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  1. OldTravelingShoe

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    From the album: OldTravelingShoe's Random Pics of Fountain Pens

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  2. OldTravelingShoe

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  3. OldTravelingShoe

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  4. OldTravelingShoe

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  5. OldTravelingShoe

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  6. I'd gotten away from actually "hand" writing over the last "x" number of years in this digital age, but had always enjoyed it. I recently started writing more, I didn't like the pushing/pressing feel of the usual ballpoint. I'd always liked the "feel" and the visual elegance of a fountain pen but never used them much...thinking them "messy". That's recently changed and I've been using fountain pens quite a bit. I came by a Daniel Hechter pen set and have purchased a couple inexpensive fountain pens recently. I suspect my wife will be gifting me a premium pen that we'd recently come across. I'd appreciate some tips and insight regarding the finer points of fountain pens, the better inks, and the preferable/recommended paper that will create a smoother writing experience; I don't like a too "scratchy" of a feeling when writing. Comments on the above are welcome. I however, am not here for a "social media" experience. I believe it detracts from "real" social interaction and long ago deleted the few accounts of that type I had...so I'm not here for web-based camaraderie. Again, knowledgeable pointers would be appreciated. Thanks!
  7. In the beginning of my fountain pen adventure I was obsessed with chinese pens. They were dirt cheap and easily available. There was a moment when, imperceptibly, probably due to cross-breeding, there was almost one hundred of them in my drawer. This obsession as well as 95 % of chinese pens are gone. I kept few chinese pens to play with riskier inks and that's it. One of polish collectioners VodnikVolsovecek loaned me a significant part of his fountain pens collection so that I can try them and review them. I was surpsrised to discover Duke fountain pen among high-end miracles like Omases or Dunhills. I've been using this pen for around a month now (not every day, but I've managed to finish two full converter fills). I would like to describe it. In few words this pen is heavy and well made. What makes it stand out and shine (literally) is abalone shell embedded in black lacquer over brass. Overall design doesn't appeal to me but the shell parts look stunning in sunlight.The barrel and section are a little chunky, but easy to grip and write with it. The barrel is made from a brass and coated in lacquer with embedded shells. It's widest in the middle (about an inch from its mouth), tapering down toward both ends, and is rounded off at the ends. The cap snaps surely on the section with no wobble. The shape is rather classic but, sadly, distorted by huge and ugly center band. Seriously, I would like to hear an explanation about the ways in which this metal ring enhances design? To my eyes it looks really, REALLY bad. The shells though are cool. The way they shine in the sunlight is amazing. The finials are rounded pieces of metal. Section is made of plastic. It tapers significantly toward the bib. If you're low gripper like me you may find it to thin. For me the section diameter is ok. The overall build quality of the this pen is very good. It’s nicely assembled. Nothing in the pen rattles or shakes, and I have no fear of any pieces loosening up in foreseeable future. I would be surprised if something suddenly fell off or cracked. It's well made pen. Nib Uncharacteristically to most chinese fountain pens, this one has 14 ct nib. It looks exactly as most Duke's steel nib but it writes significantly better. It's springy and pretty wet. Not the best nib ever created for sure but I enjoy the way it performs. It does allow to produce some line variation but I wouldn't recommend forcing it. It's not flex or semi-flex nib there's just some pleasant and forgiving (to those who have heavy-hand) springiness to it. Filling system The pen comes with a Duke converter installed. It can be removed to accept cartridges. Dimensions The pen measures 140 mm capped and 121 mm uncapped. Weighs - 62 grams. Summary I'm not sure if this fountain pen is still produced but even if it was discontinued finding one on Bay of Evil won't be a problem. They usualluy cost between 120-260 $. Personally I wouldn't pay that much for it. If I could find one for 50 $ I would get it and I would keep it. When we enter 100-200 $ price range though there's just too much to choose from and the contenders are strong. Lamy 2000, Pilot CH 92, Pilot M400 are just few examples of pens in this price range. Heck, with a bit of luck you'll even get Pilot Namiki 823 for 200 $. It's really decent pen and the nib is great but price / what you get ratio isn't sky high. As always the choice is yours to make though. If you enjoy the finish and like springy nibs, this one won't disappoint you.
  8. HisNibs.com update -- New Jinhao Dreadnaught & Duke Harlequin colors Greetings all, http://www.hisnibs.com/HisNibsOlympicInspired_small.jpg Watching the Olympics has inspired me to work out again! Click the link below if you'd like to see my latest Facebook Live video -- mistakes and all. Dreadnaught & Pen World video The next batch of pens from China -- and a few domestic ones as well -- have been restocked. As in the past, there are too many models coming in to point them out individually, so again I'm linking them on the homepage http://www.hisnibs.com/ near the top, with a 'back in stock! ' label. There are still more coming, which will be mentioned in the next newsletter. I'll list a few of the many models that have returned, in this newsletter, but again -- just going to the homepage http://www.hisnibs.com/ is the easiest way to see what's available -- and I'll be updating you with more in short order. As this newsletter goes out to a mailing list of thousands of customers, please understand if there's a delay in answering your email queries or orders after one of these is sent. We will respond in order received and as soon as possible! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~in this issue * Jinhao Dreadnaught new colors * New Duke Harlequin Colors * New Python pen cases * Jinhao Wooden Chariot restocked * Duke Ruby * Baoer Over-the-Top2 * Bookworm Yellow Filigree (western or Chinese nib) * Jinhao Pagoda * 'His Nibs' page on Facebook ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jinhao Dreadnaught new colors http://www.hisnibs.com/JinhaoDreadnaught7GroupCapped2_small.jpg "The pen arrived yesterday. It looks great, a bit heavy though. And it writes magnificent, the point really slides over the paper. I also have the original mb149 meisterstück, but i would not know which one of them writes the better. Thanks for the very correct handling and shipping. Kind regards," J. V., Belgium "The Dreadnaught FP arrived today . . . it's perfect! The wide girth, nice center of gravity (even when posted), and smooth-writing medium-to-broad (always my preference!) nib makes it my favorite writing instrument. It's every bit as good-if not even better-as you-know-who. . . I might have to purchase another color to have two in my collection. Definitely a superior pen!" C. H., Twinsburg, OH "Hi Norman, I received my Jinhao Dreadnaught and Silver Chain Dragon fountain pens. I prepped them and inked them up with Diamine Oxblood ink. Wow! What a wonderfully smooth writing experience with each of them! I write with the pen unposted. Along with the smooth writing, I truly enjoy the weight and balance of each pen in my writing hand, but especially that of the Dreadnaught. Thank you for not only providing such a pleasant writing experience, but also for the care that you give to each and every nib, and the special personal touch that you added to my order. This was my first purchase from you, and am looking forward to my next one." T. L., Jamaica, NY More photos here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/dreadnaught.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New Duke Harlequin Colors http://www.hisnibs.com/DukeHarlequinGroupRandom_small.jpg See more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/duke_116.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New Python pen cases http://www.hisnibs.com/PythonGrayPenCaseClosed_small.jpghttp://www.hisnibs.com/PythonBrownPenCaseClosed_small.jpg Read more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/pen_storage.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jinhao Wooden Chariot restocked http://www.hisnibs.com/JinhaoWoodenChariotCapPen2_small1.jpg See more photos here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/wooden_chariot.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Duke Ruby http://www.hisnibs.com/DukeRubyCapNib_small1.jpg More here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/ruby.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Baoer Over-the-Top2 http://www.hisnibs.com/BaoerOverTheTopPairCapPen_small.jpg See more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/over-the-top2.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bookworm Yellow Filigree (western or Chinese nib) http://www.hisnibs.com/BookWormYellowFilligreePenCap_small.jpg See more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/yellow_filigree.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jinhao Pagoda http://www.hisnibs.com/JinhaoPagodaPairRandom3_small.jpg See more... - http://www.hisnibs.com/pagoda.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'His Nibs' page on Facebook Join us for daily news updates from around the world about fountain pens, ink, handwriting and more! Click here to visit our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/HisNibs1/ -- Regards, Norman Haase www.hisnibs.com www.facebook.com/hisnibs1
  9. Margana

