Newbie Goes To Vintage Town--Wahl-Eversharp Skyline

September 22, 2016

Hi,

Just a few questions to the Eversharp Skyline (and Doric owners) out there.

I'm thinking of going on the hunt for a decent restored Eversharp Skyline. The Doric looks pretty intriguing too.

What do you find you like most about it? The design, the feed, the nib, weight/length. All of the above?

Any particular flavor you might recommend to seek out as a first Eversharp. Color combo/material etc.? Subjective stuff, I know, but I'm sure some combinations are dear and rare whereas others are easier to find (and still have a splash or two of character).

Looking at getting a vintage pen to really use, not exactly as an EDC pen, but close.

Popular recommendations like the Parkers just don't do it for me. Not sure about the Esterbrooks yet.

I have a Waterman 52 BHR on the way and we'll see how that goes. I'm also intrigued by the vintage Conklin crescent fillers.

Anyway, back to the Eversharp Skyline, that cap simply calls out to me. Very nice.

Are you happy with the feed system? I've only used converters. Assuming it's been restored, new sac and so on, is it a high-maintenance pen?

Is using the Doric a completely different experience?

Any input or advice welcome.

Thank you.

Probably be in Vintage Town for a bit. I have more than enough modern pens. For now, anyway.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Solaris-Seeker

September 22, 2016

If it wasn't such a long way, I'd advise you to get to the Commonwealth Pen Show is Boston this weekend, if you are looking to see if you'll even like a pen, pen shows are the best way. Failing that, all I can say is that Skyline lever fillers are not much different mechanically from other vintage levers, but the look is pretty cool. I'd advise dealing with a professional dealer rather than trusting my luck to eBay. You'll pay more, but the pen will be working, have a new ink sac and a good dealer will stand by the product you've bought. Best of luck and welcome to FPN.

September 23, 2016

The Skyline. I don't own one. Let's be clear about that to start. Honestly, they do have the look, in my opinion. I have an acquaintance who loves them. I don't know for certain how many he owns, but I'd bet both my car and my house that he has at least twenty. I also know that he follows Pen Lady's advice. He does not buy from eBay. When he learns of one being for sale, he goes to see it. He cautions me, when I talk of acquiring one, to examine the cap very carefully for hairline cracks. I will pass that bit of advice along and hope it proves helpful to you. Hopefully someone who actually knows something about the pens can say why that might be good advice or can say that it not something to worry about.

Not sure about Esterbrooks?! Well, it is about time you found out! You are missing out!

-David (Estie).

Edited September 23, 2016 by estie1948

September 23, 2016

Thanks for the replies. I do need to get myself to a show. They sound amazing. In NYC, so I'm sure something will come up. I'd love to try out some of these classics.

I've been looking into the Esterbrooks. I can see why they're so popular. All those "renew points" are pretty neat. Whether it's Eversharp or Esterbrook, I'm kind of lucky since I like the shorthand, extra fine/fine, bookkeeping/accountant, manifold ef/f type nibs. Seem less popular and less pricey than the flexies.

September 23, 2016

I have both Skylines (blue/gold and moire) and Dorics (only vac-fill).

For looks: Both are great looking pens, but very different from each other. So I got both. In different flavors. I like the vac fillers more, because I don't like my smooth barrels to be disturbed by a lever Still the Skyline has a very distinctive and unique shape. The Doric not as much, there are also faceted OMAS pens.

For maintenance: depends on the filling system. I don't like sacs, but at least you can do repairs on your own. I haven't had enough courage to take apart my Doric vac-fillers all by myself. But there are Doric sac-fillers, too.

For nibs: Both have great nibs, the Skylines have different shapes and generations of nibs which makes them quite attractive. The Doric has the famous adjustable nib - you can adjust how flexible it shall be; great idea: If I'm using it it's in flex mode, if I'm handing it out (very, very rarely) it's stiff.

For feeds: I prefer my Skyline feeds, they can buffer more ink. Ink delivery is unproblematic for both

For body material: I recommend the Skylines for starters. The Dorics have some really special and great colors. But you need to know the characteristics - some Dorics start crazing and eventually crumbling.

For carrying daily: I prefer the Skylines. With all of my Dorics I have the same problem (and only with the Dorics): My caps are easily inked up from the inside and a tiny amount of ink gets out where the clip is attached to the cap. So - if I'm not careful and clean my caps - my shirts or jackets get a little bit colored at the top of the pocket.

October 2, 2016

I have a couple of Skylines, and I do love the look. They are, when properly maintained and tuned, wonderful pens. I'd also throw the proverbial wrench in the works - you can also consider a Symphony. They aren't as popular, and don't pop up as often, but a nice one can be just as good as the Skyline, since they are essentially the same feed and nib. I actually think the Symphony has better balance, too.

Esterbrooks...I have quite a few more of those. The J series alone should have a pen that fits your hand and writing style easily. The nib selection makes the ownership of just a single pen also the ownership of several variations just by swapping the nib. And, as a lefty, I am also partial to the manifold nibs. My favorite may be the 9461 Fine Manifold nib. It's on one of my best pens.

October 2, 2016

You might consider attending a Big Apple Pen Club meeting (keep an eye on the Clubs, Meetings, and Events forum - https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/forum/11-clubs-meetings-and-events/ ).

It meets on the second Thursday of the month near Columbus Circle.

