A Funny Old Man And His Hand Made Fountain Pens

[dadoody]

Aside from pens and leather bound journals, I also have an interest in firearms. In Southern California, there is a gunshow called "Cross Roads Of the West" which is kind of like a swap meet for people who have those and similar interests.

 

But every time I've been there, there's a funny old man in a corner with a small table and selling his hand made pens. Some of the designs and materials he uses are very interesting.

 

I've seen Curly Koa wood from Hawaii that seems to dance and wave as if it was alive as you move the pen around. He has one made from real Lapis Lazuli stone.

 

I don't believe he makes the feed system or nibs himself....and I'm not sure what company makes them, but I am very interested in his pens simply for the pleasure of owning something unique and handcrafted by this ever persistent and unassuming old guy in the corner who's always only been a pleasant conversation to me.

 

 

So my question is: Can anyone tell me who is making those nibs? I want to know if they're at least quality nibs:

 

http://www.uncleronn...m/fountain.html

Edited February 4, 2012 by dadoody

[Brian C]

Isn't is alway neat getting something handmade and meeting the individual that made it? That's becoming my great joy.

[dickydotcom]

Aside from pens and leather bound journals, I also have an interest in firearms. In Southern California, there is a gunshow called "Cross Roads Of the West" which is kind of like a swap meet for people who have those and similar interests.

 

But every time I've been there, there's a funny old man in a corner with a small table and selling his hand made pens. Some of the designs and materials he uses are very interesting.

 

I've seen Curly Koa wood from Hawaii that seems to dance and wave as if it was alive as you move the pen around. He has one made from real Lapis Lazuli stone.

 

I don't believe he makes the feed system or nibs himself....and I'm not sure what company makes them, but I am very interested in his pens simply for the pleasure of owning something unique and handcrafted by this ever persistent and unassuming old guy in the corner who's always only been a pleasant conversation to me.

 

 

So my question is: Can anyone tell me who is making those nibs? I want to know if they're at least quality nibs:

 

http://www.uncleronn...m/fountain.html

They are kit pens and the nibs cost about $4. Although it says Iridium Point Germany, they almost certainly come from Taiwan, China or other Asian country.

However, I have a few and they do the job fine.

If you like the pen I wouldn't be put off by the nib.

Dick D

[raging.dragon]

If it turns out you don't like the nib, it should be fairly easy to replace the nib, for example:

 

http://www.xfountainpens.com/Accessories-s/32.htm

http://meisternibs.com/

http://www.franklin-christoph.com/Nibs.html

 

They are kit pens and the nibs cost about $4. Although it says Iridium Point Germany, they almost certainly come from Taiwan, China or other Asian country.

However, I have a few and they do the job fine.

If you like the pen I wouldn't be put off by the nib.

Dick D

 

That's what they look like to me too.

Edited February 5, 2012 by raging.dragon

[FarmBoy]

They are kit pens and the nibs cost about $4. Although it says Iridium Point Germany, they almost certainly come from Taiwan, China or other Asian country.

I heard there was a town named Germany in China. Is it North or South of Changzhou?

[georges zaslavsky]

nice pens and I think that the nibs he uses are schmidt nibs

[raging.dragon]

They are kit pens and the nibs cost about $4. Although it says Iridium Point Germany, they almost certainly come from Taiwan, China or other Asian country.

I heard there was a town named Germany in China. Is it North or South of Changzhou?

 

The "iridium" point may well come from Germany, but as for the rest of the nib...

[lovemy51]

They are kit pens and the nibs cost about $4. Although it says Iridium Point Germany, they almost certainly come from Taiwan, China or other Asian country.

I heard there was a town named Germany in China. Is it North or South of Changzhou?

east, i think.

[paul_barreto]

 

So my question is: Can anyone tell me who is making those nibs? I want to know if they're at least quality nibs:

 

http://www.uncleronn...m/fountain.html

 

These nibs are indeed made in Germany by Schmidt. http://www.schmidttechnology.de/de/schreibgeraete/produkte/fuellhaltersysteme/c_1_3.htm

 

I recognised the design immediately as it's the same nib as used on my Worcester Sentinel. The Worcester Pen Company is a similar operation; i.e. one man (Bryan Lucas) makes each pen by hand, and inserts ready-made nibs and sections. I bought mine directly from him at the South West Pen Show, Bristol, 2012. And he confirmed that the nibs are made by Schmidt.

