I've never owned a Conway Stewart pen (I've been partial to Pelikans and like the size of the M600).

Looking at Conway Stewart's offerings, I find the silver collection pens to be very nice looking, especially the classic green. I'd like to hear what I could expect from this pen (in the button filler version). How do their medium nibs run?

CS seems to favor designs with gold trim, which I'm not very fond of, but the silver collection has some nice (but pricey) entries.

Stephen

In 10 years, and being a "Pelikanist" my collection went up to 10 Pelikan pens (from 100N to M1000)... Once I tried CS (starting with Swisher's Tiger eye Duro)... and in less than 2 years, CS has gone up to 14 pens in my collection, both modern and vintage. Why? ... I like to use them, I like consistent smooth nib behaviour and last but not least, I like quality, affordability and good finishes... In all, I had 1/3rd the problems with CS and response from factory was immediate, nobody is perfect but they seem to be working very well with customer assistance...

Does this answer your questions?

Thanks for the response. It is good to know about the company too. I also had questions about how this pen in particular fit in to the product line, and how its size/feel compares to a pen like the M600. I would expect it to be heavier due to the metal. Is it heavier than a Namiki vanishing point (my only metal pen), for instance?

Stephen

PS: are you really from the Canary Islands? Must be quite a place to live.

I just compared side by side a 620 (Athens) and a CS Duro (I suppose you mean the sterling Duro?) . CS is just a bit longer (3-4mm perhaps), gripping section is almost equal, CS nib is much smoother and a bit bigger, 620 weighs 16gr and Duro 19gr, for the sterling one perhaps 10gr more, something not really to be noted as general weight is very light. Feel in hand, I like much more the CS and it could be somewhere in between of 600 and 800, more to the 600 side.

Yes, I'm from Canary Islands... quite a place to use FP's (not at the beach!!)

In the following picture you can see between a 620 and a M1000 a Docs Pen (based on a 100) and a Duro. My wife has the 58 which perhaps feels a bit more like the 600 in the hand. I'm more of the 100, which is just that bit bigger to feel perfect in the hand, both being very comphortable. The 100 feels a bit bigger than the 600 and smaller than the 800 ... It's a matter of taste the final decission. About quality I have no doubt, they are great...

Just a note to add that you can order any CS pen with silver instead of gold trim.


Greg

Thanks for posting that wonderful photo. It makes it very easy to compare the pen sizes.

What is the name for the color scheme on your Duro? I like it a lot, but I don't see it at some of the places I've looked that sell it.

Would the weight of the sterling duro make anyone pause? It might be a bit heavy for me.

Nice Athens too; I was lucky enough to be able to find one.

Stephen

Can you really? That is great news -- I had no idea.

Stephen

The Duro is Tigers Eye by Swisher's and... I hav no idea about the Sterling Duros, perhaps Kevin (Winedoc) may help a bit if he weighs one (no need to go to the examining room, a good kitchen wage will do! )... Mine feels absolutely light in the hand... no stops needed...

Great Tiger's Eye Duro, Jopen. They called it Le Tigre when I was looking at CS pens over here (Pretentious? Moi?), I wanted it for my Churchill but despite amazing flexibility CS said they couldn't provide a Churchill in that pattern. Pity.

I've never seen a silver Duro in that pattern, it seems CS chose the more colourful patterns for their Silver Duros to make the most of the reflective shine from the silver underneath the plastic. The colours look very bright and deep made like this.

And then there's the nib.... aah!

Stephen, if you want to use the pen then it might be worth trying to get to a shop that has one to try out so you can get the measure of the weight before splashing out. I quite like a bit of weight but not everyone does. The Duro is large enough to enable writing without posting, which might help.

Greg

Oooops... Yes, its Le Tigre as can be seen in a post by Mary Burke somewhere else in this forum, and yes, Greg, I agree with you, Duro and 100 have the right size to use them without posting, 58 for a medium to big hand is in the limit or maybe a bit short for that. I do not post pens, it hurts me, but again.. it is a matter of everyones taste and uses...

CS has such a vast number of attractive colors to choose on standard and Bespoke pens that it is almost impossible to find the one best suited to someones taste... That is very dangerous!!

If I wanted to go down in size from the Duro, but still end up with a pen larger than a Pelikan M200, what would be a good choice? Also, how does the lever filler compare to the button filler?

Thanks for your opinions!

Stephen

Both systems are based on the same rubber sac. This is the weak point as it needs to be replaced sooner or later (may be 6-8 years?) but this is an easy task. Duro buttom is a bit on the hard side as the surface on which you press is not very big, but it works very well. Lever system is perhaps easier (lighter) to actuate and works equally well. Both are very relaiable (they have been already for a long time there). I do like both of them. Recently I was thinking about getting into a bespoke CS 100, the only pity is that they do not make them with a lever fill, but I'm seriously tempted in transforming one into a buttom filler

Jose,

If you are tempted by a large lever filler don't forget my CS WES limited edition ebonite Churchill style pen is actually a lever fill - and still available!!!!

In a vintage CS pen, the lever box cutout is often the weak spot in the barrel, with stress cracks from the corners. Also the wire ring on which the lever pivots tends to rust and cause the barrel to swell slightly at that point. However, I would expect you'd have to wait at least 50 or 60 years to see how good the modern CS is in this respect!!

Andy

By the time the barrel swells I will be forming part of one of our palms here

Yes, The WES is absolutely nice indeed and spectacular, but I find Churchill just a bit oversized for my kind of everyday use. I have already one which is very light but somehow I do not feel 100% comphortable with it. On the other hand, the 100 is the other side of the coin... I feel it just forming part of my hand and I love its curves (sensuality could I say?) ...

BTW, I got my first from Jonathan the other day, and as you said... 9 I'll be concentrating in 58s, 60s and 100s ... and perhaps some others but not in complete series, just if I really like or love them for some reason...

So do you still owe money to your dentist?!!

I think the two banded blue hatched 60 will be the star of your purchases from Jonathan - a lovely colour and much more interesting than the British single banded version. The 60 was always my favourite of the post war CS pens. I was slightly surprised to see you buy a Dinkie 550, though I'll be interested to hear what you think of it! In my opinion, still the best Dinkies to use as writing pens date from 1932 - 39, the green marbled 526 I sold on ebay recently was a gorgeous, robust little pen and it was a real bargain!

Andy

I didn't know that... it's one of the things that put me off in the past. I would have loved the Doctors 100 is it hadn't been for the Dr logo.

Although having said that I REALLY like the new Nelson range.

Aha! ... Andy, so you are following my Dentist's debts
Yes, the 2 band 60 was a surprise there, just waiting for somebody loving her, as well as the others. I do not know when will be jonathan able to go to the post but probably next friday I will have to explain quite a few things here at home... and here is where 550 plays its role with the delicate wife's hand... just to bring some peace because when I showed it to my wife she just fell in love with it. May be she will compete in Dinkies with you? ... one never knows...

That was good, now I have a spy spying the spy :ph34r: