Waterman 7 Pink 14Kt Vs 18Kt

[fountainpen51]

I'm curious about this, does anyone know anything about it? Maybe the 14kt were made before the 18kt ones?

I have a 14kt and an 18kt on the way, so I know it's better to flex a 14kt since it will keep the shape whenever it is properly used, but what about the 18kt? Will it resemble "soft nib" Pelikan M1000 style instead of "real flex"?

[Bo Bo Olson]

Richard Binder said, he'd run into vintage 18K nibs that were as good with flex as anything else. They used different alloys back then.

That probably had nothing to do with the Waterman Pink nib.

There was a very good thread, that I forgot to link, where a fine poster brought some information to us, that Waterman in the '30's was not interested in tine spread, looking for @ 3X tine spread, but were more interested in tine bend.

So it could be quite possible that everyone with a '30's Waterman is stressing the nib, be it Pink or what ever.

 

Perhaps you are right that the 14k is different than the 18k Pink....in there have been posts where disappointment was aired, that their Pink nib was not near the heavenly as hoped. I don't recall any comments to if 14 or 18k.

 

A 1000 is either a semi-flex or a nice regular flex nib.....not a 'soft' nib at all. I tested a 1000 with a semi-flex pen I brought with me...that one was semi-flex.

The one I won in a live auction is regular flex, like the '82-97 400 or the modern 200.

 

When I was a child, back in B&W TV days, companies like Esterbrook, Sheaffer or even Wearever made regular flex nibs............they were often the regular issue.

 

Today.....the term regular flex, seems unknown nearly........so soft is used in some Japanese nibs may be regular flex, and call that 'soft'.

It is and was my impression, 'soft' nibs are somewhat mushy.............which is not the case in regular or semi-flex.

[fountainpen51]

It would be interesting to know if they choose 14k or 18k intentionally or maybe, a bit randomly? Same time? When I arrive I will try it and compare it with the 14k that I have here.

[FarmBoy]

Canadian?

[Honeybadgers]

from what I know, the waterman "pink" was called that because they were all extremely flexible.

[fountainpen51]

Canadian?

In the description it says USA, Another issue is that if they had already done it in another place with the name of USA.

 

 

 

from what I know, the waterman "pink" was called that because they were all extremely flexible.

Yes, they are good flexible, this is already depends on the tastes of each one. At least the ones I have are not wet noodles, superflex with a very good snapback, yes.

Edited September 1, 2018 by fountainpen51

[fountainpen51]

A photo with the pattern.

[Vintagepens]

The 18K nibs were made for pens exported to countries using a minimum 18K standard for gold hallmarking. This was most commonly France, along with its territories. In the photo above you can see the French gold hallmark. Waterman nibs in 18K predating WW2 were made in the USA; I don't recall seeing any Canadian-made examples.

[Vintagepens]

As noted by Bo Bo Olsen above, most flex enthusiasts nowadays are pushing their vintage nibs far beyond their intended range of deflection. No surprise that so many of these nibs soon develop cracks.

 

Discussion of this here: http://vintagepensblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/seeking-and-using-flexible-nibs.html

[fountainpen51]

The 18K nibs were made for pens exported to countries using a minimum 18K standard for gold hallmarking. This was most commonly France, along with its territories. In the photo above you can see the French gold hallmark. Waterman nibs in 18K predating WW2 were made in the USA; I don't recall seeing any Canadian-made examples.

Thanks for this data, I thought it would be some random way to produce or test different nibs.

 

As noted by Bo Bo Olsen above, most flex enthusiasts nowadays are pushing their vintage nibs far beyond their intended range of deflection. No surprise that so many of these nibs soon develop cracks.

 

Discussion of this here: http://vintagepensblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/seeking-and-using-flexible-nibs.html

I agree with this, I do not usually wear my vintage nibs more than 1mm. I prefer to preserve them and take metal nib to "Infernal eights". Just yesterday I received a Waterman network 7 with a crack in the hole ...

[Bo Bo Olson]

Great link......Discussion of this here: http://vintagepensbl...xible-nibs.html

 

 

Well, that a Wet Noodle should be soft and unresponsive it not the way I learned of them....a long time ago here on the com....when I though I'd never be able to afford even one of them. Easy tine spread, yes, but spring back was expected............snapback wished by those who can write.

I have 4 or so 'wet noodles' now....and as Mauricio says, there sure is variance with in Superflex, as I notice more with in the Wet Noodle; than the start of superflex; Easy Full Flex nibs I have.

 

Sadly I just scribble, I'm much to lazy to learn how to write. The scribbles are nice, but there is no organization and I do have to crack the dust rusted shut book to do fancy.

Edited September 2, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson