What Would You Like To See Coming From Franklin-Christoph?

[inotrym]

Franklin-Christoph has climbed up to the list of my favorite brands, but still I find myself thinking of things I'd like them to do differently. How about we give some feedback and ideas to the nice folks of FC team? Hopefully they'll find some of them interesting enough to try them out.

 

What I'd love to see:

 

- a pocket pen with a huge no6 nib (fully exposed, unlike the Marietta). Something like the -sadly discontinued- Sailor Pro Gear mini.

 

- a slim, tiny pen with a smallish nib. (essentially, an acrylic -and thus ed convertible- Kaweco Liliput)

 

- a return of the Bellus fountain pen, preferably in a (dark/navy) blue body.

 

- a wider selection of acrylics available regularly (pen show prototypes are too awesome to be that limited). Personally, I would like to see a few semi-translucent materials that will look opaque, but when you hold them against a bright light you will be able to see the insides of the pen. Customizability would also be great (smoke pen with cinnamaroon section?)

 

- the 1901's bands implemented in more models. Bonus points if the bands are made of translucent materials in order to function as ink windows.

 

- custom engravings for the pens and stamping for the leather cases.

 

- fabric versions of all their cases, especially the lucky 13 penvelope and the small zippered pouch.

 

 

What would you like to see?

[NinthSphere]

I agree on more materials. I know the "ice" variants are popular, but they're not my thing & I do wish some of the different materials had more coverage across the various models. I wouldn't mind seeing the "1901" band treatment on other models either.

 

Personalization ala engraving/stamping would be a nice option.

 

I'd like to see the Panther 40 as a regular production model.

[haruka337]

Franklin-Christoph has certainly won me over through their inks (I now have a F-C pen) and customer service which is lightening fast!. Here's what I'm hoping for in the future:

• I'd like to see better color representations of their inks online--some of their inks are WAY off in hue (online), which becomes apparent in person.
• I know they've done this occasionally, but a steady rotation of ebonite options for all pens models.

[pepsiplease69]

I wouldn't mind seeing the "1901" band treatment on other models either.

 

 

 

I'd like to see the Panther 40 as a regular production model.

Those bands (as Scott explained to me once) are a lot of effort to produce and produce well. They may serve an aesthetic purpose but are very impractical production-wise.

 

This is precisely why the 40 Panther is not seen in very many hands. The panther has a white band sandwiched between two other bands. Enormous amount of work to produce a single unit.

 

I hear what you are saying but the reality and practicality of it is what I wanted to convey here (otherwise I have no affiliation with FC. Just a good friend of theirs)

 

I would say start making the 40 Panther without the bands. I own a 40 Panther and (besides the intrinsic) it's one of my most comfortable writers.

 

 

<p>

 

[*]I know they've done this occasionally, but a steady rotation of ebonite options for all pens models.

+1

 

Oh yes I like the ebonite proposal.

 

I was thinking about that myself a couple of days ago.

 

My proposal (though also a bit impractical) would be to introduce Bock nibs to the line up.

 

They are excellent nibs and it's a mystery to me why we don't see them more often.

 

The 1.5 italic bock is a smidge broader than 1.5 jowo.

[NinthSphere]

Those bands (as Scott explained to me once) are a lot of effort to produce and produce well. They may serve an aesthetic purpose but are very impractical production-wise.

 

This is precisely why the 40 Panther is not seen in very many hands. The panther has a white band sandwiched between two other bands. Enormous amount of work to produce a single unit.

 

I hear what you are saying but the reality and practicality of it is what I wanted to convey here (otherwise I have no affiliation with FC. Just a good friend of theirs)

 

I would say start making the 40 Panther without the bands. I own a 40 Panther and (besides the intrinsic) it's one of my most comfortable writers.

 

 

I get that & the extra production effort is reflected in the price of both the 1901s & the Panthers. Not all 40s have the three layer sandwich though. The Philly batch, of which I have one, is a single wide band of emerald on the cap.

 

It's more the form than the band sandwich that I like about the 40 anyway. I would be perfectly happy to see a bandless version in some spread of material variants if it meant breaking out of the small batch production.

[inotrym]

A couple more I forgot to mention:

 

-Threaded converters; nothing worse than dropping your section into the ink bottle.

 

- refillable cartridges; something like the Noodler's new gadget, but compatible with standard international pens.

