Franklin Christoph #17

[watch_art]

I picked this beauty up at the Arkansas Pen Show a couple weeks ago, quite by chance really. One of my favorite people in the world was at my table talking about a pen he wants me to make for him, and after going over all the details and discussing the price, he pulls this out and says, so this is a Franklin Christoph. I said, Are you offering a trade? I'm sure he could see the gleam in my eyes as I looked at his pen. Ooh wow it's pretty.

 

So we made a trade. I get this pen, and he'll get one from me.

 

I love trades.

 

...So here we have - 5 3/4" (closed) of metal and resin. Brass tubes inside so it's a bit heavy. The silver bits? Yeah - two bands of gorgeous sterling silver! You didn't expect that did you? Well - it's awesome and it's gorgeous!

 

...Here are the sterling marks. Look at that beautiful guilloche!

...5 1/8" opened up. A lovely and very comfy pinched section. Pinched? Yeah - that's my favorite.

 

...What do I find when I open it? A gorgeous 18k B stub by who? Mike Masuyama! Heck yeah! It's awesome and smooth and feels so soft when I'm writing with it. Currently loaded with Sheaffer's Turquoise ink. Nice and wet. Does it dry it between uses? Sometimes. You can breath with the cap in your mouth. Easily. The clip lets lots of air through. Do I mind? No. Not at all. It's that awesome. And plus it doesn't always dry out. Like just now - I haven't picked it up in a week. It started up perfectly. So maybe the humidity in the room has an effect...

I love the shape of the nib, too. It's got high shoulders and short tines. Very cool and sort of strong looking.

 

...Have I mentioned how sexy this is? How does it feel in the hand? Oh - remember the brass tubes and the weight? Yeah - it's a bit heavy. When actually writing with it? Oh man it's nice! It just sort of sits in my hand and the nib just touches the paper, and it just writes! Very very nice.

...Posting? Yes. Do I? Heck no. It's stupid heavy and unbalanced like that. If I had giant hands then I'd hold it farther back and it would be fine, but no, my hands are pretty small/medium-ish, so no posting for me.

 

...The threads. Very smooth metal barrel into plastic cap threads. If you look inside the cap you can see the short insert then brass tube. It feels like you're just twisting it into a rubber o-ring. It's unique. I like it.

 

...Opening it up you see a nice Schmidt K5 converter. Works as it should and makes for an easy to clean setup. Does the nib unit unscrew? Not that I can tell and I'm not going to force it. Maybe there are a bunch of o-rings in there making it super snug. I'm not going to fight with that. There's no reason for me to ever pull this pen apart.

 

I can't find anything online about it - Model 17? Dunno. Do I love it? Heck yes. If you look at this and think, Hey, I might like that, then find one and get it b/c it is awesome.

 

[Vitamins]

That is a gorgeous pen! There's just something about that silver/black combination that really speaks to me.

[jandrese]

Interesting pen. Seens like part kit and part custom. The nib sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy!

[lurcho]

Not a patch on the new pens you galleried on FPN a couple of weeks ago, mate. You're undoubtedly up there with FC and Edison. (And all with my new favourite nibs: JoWo steelies.)