Hello From The Frozen Wastes Of Upstate New York.

[Chrissy]

Welcome to FPN from a Brit. We also know what cold weather is like.

 

Sorry to hear about your Phileas. I love mine too.

[windweaver]

The Kultur is pretty much the same thing as a Phileas - clear plastic, nickel trim, and all that yes, but the parts are interchangeable, and the nib quality pretty much the same. I had a bunch about 8 years ago, and was selling them for under $20. It's just missing the bling of the gold plated furniture and nib, and fancy plastic. You can still buy a Kultur on Amazon.

 

Not when you're me and you have two children and two dogs and you're moving constantly and keep the thing in your pocket. I dropped my old pen like 50 times and I don't know what they make those higher $ Phileas pens out of but they're indestructible. Nnd even after dropping it a ton of times it never even scratched. It still looked brand new. That pen was my Wubbie. Some people have security stuffed animals, I had a pen. I dragged it everywhere with me. Still in search of my next indestructible Wubbie pen. I am getting more fond of my fine point Phileas though. Seems to be smoother now that I've been using it for a bit. Just have to write smaller I guess.

Edited February 17, 2015 by windweaver

[SuperNib44]

Hi May.

 

I live in Binghamton New York. As far as I know there's nothing fountain pen related as far as groups or anything around here that I am aware of. I would really be excited to get to know some people that do it personally because even though there's lots of videos on YouTube, its nothing like hanging out with someone. Its going to be hard to find someone who can disassemble a pen in front of me and show me how not to hurt it. I know the celluloid needs to be babied. I probably will have to make do with YouTube videos for now. I know it seems funny that I just got into fountain pens and I already want to take them apart and put them back together and make them better but I do have my masters degree in art, and I have a lot of the tools and things so it's not too bad. I'm going to buy a lot of cheap old lever fountain pens on eBay to practice on. I also want to look into purchasing the materials to restore them. Actually it would be really cool if someone could recommend me a book about fountain pen restoration because it might be handy to have a reference guide. Have they written Fountain Pen Restoration for Dummies yet?

Welcome! I live across the tundra all the way over in Elmira . As far as I know, we live in a fountain pen wasteland- there is not anything around fountain pen related (well staples sells black Waterman ink, but that's about it).

[FPgal]

Michelle,

 

Same for me! I am currently hunting for my new fountain pen security blanket/wubbie. Right now it might be my Sailor 1911. But I keep comparing it to my Phileas, too. My daughter has already shown interest in touching the pens on my desk, and I have to be more careful, too! If you're ever in Albany, or Northampton, MA, let me know! -- May

[PAKMAN]

Hello and Welcome to FPN!! Glad to have you as a member!

[fravin]

Hello there!

 

That quest for the beloved pen is like a spell for me. If you toke the first step in that journey, you cannot stop looking.

 

So, take your time looking around. Tis place is a fantastic feed of news.

 

Greetings from Brazil!

(yes, we do love fountain pens over here)

[kestrel]

Welcome to FPN from a former resident of Chautauqua County who moved to northeast Florida where you don't have to shovel the precipitation. I also own a Phileas, currently in use testing Cashmere Green ink. At its original price point it was one fantastic pen for the money. I feel your pain about losing one but you will soon break in the new one. I will echo Sasha and emphasize that tipping removed cannot be replaced. Proceed carefully with the micromesh.

 

Enjoy your time here. This may be the friendliest forum on the web. Lots of people sharing our addiction passion for all things fountain pen. Happy writing.

[ian1964]

G'day Michelle from not so frozen sunny Australia

[ex-bugonaut]

As an old Phileas owner from their original run, I was surprised to see that they fetch over $100 to get one today. But I know how that is. Long ago I bought a new Pelikan 120 which over the decades got lost. Today I'd have to pay 5 times what I paid for it then to get a used one.

 

Welcome to FPN!

