Stipula Etruria 991

[smudgy]

or... two of my favorite things!

 

Originally I took these pictures for a review, but find that there's not much to say beyond Wim's multiple posts on the subject. Great pen - and much prettier in your hand than in any picture! I'm glad I bought it.

 

Pictures taken on vacuum sealed chunks of Wilbur chocolate, from my huge Christmas bar!

http://webpages.charter.net/butrfli425/991uncapped%20pen.jpg

 

 

http://webpages.charter.net/butrfli425/991pen%20capped.jpg

 

 

About this next one, I do want to ask anyone who has a 991: does your pen also have this little gap where the barrel and nib section meet (I know it's probably not called "nib section," but I don't know the proper terminology- duh)? Normal?

http://webpages.charter.net/butrfli425/space.jpg

 

The imprint (mine is #485 / 991) - not very clear in the photo, and the tiny "made in Italy" is completely lost in this picture:

http://webpages.charter.net/butrfli425/imprint.jpg

 

And, for the finale, the nib (fine):

http://webpages.charter.net/butrfli425/991nib.jpg

[grasshopper]

OK! OK! That's it!! :bonk:

 

I'm going down to finish off whatever chocolate we have left in the fridge, and I'm adding an Etruria to my list of must-buy pens. You, Roger, Wim... talk about brainwashing!!!

 

(Great pics, by the way, Vanessa!! )

[Leslie J.]

Yeah, I think all the reviews and Wim's constant enthusiasm over these pens, has made me add one to my wish list. It now consists of one pen. They are gorgeous pens, and seem to be of high quality and finish. But how does it *write*?

[kathywc]

must find chocolate.....must find chocolate........

 

kathy wc

[grasshopper]

Yeah, I think all the reviews and Wim's constant enthusiasm over these pens, has made me add one to my wish list. It now consists of one pen.  They are gorgeous pens, and seem to be of high quality and finish. But how does it *write*?

(whispering loudly) Leslie!! ... Sssshhhhhhh!! ... Don't ask! ... It'll be more brainwashing!! :ph34r: (grasshopper tiptoeing backwards)

[Roger]

Vanessa: Mine has the little gap, also. I hadn't realized it until you showed it. It's not easily noticed because it nestles right up to the threads and the gap is about as wide as a single thread.

 

Now, guys and gals...be assured that it is a beautiful piece of eye candy, has a pleasant "heft" to it, AND writes like a dream! So, get over to Susanna's site: http://www.pens.it/pens.htm?_sales.htm and order that baby before they run out. Much as I like doing business with Chuck Swisher, Susanna's price of €229.00 is far better than anything offered in the U.S. at this time. (Though I have seen them on eBay)

[wimg]

Very nice pics, Vanessa!

 

This is the first time I see the colours in a picture as they really are. Even the golden brown bits show up nicely. Of course, it still looks better in real life , as the depth in the celluloid can only be appreciated that way.

 

Regarding the gap between barrel and section: I haven´t seen this before, and I can´t check it right now. It is the first time in a long period that I only have 3 pens with me at work (only half a day), because I had to put a few heavy books in my case.

 

As far as I can remember, there shouldn´t be a gap. Are you sure the big piston converter is stuck in right to the end of its travel?

 

I´ll check later tonight, experiment a bit, and report back. After all, I have 3 of them beauties...

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi Leslie,

Yeah, I think all the reviews and Wim's constant enthusiasm over these pens, has made me add one to my wish list. It now consists of one pen.  They are gorgeous pens, and seem to be of high quality and finish. But how does it *write*?

Like magic .

Because of the nib´s springiness, it is an absolute pleasure to write with. Great, pleasant feedback, without scratchiness. A luxurious feeling, if there exists such a thing . And the choice of nibs is more than outstanding; there are 10 different ones (XF, F, M, B, 52 degree, OB, OBB, 0.9 italic, 1.1 italic, 1.3 italic).

 

Of course, the springiness makes it a fairly slow writer, although that is relative. I manage about 7 pages per hour with my Edson M, and about 6 with my Stip M. Italics go a little slower still.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Ok, report back time!

 

I checked all of my Etrurias with big piston converters, whether they are 991s or other (the 991s have different converters).

