Body Material

[AD43]

Material is useful for pen, bodies, but here we will only care for the looks.

Vintage, modern they both are acceptable.what material looks the best.

[jar]

Deep urushi coating over ebonite.

 

Mother of Pearl.

 

Sterling Silver.

 

Celluloid.

 

High temperature fired enamels.

 

Fine woods.

[richardandtracy]

What material looks the best?

Hmm. That is very much to personal taste.

 

I really like pearlescent materials, and of those, Celluloid is often the most attractive.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[basterma]

The material I like best is metal silver or steel with a brushed finish and a machined pattern of squares. I have a Ted Lapidus, a Dunhill Slimline, and a St. Dupont Orpheo. I find I always end up holding the pens for no reason...

[Sergio 46]

I prefer by far metal body because my preferences go the fountain pens weighing between 35 g and 50 g , and presently my best choices are Pilot Namiki Elabo metal, Staedtler Initium metallum and Diplomat Excellence!

And at the same time, they are all excellent writers!

[Komboloi]

If it's not made from the lava of Mt. Etna or Fiorentino Terracotta, I don't know how people even write with it.

 

But seriously...

 

It's a pen. It shouldn't be slippery. Shape is probably more important than material. But the two are connected.

 

And part of a pen's feel is how it looks. So there's that.

 

Hard rubber ("Ebonite") feels pretty good to me. Most plastics feel OK, some more than others. "Precious resins" (aka high quality plastics) feel better to me than cheap injection molded plastics. I don't know why. Something in the plastic I suppose.

 

I have some pens made of copper, brass, aluminum, and other metals that I kind of like. They feel cool in the hand rather than warm like hard rubber. Sometimes I like that. And some of them change appearance over time, and that affects the way I feel about the material. But skinny metal pens don't feel good to me, especially if they are heavy. Some people may like that though.

 

I have a Nakaya Briarwood that I like an awful lot. It feels great. I sometimes wonder if knowing how much I paid for it doesn't influence how great it feels. Same with Urushi lacquer. If you paid $450,000 for that Ferrari, it better be nice to drive, eh?

 

So I forgot to mention that shape + material + weight is relevant to me too.

 

I guess it's complicated, eh? Maybe a bit personal? Just a bit?

Edited February 23, 2017 by Komboloi

[Ron Z]

I prefer celluloid or acrylic, and plastics in general, over lacquer finishes. They can be polished if you wish withou risking damage to the surface. For some reason I tend to get random pin head size chips in my lacquer finish pens, which makes no sense to me. I find metal finishes to be cold to the touch and though durable, boring.

[cattar]

urushi

Italian acylics

celluloid

[Komboloi]

urushi

Italian acylics

celluloid

 

I wonder how well people can really tell the difference between urushi (tree lacquer) and other lacquers. I'm sure some of the cool people here can; I suspect most of us unsophisticates cannot. It's us, not them.

 

Italian acrylics? Until someone convinces me that people in Italy uniformly manufacture their plastics differently from anyone else in the world, I call shennanigans. There are different grades of plastic, but it's not country-specific.

 

Celluloid is different and interesting; not sure it feels different or is better, but it's different.

 

If you've spent a lot of money on a pen and need it to be different because of the material, go for it. Then your Italian acrylic is definitely better than the same plastic produced in a similar vat in Malaysia. And totally worth the extra price you paid. We're all looking for different things.

Edited February 23, 2017 by Komboloi

[TheRealMikeDr]

 

I wonder how well people can really tell the difference between urushi (tree lacquer) and other lacquers. I'm sure some of the cool people here can; I suspect most of us unsophisticates cannot. It's us, not them.

 

Italian acrylics? Until someone convinces me that people in Italy uniformly manufacture their plastics differently from anyone else in the world, I call shennanigans. There are different grades of plastic, but it's not country-specific.

 

Celluloid is different and interesting; not sure it feels different or is better, but it's different.

 

If you've spent a lot of money on a pen and need it to be different because of the material, go for it. Then your Italian acrylic is definitely better than the same plastic produced in a similar vat in Malaysia. And totally worth the extra price you paid. We're all looking for different things.

 

Haha - I've always though the same with regards to "Fine Itlalian Leather!!"

[cattar]

 

Komboloi

The thread is about preferences.

You're free to have other preferences.

 

Urushi does have a distinct feel.

 

Italian acrylics are prized for their brighter colors and more varied patterns.

 

Celluloid also has a distinct feel, and many patterns.

 

 

 

Realmike

Italian leather is sought for clothing because it's made thinner like a fabric, holds its shape beautifully, and is long wearing.

[Komboloi]

Urushi is a lacquer. There are lots of similar lacquers. Almost all of them have the same quallities. If you are one of those few who is sophisticated enough to discern the difference between Urushi and other lacquers, I salute you.

 

I also ask if you are willing to consider whether you have been taken.

 

Remember Roberto Montalban selling "Fine Corintinthian Leather?" for 70's Chryslers? Can we agree that was (bleep)? If that was possible, can we not also agree that some pens with the equivalent of "Fine Corinthian Leather" are also (bleep)? Pretty pretty pens. Yet not better pens. You think Italian pen makers understand plastic better than the rest of the world? It's a nice fantasy, very romantic, but it's not reality.

 

There are different qualities of plastics ("resins, acrylics"), but if you think the Italian versions are special, you've don't understand modern product development.

 

Bottom line: Are you getting ripped off and justifying it by talking about the materials?

