C. E. Levis Colussus

[retro50]

I am re-posting this from another thread in order to make the Colussus by C. E. Levi Pens a topic unto itself. Originally I received the link to his site via the Calgary Pen Club. I liked what I saw and immediately contacted Cameron with few questions and it didn't take me long to place the order.

 

Cameron mailed the pen last Friday from Winnipeg and it was actually in Calgary on Saturday!. But alas, due to union rules and the long weekend, I did not actually get it into my hands until yesterday.

 

After pulling it out of the Express Post box and extricating it out of its two layers of bubble wrap, its heft really made its presence known as I rolled it out of the foam. Very well packed

 

The cap spun easily off its precision cut threads to expose the much anticipated vintage Scheaffer Lifetime fine two-tone nib. All of my other pens (Visconti HS, Opera & Scheaffer Legacy Heritage) are equipped with mediums, but Cameron assured me that this nib would not be a disappointment, and so it is not!

 

The first thing I did was to purge the last of the PR out of the reservoir and fill it with Noodlers Navajo Turquoise. The vintage button filler requires the use of two hands (one to hold the pen and the other to operate the plunger) as the spring tension is quite substantial, which just goes to compliment the weight and solidity of this pen. It's a machine!

 

Putting pen to paper, it began to write immediately. Once the hefty pen was balanced in my hand, which it just seemed to do naturally, the nib glided (glid?) quite effortlessly across the paper, the pen body itself providing the only pressure necessary to the nib. A fairly fine line compared to what I am used to, but as the ink flow reached full volume, I found the line to be quite appealing, and clean. My other pens are very wet writers, this one tends to be somewhat drier, but nice.

 

For me, this nib will be best suited to writing on papers such as Mead's Cambridge or the run of the mill printer papers I often grab for quick notes or doodlin' The line on these is closer to what my medium nibs achieve on Rhodia velum papers. They in turn tend to be rather not pretty on the cheaper papers. One noteworthy observation here is that both this nib and that of my Legacy Heritage have the exact same feel to them on the paper in the same way that both my Viscontis do relative to each other. Scheaffer nibs therefore must have a tried and true formula which has been used in their manufacture throughout their history.

 

The pen itself is a jewel. Absolutely beautiful precision machining of the threads and all the mating ends. The finish is very fine. New, the pen is bright and shiny, and I can't wait until it ages to develop the patina and take on the look one usually associates with bronze. This pen would not look good with a clip. So for all y'all waiting for yours, As for me, well, Thanks Cameron! :clap1:

 

Additional note: The more time I spend writing with this fine Scheaffer tip on all types of paper, the more I am appreciating it. It is making my writing more well-defined and more importantly, readable

[andybiotic]

Interesting pen, clean and elegant! Love the colour, not too gold and not too plain. I especially found the sheaffer nib interesting! A mix of modern and vintage!

 

Some writing sample would be nice too!

[retro50]

 

Some writing sample would be nice too!

 

I'll do that along with a typewritten translation

[opus7600]

Thanks for the review! Would love also to see size comparison shots with other pens you might have.

 

P.S. Sheaffer, not Scheaffer.

[retro50]

Oops :embarrassed_smile:

[georges zaslavsky]

very nice pen with a great nib

[awc]

How do you find the pen after some months of use? (Maybe some pictures of the patina?)

[jimhughes]

While I don't have the Colussus pen, I have a black Ebonite made by Cameron Lewis. This is the Short #2 model with a XF Triumph Sheaffer, conical nib. It is in continued daily use since July 2011. I am currently using J. Herbin Pearl Noire, which I find to be the perfect dark black, 7/10 wet ink, fast drying with the pen. Things are going quite well with it. I love the pen. I will admit to using a soft cotton rag to clean the brass rings off with, on a regular and recurring basis, hence, no patina typical with Brass. I heartedly endorse this pen and it's turner if your interested in purchasing one. Usual disclaimers apply, Jim