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I recently purchased a black chased hard rubber pen on eBay, with the only markings being an imprint of a soldier on the cap, and "Cadet 14K 2 S" on the nib to give any indication of what make or model it might be. I've been trying to research Cadet, and have turned up nothing but Sheaffers (which this pen is decidedly NOT) and Summit, perhaps? It's a really nice pen, great writer with great flex, and much cleaner now than the listing photos I'm sharing. I'm just befuddled by the lack of information. And hoping that someone more knowledgeable of pen history might be able to shed some light on this little guy! The listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/400765394859?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT A couple listing photos: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTU4WDExMjM=/z/d-AAAOSwDk5UAPOo/$_57.JPG http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/1ksAAOSw-jhUAPPH/$_57.JPG?rt=nc

So, the pen I most desire is a Edison Menlo, pump filler. However I won't be able to afford one for several years for sure, and the original Parker Vacs scare me. I know it's expensive but I love that shape and the filling system, and the ability to pick your own acrylics. What makes a pen worth it to you, personally, I like steel nibs just as well as gold nibs, if tuned properly. Is it purely aesthetics, purely the nib (softness, smoothness, plating?), or size? For me it is mainly shape and filling system, I have $75 for my Pump Filler, and I'll probably spring for a Newton Pen after that. Also, what is the most you can ever see yourself paying for a fountain pen. Please don't give any answers like ''the minimum should be $300 because quality is expensive'' this is simply not true for the majority of users. Thanks for your time and I look forward to reading your responses

Hi Today saw a well packaged pen arrive via the "Bay". I took a chance on an unknown brand (to me) that looked interesting and a low starting price. It was untested as I think that the seller might not be familiar with a piston filler. This turned out to be a Geha 722. It shows no evidence of ink in the windows and a flush of water brought only enough ink to indicate a possible dip test. Sticker shows Fine for the nib. Can anyone date this pen please? I think I want to try this with a bright red ink. Any suggestions for a good red? (other than a Shiraz) I have tried to do the nib justice with a small compact camera. Why does it take 87 photos to get some decent shots? Enjoy the nib art. Oh! The price £3.99 and free p&p!!!! I feel almost guilty paying so little. K

Hero 780 with 10K Gold Nib http://thefrugalfountainpen.blogspot.com/2014/03/hero-780-with-10k-gold-nib.html

