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Posting Skyline Scratches Body


tleek

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Does anyone know a fix for this? I bought a nicely polished Skyline on eBay and posting the cap is really tearing it up. Its tough to see in the picture but the scratches are only on one part of the body. I always post my cap with the clip lined up with the nib. They are worse in real life than the pics.

 

Thanks!

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Other than wrapping it with something protective like scotch tape, no. Even so, eventually the body can become deformed if you post hard, even if the tape protects it from being scratched.

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Posting a Skyline is never a good idea, in my opinion.

 

You scratch the body, you take the plating off the lever and you easily crack the cap.

 

There are some pens that are meant for posting, but most are not.

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I thought the skyline was meant to be posted. It just posts so deeply and balances so well. All the plating is gone from about half of the lever I’m assuming from previous owners posting.

 

I think I am posting a little hard. About as far as I can get it.

I’m too used to modern pens that I don’t mind scratching up a little, and that have durable finishes.

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I thought the skyline was meant to be posted. It just posts so deeply and balances so well. All the plating is gone from about half of the lever I’m assuming from previous owners posting.

 

I think I am posting a little hard. About as far as I can get it.

I’m too used to modern pens that I don’t mind scratching up a little, and that have durable finishes.

Yup. That´s exactly why the plating is gone.

 

 

@crescentfiller: Because they get scratched up from being posted. What source do I need? Does "I have seen a whole lot of scratched up pens" suffice?

Yes, there are pens built for posting, I even own one. I also own pens that were designed not to be postable. And I own pens that can theoretically be posted if you want to scratch them, immediately or in the long run. Which means for me: They are not REALLY meant to be posted, although you CAN do it.

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Yup. That´s exactly why the plating is gone.

 

 

@crescentfiller: Because they get scratched up from being posted. What source do I need? Does "I have seen a whole lot of scratched up pens" suffice?

Yes, there are pens built for posting, I even own one. I also own pens that were designed not to be postable. And I own pens that can theoretically be posted if you want to scratch them, immediately or in the long run. Which means for me: They are not REALLY meant to be posted, although you CAN do it.

 

 

Whoa! Relax there and ease up on the caps lock! I didn't say pens cannot be scratched by posting. And you didn't say "which means for me."

You claimed that "most pens" are "not meant" for posting. I wondered and still wonder how you can know what Eversharp (or "most" pen manufacturers) "meant" when they designed their pens. Hence my request for proof or documentation.

Even the most cursory glance at period advertisements reveals that "most" pens are shown posted when in use.

Again, I am not claiming that posting cannot sometimes, with some pens, result in scratches; however, I am stating that you need some proof to assert that they were not "meant" to be posted.

I guess Eversharp forgot to tell Walt that his Skyline was not meant to be posted......

https://www.thepenmarket.com/vintage-pens-blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Walt-Disney-Shills-Eversharp.jpg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1945-PAPER-AD-Eversharp-Wearever-Fountain-Pen-Presentation-Skyline-Sixty-Four/312101197657?hash=item48aaae5759:g:lKoAAOSwBnZawjtW

Edited by crescentfiller
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I think the skyline had to have been designed with posting in mind. The tapered body sits deep in the cap and the balance is perfect. It’s unfortunate it gets scratched up.

 

My example isn’t rare, the clip isn’t in the greatest shape, and it’s one of my favorite writing pens. Honestly I’ll probably live with the scratches and keep posting, but I would really hate to ruin it. Wishing there was a way to gently smooth things out inside the cap.

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Whoa! Relax there and ease up on the caps lock! I didn't say pens cannot be scratched by posting. And you didn't say "which means for me."

First, there is no need to tell me to "ease up" on the caps lock. I emphasized two words, nothing more. I could also have underlined them. And in my opinion that´s obvious regarding the context.

Second, we could start now a philosopical discussion if one can ever talk about anything other than one´s personal view on whatever. Which we won´t.

Third, if you read my first posting again, there is an "in my opinion" right there in the first sentence. I didn´t know I had to repeat it at the end of each and every sentence.

Last, I don´t know what the manufacturers meant to do. But in my opinion anything that gets damaged by a certain form of use obviously isn´t meant to be used like that, regardless of what the manufacturer intended.

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I think the skyline had to have been designed with posting in mind. The tapered body sits deep in the cap and the balance is perfect. It’s unfortunate it gets scratched up.

 

My example isn’t rare, the clip isn’t in the greatest shape, and it’s one of my favorite writing pens. Honestly I’ll probably live with the scratches and keep posting, but I would really hate to ruin it. Wishing there was a way to gently smooth things out inside the cap.

Unfortunately I doubt you can make the cap stop scratching your pen. As the plating on the lever is already gone and the pen scratched you can probably keep posting without doing a lot of harm. I would just suggest that you don´t post the cap with too much force as the pen's shape makes it easy to shove it too deeply into the cap and then crack the cap.

