What Wahl Is This?

[gaijin94]

Hi all,

 

I recently picked up this pen for $20 from a flea market on a business trip to NY. It was in need of repair when I bought it. The lever didn't move at all.

After cleaning, polishing and re-sacing it works quite well despite being a little scratchy.

On the nib, although a little beat up, is "WAHL 2 14K" and is quite flexible as you can see in the pic below.

Does anyone know what kind of Wahl pen it is?

To me, I am happy to have picked it up and carried out my first 'repair' hence but was wondering about the value of the pen as well. Was it worth my $20?

 

Kindly yours,

[Roger W.]

In the early days this followed the Boston numbering of 72. A lever filled pen -7 with a 2 sized pen. The nib is worth $20 so you couldn't go wrong. As a Wahl and not a Wahl Tempoint it has a different number though it is still made in the mid to late 20's.

 

Roger W,

[jonveley]

The pattern on the barrel and cap was called "Dart" and was used on Wahl-made pens and pencils throughout the 1920s. The nib may be valuable, but the roller clip by itself is worth another $20 or so. Good thing too, since it looks like the cap's messed up (the band wouldn't sit right on the end of the lip like that - there was more to that cap that appears to have been cut/broken off.

[gaijin94]

Thank you very much for the valuable information!

That gives me a better idea as to the pens era and value.

 

Yes, unfortunately the cap has been budged up by someone in the past.

It doesn't close fully but it seems to close enough to stop the nib from drying out.

I have some pics (although not very clear) if the condition of the cap. Rather sad,

but not a lot that I can do with it.

I have also attached a pic of the line variation of the nib. I am really impressed

with it but it tends to flick ink sometimes when the tines cross.... I think this maybe

caused by the kink in the left tine. Do you think it would it be worth attempting to straighten it?

 

Cheers!

[LBpens]

I have that pen near mint in a chevron/dart chasing and with Wahl 2 nib, but no cap band. The cap lip on yours was no doubt ground down so it wouldn't be so conspicuous with the chunk that was probably broken from the lip. I wonder if the band was added at the same time as a fix to keep a crack from spreading further or just to improve appearance? Anyway, that cap will have no impact on function

[gaijin94]

I was actually thinking the same myself band as a measure to stop further cracking but no cracks are visible so who knows. You are right though, it most certainly doesn't affect the writing of the pen at all. Getting used to it, it now writes with a line variation of .7mm to 2.1mm. I don't know if that is a big variation or a F to B variation but I love writing with it!

[Wahlnut]

The full number for this pen is #722 (7 size pen #2 nib and the last digit stands for black hard rubber with dart pattern. This is the number for the nickel roller clip and cap band (The Gold was #722AZRC AZ=Gold Filled, RC=Roller clip) . The dart pattern first showed up in 1924. And if memory serves, the nickel furniture was not mdd after 1925, so a dart pen with nickel furniture is relatively easy to pinpoint to within about 18 months. 1924/5