Disappointed With Franklin Christoph Pen Material

[Pendimonium]

I just got my first FC pen, a Model 66 Stabilis. It has a Masuyama tuned nib, which is really lovely, no complaints there. What I am a bit disappointed with though, is the resin material. I chose the classic black version and it feels a cheap to me. Similar to the material used for cheap ABS keycaps. It collects the oil from my hands real fast and becomes slippery. Once the grease is there, it feels and looks a bit disgusting.

 

In comparison, I find that is not so much the case with my Pilot and Sailor pens. At least not after just a few mintues of use. The resin of those feels harder the touch, and does not suck up the oil so much.

 

This is too bad, because my plan was to eventually get one of their beautiful solid ice or antique glass pens. But if those feel and look the same, I will be reconsidering.

 

Anyone else found this to be so, or am I the only one here?

[dapprman]

Think it might be a personal preference. Just picked mine up and had a good feel as mine is my PC local pen. Feels fine and solid to me. Now for an initially cheap feeling pen, try a Pelikan M20x (which before I get shouted at, only initially felt cheap). Could it be that you're used to heavier or ebonite pens?

[tinta]

I just got my first FC pen, a Model 66 Stabilis. It has a Masuyama tuned nib, which is really lovely, no complaints there. What I am a bit disappointed with though, is the resin material. I chose the classic black version and it feels a cheap to me. Similar to the material used for cheap ABS keycaps. It collects the oil from my hands real fast and becomes slippery. Once the grease is there, it feels and looks a bit disgusting.

 

In comparison, I find that is not so much the case with my Pilot and Sailor pens. At least not after just a few mintues of use. The resin of those feels harder the touch, and does not suck up the oil so much.

 

This is too bad, because my plan was to eventually get one of their beautiful solid ice or antique glass pens. But if those feel and look the same, I will be reconsidering.

 

Anyone else found this to be so, or am I the only one here?

Congratulations on your first F-C fountain pen.

Have you contacted Franklin-Christoph about your issue with the Stablis 66? If it is a manufacturing fault this company will gladly make it right for you.

 

I've had a black acrylic resin # 03 that would show more accumulated skin oils than my present smoked resin # 03. (I gave the black # 03 away because a duplication, not because of any problem with the plastic or manufacturing quality control.)

 

My other black pens (by Sailor, MB, Kaweco, Edison) also behave in this same way when it comes to skin oils.

Your problem may have less to do with the quality of the resin being used by F-C & more to do with the colour of the pen itself. Unfortunately black plastic is a magnet for showing off oil stains, smudges, scratches & the like. I tend to wipe off my black pens a lot more often than my burgundy, smoked or marbled ones.

Edited February 27, 2017 by tinta

[NinthSphere]

Can't say my 40 or my 02 are any worse than the 144 or M200 wrt skin oil. Consequence of being made in a color that makes it more visible, I'm afraid, like tinta said.

 

Weight was definitely a factor for me when I first got the 02. Partly because I had been using heavier pens previously, but also because the weight relative to the size threw me off. Both the 02 & the 40 feel plenty solid to me though. Certainly "cheap" or "soft" (I guess?) are not desciptors I would attribute to either pen.

[Uncial]

It's probably more the finish than the actual material. Their pens have a very high shine and if they're black then it will inevitably be a fingerprint magnet.

[Pendimonium]

Hmm, sounds like it is me then. Thanks for your feedback!

 

I just got this, so I could have had a bad day in terms of oil.

 

Or maybe it is the shape of the pen. It feels to girthy for me, so I might unconsciously be continuously repositioning it in my hand, and that might cause more oil to accumulate.

[tinta]

Don't blame yourself,...just enjoy your Stablis.

How is the Masuyama nib?

Having a box thread at the rim of your section can take some time getting used to. My # 03 "Iterum" has this same type of cap threading. Now, when I write with this pen, I don't notice the threads up front at all.

[Pendimonium]

Thanks tinta. I like the thread placement. It doesn't get in the way and I prefer to hold my pens higher up anyway. Though what I don't like so much is that the threads are so big, and the grooves between them are not polished resp. look rough. It's not very aesthetically pleasing. And secondly, I feel they missed out on the opportunity to have no stepdown with that design, but I knew that beforehand. On the plus side, the stepdown gives you a little bit of grip on an otherwise very slippery pen (actually, thinking again, that might be a pro for standard threading).

