New Armando Simoni Club Brown Arco (Banded Armadillo Version)

[pen tom]

I've been tempted by the Wahl/eversharp decoband for a while now. The Arco bronze is a favorite of mine and it is very tempting, I liked them for $950, but with a 30% jump in prices I ask myself, "why not get a real Omas in arco bronze and save hundreds of dollars" They appear in our classifide section

 

I read one review that wondered about the weight of the Decoband and I assume the ASC also. That long term writing sessions are questionable given the weight.

[zaddick]

Here is my review of the new Decoband pen. Same guts as the ASC pens.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/301219-oversize-wahl-eversharp-decoband-with-14k-superflex-nib/

 

I liked the pen enough I just bought another one recently.

[cunim]

My impressions of this pen:

 

1. It is absolutely beautiful to the eye and in the hand. The celluloid feels quite different than acrylic and, while fragility is an issue, I will gladly baby this pen in order to enjoy this big slab of Arco brown.

2. The Magicflex nib is very similar to other #8 nibs I have. That is it is springy and makes writing pleasurable, but is not even semiflex. Both my Sailor KOP and Danitrio Mikado (both fines) flex at least as well. Some of my other Bock #8 nibs flex more. I enjoy various suspensions and this observation is not a criticism.

3. I get about 1.6 ml of ink into the sac with a careful fill. That is a bit less than I have seen reported elsewhere and may reflect poor technique on my part.

4. The weight gives this pen a feel of great solidity and quality but, sadly, it's a bit porky for writing any serious amount. Hence the next point.

5. There is a lot of heavy brass inside this pen. I would like to see much of that brass replaced with titanium, carbon fiber, or some other modern material. If it were, the pen would be more pleasant to write with. Taking the weight down about 10g would move the pen from "lovely but ...." to superb.

6. Some of the interior metal is finished well (the plunger for the filling system). Some is not. In particular, the brass tube around the ink sac is very rough. There are slots cut in it and those have razor sharp edges. I worry about what those edges will do to the sac over time.

7. The Greek key bands are very nicely engraved with high relief, but the surface is a bit rough. This is made all the more noticeable by contrast with the gloriously smooth Arco. Running a finger over the engraving gives the impression that tiny metal hooks are grabbing at my skin. Admittedly, I am sensitive to this type of thing which you might not notice.

8. I care about alignment of the Arco pattern. ASC did a fine job with the initial alignment, but it is changing a bit as the cap and barrel threads wear in. The cap rotates a bit more than it did when the pen was new, and the alignment is diverging. Not sure how to correct this.

9. Service concerns me. I believe the sac is latex and will fail at some point. Ideally, the pen would arrive with instructions for replacing the sac and even ... gasp ... a spare sac.

10. I know boxes are just ... boxes, but this very large pen arrives in a utilitarian box with a suede pen sleeve and suede nests made for a much smaller pen.

 

On the whole, I am pleased with the Bologna. Love that celluloid and ASC seems to be the sole modern source for this material. I could be interested in other pens in the ASC lineup, but would want to have a close look at the construction and interior detailing before committing.

Edited January 18, 2018 by cunim

[pen tom]

Here is my review of the new Decoband pen. Same guts as the ASC pens.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/301219-oversize-wahl-eversharp-decoband-with-14k-superflex-nib/

 

I liked the pen enough I just bought another one recently.

 

Thank you Zaddick, that review was very helpful. It was very well written

 

I will be going to the LA pen show next week and I am hoping that Sid has a table again. I have pretty much decided to buy a decoband.

Unless I try writing with one and don't like it. But I doubt that will happen. I'm looking forward to seeing the flexibility of the pen.

Over half of my pen collection is made up of Watermans , mostly from pre 1930. So I know what I like about flex.

 

Deciding on a color might be the biggest problem. I like the blue color, but I saw in the Fountain Pen Hospital catalog that there is

a Cardinal red version. They don't call it that but it sure looks like that distinctive shade of orange that I love so much. I have not seen anything

written about the red decoband.

[Blorgy]

My impressions of this pen:

 

the brass tube around the ink sac is very rough. There are slots cut in it and those have razor sharp edges. I worry about what those edges will do to the sac over time.

