4 replies to this topic

[JonSzanto]

I'm just curious: one of the areas that people look for clarity in a pen is in the visualization areas, be it the transparent ring in a Sheaffer pen, or the alternate 'stripes' in a Vacumatic (I'm certain you can all think of many examples). My question is - does the ambering/discoloration encompass the entire material, or is it just the ambering of the surface? If it is only the surfaces that discolor, is it only the interior (where ink is in contact) or does exposure cause the exterior to amber as well?

 

I would never be in the position to dissect one of these parts, but I just wondered how deeply the ambering penetrated (and, no, I'm not summoning that guy and his whacky shellacky ideas...).

[Mike Hosea]

Here you go, Jon.  This is part of the visulated section from a Sheaffer plunger filler from the 1940's, freshly cut, then sanded.  The ambering looks uniform to me.  Perhaps there are other kinds of ambering, though, other causes, some of which may be on the surface.

 

Edited by Mike Hosea, 28 September 2014 - 08:55 PM.

[JonSzanto]

Yikes! I hope you didn't cut that just for me?! (though I assume it is from a discard pile...)

[Mike Hosea]

It was just a useless part from the junk drawer.

Edited by Mike Hosea, 29 September 2014 - 12:41 AM.

[Mike Hosea]

..

Edited by Mike Hosea, 29 September 2014 - 12:45 AM.