Lindauer Piston Fillers

[nibl]

Does anyone have experience with Lindauer piston fillers?

 

They have quite many in current production. I dont think they make pens themselves, but design and commission elsewhere. They have several which resemble classic Pelikans and they are even using parts remaining from the 1950s.

 

The most interesting feature is that they have 11 different nib sizes. Nibs to 11 😃

 

The important question is, how well do the piston fillers work, and what is the overall experience quality-wise with the nibs? They say every nib is tested during pen assembly.

[amberleadavis]

I haven't see them before but it sure sounds interesting.

[pajaro]

Interesting. Are some available?

[nibl]

I did some research in the meantime. Here are my findings:

 

Azizah and Stephen did a Serious Nibbage video on a Lindauer piston filler. I was really surprised to find this because I have not heard of these pens otherwise.

 

https://youtu.be/qkeD20_s1Ao

 

The pen parts from the 1950s, are only the rings and clips. The pen bodies and everything else are modern.

 

I spoke to a pen retailer and maker/turner in Germany, who also stocks Lindauer, and he also said the piston fillers are decent quality.

 

The Lindauer wooden pens, he did not think are very good and therefore does not stock them.

 

The Mentor series, and the Tiger, both cartridge/converter fillers, he said are also good quality (made in Taiwan).

 

The nibs are (mostly) made by Bock (probably not on the wooden pens, since lower quality?).

 

The obliques are modern obliques. Corrective, not calligraphic.

 

The calligraphy nibs in 1.1, 1.5, 1.9 are relatively sharp, according to the retailer, similar to Lamy. Less stubby than TWSBI.

 

They are currently available from Akkerman in the Netherlands at the same price mentioned in the Serious Nibbage video from 2016, some German online shops, Amazon Marketplace Germany (Lindauer?), and the manufacturers website. You would have to compare shipping costs to see what works best for you.

 

If you are considering getting some Akkerman ink bottles, then they would work out well shipping cost wise. Akkerman seems best if you are outside Europe. Their site is in English and they are used to shipping abroad.

 

https://www.vulpennen.nl/en/merken/lindauer/p-1/

 

Lindauer only ship within the EU and Switzerland.

 

http://lindauer.li

Edited March 28, 2018 by nibl

[rhitee93]

Thanks for the info. I just ordered one in a 1.9mm stub along with some ink that I had been interested in. I'll post some pics when it arrives if you like.

[nibl]

@rhitee93, yes Id be interested to see. Which ink did you get Akkermans own I presume?

Edited March 28, 2018 by nibl

[rhitee93]

Yeah, I have been kind of interested in some of the Dutch Masters inks, so I bought the Scharlaken van Jan Steen.

 

I don't know how long it will take to arrive in the US, but I'll post some pics and my feeble attempts at writing with a 1.9mm wide stub

[Bo Bo Olson]

Nice classic looking pens............good price.

Looked at three red/green/gray marbled colors, all nice.............not exactly what I now want***....but when newer, could have gone for any of the three.

Bock nibs are good. Do look in my signature for more Bock info.

W.Germany would be pre '90 cap rings.

 

***Only looking for semi-flex or better grail pens....if I can find one cheap enough.

[truthpil]

These are available on eBay for $40. I saw them along time ago, but Stephen's review turned me away from them. The bodies seems kind of cheap with the stuck on marbled decal being used instead of actually marbled material. I had no idea the nibs were Bock....that might make it worth while then.

[rhitee93]

I received the pen today. I think it is good value for the money.

 

People are concerned about the label finish. It is hard to notice that it is a sticker. The edges line up well, and are actually timed so that the line on the cap lines up with the one on the body when capped. They also line up with the clip.

 

I'm not known for having good handwriting. I've also never written with a stub nib before, let alone one this wide, but I did the best I could.

[UDog]

Thanks for the info. I just ordered one in a 1.9mm stub along with some ink that I had been interested in. I'll post some pics when it arrives if you like.

 

I thought they only shipped in the EU?

[nibl]

@UDog, I believe rhitee93 ordered from PW Akkerman, hence the use of the Dutch Masters Ink. Thats also where Stephen and Azizah got their review pen. There is a link above.

