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Edison Glenmont Bulb-filler


tonybelding

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This review is for my first fountain pen from Edison Pen Company: a made-to-order Edison Glenmont bulb-filler!

 

The buying experience with Edison begins long before opening the box. I looked at a lot of pens on Edison's website and read a lot of reviews here on FPN as I pondered the many, many options that are available. Having so many possibilities can be almost paralyzing and actually make it hard to "pull the trigger" and place an order.

 

Brian is also willing to work with a buyer to come up with things that he hasn't made before and aren't seen on his website. In my case, however, there wasn't a lot of back-and-forth with him, because I was happy to choose options from the website. He did answer a few questions and make a couple of suggestions for me.

 

I pulled together a lot of ideas and personal preferences before settling on an Edison Glenmont in neon-swirl acrylic, bulb-filler with a large, amber window, and a steel nib ground to a 0.8mm oblique stub. The nib is gold plated, but I chose steel because I'm convinced that modern steel nibs are excellent, and a gold nib is merely an anachronistic affectation. It also meant that if I didn't like the nib and wanted to get another, I wouldn't be out as much money. These pens use an Esterbrook-like nib-and-feed module, so nibs are easily interchanged.

 

This was my first bulb-filler. I'd seen them before on the Edison website but hadn't paid much attention until after the New Postal pen was introduced. A large, fully visible supply of ink seemed like a good idea, while being more convenient -- and more interesting -- than an eyedropper pen.

 

Brian informed me that I could send him a pen and he would grind a nib to emulate (or "mimic") it. I sent him an Esterbrook J with a 9314F "fine relief stub", which is one of my favorite stubs.

 

I've always been attracted to plastics with flakes, swirly patterns, etc. At the same time, I didn't want this pen to look like a toy. There should be some semblance of dignity. I settled on an acrylic with a bright orange streak swirled through a pearly black matrix, plus an amber ink window and gold trim. The result might be fairly called my Halloween Pen, although that wasn't what I was thinking of when I planned and ordered it.

 

When my turn came up in the queue, Brian sent me an email and told me he was going to make the pen that day. I assumed I'd get to watch the pen being made via his webcam, but he never did tell me what time he was going to work on it. I tried checking the webcam during the day, but never found it turned on. I didn't know anything until the next evening when I got another email saying my pen had been made. I was left a bit puzzled and disappointed. What happened? In retrospect, I assume if I'd told him I was interested in watching, he would have invited me. I just didn't know this was something I had to ask for.

 

The pen came in a zip-lock bag, in a foam padded pouch. No box. That's OK, I wasn't buying a box. I also got my Esterbrook back, along with a writing sample from both nibs, and they sure looked identical on the paper.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/edison_glenmont_01.jpg

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/edison_glenmont_02.jpg

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/edison_glenmont_03.jpg

 

 

The photos Brian had already sent showed a handsome pen, but nothing really "special" compared with other pens on his website. He does a fantastic job of photographing them, and it seemed like he could make any pen look fabulous. So, I was a bit worried about whether the pen would look that good when I got it in my hands. Ha!

 

As it turns out, Brian's photos captured barely a hint of the luster in the black acrylic or the vibrancy of the orange swirl. Black objects are always difficult subjects for photography (Just ask the owner of a black cat!), and putting one in front of a white background makes it worse. So, I tried putting the pen on a black background in with sunlight, and managed to capture some of the sparkles. I also rather like the way orange light sometimes glints around the sides of the ink window when it's full of black ink. (I decided Heart of Darkness is a good match for this one!)

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/edison_glenmont_04.jpg

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/edison_glenmont_05.jpg

 

The acrylic is very pretty. It does have an odor. . . I rather enjoy the rubbery smell of fresh ebonite pens and the camphor smell of celluloid pens. I'm not so thrilled with the faint whiff of scorched plastic when I uncap the Glenmont. I trust that this will fade over time.

 

In terms of fit-and-finish the pen's overall appearance is quite good. It's only when I look very closely that I see a couple of tiny "flea bites" in the ink window and a pattern of micro-scratches on the cap. The blind cap is threaded a bit eccentrically so that it "wobbles" when screwing on or off, but it does come to rest in the closed position aligned smoothly with the rest of the pen. Some might find these flaws irksome in a $390 pen. But then again, it's all hand-made. The quirks, as long as they are small (and they definitely are), add character.

 

I loved the look of the pen, but how would it write? I inked it up with Noodler's Legal Lapis. The filling process was, as I expected, a bit slow but convenient enough. Squeezing and releasing the bulb is a gentle, easy action to perform while holding the pen in the ink bottle.

