Hello all,

there seems to be a lot of problem related to the Omas Arco, at least that's what the many threads regarding reliability issues tends to show. On the other hands people without issues don't start thread to say my Arco works

I'm strongly considering buying one but I'd like to get an idea of the proportion of Arco owners that have had issues with theirs.

Please respond only if you have an Milord or Paragon of the Arco family.

P.S. First time using the poll function I hope I dont screw up

[edit: sorry upron => upon seems like it is not possible to edit poll ]

Response to your Omas Reliability Poll:

I've owned my Omas Arco Brown (2005) Paragon for seven months now... have kept it filled the entire time and... "knock on wood" it has never failed to write each time I've picked it up to use it! Cordially, Richard S.

Have a piston issue with mine and it is on it's way to Italy as we speak.It is a new Arco,not pre-2005.None of my pre-2005 Omas pens have ever had problems.
My Arco rollerball(newer) has been flawless (It had BETTER be)

Jim

It may be helpful to differentiate the pens. There are the original pens, pre-LVMH and post LVMH. When LVMH came in during 2000, they acknowledged the quality control issues of the previous regime and stated that they would work to remediate them.

There are the 2005 models where the interior was susceptible to breaking and the 2006 & later models that corrected this problem.

Omas celluloids from the 1990s through 2002 will have the year imprinted on the section. Establishing a date for subsequent pens is more difficult so perhaps people can state when they bought their pens.

A common complaint is the problem of leaking at the section/barrel interface.

Earlier pens also had complaints about flow which Omas corrected by changing the feed.

My own Arco is a 75th Anniversary model from 2000 with a Jerry Trafford stub. No problems. By the way, do you want to zero in on the Arco as the other celluloids are essentially the same pen?

Actually I wanted to hear about all Arco, even thought I am considering a 2005 or later pen. I have read of leak issues about the newer pens but I also wondering how others parts like the piston are holding up.

I have mostly heard issues about the Arco and didn't know their other celluloid suffered from the same issues (leaking wise).

My "classic" arco and new version in the full size with gold metal trim arco have been great pens since day one; however, my new version milord arco has been on more trips to Italy than me, so I'm a little jealous :-)

The new milord arco has been back for:
1) facets not lining up between cap and barrel
2) leaky nib
3) piston failure

And another that I bought as a gift was returned because the thin rim of the cap came apart in tiny pieces of celluloid. My replacement milord arco is now one of my favorite pens. I like the size, the fact that the grip is celluloid, and unlike some others on the board, I like the new clip, but wished they kept the cap ring.

As I stated in a couple of other threads. I sent two Arco Milords back for leaking at junction of section and barrel. This happened within a week of getting the pens. Kenro replaced both pens. The piston filler on the third pen broke after approximately 3 months. I sent that pen back to Kenro last week. Have not yet heard from them, but I know that they received it from FedEx tracking.

As I've stated in other posts, after 3 weeks-no problems, other than the facets not lining up. Since the cap doesnt use a single start thread, this is not an issue to me. I kind of like seeing a little bit of the brighter celluloid as the pen turns (and not lining things up is usually not like me).

I do agree with Iterry. I like the new clip, but feel the the new cap ring is not as nice as the older version.

No problems on the 1990's - 2002 (year of production imprinted) one (3 pens).

No problem on the 2002 - 2004 (no production date imprinted) one (1 pen).

Problems with the feed on a 75th annisversary edition (feed just did not work and had to be replaced) (1 pen).

No problems so far with a new Arco Paragon; I don't know if it is a 2005, 2006 or 2007.


Some nibs needed adjustment and some have been reground to fit my writing but this is normal for most pens of any brand :-)


I already posted this link in a different thread which explains the piston failure:

http://www.nibs.com/OmasParagon2005ReEngineered.htm



Cheers

Michael

I have mine for about 3 years now and have no issues with it. I have to mention though that it is not a pen i use daily. Too many pens i guess

Nikolaos

Thanks to all that voted and/or answered. It mitigate the worries I had toward buying an Omas Arco Milord

Whoops spare post

Jim,

Did you get yours back yet. I sent mine (new Arco Milord) to Kenro on 6/25 for a piston repair. Never heard from them at all, but got the pen back yesterday, 8/5. I don't know if they fixed the problem here or sent it to Italy. I ordered a MINI Cooper on 6/28 and am picking it up today, 8/6. So it takes as long to repair a Milord piston as it does to build a MINI and ship it across the Atlantic. Hopefully I will have better luck with the MINI than I've had with the Milord.