 

Or are you saying "It's OK because it's Urushi? So that's OK. I'm sophisticated and know what the incredible difference that makes. I paid a lot of money for this, so I'm pretty sure it's good stuff."

 

Then you still have to deal with the issue: Does this pen write?

 

 

Think about it.

Edited February 23, 2017 by Komboloi

[Jamesbeat]

I prefer plastics over metal both for looks and feel in the hand, though I do like stainless steel for its ruggedness and utility.

 

I don't really care for injection molded plastics, but I do have some that I like.

 

My favorite is vintage celluloid, but modern acrylics are nice too.

I also like black hard rubber that has chasing - some of those patterns are mesmerising.

Edited February 23, 2017 by Jamesbeat

[Jamesbeat]

 

Italian acrylics? Until someone convinces me that people in Italy uniformly manufacture their plastics differently from anyone else in the world, I call shennanigans. There are different grades of plastic, but it's not country-specific.

 

 

I don't think 'Italian acrylic' refers to specific grades of engineering plastics (which I agree would be nonsense) but to the beautifully patterned acrylics that are often made in Italy.

Italy is known for its decorative plastics industry - more art than science.

[cattar]

Komboloi

Whether you want to pay for a material preference is a cost preference. As with everything, people's preferences differ.

 

Lacquers feel different. The plant used, the amount used, the drying and baking temperatures and times, all this affects the final product.

People do have varying tactile sensitivity.

 

Anyone could make bright, bold, beautifully patterned acrylics.

Italians do it.

And there's higher demand than they supply. Many penmakers use Italian acrylics.

Edited February 23, 2017 by cattar

[sirgilbert357]

I'm way behind the curve, LOL...I just buy a pen if it writes well and I like the way it looks!

 

I will say, though, that whatever material Franklin Christoph makes their pens out of is very durable (I think they use acrylic blanks turned on a lathe, right?). I have not a single scratch on my Model 03 in well over a year of use. Its really insane. None of my other pens have aged this well. It seems MUCH denser, harder and scratch resistant than normal "precious resin" to me. I'm sure that all makes it far more brittle, but as long as I don't drop it on a tile floor, I think the pros outweigh the cons.

 

As for beauty though, I like celluloid and woods the best...

[Komboloi]

Urushi is a lacquer. There are lots of similar lacquers. Almost all of them have the same quallities. If you are one of those few who is sophisticated enough to discern the difference between Urushi and other lacquers, I salute you.

 

I also ask if you are willing to consider whether you have been taken.

 

Remember Roberto Montalban selling "Fine Corintinthian Leather?" for 70's Chryslers? Can we agree that was (bleep)? If that was possible, can we not also agree that some pens with the equivalent of "Fine Corinthian Leather" are also (bleep)? Pretty pretty pens. Yet not better pens. You think Italian pen makers understand plastic better than the rest of the world? It's a nice fantasy, very romantic, but it's not reality.

 

There are different qualities of plastics ("resins, acrylics"), but if you think the Italian versions are special, you've don't understand modern product development.

 

Bottom line: Are you getting ripped off and justifying it by talking about the materials?

 

Or are you saying "It's OK because it's Urushi? So that's OK. I'm sophisticated and know what the incredible difference that makes. I paid a lot of money for this, so I'm pretty sure it's good stuff."

 

Then you still have to deal with the issue: Does this pen write?

 

 

Think about it.

 

I don't think 'Italian acrylic' refers to specific grades of engineering plastics (which I agree would be nonsense) but to the beautifully patterned acrylics that are often made in Italy.

Italy is known for its decorative plastics industry - more art than science.

I would like to think you are correct. I don't see any evidence that Italian plastic is better than, say, Malaysian plastic. Why would it be? The only writing example I can see in an Italian pen is is saying, "It's Italian". I might be wrong, but someone needs to explain why I should pay more for an Italian pen,

 

I should pay more for an Italian pen than a Taiwanese pen, because....?

 

My calling shinnanigans is based on the proposition that

[Komboloi]

Komboloi

Whether you want to pay for a material preference is a cost preference. As with everything, people's preferences differ.

 

Lacquers feel different. The plant used, the amount used, the drying and baking temperatures and times, all this affects the final product.

People do have varying tactile sensitivity.

 

Anyone could make bright, bold, beautifully patterned acrylics.

Italians do it.

And there's higher demand than they supply. Many penmakers use Italian acrylics.

 

Really?

 

Your delicate understanding of fountain pens is so sophisticated that you discern the difference between natural and artificial lacquer in the body of a pen sufficient to make recommendations??

 

And that's your basis of providing an opinion to this OP? Are you kidding?

 

If I put Urushi lacquer and non-Urushi lacquer before you on two pens, are you confident you could tell the difference?

 

I'd put some money on this one.

[tinta]

For me, celluloid feels (& smells) the best, followed by acrylic resin. Metals, both anodized aluminium or stainless steel, are the most durable but feel cold & lifeless till warmed up by use.

My 0.02 CAD.

Edited February 23, 2017 by tinta

[Komboloi]

Italy is known for its decorative plastics industry - more art than science.

 

When was the last time you read an Italian fountain pen that was advertised for its "decorative plastics"? I don't know of even a low end Italian fountain pen manufacturer who says such things. Do you?

 

How about a high end Italian manufacturer who says of his product, "decorative plastics"? I'll grant you that's what they do; but it's not what they say.