6 replies to this topic

[carl k]

Hello,

I am fairly new to Vacumatics. I recently purchased a 1936 Emerald Green standard at the DC show that has an A marked on the feed.  I have a couple more Vacs that do not have any markings on the feed.  Can someone tell me what the A on the feed means?  Thanks.

[Norm]

A means the feed is for an Accountant nib.  

[carl k]

Thanks Norm.  I assume an accountant's nib would be extra fine.  Would the purpose of the A feed be to reduce the flow of ink to match the output of the nib?  

BTW- The nib on my pen must have been changed in the past. It now puts down at least a medium line.

[matt]

Average?

 

There's also W, often found with a stub nib, and I've also got a T.

[david i]

I'm not totally sold that the "A" on feed need indicate an accountant-style point. I don't recall seeing literature to that effect at least, though it has been awhile since I reviewed my 1930's Parkergrams and such. There is early paperwork citing a wide channel feed (correlating to our finding a "W"-marked feed) for points that require heavy flow.  "A" feeds tend to associate with fine-ish points, but not necessarily to ultrafine.  Nibs can be replaced of course, and I admit I have not of late looked at many pens to refresh myself on this point.

 

There, was that hedged enough

 

-d

[John Danza]

I'm with David on his comment about the "A" not really meaning finer points. I finally got a chance to look at the 1936 repair manual. There it notes that there are four sizes of feeds for the various sized pens, and two different feed channels. The "narrow" feed channel is for everything from medium point and finer, and shows as unmarked. The wide feed channel is for "broad, stub and oblique" nibs and is marked with a "W". I don't have later repair manuals handy but I seem to recall the same information there. Other than the "W", I don't think we have evidence of what the other letters may mean.

[penmanila]

And I'm pretty sure I have a "D" somewhere...