 

There was a slight issue with my nib, in that the tines were too closely spaced to allow sufficient ink flow for a Medium nib. But careful insertion of a Stanley knife sorted it out. Writes like a dream now.

 

Edited May 6, 2012 by paul_barreto

[OcalaFlGuy]

They are kit pens and the nibs cost about $4. Although it says Iridium Point Germany, they almost certainly come from Taiwan, China or other Asian country.

I heard there was a town named Germany in China. Is it North or South of Changzhou?

 

You sure you don't mean USA, Japan?

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL-well, there really is one

[DanF]

Those are standard kit pens, sourced from Taiwan, and the nibs are not Schmidt, unless he changes them out, which he may have done on a few, as there are very few stock broad nibs in kits.

 

The kit nibs vary in quality from pretty good to not so good right out of the box, but most can be adjusted to work quite well. They are steel, and have no spring to them, but can be very smooth. One can now get nibs by Jowo or Bock to fit nearly all of the kit pens. Small ones are #5, the larger #6.

 

I've turned and used some of these pen kits. My main complaint is the weight of some, due to the metal components, and some of the design features I don't care for - the long, skinny metal sections on a lot of the kits - I think they look kind of goofy and unbalanced, and are too skinny for my comfort.

 

Dan

[raging.dragon]

Those are standard kit pens, sourced from Taiwan, and the nibs are not Schmidt, unless he changes them out, which he may have done on a few, as there are very few stock broad nibs in kits.

 

The kit nibs vary in quality from pretty good to not so good right out of the box, but most can be adjusted to work quite well. They are steel, and have no spring to them, but can be very smooth. One can now get nibs by Jowo or Bock to fit nearly all of the kit pens. Small ones are #5, the larger #6.

 

I've turned and used some of these pen kits. My main complaint is the weight of some, due to the metal components, and some of the design features I don't care for - the long, skinny metal sections on a lot of the kits - I think they look kind of goofy and unbalanced, and are too skinny for my comfort.

 

Dan

 

It seems that alot of pen turners have started swapping Schmidt or JoWo or Bock nibs for the Chinese IPG nibs that come with the kits. The problem is there's no visible difference between IPG nibs from different makers. It would be much easier for buyers if the turners used Schmidt, JoWo or Bock nibs bearing the manufacturer's logo and/or labeled "Made in Germany" instead of "Iridium Point Germany".

 

I also despise the long skinny metal sections which are so common on kit pens.

[Kabe]

Seeing some of those pens, I don't like the long chrome "butt" some of them have. Is there any way to refer to that design feature? (the inch or so of extra chrome length at the end of the pen)

[OldGriz]

So my question is: Can anyone tell me who is making those nibs? I want to know if they're at least quality nibs:

 

http://www.uncleronn...m/fountain.html

 

These nibs are indeed made in Germany by Schmidt. http://www.schmidtte...steme/c_1_3.htm

 

I recognised the design immediately as it's the same nib as used on my Worcester Sentinel. The Worcester Pen Company is a similar operation; i.e. one man (Bryan Lucas) makes each pen by hand, and inserts ready-made nibs and sections. I bought mine directly from him at the South West Pen Show, Bristol, 2012. And he confirmed that the nibs are made by Schmidt.

 

There was a slight issue with my nib, in that the tines were too closely spaced to allow sufficient ink flow for a Medium nib. But careful insertion of a Stanley knife sorted it out. Writes like a dream now.

 

 

Sorry you are wrong and the person selling the pens who states they come directly from Schmidt is not being honest with his buyers....

I made custom pens from kits for many years before getting into vintage pens and had many many conversations with the people at the biggest suppliers and those are Asian nibs...

[Top Parker]

I'd just like to put the record straight with regards to the Steel nibs I put in my pens. They are NOT I repeat NOT Asian nibs but nibs made and supplied by JoWo Berliner Schreibfeder GmbH who are based in Berlin Germany, Oxonian will vouch for this as he is the UK agent for JOWO nibs, and I buy my nibs from John.