Contact tmenyc for details via a PM - https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/user/18017-tmenyc/

I own a user-grade-but-it-writes-okay-Eversharp-Skyline-Demi that I can bring along to a meeting if you'd like to try one out for hand fit.

Just PM me and I'll make that meeting.

I have a few Esterbrook LJs and SJs as well - same offer.

Edited October 2, 2016 by Chouffleur

October 2, 2016

Hi Solaris-Seeker. I use my Skylines daily. They are great writers, which is of course the whole point. BTW, I assume you're not interested in the relaunched products.

I have no problems with the quality of build or the quality of nibs. I would source from a reputable dealer and pay the price. As they say, they ain't making them anymore. A UK dealer has some new old stock Skylines if you're inclined, PM me as he ships to your part of the world.

The design, if you look up the history, is worth it alone. I particularly like the tapering to allow dialing a rotary telephone. Balance is excellent; I use them uncapped.

And they come in enough flavours that you can have a fist full of Skylines that all look a bit different. I have an all-black Wahl (no Eversharp branding) with a broad Wahl nib which is my best writer. The nibs can be delightfully soft (code for flex) which allows expressiveness in your handwriting.

I run Diamine inks through mine.

I agree not to ignore the Symphony which is also a design classic, but opt for the Mark 1, which has an edging on the cap that was removed in later years debasing the original design.

By the way, the pencils are really worth getting too. I have both Skyline and Symphony pencils and they are wonderful too.

October 4, 2016

I have a few Skylines. They are unique in that they look unbalanced and top heavy when capped, but turn into a well balanced pen when posted. It is possible to find one with a great flex nib and as others have said, the number of variations seems almost endless. I doubt many collectors can claim to have the full set. The downsides (IMHO) is that the plastic they are made from can be brittle and taking one apart can become an adventure. The cap, which looks very nice is also quite complex and can cause extensive swearing if one is trying to put it back together. If you get a nice restored Skyline, you will have a pen that will write well and certainly look like nothing else out there.

I do have one Doric, a lever filler and I have enjoyed that pen more than the Skylines, if I'm honest. It doesn't have the adjustable nib, and it doesn't suffer from the disintegration issues that some colors do, but it has a great flex nib that manages to make my handwriting look good.

Good luck in your quest. I am strictly vintage when it comes to pens (as well as my age). It seems to me that a good vintage pen, made when fountain pens were the standard and made by firms and workers who knew their craft is a better value than what is produced now--but again, that is just my opinion.

November 2, 2016

I bought my 1st Skyline from Minuskin, seeking my 1st really flexy nibbed pen. Got it. I've been enjoying it too much. A Skyline is a nice writer, and in the past month I've gone on an acquisition run and now have several to get refurbished. I was testing my eye on photos and trying to gauge the nib character. I like them. One of the new ones has a medium to broad nib that glides across the page like the tines were Rogers&Astaire. (It _is_ a '40s pen, you know.)

Haven't written with Dorics, but recent events have put 1st and 2nd generation black lever-fill Dorics

into my hand. They feel nice, and I expect that to continue after they get the attention they deserve. I thought the black ones would not disintegrate on me while I test them out. Sounded good at the time.

I don't see how you could go wrong. Start small. A Demi Skyline may be good for a starter, as you can dip it and the feed holds a large amount of ink. Writes nicely. Then get it fixed if you like it. Or pay more up front and get one in perfect shape. The more you pay for it, the more you can lose if you don't like it, certain "sumgai" considerations excepted.

Edited November 3, 2016 by DerTiefster

November 3, 2016

Good luck in your quest. I am strictly vintage when it comes to pens (as well as my age). It seems to me that a good vintage pen, made when fountain pens were the standard and made by firms and workers who knew their craft is a better value than what is produced now--but again, that is just my opinion.

I am a vintage guy, also. In fact I got several of my Esterbrooks when they were new - not new old stock, but fresh from the factory new. As in so many things, there was a difference then from what is normal now. Allow me to quote from Paul Hogan's excellent book, The Fountain Pens of Esterbrook. "From its inception, the company established and maintained a reputation for its dedication to quality and excellence of workmanship, which soon became renowned worldwide. This may have accounted in no small part for its additional reputation of being able to retain expert personnel long beyond any statistical 'average' or 'normal' length of employment." "Further, a look at two issues of the company's newsletter The Esterbrook Penscript (one from 1949, the other from 1960), shows a family-oriented, caring outfit that validated in print the skills and dedication, as well as the comings and goings, births, marriages, and deaths of its employees and their families." "Had they considered it, a statement of the Esterbrook 'mission in life' might have been 'To make available to the writing publis a quality handwriting tool at a reasonable price'. Without resorting to any of the gimmick advertising used by the 'big four' penmakers which touted their 'lifetime guarantee', 'built to last a hundred year' and the like, Esterbrook simply went ahead and made that kind of pen without all the fanfare, without all the expense, and probably with realizing it. It's a good bet that more Esterbrooks will be found to have survived a 'lifetime' or for a hundred year or more, than those of any other manufacturer made during the same period."

Get yourself an Esterbrook J, LJ, or SJ and you can fit them yourself with any of some thirty-three styles of nibs just by screwing one out and screwing a different one in.

Esterbrook fountain pens - well made of quality material from an excellent design in huge numbers to sell at a low price that the common person could afford.

-David (Estie).