 

 

That is an interesting observation. I caught a fleeting glimpse of the slots in a video called Armando Simoni Club Bologna Extra Arco Brown, by Armando Simoni Club. I have not seen a still photograph of the tube though.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n3IYzq3meuU

Edited May 15, 2018 by Blorgy

[Bisquitlips]

I have the privilege of owning 4 of the ASC Arco Brown FPs in several different configs and will say that I am as happy with these pens as I am with any of the Omas Arcos that I own (6).

 

There has been some concern from collectors that the Arco from ASC would shrink over time causing issues. After contacting Emmanuel at ASC (Feb of 2018) he confirmed that ASC is not making the Arco celluloid due to some issues with the powers that be over pollution problems in making the Arco and that ASC is limited to the existing supply of Arco rods acquired from Omas upon their closure. He mentioned in his email that after the existing supply of Arco is used up there will be no more.

 

I know that may remain to be seen, but as it stands now that is the most accurate information that I have on the subject. With this in mind I don't believe there will be any issues with shrinkage as the Omas rods are well aged prior to ASC creating their pens from them.

 

The ASC Arco pens are just incredible writing instruments in every way! And I really enjoy their "Magic Flex" nibs. Well worth their asking price... if you can find them.

[fountainpen51]

I have the privilege of owning 4 of the ASC Arco Brown FPs in several different configs and will say that I am as happy with these pens as I am with any of the Omas Arcos that I own (6).

 

There has been some concern from collectors that the Arco from ASC would shrink over time causing issues. After contacting Emmanuel at ASC (Feb of 2018) he confirmed that ASC is not making the Arco celluloid due to some issues with the powers that be over pollution problems in making the Arco and that ASC is limited to the existing supply of Arco rods acquired from Omas upon their closure. He mentioned in his email that after the existing supply of Arco is used up there will be no more.

 

I know that may remain to be seen, but as it stands now that is the most accurate information that I have on the subject. With this in mind I don't believe there will be any issues with shrinkage as the Omas rods are well aged prior to ASC creating their pens from them.

 

The ASC Arco pens are just incredible writing instruments in every way! And I really enjoy their "Magic Flex" nibs. Well worth their asking price... if you can find them.

Thanks for that information, I would like to see those different configurations, I am a lover of Arco.

 

What I have seen, is that mine no longer lines up perfectly, due to the opening and closing of the lid, and I do not force it at all.

 

Edited June 5, 2018 by fountainpen51

[Bisquitlips]

 

Thanks for that information, I would like to see those different configurations, I am a lover of Arco.

What I have seen, is that mine no longer lines up perfectly, due to the opening and closing of the lid, and I do not force it at all.

 

I haven't seen that issue at all on any of my ASC Arcos.

 

Let me see if I can conjure up some photos of mine. I haven't taken any, but your request will match well with my hobby of photography and pen collecting!

 

:0) !!!

 

Thanks!

[luxseeker]

I own several and have received a Bologna with the alignment off on the cap/body and also the nib/body. Other quality issues I've seen are finish problems, nib issues and a part missing with one pen.

 

They are beautiful pens - zero doubt there. Some of this can happen with hand made items, but I've started to feel like I'm playing the lottery now when I buy one of their pens.

 

Unfortunately service from ASC before and after the sale has been very poor.

[aardvarkbark]

I don't think there can be any question about the beauty of the material. But this does not have the signature character of the 12-faceted Omas, alas.

[fountainpen51]

I have some doubts, for example, does the latex bag cause this celluloid to blacken over time? According to vintage pens, this is a fact ...

In which I have, the lid is no longer perfectly aligned with the barrel and I am afraid that over time this will increase, maybe some metal threads on the lid would have solved this problem.

Now, the Bologna is beautiful, I love it. If I were from the ASC team I would do it without thinking a 360 model yes or yes of both Arcs before the stocks are exhausted, it would be an ACHIEVE above.

[fountainpen51]

repeated.

Edited August 1, 2018 by fountainpen51

[cunim]

After almost a year with this pen, I have to say that the only thing it really has going for it is the glorious material. Other than that, the nib is boring (they could offer the Superflex version), the internal finish is so-so, the pattern alignment tends to diverge over time, and the pen is both fragile and very heavy. That combination could lead to damage.