[nibl]

@rhitee93, many thanks for following through with a review. Your experience matches what Stephen and Azizah both said. That indicates consistency with Lindauer since it also matches what a few other people here on FPN have reported.

 

How does the nib feel? Its a Bock nib, so I guess its quite the rigid nail?

[rhitee93]

@rhitee93, many thanks for following through with a review. Your experience matches what Stephen and Azizah both said. That indicates consistency with Lindauer since it also matches what a few other people here on FPN have reported.

 

How does the nib feel? Its a Bock nib, so I guess its quite the rigid nail?

 

It doesn't flex much. To be fair, I have a very light touch, and don't even make my vintage Pelikans flex. However, I can push down with what I feel is a lot of pressure, and the tines don't spread.

 

I pulled the pen out this morning again, and am still impressed with the value/$. It is writing better this morning after sitting inked all night. It was a little hard starting last night, but I literally just took it out of the package, filled it with ink, and wrote the sample above. (All 5 minutes after returning from a 6-hour road trip for work, so I wasn't trying very hard)

 

My daily carry pens are a couple of MB 146s and a variety of Pelikan 400s. This pen doesn't feel as nice as those to write with. It is very light, and the plastic isn't as nice to the touch. However, the piston works very smoothly with no slop, the colors look fantastic while sitting on my desk, and it writes very smoothly.

 

Size wise, it is almost exactly the same size as a Montblanc 144.

[senzen]

Very interesting pen, if they made them in solid colours and silver trim...

[nibl]

pseudo88, I believe there is plain black, but cannot remember whether its gold trim or silver. They make a large range of what they call 1950s design pens. Akkerman only stocks three.

 

If you are outside Europe you would need to ask Akkerman to order another design or model for you, which I guess they would do.

 

I know a German pen turner and retailer who stocks Lindauer and will order any model you like. They only order once a month and Im not sure they ship outside Europe. They are very knowledgeable and will give an honest opinion of the quality of each model and even know which pen was made where.

 

https://www.pen-paradise.de/

[senzen]

pseudo88, I believe there is plain black, but cannot remember whether its gold trim or silver. They make a large range of what they call 1950s design pens. Akkerman only stocks three.

 

If you are outside Europe you would need to ask Akkerman to order another design or model for you, which I guess they would do.

 

I know a German pen turner and retailer who stocks Lindauer and will order any model you like. They only order once a month and Im not sure they ship outside Europe. They are very knowledgeable and will give an honest opinion of the quality of each model and even know which pen was made where.

 

https://www.pen-paradise.de/

 

Awesome info! I did see that black model, I wonder if they also have the "stick on".

[truthpil]

The plain black model is available in all nib sizes on eBay.

[BlueJ]

I ordered one of these from a retailer in Turkey for about $40. It took about a month to reach the US but otherwise the transaction was problem-free.

 

The pen (the S5, a plain black model) resembles the Montblanc 344 and many other mid-low-end piston fillers from the 1950s. The fit and finish are only just acceptable: there was an injection molding burr on the bottom of the piston knob that I polished off with micro mesh, and some flaws in the plating on the clip that I could do nothing to fix. However, The piston mechanism works well and the nib, out of the box, was smooth, relatively wet and slightly springy (I wouldn't say "flexible" as that is a loaded term around here.) Mine was an OB, and I was disappointed to find it was a modern round oblique, as nibl posted above. I sent it to Mark Bacas (nibgrinder.com) and he converted it into more of a vintage grind with lots of line variation.

 

Anyone interested in a vintage oblique or stublike B or BB nib would probably be better off just fishing for a vintage Pelikan, lower-end MB or other German pen on eBay or elsewhere. Those who want a pen in that style and are prepared to use the Lindauer as-is may find it worth the price, if they can obtain it easily. I do think the company deserves some credit for making a line of decent homage pens. I hope they will try to make some larger and more ambitious pens in vintage style, provided they can bring the quality up a bit and capture more of the expressive writing qualities of the originals.

Edited April 13, 2018 by BlueJ

[UDog]

@UDog, I believe rhitee93 ordered from PW Akkerman, hence the use of the Dutch Masters Ink. Thats also where Stephen and Azizah got their review pen. There is a link above.

 

You know, sometimes it actually pays to read. Thanks nibl.