    Nib Bent On Purpose

    This is a brand new pen. It isn't damaged. That is how it is supposed to look. It's a Duke Guan Yu Calligraphy Pen with an extra long tip. Gives new meaning to the "bent nib" or fude category. It can lay down a 4 mm line and is good for lettering as well as sketching. It isn't a general writing pen, but it can be tamed to write a 1 mm line. The overfeed keeps ink flowing nicely. Cool pen, eh?
  10. visvamitra

    Blue/black - Duke

    Duke is one of better chinese brands. I used to have few of their pens and tehy were rather well made. Not perfect but writing experience was pleasant. They also offer ink but as I'm not really into blue/blacks I haven't tried it until recently when I received a lot of samples from Amberlea and her minions. There was also a sample of DUke ink. I'm not sure if they do the ink inhouse or buy it from other chinese company. I can say that the ink isn't bad. It has decent flow and satisfying level of lubrication. Once the text dries it turns more into greyish blue than blue black. Drops of ink on kitchen towel Software ID Leuchtturm1917, Kaweco Sport Classic, B Oxford, Kaweco Classic Sport, B Esquisse (E.Leclerc Private label notebook), Kaweco Sport Classic, B Water Resistance
  11. Hello. I was searching for info on this pen before buying, anyone got any info on even the tips used in this set? Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lanxivi®-Fountain-Interchangeable-Calligraphy-Leather/dp/B00WRAZEQ6/ref=sr_1_97?ie=UTF8&qid=1445609770&sr=8-97-spons&keywords=Fountain+pen+flex+nib&psc=1
  12. I'm a new collector, but old user of fountain pens. I've recently been intrigued by the diversity, appearance, and bang for the buck of the Chinese pens. I've bought a few Jin Hao, Wing Sung, Hero, and recently Duke pens, and was favorably impressed with practically everything I've received. A recent auction purchase arrived, and I can't find any markings except the Duke name at the base of the cap, and a hologram design on the flat top of the pen. I'm hoping you experts in this area can help me with more information, and the model number/name of the pen. It seems to be very well made, with probably a gold painted cap/body, and clip and bands in gold plate. The plating is uniform, and the pen posts nicely to the body, resting on the inner band, as shown. weight: 31 grams with an empty converter length: 138 mm I haven't inked the pen yet, but it has a nice balance, and my prior experience with Duke nibs has been positive. I own a couple of their Esteem models, and a wood grain model 962, and they are all smooth writers, with little or no work out of the box. I'm curious about the approximate date of the pen, as well. Looking forward to some interesting comments. Harry
  13. MobyProf

