Waterman Kultur Demonstrator

[Darcy1978]

I am new to this amazing forum and I thought I'd contribute with a look at my recently acquired Waterman Kultur - clear demonstrator version. (Well I say 'new' - I came bumbling onto the FP scene in June with a bargain Mont Blanc which was exposed on this forum as a fake). I now have a modest yet rapidly expanding collection of inks and reasonably priced fountain pens.

 

I came across this pen on the Dutch version of eBay and paid around 14 dollars for it. It is a brand new Waterman Kultur, apparantly given away by the SNS Bank, as the logo on the pen suggests. I should be able to get it off without any damage - I am wondering if I should, however.

 

http://i44.tinypic.com/29vo2h4.jpg

 

The Kultur is a simpler version of the beautifully named Philéas, and one cannot help but wonder at the name of this pen - Kultur is after all the German translation of "culture" so you would expect it to be called the Waterman Culture (although Waterman isn't exactly a French word either). The German perhaps has connotations of sturdiness and reliablity, which suits the budget-friendly price tag of this pen. If you were an avid Kultur collector and had a dedicated room for the collection, it might be called the Kulturkammer. Anyway.

 

I love the fact that it is a demonstrator and I can clearly see the appeal of the see-through pens that fountain pen enthusiasts so often talk about. I wonder if this pen could be turned into an eye-dropper so that large quantities of ink can freely swim around, but for now I have inked it up with a cartridge (you can notice here I am a beginner) of J. Herbin's Orange Indien. I have one other Kultur (a blue one) and I am still finding my bearings with the medium nib of the demonstrator - as its blue brother has a fine nib.

 

http://i44.tinypic.com/iwk947.jpg

 

Here's a small writing sample on 80g lined Rhodia paper. I figured a Kultur pen would be happy to write some highly literary text. Bonus points if you can name the author and novel it came from I added a few lines with the fine-nibbed Kultur for comparison.

 

I hope this is useful in some way.

 

http://i42.tinypic.com/10e27p5.png

 

http://i41.tinypic.com/21mhszt.jpg

 

 

 

[RMN]

Nice little review.

 

And I love that Orange Indiën ink.

 

the text? JJ Ulysses.

 

D.ick

[esteroids]

I am glad you found the delight of the Kultur. The Kultur and Forum are my two favorite steel nib Watermans. They both have good nibs, a comfortable size, a brilliant choice of colors, and prices that allow for regretless collecting.

 

Have fun!

[pajaro]

Is this pen a Phileas or a Kultur?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WATERMAN-PHILEAS-RED-CLEAR-DEMONSTRATOR-FOUNTAIN-PEN-FINE-POINT-/131078336329?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=zMbrC8D2sw6cZhett3V13sZkodw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_720wt_676

[Left FPN]

Is this pen a Phileas or a Kultur?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WATERMAN-PHILEAS-RED-CLEAR-DEMONSTRATOR-FOUNTAIN-PEN-FINE-POINT-/131078336329?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=zMbrC8D2sw6cZhett3V13sZkodw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_720wt_676

Kultur.

 

To be a true Phileas it must have a 2 tone nib, 2 gold coloured rings on the cap and a gold coloured cigar band on the barrel. Phileas are only available in solid and marble patterned colours. Clear models often are termed Demonstrators because I suppose they offer the same feel and weight but are cheap(er) to produce.

[pajaro]

Thanks. I lke red and I suppose this pen will be a nice writer.

[Darcy1978]

Nice little review.

 

And I love that Orange Indiën ink.

 

the text? JJ Ulysses.

 

D.ick

 

Thanks. Yes, Orange Indien is absolutely stunning, I agree. I will be getting my hands on some Noodler's Dragon's Napalm soon and am keen to compare the two. The text was of course Ulysses

 

I am glad you found the delight of the Kultur. The Kultur and Forum are my two favorite steel nib Watermans. They both have good nibs, a comfortable size, a brilliant choice of colors, and prices that allow for regretless collecting.

 

Have fun!

 

Thanks. I have three more on the way from the same seller as the blue Kultur. For 7,50 euro each I couldn't pass them up

[Sailor Kenshin]

Nice review! I just got one of these. Granted, I had one before, but I gave it away, and now I am on a demonstrator kick. So I had to find a new one, lol, and I ended up paying twice as much.

