New To Vintage Pens - Can Anyone Help Me Choose One?

[grimne]

I'm trading a near-new Lamy 2000 for a vintage pen or a selection of vintage pens and have had a few offers. Unfortunately, I know absolutely nothing about these pens and the information on the web is only helping so much. If I may I'd like to appeal to your expertise and get some recommendations.

 

The pens I have been offered are a Parker Lady Duofold with a single wide band and a Waterman's 52 1/2v (which I've heard good things about but I suspect might be a little too slim for me - although that is something I think I could overlook if it really is a great pen). Someone else has also kindly provided a gallery of pens that they'd be willing to trade: http://imgur.com/a/0LEas. Those two Parker Vacumatics look really nice, but I don't even know the difference between the two. I have no preference for flex or non-flex, and would be happy with any nib of medium width or thinner.

 

I suspect some of the people who offered to trade may be on FPN - my apologies for my amateurishness!

 

Any advice as to which of these to pick would be much appreciated.

[tringle]

Try anything that catches your eye. There may be other collectors in your area who are willing to meet and may let you test write their pens. If you like wider and longer vacumatics are a better choice than the Lady Duo or the 52 1/2. Esterbrooks are great vintage pens to work into. Nibs are interchangeable so one pen with different nib units available.

 

Good luck and welcome to FPN.

 

Troy

[grimne]

Thank you very much! I'll look around and see if there are any collectors nearby. Does anyone know if there is a difference between the two Vacumatics? There are differences in the pen barrels and caps, but I suspect that the nibs would be the greatest difference - perhaps I should ask for more photos. I'm a sucker for that striated look!

[OcalaFlGuy]

Just my opinion from being a Fleabay window watcher.

 

Ixnay on the Lady Duofold and Waterman. Your pen is worth more than that.

 

THEN, a major issue if you are going to Use the pen is which ones have the nib width you want.

 

IF we assume all the nibs to be satisfactory to you, I'd place it thusly.

 

Either of the Edison's and the double jewel Vac are the far better $ deals for you. Either is worth IMO 40-60% More than your pen. Then come the Azure Blue Vac and Sheaffer set tied at a bit more, maybe 20% than your pen. It is possible the Sheaffer has a semi-flex nib but unlikely. Then (depending on what nibs where in them) comes ALL 4, or at least 3 of the Esties for your pen.

 

I plead ignorance on the Onoto. All I know about them is they're a finicky European brand that uses seals in it cut from Ocelot skin or some such. I'm not overly impressed.

 

[EDIT] PS; I am assuming, coming from pen people that the Vacs have had at least a somewhat recent diaphragm replacement.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Edited April 1, 2014 by OcalaFlGuy

[linearM]

The azure blue vacumatic is a beautiful pen, the one I have has just a bit of flex and is a smooth writer. I use an Onoto plunger filler for correspondence all the time. I love flex nibs but would suggest you not jump in and get a wet noodle first thing, probably a semi-flex to get your feet wet. Esterbrooks are beautiful pens, if you don't want a thin or short pen get a J model, interchangeable nibs are an advantage.

 

Peyton Street pens is a good place to look at vintage pens and they have good descriptions of what the pen is like. You can educate yourself about the characteristics of various pen model. They are a good reference but also a reputable dealer. Tommy's Vintage pens is also a good place to look at pens. Do some looking around and pricing before you jump if you have the opportunity.

[OcalaFlGuy]

Overall the Emerald vac is desired a bit less than the Azure blue color but the Emerald's extra jewel and Major cap band win out here.

 

Yes, as mentioned, don't overlook the nibs matching YOU.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Bo Bo Olson]

The 52 is a large pen the same length as a Lamy Safari...it is thinner than a Pelikan 600---about the width of a standard pen.

 

Standard width...and often standard length is normal on a vintage pen; it was standard. Folks that wrote 8 hours a day wanted a light nimble pen to put in their shirt pocket....way before any ever, ever thought of carrying a big heavy pen pen case with six big pens...it was One Man, One Pen....women could carry more having a tank transporter over her shoulder....but doubt it; One Woman, One Pen.

If large pens had been real common I'd seen them back in the day of the silver dime and B&W TV. They would be all over the place and folks wouldn't complain...gee that's a small pen.

They need to be posted too...they balanced that way.....so if posting is against your religion....look for the scarce Large pens from the time...and they are scarce...I don't have one.

 

Some are medium-large like a P-51...could have knocked me over with a feather that the Snorkel is a Large pen in length...thin in diameter..standard width.

 

Big fat pens....PFM...pen for men...late '50's-60-70's..a standard nail nib I believe...don't have one in I chase mostly semi-flex or more.

 

Are you ready for the 52's nib? Mine is super-flex (not all are) a bit more than Easy Full flex, but not quite a noodle...if my hand is very, very light I can squeeze an XXF-EF out of it, mostly because my Hand's a bit heavy, I write with an F---it will go to BBB.....

 

I suggest going slowly up the flex ladder, that way you won't spring a flexible nib because you want it to do Olympic splints all the time.

If you go up the flex ladder you will develop the experience to know where to stop trying to make your nib over flex. Normially I only take mine out to BB...so if there is a tad of too much I'm still safe at BBB.

If you start off taking a nib to the max...in this case a BBB...it's easy to end up with a sprung BBBB.

 

I suggest going slow, building up from a semi-flex. It cost the last time I looked $70 to fix a sprung nib...and it's never going to be quite as good as it once was....perhaps close.