    Hello From Pennsylvania

    I can't believe it's taken me this long to join FPN! I discovered fountain pens in January 2011, starting with a Pilot 78G purchased from Norman Haase. His kind guidance helped me feel my way into bottled ink, investing in new pens...and now I have over 25 pens, mostly in the sub-$75 range, and I use them every day, have started mixing my own inks on occasion, have filled a tea tin with Goulet ink samples. In other words, I should have been here a long time ago. Glad to be here at last. I do have a few questions I might as well toss out to start. First of all, are the nibs on the Duke Mako and/or 962 removable? Second, I've had the same paint-flaking issue with my Monteverde Intima Volcano that others have reported here. Has anyone found a way to seal the section where the paint has flaked? I bought my pen over a year ago from Goulet, and while they were concerned when I brought this to their attention, they didn't offer a return or refund, and I hadn't thought to contact Yafa. So now I'm trying to figure out how to make the pen hold together as is. Thanks, and looking forward to lots of conversations.
  14. The next entry in my "Cheap Chinese Pen I got from eBay" series is the... Duke Uranus M25 Fountain Pen Price: $5.90 Nib: Extra Fine, Steel, Hooded Country of Origin: China Filling System: Piston (push type) http://gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_01.jpg Appearance: 8 / 10 The first thing I noticed about the Duke Uranus M25 is that it's a really tiny pen, similar in size to a Jinhao 611. It's short and thin, and probably fits in with the bullet/missile style of pens that have been popping up. Its design is simple and classy, if not slightly understated. The top of the cap and end of the barrel are tapered to a rounded end that culminate with a small chrome button, which I think is a nice touch. The clip has a simple design, but it's extremely tight and won't clip to a shirt pocket without a fight. The pen's design is not a flashy one, but there are two things that I really like about it: I love the Chinese writing down the side of the cap. In general, I think Asian writing is beautiful to look at. I have no idea what any of it says, but I think it's pretty.I like the nib and section. It has this shark-like shape to it...I think they call it a cayman mouth style. I think it's kind of cool looking.http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_02.jpg http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_05.jpg http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_03.jpg Build Quality: 8 / 10 The cap and barrel seem to be made of some lightweight metal. It could be brass, but I think it's more likely aluminum. The section is mostly metal, too, I think, but the coupler threads that attach to the barrel are plastic, so it makes screwing and unscrewing the section feel slightly cheap. The pen comes with a push-type piston converter. It's very common among inexpensive Chinese pens, but it's the first time I've ever used one. Seems cheap, but it works fine. It includes a small ball (glass or plastic, I can't tell) in the reservoir to agitate the ink to keep it from settling at one end of the converter or the other. It's a very nice touch. Because the nib & section are so small, I had no problem filling it from a sample vial. The converter worked perfectly to fill the pen. http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_04.jpg http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_08.jpg http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_09.jpg http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_10.jpg Nib: 10 / 10 The nib was supposed to be Extra Fine, so I expected it to be on par with the Fine nib on my Pilot Metropolitan. But the line put down by the M25 is a little heavier than the Metro. I'd probably classify it as a Fine. My handwriting is very small, and I hoped for a true Extra Fine, but I was somewhat disappointed in the line weight from this pen. It's possible that the ink I'm using (Diamine Oxblood) is contributing to that. Other than the thicker-than-desired line weight, the nib performs wonderfully. It's a SUPER smooth writer. Most F and EF nibs give some feedback (or are downright scratchy), but this nib glides over the paper with ease. It's also a pretty wet writer for an EF (which might also contribute to the thicker line weight). I encountered a few skips, but nothing too out of the ordinary. BUT WAIT...on a whim I attempted some reverse writing (flipping the pen over and writing with the back side of the nib). Holy cow...it's perfect! The line weight is super thin, and because it's a wet writer, it never runs out of ink. Writing like this has its cost though: it's pretty scratchy. I may whack it with a little micro mesh to try to smooth out that side of the tines...but the nib isn't replaceable, so if I mess it up, I'm stuck with the results. Because the section is hooded, only the very tip of the nib is visible. There is no way to remove/replace the nib (there are probably special tools that might allow this, but you can't just pull it out if you need to give it a good cleaning or to swap it for another nib). http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_06.jpg http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_12.jpg http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_13.jpg Comfort: 8 / 10 I've written several pages with this pen today, and I've had no hand cramps. The open end of the barrel flares out a bit, and if you run your finger over it, it feels a little sharp. But, when writing, it's not noticeable at all. The finish of the cap and barrel is a little slick, and the pen has slipped out of my hand a few times. Because of this, it's probably not a great pen for travel. As I said earlier, this pen is tiny. People with larger hands might not find it comfortable. You can post the cap, but it's not a secure fit and the cap will come off while you're writing. I have small hands, so I have no problem writing with it un-posted. If shorter pens don't work for you, you won't like this pen. For the sake of comparison, here's the Duke Uranus M25 (second from the top) alongside a Noodler's Ahab (top), a Pilot Metropolitan (third from top), and a Monteverde Invincia (bottom): http://www.gizmosauce.com/img/duke_m25_11.jpg Overall Score: 34 / 40 At first, I considered the Duke Uranus M25 to be a decent pen. But now that I've discovered how well it writes when reversed, my satisfaction with the pen shot upward. It's a nice, classy pen that is capable of writing as a Fine (normal) and as an Extra Fine (reversed). The nib is butter-smooth under normal use and puts down a pretty consistent line. This little $6 pen performs very well, and is an exceptional value. Other reviews in my "Cheap Chinese Pens I Got from eBay" series: Crocodile NCR64 / 806 Green Celluloid Fountain Pen
  15. Hello, I just discovered that the Hero 9296 pen often comes bundled with the Hero 234 Carbon ink. Does anyone know if this pen is especially designed for carbon inks? I cannot confirm because all the information I have found so far is in chinese. I ask because I would rather not take any especial precautions when dealing with carbon ink, I would use a pen designed to deal with it. Other pens I have seen bundled with the Hero carbon ink include the DUKE Drawing Fountain Pen, Hero 68, and Hero 6062, all pens I had not seen before till recently.
  16. Anoia

    Duke D2-2

    The Duke D2-2 is a pen that comes with two nib sections, one M and one fude, also included are converter and a two-pen-case. http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/Anoia_photos/duke2_zps3fc236bd.jpg http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/Anoia_photos/duke1_zps4f6633fd.jpg Appearance & Design: 8/10 cigar shapeblack with silverplastic (shiny)grip is matt and has rubbery feel to it Construction & Quality: 7/10 big, heavy and solidcap is really snug and needs some force to remove/place iton one side it’s a chinese pen, so I don’t expect miracles from it, but on the other side it’s not like a Lamy Safari is that much more expensive and those are solid writers Weight & Dimensions: 7/10 weighs 38 g with inklength:13,8 cmwidth: 1,3 cm in the middleabout the size of a Lamy Safarisuitable for people with larger hands Nib & Performance: 2/10 comes with M nib and fude nibM nib on the fine sideneither is scratchynibs are very bigM nib is very dry and doesn’t lay ANY ink on the paper if no pressure is applied Filling System & Maintenance: 8/10 international cartridge/converterconverter is includeddid not disassemble, so can’t say anything in regard to that Cost & Value: 5/10 cost ~20$2 pens in 1would be good value, if it weren’t for the dry M nib Conclusion: 4/10 Somewhat a daily writer for me. Currently I use it as the second pen for taking notes. I have a two colour system, where I write the important/basic facts down with one colour (usually a darker blue) and use a second colour for short explanations or examples (usually a turquoise). The pen looks and feels very nice, I especially like the rubbery grip section, it’s not rubber, but plastic, but it gives you a nice grip. BUT: The pen is so dry that I have to apply pressure for the ink to flow and can only write a couple of sentences with it, which gives it overall a lower score. http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/Anoia_photos/dukeD2-2mnib_zps7820fd7f.jpg http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/Anoia_photos/dukeD2-2fudenib_zps0426bd80.jpg Not a fan of the fude nib, for me stubs are the better choice. M nib in comparison to a Caran D'Ache M nib: http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/Anoia_photos/dukecdacomparisaon_zps473f292d.jpg Fude nib: http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/Anoia_photos/dukefudenib_zps74da0565.jpg http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/Anoia_photos/dukefudenib2_zps4f8566b4.jpg The pen case it comes with: http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/Anoia_photos/dukepencase_zps6506c352.jpg (Inked with Pelikan Turquoise)
  17. These aren't our usual territory, but we did come across a nice trove of Duke models from a few years ago. These are well made, resin and metal construction, and the nibs we've tried have been very smooth. (They all seem to have to same medium-fine nib.) Most are cartridge/converter pens, but a few have built in aerometric filling systems. These are classically styled and some of them are rather eye catching. With the classy Duke deluxe packaging, they'd make great gifts. We're offering them at prices which include free domestic US shipping. For some models, we'll give you the option to save a few dollars by declining the heavy Duke packaging and just having your pen shipped in a sturdy cardboard box protected by bubble wrap. MODEL 911 (aka Shark) with green marble barrel (converter/cartridge)..... $22 with the Duke packaging, $18 without http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_911_green_3.jpg MODEL 911 (aka Shark) with brown burlwood-looking resin barrel (converter/cartridge)..... $22 with the Duke packaging, $18 without http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_911_brown_3.jpg MODEL 911 (aka Shark) with mother of pearl band (converter/cartridge)..... $22 with the Duke packaging, $18 without http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_911_shell_3.jpg MODEL 911 (aka Shark) in black(converter/cartridge)..... $22 with the Duke packaging, $18 without http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_911_black_3.jpg MODEL 929 (aka Small Squares) (converter/cartridge)..... $22 with the Duke packaging, $18 without http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_929_3.jpg MODEL D2 comes in black with gold or chrome trim..... converter/cartridge .... These are $20 with the gift box, $16 without. http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_d2_silver_5.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_d2_gold_5.jpg DUKE sub-brand URANUS Model 508 ...this has a built-in aerometric filling system and a neat pebbled finish.... $20 http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/Uranus_508_fine_3.jpg DUKE Esteem .... red or ivory laquer over brass .... built-in aerometric filling systems .... $15 or $11 without the box. http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_esteem_white_fine_6.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_esteem_red_fine_2.jpg Please follow the links above for more photos and details. I'll have a few more models on the web site later this weekend. Thanks! TERI
  18. We're having a Christmas Sale and we've reduced prices by up to 50% on selected Jinhao, Baoer, Duke, Hero and some lesser known Chinese fountain pens. We'll be progressively adding specials over the weekend and into next week so if you don't see anything you like, please check again in a few days. I'm sorry but we only ship to Australia and New Zealand at present.
  19. We made a special purchase and secured a handful of these heavy, well-made Duke pens, which came out circa 2004. They come with the full packaging, including cardboard outer sleeve. They each boast the super-smooth Duke 14k nib, in an unmarked size that seems like a modern medium. They are converter/cartridge fillers. The Gold Medal pens are cylindrical with handsome Italian veined marble resin barrels and gold plated appointments. We've got them in two colors with two different styles of cap. We've got the blue marble version with the gold matte cap on the web site right now at $125. We'll get the other colors/caps on the web site this afternoon. http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_gm_blue_2.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_gm_blue_3.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_gm_blue_8.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_gm_stripe_blue_1.jpg The other model we acquired is the Duke Beijing Opera Rhythm model .... cloisonné with rose gold trim, decorated with faces and Chinese characters. These also features a 14k nib, but the nibs are cut so as to increase flex. These pens come with a two-pen leather carrying case as well as a heavy wooden presentation box. We're offering this one at $175. http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_opera_blue_dark_2.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_opera_blue_dark_3.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_opera_blue_dark_8.jpg http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/duke_opera_blue_dark_1.jpg Though it hardly needs saying -- these would make great gifts :-) Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter (see my signature section below). We'll be sending out a new newsletter later today, and it will -- as usual -- feature a promo code that will save you a few dollars on your next order. Happy Holidays! TERI
  20. So....the other day I was in a rush and running down a flight of concrete stairs with a bunch of books and my fountain pen in hand. It turned out the cap was only half capped, because while I was turning a corner, it flew out of my hands, smashed into a step, and bounced off a neighboring wall before coming to rest on the floor. ....ouch. My poor heart... Luckily, it was my cheapest pen (probably why I was holding it instead of resting it safely in my pen case), but the point it, the tines are horribly bent and misaligned now. It's my Duke Uranus 308 401, a semi-hooded nib with the smoothest XF ever...and I'd like to repair it. Problem is, where to start and who to pick? I would prefer someone with experiencing smoothing out XF nibs and a reasonable turnaround time. Does anyone have any recommendations? (I tried searching up options before posting this thread, but wow, there are so many that I don't know where to start. I was thinking Mike Masuyama because of his needlepoint nib experience, but I understand he's currently not taking repairs while in the middle of a move.) For reference, I've enclosed pictures of my damaged nib below: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2880/10021199604_489f5be456_c.jpgP1050884 by Jiadepix, on Flickr http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2815/10021248596_fb15c69f2b_c.jpgP1050885 by Jiadepix, on Flickr http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2847/10021257466_68b2d6725d_c.jpgP1050882 by Jiadepix, on Flickr http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3696/10021332093_a4ea83d6f7_c.jpgP1050880 by Jiadepix, on Flickr
  21. Hello. I have been running a pen store on eBay and have been wanting to get my chinese pens directly from the companies or a licensed distributer, Has anyone done this? Thanks Pace
  22. HisNibs.com update -- Re-stocking from China Greetings all, As it does periodically, Monteverde is retiring some pens to make way for new models. Unfortunately, two of my personal favorites are being effected, the Regatta and the Prima, and I question the wisdom of the decision. We've also just received a large re-stocking of models from China. A few of our favorites were not available this time, but the vast majority were. I'll only mention a couple of the models in this newsletter, but please just go to the homepage http://www.hisnibs.com to see them all listed as 'back in stock'. As this newsletter goes out to a mailing list of thousands of customers, please understand if there's a delay in answering your email queries or orders after one of these is sent. We will respond in order received and as soon as possible! Join us on our Facebook HisNibs.com fan page which can be reached directly at https://www.facebook.com/HisNibs1. Come join us for what has become a lively meeting place for news about pens, ink and handwriting. On the blog...Gorilla reunion ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~in this issue * Monteverde Regatta line retired * Monteverde Prima selection reduced * Jinhao Wooden Chariot * Hero 616 series * Duke '2009' * Picasso Candle Flame * Jinhao Black Dreadnaught * Black leather 48-pen case * Baoer 8-Horse series * 'His Nibs' page on Facebook * On the blog...Gorilla reunion ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Monteverde Regatta line retired http://www.hisnibs.com/MonteverdeRegattaGroupRandom2_small.jpg Why Monteverde has decided to retire the magnetic-capped Regatta is beyond me. Even if sales have leveled off at this point, the innovative magnetic cap (which provides the ease of a slip cap and the security of a screw cap) should argue for its continuance. The Black/Black version has totally sold out, but I've just laid in a final supply of the Chrome/Black and the White/Blue fountain pens, so jump now if you want to add one of these really neat pens to your collection. "Norman, I have received the new pen and ink, and am thoroughly delighted. My handwriting still stinks though. This is a wonderful pen and I look forward to writing with it more and more over the years...Maybe I will even get a few more nibs to go with it!" B. C., Athens, GA "My pens arrived today! I LOVE them both. I remember that you said the F nibs were like an extra fine, but both of these pens are perfect for me! The Invincia (which is much better looking in person-the finish is very luminous) is slightly finer than the Regatta, but I think these will both be daily writers. I love how heavy they both are, and the magnetic closure on the Regatta is very nice. Wonderful pens at a terrific price!" T. D., Anna, TX "Dear Norman: My Monteverde Regatta chrome and black fountain pen arrived today, as did the Private Reserve Purple Mojo bottles. I am absolutely delighted, and although I have only written a couple of sentences with it, I am confident I am going to love it as much as I did my Mont Blanc Ramses II predecessor. So back into the real art of penmanship again - whoopee. thank you." E. L., New Zealand "Hello Mr.Haase, i just got my pen today and it's awesome, it writes so smooth. I just want to thank you for the great review on Youtube, and the great customer service." W. A., New York, NY "The "Monteverde Regatta" as breath taking as a sail catching wind in the Caribbean. Writes with a strong line and holds it's course well." V. B., Naples, FL Read more here... http://www.hisnibs.com/regatta1.