 

I hadn't made it through a page when I noticed the pen writing wetter and wetter. I picked the pen up to peer into the ink window. The ink level had dropped. Where was the ink going? Just then a drop blurted out from the nib and fell onto my paper. Aha! That's where it was going!

 

After a brief moment wondering if I had a defective pen, I remembered that my Reform Czar, one of my favorite pens for many years, sometimes does exactly the same thing if I neglect to blot excess ink from the feed after filling it. Had I blotted the Glenmont? I'm guessing not. In several weeks of using the pen that have followed, the incident has not been repeated, so I can fairly close the book on that.

 

The bulb filling mechanism is actually a relative of the Parker Vacumatic. The principles are the same, but Parker hid the bulb inside the pen and connected it to a plunger which the user manipulated in order to fill the pen. Leaving the bulb exposed so the user can squeeze it seems a lot more efficient and sensible to me. It means the bulb can be examined and is easily replaced should it ever prove necessary. If you're wondering what it's like to flush the pen and change inks. . . Well, it's a pain in the neck if you use the bulb to pump water in and out! Fortunately, you can unscrew the barrel and section to access the interior of the pen (just like an eyedropper pen) which makes cleaning a snap. The pen also came with a small vial of silicone grease to put on the threads when reassembling the pen, to ensure it doesn't leak. That's a nice touch.

 

The customized nib has been excellent so far. Although Brian's writing sample with both nibs had looked identical, I find it performs somewhat differently in my hand. I am getting sharper line variation with the Edison, and the nib feels a bit soft on the page (the Esterbrook is very firm). Its "sweet spot" may possibly be smaller than the Esterbrook, but the Edison feels smoother when I get onto that spot.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/edison_glenmont_writing_sample.jpg

 

Upon close examination of the tip, it looked at first as though the tines were misaligned with one sitting higher than the other. Turning it over and putting the loupe on it revealed that they are aligned where it counts, at the writing surface. I'm assuming that this peculiar configuration is a side effect of taking a standard nib and transforming it into an oblique.

 

I should note that this is a large pen. It's similar in girth to my Aurora Talentum (a notoriously beefy pen) and about a quarter inch longer! It doesn't fit comfortably in my Mignon leather pouch, and I've had some difficulty coming up with a pouch that accommodates it. A pen this size is sure impressive to look at, and is comfortable to use un-posted (as is my habit), but it can be a bit awkward to carry about.

 

My conclusion: Everything I've heard about Edison Pens is true. The level of service is unique, as far as I know, in the pen world. The pen is fantastic in its beauty, its novel filling method, and the way it writes. Although not an inexpensive pen (mine worked out to an even $400 with shipping), it's a heck of a value for what you get. I'd take it over yet another generic Meisterstück or Souverän any day.

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That is STUNNING. Making me more impatient for the one I just ordered. That orange and black is gorgeous. Although I would never call it a Halloween pen.

 

...just... WOW.

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I've seen that neon swirl material before and it's stunning - very good choice!

 

With regard to the tiny flea-bites - they might have been made by the engraver and Brian didn't notice them when the pen was returned to him. He can usually polish them out if you return the pen. But sometimes it's hard to give up the pen for even a short time!

 

I think you've got a wonderful pen there -- congratulations and enjoy! HP

The sky IS falling. C. Little

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//The pen came in a zip-lock bag, in a foam padded pouch. No box. That's OK, I wasn't buying a box. I also got my Esterbrook back, along with a writing sample from both nibs, and they sure looked identical on the paper.//

 

Tony - please send your address, and I'll ship a presentation box to you.

 

All of my pens come with a presentation box.

 

Each week, I ship plenty of retail pens, but I also ship repairs, and also pens for nib work.

 

Somehow, your pen was categorized as a repair pen, and did not get shipped in a presentation box.

 

There was a mistake made in my "shipping department" :)

 

I'll send a presentation box to you, no problem.

 

My apologies.

 

BG

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Great looking piece of work, guys!

 

Tony, I'd only take issue with you on one thing with that pen. Forget that Heart of Darkness stuff...yeah, it's the best black ever (from where I'm sitting, at any rate), but black is overdone. You need to put some J. Herbin Orange Indien in that thing and let the accent color do the talking! :)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1118/726404937_328386ddc6_o.jpg

Brassing Adds Character: Available by clicking on my signature.

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Great looking piece of work, guys!

 

Tony, I'd only take issue with you on one thing with that pen. Forget that Heart of Darkness stuff...yeah, it's the best black ever (from where I'm sitting, at any rate), but black is overdone. You need to put some J. Herbin Orange Indien in that thing and let the accent color do the talking! :)

 

+1 :thumbup:

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Beautiful pen and review.

