Any imput on the Waterman Exclusive?

[æon]

I won what I believe to be a Waterman Exclusive on eBay. From all the searching I did, I didn't find much on them. Apparantly produced only for a short time in the '90s. Thin, lacquer over brass (I think) and an 18k nib.

 

This will be my first Waterman. I had a 52 for a few weeks, but it needed repair work and I sold it off. Does anybody have an Exclusive? Like it/dislike it?

[CraigN]

My wife & I have some Exclusive pens. Her most frequently used pen is an Exclusive with dark red lacquer. Mine is gold plated and has a fair amount of heft for a slender pen. It has one of the nicest nibs on any of my pens. It is a fine and is 18k. They were purchased in the early 90s as I recall. I don't know what they cost as my wife made the purchases. I hope you like the pen. Ours are trouble-free and very good writers.

 

I hope this response is worth the wait.

 

Craig

[Hoarder68]

I love the Exclusive. I have about twenty.

[Bennington1967]

I love the Exclusive. I have about twenty.

 

In that case, the name 'Exclusive' is a misnomer!

 

[jinzo1988]

I have two - they write very well. Maybe Hoader68 wants to get rid of one of his twenty?

 

One of mine has corroded at the gold plated ring at the base of the section where the nib and feed enter the section. Not sure why that happened - user error and poor maintenance I guess. Makes me sick - but it still writes nice.

[Derrik Waterbottle]

I have two - they write very well. Maybe Hoader68 wants to get rid of one of his twenty?

 

One of mine has corroded at the gold plated ring at the base of the section where the nib and feed enter the section. Not sure why that happened - user error and poor maintenance I guess. Makes me sick - but it still writes nice.

I have a blue mottled one and have to say it is one of the best writers I have had, fitted with an 18k 750 fine nib, tis a joy to use, provided of course you like fine nibs !!

[Clancy]

Likewise, I've got the brown marbled Exclusive with the 18k 750 nib in medium and it is a delight with which to write. It has become one of my day to day workhorse pens. Actually, mines about due for a good flushing and a dip in the US cleaner.

[Clancy]

I have two - they write very well. Maybe Hoader68 wants to get rid of one of his twenty?

 

One of mine has corroded at the gold plated ring at the base of the section where the nib and feed enter the section. Not sure why that happened - user error and poor maintenance I guess. Makes me sick - but it still writes nice.

 

 

Hey Jinzo,

Upon close inspection of my Exclusive I can see that mine, too, has corroded in the same place you describe. Curious for sure and a damn shame. Anybody else noticed this on their Exclusive? Still, the pen writes beautifully and is one of my faves.

 

Clancy

 

[jinzo1988]

I heard from a few other FPNers that it is not that uncommon for this to occur on Waterman models that have that particular style of section/nib design. The Exclusive shares the wide gold trim band at the nib/section joint with a few other models. I have seen some old ones on ebay and here look good so...I don't know.

 

I almost suspect they need to be rinsed/flushed more often than I did with mine and maybe storing for long periods with ink in the pen may allow corrosion in a too-air tight environment with the cap snapped on. No air circulation like some vintage pens afford with the little vent holes in the cap.

 

I'm with you though - mine still writes very nicely. I suppose repair of this particular problem is out of the question - replacing the section (or pen) may be the only way back to "mint".

[Clancy]

I almost suspect they need to be rinsed/flushed more often than I did with mine and maybe storing for long periods with ink in the pen may allow corrosion in a too-air tight environment with the cap snapped on. No air circulation like some vintage pens afford with the little vent holes in the cap.

 

I'm with you though - mine still writes very nicely. I suppose repair of this particular problem is out of the question - replacing the section (or pen) may be the only way back to "mint".

 

 

That was my first thought also...the need for more frequent flushing and/or wiping of that section of the pen between uses. I have been guilty of storing or not using the pen for some long periods of time while leaving it inked. Not a good practice in general.

Thanks for the insights Jinzo.

 

Clancy

[babgynut]

QUOTE(jinzo1988 @ Sep 21 2007, 05:54 PM) 376114[/snapback]I almost suspect they need to be rinsed/flushed more often than I did with mine and maybe storing for long periods with ink in the pen may allow corrosion in a too-air tight environment with the cap snapped on. No air circulation like some vintage pens afford with the little vent holes in the cap.