 

They are the same nibs as used by Brian Gray in his Edison pens.

 

Paul I think you may have misunderstood me when I spoke to you at the South West pen show in Bristol. I said the nibs where made by JOWO who are a German nib company and rivals of Schmidt.

 

Bryan

[Clydesdave]

I'd just like to put the record straight with regards to the Steel nibs I put in my pens. They are NOT I repeat NOT Asian nibs but nibs made and supplied by JoWo Berliner Schreibfeder GmbH who are based in Berlin Germany, Oxonian will vouch for this as he is the UK agent for JOWO nibs, and I buy my nibs from John.

 

They are the same nibs as used by Brian Gray in his Edison pens.

 

Paul I think you may have misunderstood me when I spoke to you at the South West pen show in Bristol. I said the nibs where made by JOWO who are a German nib company and rivals of Schmidt.

 

Bryan

 

I am so happy to see this reply!

[ianmedium]

I'd just like to put the record straight with regards to the Steel nibs I put in my pens. They are NOT I repeat NOT Asian nibs but nibs made and supplied by JoWo Berliner Schreibfeder GmbH who are based in Berlin Germany, Oxonian will vouch for this as he is the UK agent for JOWO nibs, and I buy my nibs from John.

 

They are the same nibs as used by Brian Gray in his Edison pens.

 

Paul I think you may have misunderstood me when I spoke to you at the South West pen show in Bristol. I said the nibs where made by JOWO who are a German nib company and rivals of Schmidt.

 

Bryan

 

 

 

Good to see this reply and it just shows that when some "experts" give their opinion and accuse others of fraudulent behaviour it may be better for those "experts" to check their facts first.

This is how some good people have been ruined by internet scuttlebutt.

 

 

Well done Bryan for standing up for yourself.

[paul_barreto]

 

Paul I think you may have misunderstood me when I spoke to you at the South West pen show in Bristol. I said the nibs where made by JOWO who are a German nib company and rivals of Schmidt.

 

Bryan

 

Thanks for the correction Bryan. I must have misheard you at the time. At least I heard the important bit about them being made in Germany.

 

Cheers,

Paul.

[DanF]

Those are standard kit pens, sourced from Taiwan, and the nibs are not Schmidt, unless he changes them out, which he may have done on a few, as there are very few stock broad nibs in kits.

 

The kit nibs vary in quality from pretty good to not so good right out of the box, but most can be adjusted to work quite well. They are steel, and have no spring to them, but can be very smooth. One can now get nibs by Jowo or Bock to fit nearly all of the kit pens. Small ones are #5, the larger #6.

 

I've turned and used some of these pen kits. My main complaint is the weight of some, due to the metal components, and some of the design features I don't care for - the long, skinny metal sections on a lot of the kits - I think they look kind of goofy and unbalanced, and are too skinny for my comfort.

 

Dan

 

It seems that alot of pen turners have started swapping Schmidt or JoWo or Bock nibs for the Chinese IPG nibs that come with the kits. The problem is there's no visible difference between IPG nibs from different makers. It would be much easier for buyers if the turners used Schmidt, JoWo or Bock nibs bearing the manufacturer's logo and/or labeled "Made in Germany" instead of "Iridium Point Germany".

 

I also despise the long skinny metal sections which are so common on kit pens.

 

 

I agree about the logos - the Bock nibs that are available to us bear the Bock logo, though due to the high minimum orders for the supplier, they are available in a limited range of sizes and finishes. The Jowo's are available in a wider range of size and finish, but do not have their logo. I will only buy the ones stamped Made in Germany rather than IPG, in order to avoid confusion. Some of the Jowo nibs marked IPG do look just like their asian counterparts, and thus would be difficult to distinguish.

 

Dan

Edited May 7, 2012 by DanF

[raging.dragon]

Sorry you are wrong and the person selling the pens who states they come directly from Schmidt is not being honest with his buyers....

I made custom pens from kits for many years before getting into vintage pens and had many many conversations with the people at the biggest suppliers and those are Asian nibs...

 

You are correct that the nibs provided with pen kits are ususually, if not always, of Asian origin. However, some of the pen turners buy German nibs separately and replace the Asian nibs with German ones.