 

Edison pens truely are special ... I absolutely adore my Pearl bulb filler.

 

Your own photos of the Acrylic demonstrate a beautiful lustre. As to the nib tine alignments, what is important is how the pen writes. If you're satisfied it writes perfectly, that's all that has to be said about it. Brian has excellent customer service and if you have any issues with the nib, need a clean/polish at some stage, just contact him and by accounts on FPN, his aftersales service is exceptional - i.e. he'd probably do it complimentary minus shipping.

 

Mine came in a standard clam shell presentation box. A nice touch - but you're right, you pay for the pen and service - I'm glad my box wasn't as flash as a MB 149 or Visconti box.

 

I asked specifically for my time on the videostream ... oh well ... you can always order another pen and watch that one! ;)

In Rotation: MB 146 (EF), Noodler's Ahab bumblebee, Edison Pearl (F), Sailor ProGear (N-MF)

In storage: MB 149 (18k EF), TWSBI 540 (B), ST Dupont Olympio XL (EF), MB Dumas (B stub), Waterman Preface (ST), Edison Pearl (0.5mm CI), Noodler's Ahab clear, Pilot VP (M), Danitrio Densho (F), Aurora Optima (F), Lamy 2000 (F), Visconti Homo Sapiens (stub)

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the acrylic barrel looks amazing, though I'm not a fan of the clear filling section, it just contrasts too much with the rest of the pen

 

my two cents

 

James

I'm a little hot potato right meow

"no they are not making littler ponies, they are EMBRACING"

I opened a box of cheerios and planted them. I thought they were doughnut seeds. They didn't sprout :( (joke of the week)

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Great looking piece of work, guys!

 

Tony, I'd only take issue with you on one thing with that pen. Forget that Heart of Darkness stuff...yeah, it's the best black ever (from where I'm sitting, at any rate), but black is overdone. You need to put some J. Herbin Orange Indien in that thing and let the accent color do the talking! :)

 

Another +1. That was my first thought when I saw Tony's pics.

 

That's one gorgeous pen!

read, write, grade essays, repeat

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the acrylic barrel looks amazing, though I'm not a fan of the clear filling section, it just contrasts too much with the rest of the pen

 

I thought about that, but I think filling it with ink makes all the difference. (Especially HoD!)

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if only Brian could dye and paint stripes (or whatever barrel design you might have) so the clear sections would blend more with the rest of the design yet remain translucent so you can see the ink swishing in it

I'm a little hot potato right meow

"no they are not making littler ponies, they are EMBRACING"

I opened a box of cheerios and planted them. I thought they were doughnut seeds. They didn't sprout :( (joke of the week)

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if only Brian could dye and paint stripes (or whatever barrel design you might have) so the clear sections would blend more with the rest of the design yet remain translucent so you can see the ink swishing in it

 

I like it the way it is. But if this really concerned you, then you could get the whole pen made out of a transparent or translucent material with a swirl running through it. That would be cool as an eyedropper pen, wouldn't it? Something like. . .

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edisonpenco/4135522755/

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It's all a matter of opinion -- and I like the transparent window! As you say, you have to consider it with the ink in the pen -- after all, isn't that how it appears in use? The HoD looks great in there!!

 

BTW, I've seen that swirled material with brown ink in it, and it looks really nice, too. As would that tortoise material. HP

The sky IS falling. C. Little

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I don't think of it as a Halloween pen at all. Rather, it's a Hendrix College pen! (My school's colors are orange and black.) :roflmho:

 

In all seriousness, though, I think that it's an amazing choice for the Glenmont body style, even without my bias for the orange and black. :thumbup:

-irbyls

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Very, very nice pen. That is simply stunning! I'm sure you'll find years of enjoyment out of that fine writing instrument.

Need a pen repaired or a nib re-ground? I'd love to help you out.

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Colossians 3:17 - And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

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have an ebonite Pearl that I love -- and am thinking seriously of getting a Huron in the Black-Orange swirl next....as soon as finances and the Significant Other will allow......

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A wonderful pen and a wonderful review that makes one feel they experienced the pen first hand.

When you mentioned Halloween, I hadn't seen the picture and expected something really loud, but this is just a perfect balance of different and subtle.

You have me thinking about a similar purchase now, since I am on the hunt for a bulb filler like this too.

All the best, and enjoy your new pen!

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You have me thinking about a similar purchase now, since I am on the hunt for a bulb filler like this too.

 

The more experience I get with the bulb-filler, the more I like it. I'd even go so far as to call it my favorite filling method now.

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