the “coin” on the side would prevent the pen from rolling off the desk and onto the floor. The crescent is attached to an internal pressure bar which rests against a rubber ink bladder (or sac). When the crescent is depressed, it squeezes and collapses the ink sac (like you would an eyedropper). When released, the sac reopens, and the vacuum suçks the ink into the pen. The C-shaped ring that runs beneath the crescent prevents it from being depressed accidentally. Turning the ring to the “open” position allows the pen to be filled.
To fill, place the nib in the ink bottle and squeeze the “coin.” I squeeze quickly (like an eyedropper) wait a second and squeeze a second time. I count a few seconds before lifting the nib out of the bottle. This allows time for the capillary action to fill the ink sac.
LEVER FILLER
Patented by Sheaffer and introduced in 1912, the lever filler was so popular that it was adopted by many other pen makers. It is commonly found in vintage pens (like the Waterman 52 shown above) and is simple to operate. When opened, the hinged lever presses down on the pressure bar, and hence the ink sac inside, creating the necessary vacuum to take ink up into the pen. To fill, dip the nib in the ink bottle, pull the lever back NO MORE than 45 degrees, and release. Count at least to five to allow the pen to drink before removing from the bottle. I often pull the lever back several times in a row to maximize ink intake.
Here is an old instruction sheet included with Esterbrook level fill pens:
Henry Sr.’s Conway Stewart was a lever fill pen, and yes, they can squirt like that!
BUTTON FILLER
Parker introduced the button filler shortly thereafter. When a blind cap is removed from the back of the pen, a button is exposed. When pressed, it activates the pressure bar inside the pen which squeezes the ink sac. Pushing the button down once and immediately releasing it while in the ink bottle is all it takes. Count a few seconds before removing and you’re good to go. The pen shown here is a 1920s Parker Duofold Jr.
Button detail and old Parker instruction sheet:
PARKER VACUMATIC
The Parker Vacumatic hit the market in 1933 and was popular throughout the ‘40s. Instead of an ink sac, the Vacumatic contained a diaphragm that would expand inside the barrel of the pen, creating the vacuum which suçked in the ink. This meant the barrel of the pen itself would act as the ink reservoir, allowing a greater ink capacity that standard ink sac pens. Filled by removing the blind cap, early Vacumatics had a metal twist locking plunger (as seen in the marbled 1937 example above front), while later pens (like the 40s example behind) had a metal or plastic plunger which did not lock. To fill, depress the plunger several times. NOTE: Avoid twisting the plunger, as this can inadvertently damage the diaphragm inside the pen.
Detail of the earlier locking mechanism and instruction sheet:
SHEAFFER VACUUM-FIL, TOUCHDOWN AND SNORKEL
Pneumatic fillers, these required unscrewing the knob at the end of the barrel, drawing out the plunger to its full length, dipping the nib in the ink, and then swiftly pushing down the plunger. Wait about 10 seconds for the reservoir to fill before removing from the ink bottle. The difference with the Snorkel is that the retractable tube is meant to fill the pen without having to submerge the nib. The tube retracts when unscrewing the knob at the back of the pen. The top pen is a Sheaffer Snorkel, the bottom a Sheafer “Tuckaway” Vac-Fil.
Instruction sheets for both Touch Down and Snorkel:
PISTON FILLER
The piston filler is an easy and popular system, found on both vintage and modern pens, and most notably on Pelikan pens, like the 1930s Pelikan 100 shown here. By turning the knob at the end of the pen, a piston is drawn down inside the barrel. Dip the nib in the ink, screw the piston back up, and ink is drawn into the pen. Simple and very effective. Piston fillers also use the barrel of the pen as the reservoir, so these pens hold a good amount of ink.
You can see the piston in the halfway position in this detail:
Pelikan instruction sheet:
PARKER 51 AEROMETRIC FILLER
The Parker 51 is one of the most famous fountain pens ever. Introduced in the ‘40s, its style and filling mechanism were so revolutionary that it spurred many companies to copy their look and basic mechanics. Even Parker released cheaper versions, like their 21 model shown above. The 51 featured a hooded nib (as opposed to an exposed nib) and though early 51’s were vacumatic fillers, Parker’s introduction of the aerometric filler in 1948 made filling the pen a breeze. Unscrew the section of the pen and a “squeeze bar” is exposed. This is just like an eyedropper. Dunk the nib in ink, squeeze the filler bar several times, wait several seconds, and you’re filled!
NOTE: While the pens shown to this point have had screw on caps, the Parker 51 has a pressure fit cap. You can pull this one!
Again, you may encounter other types of filling mechanisms, but the above are the most common you will find.
LETTING OUT INK AFTER FILLING
Some fountain pen users (myself included) will let out two or three drops of ink back into the bottle when filling a pen. The reason for this is that it allows for a bit of air back into the ink sac or reservoir, which helps the ink to flow out of the pen a bit easier. Think of it like the water cooler in the office. When you see the bubbles of air rise to the top, it is allowing the water to leave the spigot and into your cup. It’s the same principle, basically. Letting out a drop or two after filling helps start that natural process. It may also help prevent some pens from blobbing ink on your page, though this may be a sign (in some pens) that you are near the end of your ink supply. Of course, if your pen has more serious problems or happens to be cracked or plain leaky, well, of course it’ll leak ink! At this point, you should take your pen to a professional repairperson for assessment. Your mileage may vary, as there are always exceptions to the rule and differences in opinion among pen users.