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Monteverde Prima offerings reduced http://www.hisnibs.com/PrimaFPGroupSpread2_small.jpg Although the Prima still seems to be 'hanging around' (and probably my personal favorite of Monteverde's current line-up, for what that's worth), a number of the colors/pattterns have been retired. The Black is gone. However, Monteverde found two each of the Brown Stripes, Blue Stripes and Brown Swirl to send to me. I had previously listed the first two as 'permanently retired', so am glad to receive these...but I'll soon have to post that same description again. Act fast if you're interested. "Hi Norman. Just wanted to give a big thank you as the green Prima came this morning. Love it! I saw this pen when it first came out and was immediately struck by the luminous green, as I have an excellent collection of 1920s OS jade Sheaffer Flat=Tops. You tuned the nib perfectly, and I mean perfectly. I like them extra-fine and pretty dry, and this F nib completely fills the bill. This one will become a daily user. I also appreciate your kind and personal note that you put in with it. That makes dealing with you a pleasure, and makes me feel like an individual. The website is also very personal, and is one of the best on the web---if not THE best. Thank you x 100 for another excellent purchasing experience. I hope your business multiplies greatly. Others can take lessons from you." S. D., Luthrerville MD "Dear Norman, I have just received the pen and it is superb! The nib is wonderful and a delight to write with. Thank you so much for your frank and excellent advice. I have told my wife that I am thinking of buying another of these wonderful pens with the outstanding stub nib! Warmest regards and I am going to buy the Monteverde turquoise ink for all my official signature work." G. A., New York, NY "Mr. Haase, I received my Monteverde Prima yesterday and got it cleaned up as you instructed and filled with ink and then put pen to paper. I love it. It writes great and keeps up with the pace I write at nicely. Every once in a while it has a little trouble starting But that could be my fault and it isn't a problem really at all. I have been writing different things with it all morning. I also wanted to thank you for the prompt responses to my questions, the quick delivery of the pen, and the personal note. That type of customer service goes a long way with me and you can bet I will be ordering again very soon. Merry Christmas!" A. C., Odessa, MO Many more testimonial here: http://www.hisnibs.com/prima.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jinhao Wooden Chariot http://www.hisnibs.com/JinhaoWoodenChariotPosted2_small.jpg "I received the Jin Hao Wooden Chariot, and Dancing Dragons today. They are truly works of art as well as reliable smooth- writing pens that actually write better than many of my expensive European models. Thanks for your kind attention, first class service and the hand written note. I look forward to purchasing more pens from you in the near future." K. G., Columbus, OH See more photos here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/wooden_chariot.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hero 616 series http://www.hisnibs.com/Hero616GroupRandom_small.jpg "Dear Norman, thank you for drawing my attention to the new 'old model' Hero 329s. I would like to order one in dark green, and I would be grateful, if you could send me a PayPal invoice. The 616 arrived two weeks ago. What did you do to the nib? It is very smooth and lays down a slightly thicker line than my other 616s. That's perfect for me. At the moment I use it more often than my Parker 51s where the medium nib tends to be a little too broad for my hand-writing. This is more than just a simple knock-off. In terms of balance, reliability and design it is an exceptionally good pen in its own right. If the old 329 is similar than I will be very happy. Thank you for going to all that trouble for such 'cheap' pens! I have many more expensive ones in my collection, but I do not have the same fun in using them. With thanks and warm regards", C. S., Tübingen, Germany "Hello Norman, Just to let you know that the Hero 616s arrived a few weeks ago, and I've been using them since then. I couldn't be happier with the way they write. The fine point is just what I wanted and it writes beautifully. These pens are absolutely amazing value and your service was excellent. Thank you." M. D. S., Australia "Norman: Received the Hero 616 and Pilot 78G today. Must say they're great--properly tuned and ready to go to work! The 616 writes just like my beloved Parker 51 Flighter (I'll use it for travel since the Flighter has become to valuable to lose). The Pilot with the F nib is perfect for my research notebooks (where I tend to write with very small handwriting). Thanks! Fine pens and great service. Have a great day!" M. D., West Jordan, UT "Hi Norman, I received my 616 yesterday. I wrote about twelve pages with it last night and I'm very pleased - as far as I'm concerned the nib is perfect. I don't remember exactly where I saw your site recommended, but I'm glad I did! I'll certainly order again from you in the future." J. C., Chattanooga, TN Read more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/%27616%27_series.