[GardenWeasel]

Celluloid. Yep! A Marietta in celluloid would be nice.

[rutherfordr]

I'd like to see another pen model with a thinner grip section (10mm or less), like the Model 03 Iterum.

 

Or alternatively, more color choices for the Model 03 pen.

[haruka337]

Celluloid. Yep! A Marietta in celluloid would be nice.

Oh my--yes.

[Slider20]

More Pocket Pens, something sized comparably to the Montblanc Motzart

[jet9]

+1

[fireant]

 

Franklin-Christoph has certainly won me over through their inks (I now have a F-C pen) and customer service which is lightening fast!. Here's what I'm hoping for in the future:

• I'd like to see better color representations of their inks online--some of their inks are WAY off in hue (online), which becomes apparent in person.
• I know they've done this occasionally, but a steady rotation of ebonite options for all pens models.

 

 

I agree with you about the ink colors. I've been lusting for a pocket 66 in antique glass, so I (selfishly) wish for more pens in antique glass. My sister gave me her FC 66 to comfort me in the mean time.

[carlos.q]

A two or three pen zippered leather pen case…

[haruka337]

 

I agree with you about the ink colors. I've been lusting for a pocket 66 in antique glass, so I (selfishly) wish for more pens in antique glass. My sister gave me her FC 66 to comfort me in the mean time.

 

Ah. I want one too. There always seems to be a wait list for it and that's a (bleep)-shoot in itself. T_T

[Tinjapan]

Knowing that ebonite fades in sunlight and fades quickly, why the intense interest in ebonite pens?

 

I have many ebonite pens myself, most vintage pens. I have several more modern ebonite pens that are laquered (urushi) and an Eboya w/o urushi. My ebonite pens w/o urushi are my vampire pens, they never see the light of day.

[pararis]

Two things:

 

1. Pictures. Given the exquisite form and function of F-C pens, there is no place to see this photographically. The F-C Web site looks like a dungeon to me, surprising as I know Scott has an interest in photography. While you can see a good picture once in a while on other sources, it never provides any comparison that is useful. You can literally spend hours searching for decent pictures of F-C pens. These are pens that deserve good photographic rendering!

 

2. International measurements. The F-C site provides dimension in U.S. measure (inches). I'm in the U.S. but for some reason I see pen dimensions in metric. Should be a simple thing to add the metric to the current dimensions -- so I don't have to go do conversions every time!

 

For those reasons I find it impossible to buy F-C pens online. It's a real treat to be able to see (and use) the pens. I'm looking forward to seeing them again at the Philadelphia Pen Show in January -- given that the show continues after this year's blizzard!

[pepsiplease69]

For me Ebonite is a lovely substance, warm and comfortable to the touch. It doesn't draw attention to itself and quietly fades to the background while you write.

 

I have both ebonite konrads and acrylic konrads and I enjoy using the ebonites more.

 

I'm not terribly scared of the odd ray of sunlight falling on them occasionally. It's detrimental if they are left out in the sun for prolonged durations.

[haruka337]

Knowing that ebonite fades in sunlight and fades quickly, why the intense interest in ebonite pens?

 

I have many ebonite pens myself, most vintage pens. I have several more modern ebonite pens that are laquered (urushi) and an Eboya w/o urushi. My ebonite pens w/o urushi are my vampire pens, they never see the light of day.

The feel. The warmth. I fear not the fade. If anything else, the wear and fade make the pen even more mine, if that makes sense.

 

I don't have vampire pens, but my inks are certainly nocturnal!

[Tinjapan]

I watched a perfectly vintage BHR pen turn brown in my hands as the nib was being worked on by a nib master. It was NOT in direct sunlight but it was a very humid day and Japanese seem to dislike using airconditioning, perhaps that was the cause, I do not know.

 

But after that shock, I am very careful with my ebonite and hard rubber pens.

 

Also, Ohashido has a bar of ebonite they use for a sample. One end is jet black, the other that ugly brownish green color of heavily oxidized ebonite. It took just one day for the fading to occur.

 

The reason behind urushi finishes was to protect ebonite pens from fading.

 

If it is a prized pen, please do be careful.

[jkimsc]

I would love to see more antique glass offerings. I'm patiently waiting for models 03 and 20 to be available in antique glass! I'm a huge fan of F-C pens. So disappointed that I missed out on the 66 offerings.