WRITING WITH YOUR PEN
Keep in mind a fountain pen is NOT a chisel. Whereas some people practically carve into the paper with a ballpoint, a fountain pen is meant to glide on the paper, not pierce it. Adjusting to a fountain pen may take time for some users. Additionally, there are various types of nibs to be found, from very fine to extra broad, from stiff as a nail, to springy and flexible. The flexible nibs provide a varying width of line, allowing you to write “thick and thin” like Thomas Jefferson. And yes, even lefties can use fountain pens, as I can personally attest.
Everyone has a different writing style, so not all nibs will work for all people. Some cannot use a flexible nib. Others write too small for a broad nib. Some write harder, some softer. Regardless, there is a nib type that suits most everybody. You may find that nibs may also need adjustment. This is apparent if the nib writes very scratchy or unevenly. This is best left to a professional pen repairperson, as you may destroy a nib if you don’t know what you’re doing.
A few pens, especially Esterbrooks, have nibs designed to be easily interchanged by the user. (See Esterbrook sheet above.) In this case, they unscrew and can be replaced with a wide array of appropriate nibs.
POSTING PENS
Posting a cap is when you take the cap of a pen and place it on the back of the pen.
Cap not posted:
Cap posted on back of pen:
Many people do this. In regards to vintage pens, there are two distinct camps of thought. One camp simply states, “DON’T POST THE CAP OF YOUR PEN,” while the other says, “Go ahead and post the cap of your pen.” Any which way, there are some important things to consider. Vintage pens, particularly made of hard rubber, celluloid, and plastic, may be fragile. If you post the cap on your pen, be careful not to shove it down forcefully. Doing so may crack, chip, or break your cap if not careful. A cracked or broken cap will affect the value of your vintage pen, sometimes greatly. As long as you post your cap gently, you should be fine. Again, don’t be forceful. With most of my pens, I have a tendency to hold the cap of my pen in my opposite hand as I write instead of posting it. It’s a personal preference, but again, be mindful.
CLEANING YOUR PEN
Cleaning your pen is as easy as filling it. The instruction sheets above also show how to clean your pen.
NOTE: DO NOT USE HOT WATER TO CLEAN YOUR PEN! Especially with some vintage pens, this is a sure fire way to destroy it. Not that you should panic if you get a little water on a pen, but some early materials do not take well to hot water. Always use cold or cool water to clean a pen.
To clean, empty your pen of ink. You can do this by using the same technique to fill your pen, just without submerging the nib. At this point, you can stick your nib in a cup of cold water and fill and empty the pen with water until you eventually spit out clear or mostly clear water from it. (You may need to empty and refill your water cup a few times.) If your pen has sat unused for a while and you think you may have a little dried ink inside the pen, you can add a single drop of 409 or similar dish detergent into your water mix. This will help loosen up old ink.
If you do not plan to use your pen for a while (weeks, months, years) you should always empty and clean it before storing it.
WHAT TO FEED YOUR PEN
Use ONLY dedicated fountain pen ink! Anything other may kill your pen! India ink will seize up your pen indefinitely. If it does not say “fountain pen ink” on the bottle or you are not 100% sure it’s fountain pen ink, put the bottle back. Additionally, some folks like to use old ink. The concern regarding old ink is that it may have formed sediment in the mix which could clog your pen. Some folks say not to use bottled ink more than 1 or 2 years old, but opinions vary.
Using bottled ink also means you have a wide array of colors available to choose from. You can even get invisible ink for fountain pens! Inks are generally not designed to be mixed, especially across different brands. Doing so may have adverse affects on your pen. Always empty and clean your pen before swapping colors.
CARRYING YOUR PEN
It is advisable to always carry your pen in the upright position. This will help any accidental leaking of ink into the cap. Additionally, they make pen cases for a single, few or many pens. I actually use an old leather cigar case to hold the two or three pens in current rotation. This case fits nicely in my MkVII bag, with the pens remaining upright and protected from getting knocked about or titled at every angle in transit. If a filled pen is sitting on your desk, you may wish to lean it on something to keep the nib upright, but there are different opinions on this, also. Your shirt or vest pocket is also perfect for pens.
CONGRATULATIONS!
If you’ve survived this epic post, I hope this answers some common questions regarding fountain pens. There is a LOT to know and learn. (I’m always learning.) There are also things to be aware of when buying vintage pens. Your best bet is to buy from a reputable dealer who refurbishes the pens before selling them. Feel free to ask questions, as I’m always happy to talk pens. If I don’t know it, I can find out!
Happy writing!
. Seriously though, GREAT job Bink! 
... 
(I probably should have written that in invisible ink...)
That's the kind of info I (at least) can really use! I love the way a fountain pen writes, and I love the way it feels in the hand. Now that I have some good info, instead of my own trial and error, I can take better care of my pens and maybe even rejuvenate a couple of oldies I have in the back of my desk. I just wish that most of the handwriting I do wasn't on pressure-sensitive forms with two or three copies - I hate putting that much pressure on a good nib. I've never yet found a ballpoint that "fits" my hand like a good fountain pen, though I will admit that some "gel" pens have a nice feel when writing