 

I like your handwriting, and the ink colors.

 

Is the Kultur a dry writer? I loaded my new toy with J Herbin Cacao du Bresil, and had to dip-start it every time.

[Darcy1978]

Nice review! I just got one of these. Granted, I had one before, but I gave it away, and now I am on a demonstrator kick. So I had to find a new one, lol, and I ended up paying twice as much.

 

I like your handwriting, and the ink colors.

 

Is the Kultur a dry writer? I loaded my new toy with J Herbin Cacao du Bresil, and had to dip-start it every time.

 

Thank you for the compliment! I've never really heard that before

 

Actually I find the Kultur a particularly wet writer. I have three different ones in rotation at the moment, two with J. Herbin (as pictured above) and one with Diamine Sherwood (which I instantly fell in love with) and they all produce wet lines. The ink glistens off the page and there is no dry start whatsoever. That particular ink may be on the dry side - I have no experience with Cacao du Bresil - but I find Perle Noir a little dry. J. Herbin in general is reported to be quite wet though.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Thanks for the info. I may try reloading with a different ink, maybe even a Waterman cart!

 

PS: And so I did...with Waterman Florida Blue. Writes wet! The culprit was Cacao du Bresil. Must remember to use it only to tame garden hoses.

Edited January 24, 2014 by Sailor Kenshin

[serpent]

I just bought one on ebay $31 with tax and frt. when i received it no box, sealed bubble pack with a cutout for hanging on a pegboard display. It reminded me of something you would see among the 100's of pens for sale at a Staples or Office Max. This is understandable if it was a $14 pen as the OP states he paid. I think a 14$ sigularity is better made a better writer and comes with a free converter. Looking on ebay now they range from $40 to $70. I truly believe Waterman created these pens to be a $10 students pen. What would possess someone to pay $70 for something so cheaply made?

[Left FPN]

I just bought one on ebay $31 with tax and frt. when i received it no box, sealed bubble pack with a cutout for hanging on a pegboard display. It reminded me of something you would see among the 100's of pens for sale at a Staples or Office Max. This is understandable if it was a $14 pen as the OP states he paid. I think a 14$ sigularity is better made a better writer and comes with a free converter. Looking on ebay now they range from $40 to $70. I truly believe Waterman created these pens to be a $10 students pen. What would possess someone to pay $70 for something so cheaply made?

Out of interest, what does it call the pen on the bubble pack ? A pic would be nice.

[serpent]

Out of interest, what does it call the pen on the bubble pack ? A pic would be nice.

It is clear plastic front and back with pen and cardboard insert describing pen sandwiched in between. all edges are heat sealed closed. I think the proper name for this type of packaging is "thermoformed clam shell"

[Left FPN]

It is clear plastic front and back with pen and cardboard insert describing pen sandwiched in between. all edges are heat sealed closed. I think the proper name for this type of packaging is "thermoformed clam shell"

Ahhhh, I was more thinking of the name on that cardboard insert....is it Kultur or Phileas.

[pajaro]

I just bought one on ebay $31 with tax and frt. when i received it no box, sealed bubble pack with a cutout for hanging on a pegboard display. It reminded me of something you would see among the 100's of pens for sale at a Staples or Office Max. This is understandable if it was a $14 pen as the OP states he paid. I think a 14$ sigularity is better made a better writer and comes with a free converter. Looking on ebay now they range from $40 to $70. I truly believe Waterman created these pens to be a $10 students pen. What would possess someone to pay $70 for something so cheaply made?

 

So, it was designed and made as a $10 student's pen, and so it must so ever remain, no matter that some people like them enough to pay more? Some of the "student" pens, like the Sheaffer Cadet and Craftsman and the Waterman Phileas and Kultur will resist drying out longer than a great many more expensive pens, a quality that endears them to users who don't have to keep capping them every few seconds. The pens thus find an appreciative market beyond the "student" market, and their value might thus rise.

[KyleKatarn]

I bought two kultur pens a couple of weeks ago, in a Carrefour Supermarket in France. That and 4 packs of Waterman's Bleu Serenité long Cartridges came at the grand total of 25,20 €. God, I love France!