I have not received mine back yet.But hearing that you received yours gives me hope as i sent mine in a week after yours.I aaume they saent yours to Italt as Kenro cannot repair piston issues here in the US. That means mine just might be here soon.Yay!! I want it back so bad.
I will let you know when it arrives.Thanks for the heads up.

Jim

Well, I have the new Arco Paragon and it has functioned perfectly from the get go. I also have a 14 year old 557f Arco that developed a leak between the nib section and the barrel. It was resealed by Jerry Trafford and has functioned perfectly since then, I imagine 5 or 6 years.

I have had only one ARco, but I've had it since 1993 so perhaps I can offer the long term user experience.

It was the senior size Paragon then, and I've used it on and off since then (I have a lot of pens), but enough to wear the gold off the high points on the cap band.

once, early in it's life, the hard rubber ring around the feed cracked and the pen began to leak profusely. John Mottishaw replaced that easily for a modest fee when he was the auth'd repair person.

This year, the pen returned to John for a nib swap, and during the work, I asked John to check the blind cap because little pieces of what appeared to be ink-soaked fabric were coming out of the cap. turns out the blind cap was completely deteriorating--so much so that John had to drill it out, an operation that took some effort.

I had not been assiduous about rinsing out the cap over the years, and apparently there was a reaction with my ink (parker ink, originally with Solv-X, lately without).

Other than these two problems, the pen has been great, the piston has never been relubed and though a little stiff on start up, continues to work fine. so leaks whatsoever. So from the long-term point of view, I consider that pretty terrific reliability.

John thinks I should retire this one due to rarity etc. but it's just too beautiful not to use. Besides, I bought it so I wouldn't use my NOS first gen OS Doric. It was intended to be a beater. who knew it would become collectible in it's turn.

if you get one of these, by alls means use it. mine has served me 15 years now. hopefully 15 more.

I just received an email back from Kenro stating that my Arco is on it's way back from Italy.Should be here this week in my hot little hands.
I cannot wait.I will give a full report when it is indeed here. Took exactly 4 weeks to be repaired.Thats not bad at all (barring any problems).

Jim

Yay!!! My Arco has arrived back from Italy.In 5 weeks no less. They shipped iot back very well padded and in three separate levels of comfort.
Well done indeed.In fact,the facets line up better than before.The test is when i get home and fill it up with ink. Then,i hope for now,my pen issues have been resolved.
Kenro did better this time than last.Last year my Roma took 6 weeks to be repaired for a small cut in the body that allowed ink to bleed.This was a piston failure. So another good mark for Kenro and Omas.Maybe they are starting to read our posts here at FPN.

Jim (The VERY happy Arco owner).

Good luck with yours. If my experience is any indication, yours will just show up in the mail with no warning.

It would of if i had not emailed Pat at Kenro.He emailed back that it had been shipped.I was trying to be pro-active and at least locate a day when it would come back.

Jim

Jim,

Sorry, that I didn't see your post before I sent the last one. Did yours just show up, or did they give you some notice that it was coming? I got mine in a cigar-like outer case, with a white plastic sleeve, similar to the leather sleeve that comes with the new pen, all in a air filled plastic bag, in a box with styrofoam peanuts. I had mailed it to Kenro in the original box. I called Kenro, and they sent the box back to me. I received it a couple of days after I called.

Hope all of your problems are now solved. It's such a great looking and writing pen when it works.

Tom

Tom,

Mine came back the exact same way.Very well packed.I didn't send the box as i learned that lesson last year and went the same experience of having the box mailed back,etc.So you are not alone there
No,i had no advanced warning of when it would be shipped. I hoped to head off the UPS man but forgot i gave Kenro my work address so i would be here to receive it.Glad i did.Hate to have someone steal that off my porch.Ouch.
I do hope this is the last time i have to send a pen in. My Omas pen buying days are over for awhile.I have my grail pen in the Arco.
Now i'm concentrating on writing skills and pen-pals.

It is indeed a very beautiful pen.I hope the piston works.I will know in a few hours.

Jim

Hello Jim,

I'm very happy you got your Arco back I sure hope it will be perfect, keep us informed