[inkstainedruth]

Welcome, from a former Upstate NY resident. I lived in Syracuse for 32 years before moving to western PA a little over a year ago. I will confess, I miss the antique shops and driving around NY and the Finger Lakes. I do not miss the snow. At all. Not a bit. Ever. Or the ridiculous cold.

Ron, please do not tell me you packed "the ridiculous" cold when you moved down here (says the woman who grew up in Shrub Oak, NY, known as "the Icebox of Westchester", since we were always a couple of degrees colder than anyplace else in the county).... I had thought I had gotten away from all that when we moved back to Pittsburgh from the Boston area. [For everyone else, I just heard on the news that the wind chills tomorrow are supposed to be something like -11°F]

Windweaver, welcome to FPN. Be warned though, we are all evil enablers who will happily lead you and your wallet down the primrose path of vintage inks, boutique inks, high end paper, repair tools, and custom designed waxed seals.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

edited for typos

Edited February 19, 2015 by inkstainedruth

[Wahl]

[stacybean]

Hi there pen lovers

My real name is Michelle, but I'm a sailing enthusiast so I had to pick a name that fit me and this was it.

The bad weather may have had something to do with my new fountain pen obsession. I was very sad 2 weeks ago when I lost my beloved medium point blue marbled Waterman Phileas fountain pen that I had for 6 years. (insert big crocodile tears here)

I then totally freaked out when I found out that new ones weren't available for under a hundred twenty five bucks!!!! I paid $40 for mine in staples. So I bought one of them there 125$ pens and although who I thought it would be a medium point, It turned out to be a fine. and it's a bit scratchy. And I don't love it nearly as much. This started a search for another pen which has proven to cause my fountain pen addiction. I not sure it has enriched my life but it is certainly a new chapter. I had no idea I cared so much about my pen until I lost it. It was so sad.

Anyway, two weeks later, I own 2 fountain pens and I am waiting for 3 more to come in the mail. I am fascinated by obtaining the perfect flexpen because I am an artist and I love to draw. I ordered a Waterman 52 from eBay, which probably needs all kind of help but I am sure is still beautiful and I am going to have to figure out how to restore it. luckily I am somewhat of an artisan jeweler too and shouldn't have too much trouble. (Yeah right!) At least I own most of the tools. I am also eagerly awaiting the arrival of a TWSBI and a nicely restored Wahl Oxford select O Matic with a medium flex nib...

but I still miss my Phileas...

It's a twisted passion.

hopefully I can breathe the -30% wind chills long enough to get to my mailbox and see what arrives today...

Hello from Ithaca. This winter has certainly been impressive. I learned a lot disassembling the TWSBI. The video had a wonderful Italian sound track. I do not possess any pen restoration skills but I love the basic tinkering. Perhaps we can have a micro Pen Posse with the FPN member from Elmira. Edited February 20, 2015 by stacybean

[windweaver]

Hello from Ithaca. This winter has certainly been impressive. I learned a lot disassembling the TWSBI. The video had a wonderful Italian sound track. I do not possess any pen restoration skills but I love the basic tinkering. Perhaps we can have a micro Pen Posse with the FPN member from Elmira.

Ugh. Disassembling the TWSBI. Not sure I put mine back together right- the top is too easy to turn.

 

I understand Cayuga Lake is almost frozen over.

 

I would love to get together sometime in Ithaca. I have to go up there in the near future anywayto make sure that my sailboat tarp hasn't collapsed under the weight of the snow we got this year, and my very good friend lives up there as well. I am up there about once every 2 weeks for those reasons and could meet you at a bookstore or something to show you my small collection of 6 pens and take stuff apart with you.

Edited February 20, 2015 by windweaver

[JotterAddict62]

Welcome and enjoy the madness of fountain pens.

[Misfit]

Hi and welcome Windweaver. I have some Esterbrooks I need to re-sac. When visiting my brother, he showed me a trick to find sizing. He gently put a pipe cleaner down the barrel, then bent the part above the pen to get a depth.