 

I could tolerate all those things, but I cannot forgive the miserable customer service. Messages are ignored or answered after a very long interval and there is absolutely no indication how a post-purchase issue would be resolved. Compare that with other quirky manufacturers, Conid for example, who may lose track of a message as they master their IT structure, but then take on a problem with all support guns blazing. I am sure ASC are fine people. They just don't seem to care about my customer experience.

 

I do love that Arco brown, so my Bologna is not for sale. Not buying any more, though.

[luxseeker]

On the darkening celluloid - Inside this pen, the latex sac is sleeved inside a brass barrel. This means it does not touch the celluloid. Does this help mitigate any risk of the interactions that might cause this darkening? My bigger concern had always been a leaking sack, but in this case it's fairly easy to remove and replace. Would a silicon sac help?

 

On the weight - Heft is one aspect of this pen I actually appreciate simply because most pens are lighter. What's optimal for writing seems to change for me from time to time and mood to mood. I don't know of many pens that offer this type of heft and size together. Sometimes I really like using a heavy pen. Sometimes a light Japanese pen is great. The length of my writing hasn't gone past maybe 5 pages in one run with this pen. Now if I was only choosing one pen to keep, then I would desire a lighter weight as expressed above, e.g. Conid type feel.

 

On the pattern divergence - I have not had this yet. Do you have an idea on what's causing this? How severe is it? Do you think it's the threads breaking down in some way over time? Or is there some potential that a glued/fitted part of the pen has slightly rotated? If the later, you may be able to address that yourself. If you watch the video on how the pen is made, at :48 you can see the part with the threads (body) is inserted into the body.

 

[alphablade]

Could someone perhaps explain to me/point me in the right direction how one would remove the sack from this pen?
I can twist out the front part, so you end up with the nib, feed casing and metal tube. However, I can't really figure out how to remove the metal tube...

[cunim]

The nib unit unscrews from the section, bringing the sac with it.

[pen tom]

The nib unit unscrews from the section, bringing the sac with it.

 

Thats very useful information. I assume the same is true for the Wahl decobands too?

[fountainpen51]

On the darkening celluloid - Inside this pen, the latex sac is sleeved inside a brass barrel. This means it does not touch the celluloid. Does this help mitigate any risk of the interactions that might cause this darkening? My bigger concern had always been a leaking sack, but in this case it's fairly easy to remove and replace. Would a silicon sac help?

 

On the weight - Heft is one aspect of this pen I actually appreciate simply because most pens are lighter. What's optimal for writing seems to change for me from time to time and mood to mood. I don't know of many pens that offer this type of heft and size together. Sometimes I really like using a heavy pen. Sometimes a light Japanese pen is great. The length of my writing hasn't gone past maybe 5 pages in one run with this pen. Now if I was only choosing one pen to keep, then I would desire a lighter weight as expressed above, e.g. Conid type feel.

 

On the pattern divergence - I have not had this yet. Do you have an idea on what's causing this? How severe is it? Do you think it's the threads breaking down in some way over time? Or is there some potential that a glued/fitted part of the pen has slightly rotated? If the later, you may be able to address that yourself. If you watch the video on how the pen is made, at :48 you can see the part with the threads (body) is inserted into the body.

 

it is blackened by the latex gases, it does not have to touch the celluloid, maybe a silicone sac is a solution, but you can not put the pen in rest upside down, you will have a leak.

 

 

Thats very useful information. I assume the same is true for the Wahl decobands too?

Yes, it is exactly the same.

[hawpunch]

Does anyone know if this pen is still being sold? It seems to be available on the ASC website, but one retailer has indicated that the pen is no longer being made. I wrote to ASC but have not heard from them. Would like to know for sure before I pull the trigger. Thanks in advance!

[fountainpen51]

Does anyone know if this pen is still being sold? It seems to be available on the ASC website, but one retailer has indicated that the pen is no longer being made. I wrote to ASC but have not heard from them. Would like to know for sure before I pull the trigger. Thanks in advance!

will continue to manufacture until the end of existence of this celluloid, I bought through retailer not directly to them. If the ASC website indicates that you can buy, go ahead, they are also on Ebay, from there you can also buy it.

This time I will not go through this Arco Verde.