Do You Know The Petrarque? No! So Follow Me

[JeanB]

Hello to everyone,

 

I would like to come back on the 14K (585/1000) Bock gold nib...

 

First point, many 14K nibs are in fact a little more flexible than 18K nibs, due to the alloy used for these nibs.

Second point, the 14K nibs do not show more oxidation or other problem than 18K nibs. The 18K nibs have mainly be used due to French legislation into force before 1998, (when the EU legislation came into force on this topic) and following which the gold sold in France had to be 18K gold.

All the vintag nibs sold on US pens, including Parker Duofold, Waterman's Patrician were 14K nibs.

The German gold nibs were also 14K (585/1000th of gold) including for Montblanc and Pelikan.

The 18K gold nib was a kind of marketing trick, these last years, to justify higher prices on pens fitted with such nibs...

Third point, the fact that the nib is engraved Bock is not a problem, as many pen makers use Bock nibs, including Visconti, Delta and many others...

 

I hope this info helps.

 

All best

 

Jean Buchser

[Ondina]

Hello to everyone,

 

I would like to come back on the 14K (585/1000) Bock gold nib...

 

First point, many 14K nibs are in fact a little more flexible than 18K nibs, due to the alloy used for these nibs.

Second point, the 14K nibs do not show more oxidation or other problem than 18K nibs. The 18K nibs have mainly be used due to French legislation into force before 1998, (when the EU legislation came into force on this topic) and following which the gold sold in France had to be 18K gold.

All the vintag nibs sold on US pens, including Parker Duofold, Waterman's Patrician were 14K nibs.

The German gold nibs were also 14K (585/1000th of gold) including for Montblanc and Pelikan.

The 18K gold nib was a kind of marketing trick, these last years, to justify higher prices on pens fitted with such nibs...

Third point, the fact that the nib is engraved Bock is not a problem, as many pen makers use Bock nibs, including Visconti, Delta and many others...

 

I hope this info helps.

 

All best

 

 

 

Jean Buchser

 

Hello Mr. Buchser.

 

In reply to your first point, most 18k nibs are as a matter of fact softer than most unmodified 14k ones. Flexibility is a multi-factor issue and it can be achieved on many metals, including stainless steel.

Second point, no, the gold of the 14k nibs will behave as gold. What it will corrode, oxidize and rot is the other lesser noble metals in the alloy. And with it, the whole nib. The use of gold in nibs had nothing to do with commecial tricks; it had to do with life span of a daily used writing instrument. Today most inks are very forgiving and in a world of disposable everything, this not a critical issue any longer.

The 18k nibs are used since first fountain pens were made. France's legislation on 18k is much older than the agreement reached with the EU, as it is the Spanish or Italian ones dating from the pre-Roman era when only 24k was gold and 22k was allowed for coins. As a matter of fact, only in the 80's that 18k was legally accepted. The 40's Mont Blancs made in Spain by Wiese had to get a special industrial use permit to sell nibs marked with "only" 18k. In every legislation change, I recall, Swiss groups lobbied against Italy, Spain and France to save their own interests (a curious thing given it's a non EU country). Actually even the term "k" for carat is used in English speaking countries. European markings use the gold percentage, .999 for 24k, .916 for 22k, .750 for 18k, .585 for 14k, .416 for 12k, etc.

 

The use or lower or higher gold content varied/still varies greatly from country to country and it reflects these historic variations. In the USA, there is a 10k, in England a 9k and in other countries around the globe one can go as low as 8k. Germany, for instance. Portugal still has a 19.2 k.

 

The use of 18k gold nibs is as old as fountain pens, many masters in nib making have chosen 22k nibs for their masterpieces ( Sailor, Nakaya) and Bock ( today a German company always very related to Switzerland in origin and manufacturing) uses it in their highest quality pens (Pelikan, Waterman, Omas, Parker.......)

 

I hope the -accurate- information helps.

 

Best,

Edited September 8, 2011 by Ondina

[Ondina]

Beautiful pens, Nath. Hats off to the new maker, is great to see that even today, there are entrepreneurs that keep it alive, may it have a long and successful life. ( I love the nibs are of the screw-in type and that the pen can be easily dismantled as well as the materials). Congratulations and best of luck.

Edited September 8, 2011 by Ondina

[Nath]

Thanks Ondina, I’m totally agreed with you. I am thrilled and appreciative that there are still people who make handcrafted pens.

 

I don’t speak Spanish but I have looked your file on the Spanish pen forum with my pictures and those of Jean. Good for Fred, thanks.

[tonybelding]

That is a strikingly attractive and elegantly styled pen! I approve the choices of woodgrain ebonite and the 14K gold nib too.

[Ondina]

De rien, Nath, c'était un vrai plaisir. There are Swedish, Norwegian & Russian forums where I could dare try the same if I had more free time. There are native speakers here that could do it more elegantly, the pen and the venture deserves it. I'm afraid my language skills lack any Japanese or Polish but those are quite active forums, where handmade quality fountain pens are always appreciated. Bonne chance!.

 

Editing to mention I've been told Dutch, German & Italians already know your products, but I'm sure active members here will keep talking about it. Good news travel fasts.

Edited September 10, 2011 by Ondina

[mbradley]

Thanks again

 

Well, I took photos of the feed and I have removed the "small section" of the section. But, I do not dare to unsettle the nib of the feed (I make it on my Man 100 and it should be the same operation but I dare not :embarrassed_smile: ).

 

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/276291IMG2208.jpg

 

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/708789IMG2209.jpg

 

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/974744IMG2217.jpg

 

The Petrarque in pieces:

 

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/738486IMG2212.jpg

 

Here the Petrarque in Cigar form without clip (I prefer with a clip )

 

http://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/295683IMG2214.jpg

 

Hari, I will try to have picture of the feeder.

 

All my best

 

Beautiful workmanship, that is amazing polishing on the Ebonite. I also like the choice of nib material.

Michael

Edited November 20, 2011 by mbradley

[mbradley]

"18 K is not normally a goal for me. Good Steel or Good 14 K is.

 

Degussa and Rupp nibs are also good. Some of my better nibs are these.

 

The pen manufactures do not want the best Bock nib, just one good enough for ball point users."

 

 

This is an old post and probably hashed over and over. I once handed a fountain pen to a customer of mine, also a casual friend. My friend proceeded to press the nib of the pen into the desktop as he tried to sign his name, he had no idea how to use a fountain pen, he had probably never seen one and he is in his early forties. I have ceased handing over my fountain pens to non fountain pen users. I suspect this is part of the reason modern nibs are firm enough for ball point pen users.

Michael

 

 

 

[Xof72000]

Nice review Nath !

And happy as well to see (and read) that you are still active on pen forums ! Come visit us as well on the french one, we miss you !

[Inkwisitor]

Thanks for bringing this new artisan-made pen to our attention. The pen is a very striking colour and elegant in line as others have noted.