 

As for the nib: first I though "that's a nice nib", but after a bit of writing this has turned into "wow what a fantastic writer, I don't want to use anything else anymore". It's extremely smooth, with just a perfect, tiny hint of feedback. Wonderful. Not glassy at all. Too bad it's so boring looking, just a plain steel nib; and I'm also not fond of the square FC logo they put on there. #firstworldproblems

 

This is my first stub, a medium. I was afraid that the line variation would not be enough, but now I think it's perfect for everyday writing. I'm already looking forward to trying more stubs and cursive italics in the future. From this point on, round tips won't do it anymore.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Pendimonium

[Tasmith]

I'm already looking forward to trying more stubs and cursive italics in the future. From this point on, round tips won't do it anymore.

Got my first cursive italic last year and I feel the same as you!

[rutherfordr]

Yes, the F-C broad italic nib is fantastic -- it really opened my eyes to the possibilities of cursive italics!

[Pendimonium]

Oh yes, now I'm totally curious as to the cursive italic! But probably the sharper edges would ruin it for me, as I'm too much of a novice.

[inkfade]

I have a p66 in solid ice finish. I am particular about fingerprints myself but have not had a problem with the p66. Of course the oils get on the pen, but because it's frosted/clear it's harder to see than on the black. In my experience anyway.

[Pendimonium]

Thanks inkfade. Do you by any chance have a FC with classic black finish for comparison? I'm curious to know is if those are the same material and are more slippery than the solid ice?

[tinta]

In my experience, Franklin-Christoph's (Masuyama) cursive italics are quite position sensitive. Even if you order a "stub" from Mike, you may still receive an "almost cursive italic" nib, with some sharpness in the corners.

 

Michael's 0.6 mm. round-nosed CI is his special grind, that gives lots of line-width-variation (like a cursive italic) yet behaves like a forgiving "stub" nib This nib is my all time favourite.

 

 

 

In general edged nibs: stubs & cursive italics, require you to develop a level of control over the position of your pen/nib on the paper. If you roll your section (like I have a tendency to do), you may miss parts of a writing stroke.

 

Edged nibs take a little practice to master. Once you get enough experience with them, these nibs are an absolute pleasure to use, both for printing & cursive writing.

More than half of my nibs are stubs, the rest are cursive italics. I get a lot more use from my stubs (& the round-nose CI).

[inkfade]

Thanks inkfade. Do you by any chance have a FC with classic black finish for comparison? I'm curious to know is if those are the same material and are more slippery than the solid ice?

 

I do not, though I've been considering getting another p66 in black since I love the shape and weight. I do own other black plastic pens and have never had a problem with fingerprints on them, either. But I don't know how the F-C black material compares to others I've owned.

[Pendimonium]

Ok, thanks inkfade.

 

tinta, that is a beautiful nib! Oh I'd love get a custom made nib like that from Mike, but the costs for us here in Europe are a bit steep.

[tinta]

 

 

tinta, that is a beautiful nib! Oh I'd love get a custom made nib like that from Mike, but the costs for us here in Europe are a bit steep.

Thanks Pendimonium.

The grind & shipping costs can also be quite steep here in Canada. At present the CAD is low against the USD.

Mike does some really nice custom work for F-C, but if you want a nib style that is not in the F-C line-up, then you most likely have to order it direct from his workshop in California.

At least this is what I suspect. He did my round-nose CI when he was not as busy as he is today, when he still lived in Georgia.

[Uncial]

I have a solid emerald and a demonstrator ice finish and the emerald one is a fingerprint magnet and needs regular cleaning while the ice finish doesn't highlight the issue as much

[jmccarty3]

My gold F-C Masuyama medium cursive italic is surprisingly forgiving. I'm more accustomed to stubs and left obliques, but this nib, like all the others I've had Mike work on, is a dream to write with. I'm just glad I was able to get it on a Model 19 Smoke and Cinnamaroon.

[Pendimonium]

I have a solid emerald and a demonstrator ice finish and the emerald one is a fingerprint magnet and needs regular cleaning while the ice finish doesn't highlight the issue as much

 

So the difference is only visually, but the materials feel the same?

 

My gold F-C Masuyama medium cursive italic is surprisingly forgiving. I'm more accustomed to stubs and left obliques, but this nib, like all the others I've had Mike work on, is a dream to write with. I'm just glad I was able to get it on a Model 19 Smoke and Cinnamaroon.

 

Do you use the CI for everyday writing? I read it is relatively dry.