Fix Or Buy A New One

[coredump]

So I got a Sheaffer 330 and together came some other pens in various maintenance states:

 

Noodler Konrad - Bent nib, piston doesn't work

Bulow x450 - no nib or feed, broken clip

Aldo Domani - Not sure what model, lacks nib, image attached

 

So I know those pens are not "omg vintage what a find!" but I like how the Konrad and Aldo looks. I know I can get a replacement nib for the Konrad on goulet for 5 bucks, but is it feasible to find a replacement piston? Or in this case it's better to use it as a eyedropper or just buy a new one? (The Konrad is a custom "Red State Special Edition")

 

And what nib should I use on the Aldo?

 

And does anyone want a Bulow x450 body?

[TheRealScubaSteve]

What's wrong with the piston?

[KBeezie]

Well a Bulow is just a Jinhao that's been re-branded for sale on xFountainPen and you can get Jinhao X450s for maybe $4 from China. They just use standard international converters/cartridges. And for the most part may be able to take a feed of most Nemosine, Monteverde or any other pen using a standard Jowo unit (though the Jinhaos did have some small discrepancies in their own feeds, some of the older ones were a completely rounded feed, where as others like the other brands had a faceted bottom to the feed with the rounded portion for the nib).

 

Also the X450/X750 Jinhao (or Bulow in their case) just takes a #6 nib, which you can either get real cheap on ebay for $1 or $2, or can spend a little more for a Nemosine or Knox nib (or more than that for Goulet, Monteverde, Franklin-Christoph, Bexley, etc).

 

If the Bulow was only missing the nib, it'd be more worthwhile to simply buy a nib for it. Missing feeds normally require buying a whole new body or buying a nib unit with a compatible feed which tends to be more expensive.

 

The Konrad can have the nib easily replaced as Noodler's has available both the non-flex ($2) or the flex nib ($6) at places like Goulet Pens. The "piston" not working needs more clarification, and I'd inquire with one of the retailers or noodle's themselves about potential warranty. The Konrad is not the model that can be effectively used as an Eye-Dropper. The Ahab is though.

Edited November 25, 2014 by KBeezie