Sheaffer Agio 0.8mm italic nib

[WillAdams]

As promised

 

William

[WillAdams]

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are two:

[WillAdams]

second:

[Maja]

Nice pen and nice review, Will!

I have a couple of 0.9mm *cursive* italics done by Pendemonium's anonymous nibmeister and am very pleased with them (and the prices were very good!). Is the nib on this Agio a crisp italic, or a cursive italic?

[WillAdams]

Thanks!

 

It was a crisp italic grind --- as I noted, I was trying to match / replace my Platignum plastic calligraphy pen and it had a straight nib w/ no noticeable rounding of the corners, though I did wear it down to a 45 degree angle after almost 2 decades of use --- Hopefully the Sheaffer w/ its tipping material will last longer.

 

William

[juhtolv]

OMG! That book is very familiar: It can be legally downloaded here:

 

The TeX Showcase

 

I really should read it some day. I don't know about content, but I guess its typographical outlook is very beautiful, because it is made with TeX or its macro-extension called LaTex .TeX and LaTeX rock!

[Ged]

Thanks for the review. You have very nice italic handwriting!

[WillAdams]

juhtolv,

 

I'm flattered that you recognized it! I printed and bound 6 or 7 of them as gifts, and put it in my on-line portfolio ( http://members.aol.com/willadams/portfolio.html ) and in addition to the TeX Showcase it's linked to from the Wikipedia article on tea. It's well worth reading --- if reading my version electronically isn't convenient the old hardcover by Charles E. Tuttle is quite niceand easily found.

 

Ged,

 

Thank you for the kind words!

 

William

Edited April 23, 2007 by WillAdams

[WillAdams]

A transcription of the text in the image:

 

Sheaffer Agio Barely Black medium nib

(custom ground to a 0.8mm italic by Pendemonium)

Higgins Fountain Pen India Ink)

on Ampad 1/4" Efficiency pad

 

DESIGN

Lovely. An austere cylinder enriched by the wonderful

snake-skin-like ``Barely Black'' finish. Decorative

chrome endcaps and sensible military clip enlivened

by the signature Sheaffer ``white dot''.

 

SIZE/WEIGHT

Capped ~5.125" Uncapped ~ 4.875" Posted ~5.875"

With a brass barrel and cap and metal furniture,

this is the heaviest pen I own, excepting a multi-

function Rotring Quattro. Nicely balanced though,

it's a joy to write with.

 

NIB

Purchased because I found an Olive Agio bought

as a gift nearly irresistible. The nib, although short,

has a graceful, purposeful appearance, enhanced by

the ``sunburst'' like tines reminiscent of a 3xxx-

series Esterbrook nib. The italic grind is a precise

match for the 0.8mm Platignum fine italic which

it replaces.

 

FILLING MECHANISM

Cartridge/converter. While not offering the nicety

of a lever filler, the convenience of carrying

cartridges for when the converter runs dry is

a worthwhile convenience.

 

FIT/FINISH

Perfect except the barrel end cap was loose until

tapped tight with a mallet and punch.

 

OVERALL VALUE

List price $45.00 Pendemonium and most on-line vendors

have it at $35.00. Nib custom-grinding was $15.00

and well worth it.

 

William

 

 

[WillAdams]

A postscript.

 

After almost three years of use, the rounded section on the nib unit which the cap snaps onto has worn down just enough that the cap will no longer say on reliably in my pocket, so I've had to retire this pen.

 

William

[mel o]

that was a nice review and nice handwriting too. im thinking of getting a sheaffer agio frosted blue or a sheaffer prelude matte black with gold trim fountain pen or a sheaffer 300 indescent red fp but I dont know which one to buy so what do you think I should buy anyone. and also do they all come with a converter.