 

They all close properly, completely. However, you do have to stick the big converter in properly, into the receiving slot in the barrel. Some of my converters really seem to click in, or only move in with a little difficulty, especially at first. Especially the ones that click in or move in with a little difficulty, do leave a little gap between barrel and section if you don't seat them properly. However, turning a little more solves the problem on mine, provided the piston button on the converter is positioned properly for the slot. If it isn't, it just won't close. This means the "thread" on the converter bottom end, should stick no more than about 3 mm from the barrel.

 

So, stick those converters in the whole way, and you should have no gap. I have 5 big piston converter Etrurias, of which 3 991s, and handled quite a few more (several dozens), and I have never noticed this gap. If you still do see a gap after seating it properly, and turning it tight onto the section, send it back to where it came from. It just shouldn't.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

must find chocolate.....must find chocolate........

 

kathy wc

Hi Kathy,

 

Don't forget the fudge and honey either...

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Karin]

Hi Wim,

So glad to see you back on the boards. I missed you a lot

I have been enjoying my Stipula Ventidue very, very much. It's a lovely pen and it still writes!!

I wonder what trouble I can get into at the Toronto pen show. Hmmmm, must buy chocolate.

 

Karin

 

:bunny1: :bunny1:

[smudgy]

Wim - thanks for the information about that gap! I didn't mess with the converter at all when I got it, so I assumed it was in there correctly. I'll have to fool with it once I'm done with this load of blue / black. Sure hope I can get it to sit down in there and close correctly, because I don't want to send my pen back!

 

Yeah, Leslie, you don't want to buy this pen. The way it writes... you would hate it. Who wants to feel like they are writing with a stick of butter? Or like they are writing on glass instead of paper? All those commonly used phrases about smoothness apply here. Sheesh... so boring.

 

 

Seriously, about how it writes - what Wim said.

[wimg]

Hi Wim,

So glad to see you back on the boards. I missed you a lot

I have been enjoying my Stipula Ventidue very, very much. It's a lovely pen and it still writes!!

I wonder what trouble I can get into at the Toronto pen show. Hmmmm, must buy chocolate.

 

Karin

 

:bunny1:  :bunny1:

Thank you Karin!

 

Missed you and the nice folks on FPN a lot, too!

 

The big advantage of buying chocolate is that it costs less than a pen...

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi Vanessa,

Wim - thanks for the information about that gap!  I didn't mess with the converter at all when I got it, so I assumed it was in there correctly.  I'll have to fool with it once I'm done with this load of blue / black.  Sure hope I can get it to sit down in there and close correctly, because I don't want to send my pen back! 

You can actually do it even with ink in the converter. That´s what I did when checking for the gap anyway . Honestly, no mess. The ink doesn´t really run out automatically when you unscrew the barrel or take out the converter. It has a little rubber seal which grips the upper end of the feed canal, so the hole in the big piston converter is just as small as the ones in a normal sized converter or cartridge, tiny IOW, so unless you shake it vigorously, no ink will come out.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[smudgy]

Wim, I took the converter out, popped it back in - mine goes in easily - pressed on it, twisted it this way and that - and I still have a gap. I seem to have made the gap smaller, but it's there if you look for it. You don't have even a teensy gap, none at all? Maybe yours are special and are the only ones without gaps! Just my wishful thinking... I just really don't want to send it back, but I guess I will if there's supposed to be zero gap at all.

 

Roger, did you get yours to close up?

 

ETA: On second thought, maybe I didn't make much progress. I took some close up pictures for comparison, and the amount of the gap in the new pictures doesn't really look different than the original one above. I can't get the converter to go in any farther - definitely not down to the 1/10 of an inch that you say it should be, Wim!

Edited July 21, 2005 by smudgy

[Roger]

Wim, I took the converter out, popped it back in - mine goes in easily - pressed on it, twisted it this way and that - and I still have a gap.  I seem to have made the gap smaller, but it's there if you look for it.  You don't have even a teensy gap, none at all?  Maybe yours are special and are the only ones without gaps!  Just my wishful thinking... I just really don't want to send it back, but I guess I will if there's supposed to be zero gap at all.

 

Roger, did you get yours to close up?