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Duke '2009' http://www.hisnibs.com/DukeChaplinPosted_small.jpg "...the Duke 'Niner (nee Charlie Chaplin) arrived today and all I can say is OMG! I feel like one of my many nieces when their hair does exactly what they want it to. This thing is so bitching, Norm...And I must say that your "tune-up" has revealed to this poor scribe what a FP is actually supposed to write like. I thought my Sheaffer was all that and a bag o' chips, but the 'Niner beats it hands down. I don't know what you did, but Norm you've got to tell me, because I've got a dozen FPs that don't work quite right and I must get them working at least in the neighborhood of this one." M. H., Salt Lake City, UT See more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/2009.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Picasso Candle Flame http://www.hisnibs.com/PicassoCandleFlameAngledCap_small.jpg "Norman, hope this email finds you well. I enjoy the Picasso Candle Flame pen a bunch-I'm sure it has a lot to do with your nib prep but it writes smoother than any Pen I own. I'm requesting 2 more. Thanks." R.F., N. Andover, MA "Dear Mr. Haase, thanks so much - I received my "Candle Flame" pen today. It's a real beauty. I usually like to try out a pen in the shop, so I wasn't sure how much to expect from one I bought online. I'm glad to report it writes wonderfully and feels great in my hand. I'll be keeping an eye on your website for new pens. You have a bunch of other interesting models, but it looks like they sell out pretty quickly - I'll have to stay on my toes. Thanks again and all the best!" J. K., Berkeley, CA Read more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/candle_flame.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jinhao Black Dreadnaught http://www.hisnibs.com/JinhaoBlackDreadnaughtPosted_small.jpg "Norman -- Thanks for continuing to send the updates. This time it reminded me that I had been meaning to write and tell you how much I've enjoyed the pens gotten from you. That "dreadnaught" is one heckuva pen! Probably the bulkiest pen I own at this moment. I had to find a special pen case to carry it around since it wouldn't fit into the one I normally carry. Even at that size, I find I enjoy it and tend to carry it most days, filled with Waterman purple. The nib is amazingly smooth and always starts right up; the line definitely leans toward the broad side of medium, which I very much prefer." J. T., Marietta, GA "The Dreadnaught FP arrived today . . . it's perfect! The wide girth, nice center of gravity (even when posted), and smooth-writing medium-to-broad (always my preference!) nib makes it my favorite writing instrument. It's every bit as good-if not even better-as you-know-who. . . I might have to purchase another color to have two in my collection. Definitely a superior pen!" C. H., Twinsburg, OH "Hi, Norman, My new Jinhao Black Dreadnaught arrived today. I was so eager to try it, I dipped the nib in ink and wrote with it before even following your washing instructions. Afterwards, I washed it. It fits well in my hand. I very much like the size and weight of the pen. Also, the nib glided over paper smoothly. I was too late to order it the first time you stocked it -- my bad. I am happy you brought it back, and that I bought it this time. Happily Writing," R. D., Melbourne, FL More photos here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/dreadnaught.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Black leather 48-pen case http://www.hisnibs.com/PenCasesBrown48Filled3_small.jpg More pen cases here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/pen_storage.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Baoer 8-Horse series http://www.hisnibs.com/Baoer8HorseAngledPair2_small.jpg "I received the inks and the surprise pen last Monday, which would have been October 1st. I absolutely love the Baoer 8 Horses pen. It writes like a dream and moves across the page so quickly I have to make sure I don't end up scribbling words that don't exist! It's filled with the Private Reserve Velvet Black and I love the ink. I knew I needed black, but I didn't know I would enjoy it so much. Who knew such a 'boring' color could be so much fun to use...I still can't believe how a pen could float across a page. I almost feel guilty that I want to use it more than the other two I have. It might be new pen addiction, but honestly, the pen is simply amazing." K. B., Etna, CA "Thanks Norman for the prompt shipping and careful packaging! I already had one of these "8 horses" pens and it is indeed a challenge to count all 8! It's a great pen and one that I could afford to give as gifts to friends who feel they cannot afford a good fountain pen. This one writes better than my vintage mabie-todd." C. F., Dallas, TX "Hi Norman, I'm gonna rave about the Baoer 8 Horses that came today. It is the smoothest nib I have ever used! That includes many $100-200 pens in my collection. Nobody is going to believe that this is a $20 pen. The brass construction gives it a solid feel, and it balances perfectly in my hand even when posted. I have the bronze finish, and am running Pelikan Brilliant Brown - makes for a nice combination!" T. T., Ann Arbor, MI More photos here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/eight_horses.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'His Nibs' page on Facebook http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/hisnibs/HisNibsFacebookimage.png Join us for daily news updates from around the world about fountain pens, ink, handwriting and more! Click here to visit our Facebook page - http://facebook.com/hisnibs1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the blog...Gorilla reunion A video showing a former 'keeper' being reunited with a his gorilla charge, back in the wild. See the May 13th entry here... - http://hisnibs.blogspot.com Regards, Norman Haase His Nibs.com
  23. Mister John

