Conway Stewart Churchill Celebration Le

[kaisede]

Conway Stewart Churchill Celebration LE

 

Introduction:

Two years ago I deicide that I was not going to buy another CS pen because I already owned two of the most attractive Conway Stewart pens made (my option). However, that decision made long ago started to fade when CS started to introduce interesting models, such as the Evolution and Chatsworth. Now two years later I ordered my third CS pen and here is the review.

 

Pen Construction:

Capped: 5 10/16”

Uncapped: 5 8/16”

Posted: 7 1/16”

 

It is a large pen only beaten by Visconti Opera Master Demo in my collection.

What surprises me is the weight of the pen. It is really light, without a scale, just using my hands to compare the weight I think it is close to my MB 145 !! I suspect that the lightweight also has something to do with the pen being a convertor filled rather than leverage filled. A bit hollow when you tap the barrel with your nail.

Even with its feather like weight the pen is solidly constructed, just like every CS pens I handled.

 

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t29/kaisede/Fountain%20Pens/DSC00918.jpg

 

The pattern engravings on the pen:

 

Beautifully executed because it is not too showy and yet you can see it from far. The tactile feel is different on the cap and the body. The cap is much more smoother than the body. When I inspected closely the engraving on the body seems to be deeper than the cap. When I run my fingers vertically against the engravings on the body I can feel the engraving, on the other hand, when I run my fingers on the cap it is close to running my fingers across solid resin. Another design I want to mention is the double gold rings near the nib unit. It is a very nice touch from CS.

 

Overall, the engraving of the pen does not hinder writing experience by making the pen uncomfortable to hold. It does add that unique design to take out the boringness of a black pen.

 

Nib “Italic Fine”:

 

Recently on the CS forum there are some discussions about the width and comparison between the IF, IM and IB. Now that I own all three italic nibs maybe I can put a few words to it. My Churchill, which has an IF, produces the same line variation as my Trafalgar (IM). At first it puzzled me a little but if you factor in other factors, such as ink flow, writing the same is not that far fetch.

However, there are differences between the IF, IM and IB. IF has much more of that springing feeling when you write compare to the others. And of course good wet ink flow. I will update this part later down the road when the IF nib sees more usage.

 

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t29/kaisede/Fountain%20Pens/DSC00916.jpg

 

Filling System “Convertor”:

 

Little needs to be said about convertor; they are easy to use and clean but lack ink capacity and authenticity. For the Churchill Celebration convertor is the only filling system available.

Unlike most other convertors this is a screw in type rather than fractional fit. The same type like the Mont Blanc’s. Piston fill is properly my primary choice because it holds much more inks than convertors, however, the downside is that piston tends to stiff up after a while.

To combat the lack of ink capacity problem I carry my Visconti travelling ink wells with me.

Cleaning the pen is also much more easier when I used the cleaning cartridge from Mont Blanc. The cleaning cartridge is a plastic tube with squeezing end on it (think eye dropper) just fills it with water or cleaning solution and pump the ink right out of the nib.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t29/kaisede/Fountain%20Pens/DSC00920.jpg

Conclusion:

Overall Score: 8/10

The value of the pen lies in the eyes of the user. So far I am happy with what I got because it is close to what I hoped for in a Churchill. At first I was skeptical about the weight because heavier pens usually means better constructions and easier to use. On heavier pens you can just let the weight of the pen do the work for you when you write. With the Churchill I discovered that lightweight body along with springing wet smooth nib could be fun to use too. The experience from using this pen had opened my eyes to other possibilities out there.

 

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t29/kaisede/Fountain%20Pens/DSC00912.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t29/kaisede/Fountain%20Pens/DSC00913.jpg

[kaisede]

As usually please feel free to ask any questions.

 

Andy

[SHK]

Great review and nice images.

I really like the look of the real life images instead of the computer based images for the CS pens.

Thank You.

Sascha

[SHK]

By the way nice TRIO

[kaisede]

By the way nice TRIO

 

Thanks !

 

The Windsor needs a nice polish.

[raging.dragon]

I hope to add a lever filling Churchill to my collection. Eventually.

[akrishna59]

cs makes beautiful pens, their collections are really classic. it is one of the very few modern fp companies where i would put in my money, despite the high prices.

 

somehow they seem to be worth it.

 

rgds.

 

krishna.

[saketb]

Great review, very nice pictures. By looking at the it, one cannot judge the weight of the pen. Quite surprising, it being so light weight.

[kaisede]

I hope to add a lever filling Churchill to my collection. Eventually.

 

I recommend it. Nice pen to have in the collection.

[kaisede]

cs makes beautiful pens, their collections are really classic. it is one of the very few modern fp companies where i would put in my money, despite the high prices.

 

somehow they seem to be worth it.

 

rgds.

 

krishna.

 

I agree, I just hope that they will have no more price increase. Some of their metal pens are very nice but the price is quite scary.

[kaisede]

Great review, very nice pictures. By looking at the it, one cannot judge the weight of the pen. Quite surprising, it being so light weight.

 

Thanks, I am still a little surprise about the weight. Before I ordered this pen I did a little research on the review section and CS forum, most people said it is a light pen for its size. But never think that it is that LIGHT.

 

 

I guess it is because it lacks any metal inserts. On my MB 145 there are metal inserts in the barrel.

Edited October 26, 2011 by kaisede

[floydee1]

I've got the Coronet Celebration (eyedropper version) and the body finish is great - gives a sheen finish to black. The finish is consistent on both body and cap. Mine also is light (understandably as an eyedropper) however it's much weightier with the cap - it has a brass(?) inner. I think it's one of their better finishes and great interpretation of the old.

 

I enjoyed your review.

[kaisede]

I've got the Coronet Celebration (eyedropper version) and the body finish is great - gives a sheen finish to black. The finish is consistent on both body and cap. Mine also is light (understandably as an eyedropper) however it's much weightier with the cap - it has a brass(?) inner. I think it's one of their better finishes and great interpretation of the old.

 

I enjoyed your review.

 

Thank you !

 

I was looking at the Coronet and the Wellington before I brought my pen. It was a close call amount those three.

I never owned an eye dropper so the Coronet really sings to me on that note.

 

The Churchill cap does not have an brass insert so the body and the cap pretty much weight the same.

 

Andy

[breaker]

nice review and pics!

thanks!

[FrankvK]

Thanks for the review, have been looking at CS pens a couple of times and never have made a buy yet. The review certainly helps. Not likely that I''l be still buying another pen this year, but I think 2012 will be the year I'll buy my 1st CS

[Mary Burke]

Thanks for the review. I have posted the link on our the Conway Stewart Facebook page

[yamborghini]

How much did you get it for?

[kaisede]

How much did you get it for?

 

Email Brian at Pen time, that is where I got mine.

[Xof72000]

Nice review, thanks for it !

 

 

To combat the lack of ink capacity problem I carry my Visconti travelling ink wells with me.

 

How do you manage to fill your Chruchill with the Visconti travelling well ? You can't screw it on, can you ? :blink:

[kaisede]

Nice review, thanks for it !

 

 

To combat the lack of ink capacity problem I carry my Visconti travelling ink wells with me.

 

How do you manage to fill your Chruchill with the Visconti travelling well ? You can't screw it on, can you ? :blink:

 

Hi Xof72000

 

The Churchill is an convertor fountain pen. To fill it with Visconti Travelling ink well you just plug the nib securly into the ink well and turn the back end of the (don't know what that part of the convertor is called) convertor. It is just like filling a convertor with regular ink bottol.