 

I'm with you though - mine still writes very nicely. I suppose repair of this particular problem is out of the question - replacing the section (or pen) may be the only way back to "mint".

 

 

That was my first thought also...the need for more frequent flushing and/or wiping of that section of the pen between uses. I have been guilty of storing or not using the pen for some long periods of time while leaving it inked. Not a good practice in general.

Thanks for the insights Jinzo.

 

Clancy

 

Hi there, can anyone help me please I have a Waterman Exclusive but the long Waterman cartridges will not fit into the top of the section, so does anyone know please which cartridges will fit, for example the short Waterman ones, thanks

[Left FPN]

I have just offered a standard long cartridge up to a barrel and nib section and it looks as though they will fit. But it will be tight. I have a converter in at the moment and it is the same length when full. Are you sure that the cartridge is pushed fully into the nib section.

[Laureat75]

Yes, I know this is an old thread, but it's relevant to my point. I have just acquired an Exclusive (it's in the post), and am a bit worried about corrosion. Why does it occur? The barrel is supposedly brass, so what is corroding, and why?

 

I have several Gentlemen, and haven't got an issue with them despite the fact that the pens were pretty much contemporaneous, and (judging by photographs) look very similar in construction.

 

Any ideas?

[Tweel]

The posts above refer to corrosion on the wide-ish ring on the end of the section, just above the nib, onto which the cap snaps. That ring on my single Exclusive is blissfully corrosion-free, but I take it this is a common problem with this pen -- but not Exclusive to this pen, it seems to happen to many makes and models. A trim ring on the end of the section is subjected to constant exposure to ink and the high humidity inside of the cap, which find their way through any microscopic pinholes in the gold plating, attack the underlying base metal, and so cause the plating to lose its hold and flake off. For that reason, I'm not a big fan of those rings.

[Laureat75]

Ah, so the ring is presumably steel coated with gold on the Exclusive, whilst on the Gentleman the "ring" is not a separate piece of metal but just part of the (brass) section.

 

Makes sense.

[Left FPN]

The rings are gold plated brass on all models.

 

The Exclusive, Executive and Lady pens are all constructed the same, a gold plated brass ring screwed onto the black plastic grip. It is purely an embellishment for the cap to clip onto.

 

From personal experience the ring(s) have only corroded when a specific make of ink was used. Using this ink the pen got through 2 sections in 10 years. Once I started using Waterman ink the problem ceased. Unfortunately at that time I was green to Waterman pens and sent it off for repair which cost an arm and leg. I pick up new sections and pens when they appear because I feel they will be gold dust soon.

 

The Gentleman has a tube design grip. That tube can then either be lacquered and gold plated brass or precious metal. The gold plated brass ring then screws onto the inner part of the section assembly.

 

In both cases the threading is very thin and the ring is bonded to it. Using gentle heat the adhesive can be softened and the ring removed.

 

The Man pens have a slightly different design, they have an inner block which can be removed. The gold plated ring is attached to this part.

 

All caps have a thin plastic liner within which are 3 equispaced protrusions which spring out and locate in the rings groove.

 

I always enjoy showing this picture,

 

 

[Tweel]

Yes, brass does corrode.

[Laureat75]

Thank you, Force and Tweel,

 

My Exclusive has arrived and I am pleased to report no corrosion. In fact, the pen is pretty much unused and has an excellent fine nib. Quite a bargain, although not one for the chunky pen brigade. It's definitely on the slender side.

[Laureat75]

Getting back to corrosion, I had forgotten that brass is very susceptible to corrosion, and especially if it has a high zinc content.

 

One often sees advice that pen nibs should be cleaned in washing up liquid and/or ammonia. It was therefore interesting to see this on a boating site: Ammonia, a common ingredient in household cleaners, will readily attack brass, causing it to weaken and crack; and mercury will do the same.

[Left FPN]

I have used ammonia but only on pens with solid gold nibs and for short periods. I normally use ultrasonics for modern era pens.