 

If you bought sacs that are too large, you can cut them to size, being sure to cut straight. I might be too late in sharing this, as you might havs already replaced sacs.

 

Good luck with the pen restoration work.

[pen2paper]

Welcome from the lakes west of you.. keep hope out east! it's almost melted here, the sun is blazing, the birdS are chirping their territorial spring songs, honking incoming geese flying in V formations, fly-fishermen lining the creek banks casting away..

 

I have a blue Phileas, which needs a nib tweak, but that was caused my my late mom, so it's still sort of weird-sentimental and I recap it and set aside for a little while longer.

 

BTW, is there any sound better than sails luffing in the breeze?

 

You could call a "pen posse", (pen meet-up), on the water. I might travel for that ; )

Be persistent inquiring, there are sure to be some interested ones not too far from you.

Didn't know Ron and family were no longer in NY, and don't blame them a bit, the winter weather that comes from Chicago, through us, to you is brutal.

[windweaver]

Interesting. I thought the size referred to the width of the sack and not the depth. what I ended up doing was ordering a resacing kit on ebay for 22$ plus shipping, comes with shellac and talc as well. So I got a selection of sizes of sacs to choose from. Hopefully that should get me started.

[windweaver]

Welcome from the lakes west of you.. keep hope out east! it's almost melted here, the sun is blazing, the birdS are chirping their territorial spring songs, honking incoming geese flying in V formations, fly-fishermen lining the creek banks casting away..

 

I have a blue Phileas, which needs a nib tweak, but that was caused my my late mom, so it's still sort of weird-sentimental and I recap it and set aside for a little while longer.

 

BTW, is there any sound better than sails luffing in the breeze?

 

You could call a "pen posse", (pen meet-up), on the water. I might travel for that ; )

Be persistent inquiring, there are sure to be some interested ones not too far from you.

Didn't know Ron and family were no longer in NY, and don't blame them a bit, the winter weather that comes from Chicago, through us, to you is brutal.

Well, I think that is a distinct possibility as soon as sailing season is a reality.

[Misfit]

I could be wrong! Anderson Pens shows a 16 mm size for Esterbrooks. That points to your thought. I guess his point was if you got an assortment of sacs and none were exactly right. But it was a quick lesson. Sounds like you found an excellent set of supplies. I still need to buy all that plus some J-bars. Procrastinating on it for quite awhile.

 

Once you get some done, maybe post a photo. That way, if I'm still dragging my feet, your photos will inspire me. I think I'm nervous about removing the section from the barrel.

[kestrel]

Welcome from the lakes west of you.. keep hope out east! it's almost melted here, the sun is blazing, the birdS are chirping their territorial spring songs, honking incoming geese flying in V formations, fly-fishermen lining the creek banks casting away..

 

I have a blue Phileas, which needs a nib tweak, but that was caused my my late mom, so it's still sort of weird-sentimental and I recap it and set aside for a little while longer.

 

BTW, is there any sound better than sails luffing in the breeze?

 

You could call a "pen posse", (pen meet-up), on the water. I might travel for that ; )

Be persistent inquiring, there are sure to be some interested ones not too far from you.

Didn't know Ron and family were no longer in NY, and don't blame them a bit, the winter weather that comes from Chicago, through us, to you is brutal.

Your goldfinches and pine siskins, at least 60 of them in a mixed flock, have been spending the winter with us in northeast Florida. They left yesterday except for four or five stragglers most of which appear to be first year males going through the goldfinch equivalent of adolescence. We will miss them. You enjoy the sound of luffing sails. I enjoy the morning chorus of 50 or so goldfinches in the oak trees near my house as the spring hormone rush starts to kick in. This is the first year we have had siskins and their calls added to the symphony of sound. We took good care of all of them for you.

It must have been a really brutal winter up there to drive them this far south. I spent twelve winters in Jamestown or Ithaca and don't remember anything quite this bad.