 

ETA:  On second thought, maybe I didn't make much progress.  I took some close up pictures for comparison, and the amount of the gap in the new pictures doesn't really look different than the original one above.    I can't get the converter to go in any farther - definitely not down to the 1/10 of an inch that you say it should be, Wim!

My experience is exactly the same as yours, Vanessa. I definitely have the thing seated properly, as far as it will go; the gap, though tiny, still exists.

 

As mentioned, it is so slight that I hadn't even noticed it until you brought it up. After hearing of the caps that aren't truly interchangable, I'm about ready to conclude that dealing, as we are, with handmade and finished craft items, there will be not be the strict attention to tolerances that we expect from more mechanized manufacturing methods. We're getting used to digitalized procedures that laugh at tolerances that we previously thought were state of the art.

 

I very happy with it. It's beautiful, writes wonderfully and makes me all warm inside to handle it. I hate to generalize, but will, anyway. It reinforces my long held belief that Italians are lovers and artisans; they make lousy tanks!

[smudgy]

Thanks for the input, Roger. So I'm not the only one. Hmmm. Well, I emailed Susanna about it and directed her to this thread, so I'll wait to see what she says about it.

I'm very happy with mine, too, but feel like even on clearance it was quite a lot by my standards, and if it's supposed to close completely and doesn't...

[Susanna]

Hi all,

I didn't notice this gap as well, in any of the Etruria I sold; but I must say I didn't look for any gap especially.

At the moment I can't look at my pens left in stock, because the Shipping Dept is close.

I think that gap shouldn't be in, but I'd say you should probably fix it screwing the barrel better, couldn't you?

I'm asking Stipula for explanation, next Monday, and I'll keep you informed.

Please be patient few days more.

 

And please be confident that if defective, you can ship them back and have them substituted (or money back, if you prefer, of course). I'm sorry for the trouble.

[Bryan]

Hi all,

I didn't notice this gap as well, in any of the Etruria I sold; but I must say I didn't look for any gap especially.

At the moment I can't look at my pens left in stock, because the Shipping Dept is close.

I think that gap shouldn't be in, but I'd say you should probably fix it screwing the barrel better, couldn't you?

I'm asking Stipula for explanation, next Monday, and I'll keep you informed.

Please be patient few days more.

 

And please be confident that if defective, you can ship them back and have them substituted (or money back, if you prefer, of course). I'm sorry for the trouble.

Wow! Susanna it one great seller of fine writing instruments. Though I haven’t bought from her in the past, I wouldn't hesitate to buy from her in the future!

 

It's very obvious she stands behinds all the products she sells. What wonderful customer service she offers! This thread is a testament to that!

 

I applaud your efforts Susanna!

 

-Bryan

[smudgy]

Hi all,

I didn't notice this gap as well, in any of the Etruria I sold; but I must say I didn't look for any gap especially.

At the moment I can't look at my pens left in stock, because the Shipping Dept is close.

I think that gap shouldn't be in, but I'd say you should probably fix it screwing the barrel better, couldn't you?

I'm asking Stipula for explanation, next Monday, and I'll keep you informed.

Please be patient few days more.

 

And please be confident that if defective, you can ship them back and have them substituted (or money back, if you prefer, of course). I'm sorry for the trouble.

 

Thanks, Susanna - I emailed you, but thought I would also report publicly for anyone that was interested in this pen.

 

Susanna's suggestion about screwing the barrel better got me thinking about the way the two pieces connect. I was afraid to screw them together any tighter for fear of cracking the celluloid, but thought that maybe if the pieces were rotated in relation to each other, it might make a difference in the size of the gap? Since it was handmade, I thought that maybe it would matter how the two pieces were aligned. So, I just kept unscrewing and screwing back together again, rotating the barrel each time I tried. I finally seem to have gotten the best fit by aligning the nib with the imprint on the barrel and then screwing the two pieces together. There is still a gap, but it is so tiny that you have to be looking for it and holding it up to light to see the glint of metal underneath. Close enough for me!

 

Anyhow, thought I'd share - maybe it's nonsense, maybe it shouldn't work that way, maybe it's all in my head - but it's what worked for me.

 

(Oh, and yes, Bryan, I think Susanna has awesome customer service, too! I was initally hesitant to buy a pen from outside of the United States, but would buy from her again in a heartbeat. I wish every merchant was as concerned with their customers' satisfaction. )