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Full Version: A couple of Le Tigre (by CS) hooded piston fillers
The Fountain Pen Network > Brand Focus > The Conway Stewart Forum
saintsimon
I just got these cheap NOS 'Le Tigre' (export brand by CS for the BeNeLux market) hooded piston fillers from an ebay seller from the U.S. (with a new USPS speed record of only five days shipping). They are supposed to be made in Germany for CS as Le Tigres sometime between the 50s an the early 70s.

Both show obvious storage wear, but were uninked. The gray with chrome trim and threaded cap ($ 26) is a No. 91, while the burgundy with stainless steel slip cap ($22.50) is a No. 732M. Both have rigid F nibs of unknown material (most likely gold plated steel) and a piston knob under their blind caps. Their striped ink windows are clear but of uneven material thickness. The pistons work with some resistance but no real trouble, the caps close safely with either method. Essentially, the two bodies are the same, except the threads vs the metal ring for the slip cap.

They are slender and very lightweight in principle, although the metal cap is a drawback on the 732M, as it is relatively weighty and makes the light body very top-heavy when posted. The all-plastic 91 is clearly better and more harmonious, still well balanced when posted. The plastic is a dust colector kind. The clips are identical, while the top on the gray cap is wider than on the metal cap

The performance is mixed: the 91 writes dryly but quite reliably, while the 732M hardly writes a line. The nibs, while marked as F write like European EFs. And the best part: they are surprisingly SMOOTH, among the best EFs.

I'll keep the all-plastic 91 and try another ink with better flow, while I'll return the 732M, as it unharmonious because of the weighty metal cap and it also leaks around the feed.

Nice, el cheapo, lightweight pens with surprisingly good nibs (if they work) they are. Some online dealers tend to overprice them (GBP 42).

Le Tigre 91 gray and 732M burgundy with metal cap. Funny thing, the gray pen has the imprint only on the right side of the cap, readable for lefties biggrin.gif
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aladdin_sane
I got a Le Tigre 735 the other week in what is possibly an unused condition. I used it for the first time today - very nice smooth writer.
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