 

What´s funny is that my impression of the Skylines is the exact opposite of yours. To me, they are perfectly balanced without being posted. If posted, they are too heavy for me at the non-writing end, the standard sized ones just as the demis.

And although I find the demis a little too small for me to write them comfortably for more than just a few lines, this can´t be remedied by posting them, because the problem is not that they are too short, it´s the diameter of the section.

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Unfortunately I doubt you can make the cap stop scratching your pen. As the plating on the lever is already gone and the pen scratched you can probably keep posting without doing a lot of harm. I would just suggest that you don´t post the cap with too much force as the pen's shape makes it easy to shove it too deeply into the cap and then crack the cap.

 

What´s funny is that my impression of the Skylines is the exact opposite of yours. To me, they are perfectly balanced without being posted. If posted, they are too heavy for me at the non-writing end, the standard sized ones just as the demis.

And although I find the demis a little too small for me to write them comfortably for more than just a few lines, this can´t be remedied by posting them, because the problem is not that they are too short, it´s the diameter of the section.

That is good advice. I need to stop jamming it in there.

The cap on my only skyline is plastic, so it’s not very heavy at all. I am looking for a burgundy skyline with a presentation cap though. maybe the metal adds enough weight to make it back heavy.

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I have got both, caps with plastic derby and also ones with metal derby. The metal ones are a bit heavier, but to me the pens are already with the plastic derby off balance. I would like to hear what you think of it when you get the pen you are looking for.

 

By "burgundy" I suppose you mean the Dubonnet Red. (http://www.richardspens.com/ref/profiles/skyline.htm)

 

Are you looking for the completely Dubonnet Red Skyline (pen and cap) or the Dubonnet Red pen with striped cap?

 

I have a pen and pencil set of the red pen with the red and green striped cap, broad cap band and golden derby. I had thought for quite some time that I only liked the Moiré (or Modern Stripe) ones, but when I came across that red and green beauty I just couldn´t resist. And the Dubonnet Red is an absolutely wonderful colour, a deep dark red, sometimes looking almost black, but starting to glow in a kind of velvety dark red when I sit at my writing desk and the desk lamp shines on it.

 

In any case, I wish you good luck for your search and hope you will be able to find a nice specimen.

 

 

20200914_144440.jpg

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The sections on my demis and my regular size Skylines measure the same with a micrometer, 10.12 mm at the widest point just in front of the threads, and 9.10 mm at the narrowest point. (Executives are about 0.55 mm thicker at both points.)

 

I too thought that Skylines especially were intended to be used posted, because of how deeply and securely they post; I thought they were more comfortable to write with that way, and I never felt any issue with back-weighting. Trying some in the hand just now, it looks like I don't have to post them in order to be able to write with them comfortably, not even the demis. Looks like it's time for me to ink up one of my demis to test out this theory with actual writing.

 

Side Note: A word about posting style (and what follows is strictly my very humble opinion): some posters write as if they are laying down the law. Even when they put "in my opinion" in one part of a post, other parts are phrased as if they are the definitive last word. I believe many of these posters are not aware of how some of their posts come across. This tone can raise the hackles of some readers, in some cases enough to make them snap in the reply. There are a lot of ways to soften this tone (observe the previous sentence for a couple), and I recommend this approach highly. I also recommend to responders a soft response even through your raised hackles. Personally, I hate unnecessarily adversarial posting styles on this board. End of sermon.

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The sections on my demis and my regular size Skylines measure the same with a micrometer, 10.12 mm at the widest point just in front of the threads, and 9.10 mm at the narrowest point. (Executives are about 0.55 mm thicker at both points.)

 

...

 

Side Note: A word about posting style (and what follows is strictly my very humble opinion): some posters write as if they are laying down the law. Even when they put "in my opinion" in one part of a post, other parts are phrased as if they are the definitive last word. I believe many of these posters are not aware of how some of their posts come across. This tone can raise the hackles of some readers, in some cases enough to make them snap in the reply. There are a lot of ways to soften this tone (observe the previous sentence for a couple), and I recommend this approach highly. I also recommend to responders a soft response even through your raised hackles. Personally, I hate unnecessarily adversarial posting styles on this board. End of sermon.

I just checked the sections of my demis and the regular sized Skylines once more. I haven´t got anything here to measure them to the micrometer but the sections of the demis definitely feel smaller when I hold them in my hand. Looking closely I find it possible that this feeling isn´t caused by the absolute width of the sections but by the relative width. I hope, I can explain what I mean by that. The sections on the demis are shorter than those on the regular sized Skylines. The part bordering on the feed and nib seems to be mostly the same with both sizes. The (significantly broader) part bordering on the pen body is a lot shorter on the demi. So when I grip the pen, there is more of the section´s broader part between my fingers, when I hold a regular sized Skyline. I suppose that´s why the demi feels slimmer although the diameter is roughly the same when measured at a certain point.