I suggest 3 months with a semi-flex...then three with a 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex...letting you get use to writing with a light hand, before moving into the flexible nibs of Easy Full Flex and Noodle.

A year is only long when looking ahead, looking back...it's a week long.

 

How many pens do you have?

Have you the basic mix of nail and regular flex in B, M, F and EF....then I'd suggest getting a semi-flex.

[grimne]

Thank you, I really appreciate the advice - this is the kind of thing I don't think I could find out on my own. They all seem like lovely pens but I may see if the trader is still willing to part with that emerald Vacumatic. If it really is worth that much I'll see if I can make up the difference somehow. And Ocelot skin?! How strange.

[grimne]

I must admit that I was a bit of a beginner when I sprang for the Lamy 2K, having only used a cheap pens like the Safari and Noodler's flex, and an inherited Inoxcrom Wall Street. Perhaps I am not ready for that level of flex!

[PAKMAN]

It's a 52 1/2 v not a "52". The 52 1/2v is not anywhere near the size of a Lamy 2000. It is a short tiny pen.

[OcalaFlGuy]

<Whispering> Everyday usable Flex is an overrated PIA. The pretty, flexy lines don't just happen by themselves, it takes an experienced flexy pilot to keep the wings straight and level. If you desire line variation in your writing, get some more experience and have one of your nicer M nibs ground into a Stub or rounded CI. You'll get similar line variation with much less pilot skill involved.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[grimne]

Thank you everyone for your opinions and recommendations - all the replies so far have definitely made my choice less confusing. The tips on flex were really helpful, and I can't see myself mastering it any time soon. I've contacted the trader about the emerald Vacumatic - a choice ultimately based on aesthetics (gold and green is just too gorgeous). Now I just need to wait and see whether they are still interested in the Lamy.

Edited April 1, 2014 by grimne

[grimne]

[edit] Ignore this post, I made a blunder.

 

Not sure whether anyone will see this, but the double jewel emerald has a two-tone nib rather than a gold nib (the trader thinks it's a 1939 debutante). Is it still worth choosing over the azure? Here is another gallery: http://imgur.com/a/mRXRA Which one would all of you choose, for whatever reason?

Edited April 2, 2014 by grimne

[welch]

The Vacumatic nib will write the same. Many Vacs had two-tone nibs...about 75 years ago. Over the years, the overlay color might have worn off. Consider the two nibs about the same.

 

Worry instead about the width of the nib you prefer. Medium? Fine? As mentioned above, that might be hard to predict until you try the pen.

 

Why do you want to trade away the Lamy 2000? They are solid, dependable...all around, pretty good.

 

(Onoto made some of the all-time greatest pens. The Onoto Magna, which is NOT the pen in the pictures, was one of the grandest pens ever made. They are hard to repair because they had a complicated filling mechanism, rods and plungers and cork seals cut to just the right size. However, if you imagine Winston Churchill holding a cigar in one hand as he thinks about his next speech, he might have had an Onoto Magna in the other hand.)

[Florida Blue]

[edit] Ignore this post, I made a blunder.

 

Not sure whether anyone will see this, but the double jewel emerald has a two-tone nib rather than a gold nib (the trader thinks it's a 1939 debutante). Is it still worth choosing over the azure? Here is another gallery: http://imgur.com/a/mRXRA Which one would all of you choose, for whatever reason?

 

Looking at the photos, it does appear to be a Debutante, which would be a small pen.

 

It really depends on how comfortable you are writing with a pen that size. I have that same pen, but in azure blue pearl. I have medium size hands and can write comfortably with it. The azure blue pen shown in the previous photos is a Jr., which would be considered a standard size pen (the same size as a Major, but with two thin caps bands instead of a single wide band). The Debutante was the ladies size.

 

Both pens will probably have firm, fine nibs, which is what you see on most Vacs from that period.

 

The Waterman 52 1/2V may have a flex nib. Flex nibs are pretty common on those pens, but as pakmanpony stated, it's a small pen. The V stood for "Vest" meaning it was made to fit in a vest pocket when men wore three piece suits. They were also sold as ring top ladies models too.

 

I must say, that ONOTO plunger filler looks really intriguing, but I don't know much about vintage English pens.

[grimne]

Looking at the photos, it does appear to be a Debutante, which would be a small pen.

 

It really depends on how comfortable you are writing with a pen that size. I have that same pen, but in azure blue pearl. I have medium size hands and can write comfortably with it. The azure blue pen shown in the previous photos is a Jr., which would be considered a standard size pen (the same size as a Major, but with two thin caps bands instead of a single wide band). The Debutante was the ladies size.

 

That is a good point - I seem to prefer larger pens so perhaps the Junior would be a better choice.

 

Why do you want to trade away the Lamy 2000? They are solid, dependable...all around, pretty good.

 

The Lamy 2000 does seem to be a good pen, but I found the part of the barrel where you hold it a little thin (I think I may just have a tendency to hold my pens lower down) and something about my handwriting meant that I often ended up writing with the side of the nib, which yielded no ink flow. That last part is strange and frustrating, as I've never had that problem with other pens - perhaps it was shifting in my grip?

Edited April 3, 2014 by grimne

[Bo Bo Olson]

It's a 52 1/2 v not a "52". The 52 1/2v is not anywhere near the size of a Lamy 2000. It is a short tiny pen.

Realized...way too late......like an SJ is not a DJ in Esterbrooks.... V for vest pocket.

[grimne]

Realized...way too late......like an SJ is not a DJ in Esterbrooks.... V for vest pocket.

 

Oh wow, I was wondering what that V stood for.