    Duke/uranus Snakeskin

    About six months ago, I discovered the amazing treasure trove of cheap Chinese pens available on eBay. While suspicious of the quality on offer at such low prices, I thought it worth plunking down fifty bucks of fun money to find out. I had heard the Duke was one of the more reputable of the Chinese pen manufacturers, so I spent $7 of the Duke/Uranus snakeskin. At that time, the Pelikan Lizard had just come out and I wanted to compare the Chinese and Pelikan versions of lizard/snake scales. It goes without saying that, in all ways artistic, the Pelikan blows this pen away, so this review will only examine the pen on its own merits. I've now had the piece for six months and used it off and on during that time. It's been in various rotations three times, or about 6 weeks of reasonably intense usage. The pen arrived in a nice blue Duke labeled gift box or approximately the same dimensions as a typical Waterman pen box. Inside, the pen was enclosed in a narrow plastic bag. It came with the converter pre-installed and, from first appearances, looked pretty good. Like most Chinese pens, this one features a brass body with a silk-screened pattern and then a clearcoat layer of varnish on top. The pen itself is of moderate weight, approximately that of a Sheaffer Prelude. It is a thin pen, but not obnoxiously so. A close inspection of the pattern reveals no disastrous defects, but the screening is certainly imprecise and incomplete in places. The design looks much better from a distance than up close, where the sloppy craftsmanship is more readily apparent. The pen does have some nifty features that elevate it somewhat. The cap band is handsomely inscribed "URANUS" in a Roman font, together with some stars and some Chinese script. Uranus is, I believe, a sub-brand of Duke. After 6 months, it has held its luster and looks quite nice. The clip features a lovely compass rose design, and the tassie features an ivory circle in a sea of black. These details are all well executed. The nib is a nice design too, featuring a crown logo with rays splaying out toward the end of the nib. At the bottom is the word Duke inscribed in san serif all-caps. While the design elements are good, the craftsmanship of the stamping is less so as the imprint is weak. Holding the pen side by side with a Pilot 78g, the difference in the quality of the nib inscription is striking. All of this is to say that you do, to some extent, get what you pay for. A large part of the difference between a $100 pen and a $7 pen is in the quality of the materials and craftsmanship. I would say that, for the price, Duke has done a very creditable job on the design and execution. The cap snaps on and off and posts securely. Many Chinese pens feature snap on/off caps, presumably for cost reasons, but getting the correct amount of force to hold the cap on seems to be a challenge for many. Most err on the side of way too much force. Baoer, in particular, seems to suffer from this problem a fair bit. Some, like certain Hero pens, employ too little force. Duke, however, has found the "butter zone" for the force needed with this cap. It's easy to remove, but does not remove itself. One also worries that, even if the force is correct initially, wear and use will lead to a situation where it's no good. After 6 months of use, however, there is no sign of any problem. On to the writing. (See attached written review.) This pen is perfectly fine. I'm glad to have satisfied my curiosity about Chinese pens, but I do not see myself getting any more of them, at least at this price point. The $30 Kaigelu pens that are an homage (copy) to the Parker Duofold Centennial are rather nice, but these very inexpensive pens have to make too many sacrifices in the name of cost reduction to be inspiring. In a way, I'd prefer the more honest approach that Pilot and Sailor have taken with this market. The Platinum Preppy and Plumix cost about the same or less. They do not try to pretend to be a high-end pen, even from a distance. What they do well is to produce an interesting writing experience with a number of options. Duke/Uranus, on the other hand, provides a reliable writing experience, but not an interesting one. I would recommend passing on these unless you are in the position of needing a reliable pen with a more upmarket (at least from a distance) design. Even then, I would say that springing for a Pilot 78g is probably still a better bet as these can be had for around $15. By the way, if anyone wishes to trade for this or other inexpensive Chinese pens I own, I would happily take most deals. Please PM me.





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