 

Your side note about "laying down the law" seems to be directed at me, at least that´s what I conclude from the "in my opinion" part, so I will answer to it.

I am not trying to lay down any law. I was just stating something that seemed rather obvious to me, seeing the damage (something that my counterpart has done in a different thread in very much the same fashion, I may add, without getting asked about proof and source). You may be right with the "not realizing how that comes across" part. I am not an English native speaker and I am pretty sure there are nuances that escape me completely. By now, I am under the impression that one has to be a lot more intent on stating personal views VERY carefully and tentatively in English than in German (or maybe I should say in Austrian German as there are again differences). In a German conversation the answer to my statement would probably have been "Well, I disagree." as it would have been sufficiently recognized as an opinion. My intention was in no way to step on anyones toes by laying down a law and the response felt very much undeserved, unfriendly and also condescending. Hence the reaction.

 

Edited by carola
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I never post any of my pens, as the body will eventually get scratched if I do so.

+1

 

And automobiles are intended by the manufacturers to dive on the road.

But if you do, tires will wear and eventually need to be replaced.

Other parts will wear, but at different rates.

If you buy pens and never use them they will never wear.

Any use beyond "none" will cause parts to wear.

I have pens that have the gold plating worn off their barrels due to posting.

I never post.

If a pen does not "balance" well without posting I will buy something else.

[iMHO, some of the ugliest pens are those that have threads on the ends away from the nibs so the cap can be screwed onto that end as well to post!]

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I really hope there are no hurt feelings from this. In the end we are talking about putting caps on pens and it really isnt a big deal. There shouldnt be room here for anything but friendly argument so lets just move on ;)

 

I used my own ubposted to see how it felt today. And it was fine, but if Im writing more than quick notes Ill keep posting it on this model.

 

I missed my chance on a red skyline with presentation cap. One sold on eBay in great condition yesterday for about $130. I did pick up a new sheaffer triumph 1250, but I will eventually get a red skyline. I want this exact one from this ad in my hallway, but if I found a rarer model with longitudinal lines I wouldnt necessarily say no.

6D883949-EF69-4ED5-9253-CC160F8AD8A3.jpeg

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Ah, so it´s the golden cap for you, not the plastic cap with golden derby, I misunderstood that evidently.

 

What a pity you missed the one yesterday! But there will come one your way and find you. ;)

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Your side note about "laying down the law" seems to be directed at me, at least that´s what I conclude from the "in my opinion" part, so I will answer to it.

I am not trying to lay down any law. I was just stating something that seemed rather obvious to me, seeing the damage (something that my counterpart has done in a different thread in very much the same fashion, I may add, without getting asked about proof and source). You may be right with the "not realizing how that comes across" part.

 

 

 

Despite the "in my opinion" qualifier, when you write that a pen was not "meant" to be posted, you are indicating that you know what the designer/manufacturer intended. Unless you have some kind of access to that information, or some source to back it up, the statement is meaningless, or rather, misleading. Now, if you say, "In my opinion, no pen should ever be posted," then it is merely your opinion and it cannot be disputed. Frankly, I don't care if anyone posts or doesn't post a pen. It is none of my business. However, when someone asserts that they have access to the intentions of the designer/manufacturer, then I'd like to see the evidence to support the claim. As the contemporaneous advertising for most fountain pens shows, and as I tried to show with just two examples, the designers/manufacturers seemed to suggest that pens could or would be posted when used. Nowhere, to my knowledge, do they say they must be posted, nor do they say they must not be. But, advertisements tend to show the pens posted when in use and often when displayed.

 

As for tone, it can indeed be difficult to interpret or regulate from one language to another.

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Your side note about "laying down the law" seems to be directed at me, at least that´s what I conclude from the "in my opinion" part, so I will answer to it.

I am not trying to lay down any law. I was just stating something that seemed rather obvious to me, seeing the damage (something that my counterpart has done in a different thread in very much the same fashion, I may add, without getting asked about proof and source). You may be right with the "not realizing how that comes across" part. I am not an English native speaker and I am pretty sure there are nuances that escape me completely. By now, I am under the impression that one has to be a lot more intent on stating personal views VERY carefully and tentatively in English than in German (or maybe I should say in Austrian German as there are again differences). In a German conversation the answer to my statement would probably have been "Well, I disagree." as it would have been sufficiently recognized as an opinion. My intention was in no way to step on anyones toes by laying down a law...

 

Thank you, you make an excellent point about nuances of tone for non-native speakers, and I should have considered that in my remarks.

 

the response felt very much undeserved, unfriendly and also condescending.

 

I don't disagree with this.

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