Hello, I'm afraid I'm coming at this from a rather newcomer's perspective, as I only have one fountain pen to my name, but I'm really in need of help and this seems like a lovely, friendly, knowledgeable community from which to seek it! I'm afraid it's a rather long story, but I don't want to do it the injustice of not starting at the beginning. I've always only liked writing with fountain pens, and used the same £10 Parker (Jotter) all the way through school. It seemed almost timely when it came to a sticky end just a few days after I finished my final exams. My Grandma took me to get a very lovely new pen to start medical school with. I have unusually small hands, and found that the small diameter barrel of the Jotter was rarely replicated in better pens. It sounds bizarre, I know, but I really don't like how the bulkier ones feel, and I can't control them properly. After much deliberating and traipsing between shops, I fell in love with a Yard-o-led Viceroy Pocket Barley pen. The nib was just unlike anything else I tried out - I think I really like the softness of the white gold. And it even had the lovely small barrel! It just so happened that I really use it a huge amount. I'm studying in Cambridge, which is stuck in a bygone era, and I hand in 3-4 handwritten essays a week, as well as transcribing numerous lectures and supervisions. And I just loved it so much! It was so beautiful to write with, and such a generous gift. I loved writing with it for work and pleasure, and loved thinking of my Grandma and the continuity of only using one pen. Everyone knows me for always carrying it around in a little blue carry case. Unfortunately, just shy of a year, the pen started playing up. Eventually, it wouldn't ever write ink for very long, even when I cleaned it out in all the ordinary ways. I took it to the shop I got it from who agreed that something wasn't right, and we sent it back. Yard-o-led returned it some weeks later, and it seemed back to normal. A few months later, it happened again. I sent it back. And then it happened again. This time, I was eager to get in touch with them, but they're very hard to contact. I was frustrated that this unusual and generous expenditure was not working as it should, and I didn't know if I was doing something wrong. Eventually, when I got through (by writing longhand and sending it to the repairs address), it turned out that the main brothers are profoundly deaf, so cannot use a phone. Oops. Sobered by this, I was receptive. They said that something was, indeed, wrong and they'd replaced the nib and feeder. Yet again, it worked like a dream for the first few months. I only ever use yard-o-led cartridges that I buy off the filofax website, and I use the pen every day. I don’t press hard when I write, and I never let anyone else use it. Over the last few weeks it’s began to play up on occasion. Sometimes it just needed to be left alone for a few minutes, nib down. Sometimes, washing it through with the converter until it ran clear and then putting in a new cartridge did the trick. It’s got increasingly common, and eventually stopped in the middle of some writing. I washed it through 5 times, with increasingly warm water. Each time the same thing happened: it ran inky and I kept going until it’s clear. Then it flows across the page nicely with a very dilute, watery mark, and as soon as the water runs out it stops again. I’ve tried several different cartridges, and left it over night, but all to no avail. Completely at a loss, and frustrated and disappointed, I e-mailed Yard-o-led yet again. I said that, with a heavy heart, unless they had other suggestions, a refund would perhaps be the best option if they were prepared to offer it. My £10 Parker was infinitely more reliable, albeit so much less a work of craftsmanship and lovely to write with.They were eminently lovely: "I am the manager of Yard O Led and I am so sorry you are still experiencing problems with your pen. I can asure you we are just as frustrated as you with the quality issues we have been experiencing not just with your pen. I can assure you it is not something you are doing wrong. I have in the past returned nibs to the manufacturer to see if they can solve this kind of problem and unfortunately I have got nowhere." This seems to suggest that I'm not the only case they've had. Has anyone else come across this problem with Yard-o-led? Anyway, John offered me a replacement nib unit, but later that day the director got in touch and offered me a full refund. I've spoken to my grandma and she feels that it would be entirely appropriate to get the refund and go out to buy another pen from a different, more reliable brand. But I just wanted to do some research first, which brought me here amongst other places. So here are my questions: Do you think it is worth refunding and going to another brand? Are other pens likely to be more reliable, or is this normal for a fountain pen? Should I stick it out and try a replacement nib one more time? (As an extra complication, they have none in stock so I'd have to wait some time). Could you possibly suggest pens that have a small barrel and gold or white gold (soft) nib, for somewhere in the region of £260? It would be useful to see alternatives. I've had real trouble finding anything of this sort somewhere where I could try it out, except some vintage pens. I really do want to be able to go and try out a pen. Which brings me on to: Any particular recommendations of FP shops in London? (Ideally SW or central). There do seem to be several, but with my elderly Grandma I'd really rather only make one trip, and I don't know where exactly is best. I'm not quite sure enough what I'm looking for. And with Vintage pens: I've heard so much that you mustn't let others write with your FP. I can't find anywhere clearly explained - how is this overcome with vintage pens? Are they any less pliable to write with, rather than collect? Sorry about the Essay. Best Wishes Abi

As a relatively new fountain pen user who happens to go to university, I really like Chinese fountain pens. They're cheap, they're fun, and sometimes I feel like I get pretty lucky. While I feel like Hero gets a pretty bad rap for the blatant copying they do of designs (such as Lamy or Parker), I ended up buying this 160 on eBay. I mostly dabbled in Jinhao, and while I like them, I decided to spend a bit more and see if I liked these better. This is my first review, and I'm by no means a photographer, so I apologize if some of the pictures aren't quite as good as what you're used to seeing! First Impressions: The pen came in this pretty simple green box. These kinds of boxes I've received before so it's nothing really extravagant or special, but I do like it. It gets the job done and it's pretty nice. You open the box and once again you have this fairly cheap material protecting the pen, but the pen itself I think is very attractive. The clip is nice and springy, and the top of it has a small five petaled flower design. All around the cap you have these grooves of various lengths that stretch downwards towards the barrel of the pen. The body tapers towards the end, and on the barrel you have a shiny chrome band that says "Hero" and under it "160" with the same Chinese characters that appear on the box. Construction: Note that all my attempts at close-up shots failed, so sadly there will not be any photographs here. The cap is simply a pull off, not a twist sadly, but it functions very well. Not much force is needed to actually remove it, and it is secure enough so that it will never simply accidentally come up when trying to remove it from your pocket or pouch. Overall, the construction is extremely solid. Nothing rattles, the barrel screws on and off tightly, and the whole body seems to be able to stand up to some abuse. Filling: The pen uses an aerometric converter which I had some problems with, but I suspect that those were issues related to my own inexperience with the system rather than the converter being at fault. For now, I removed it and have a Parker converter installed, which fits fine. Note that standard international converters don't seem to fit. The use of a Parker converter was a necessity. Nib: The nib is great. Honestly, I love it. It is a 12k gold semi hooded nib, and it writes excellently. I never experience any skipping or hard-starting, it has a nice, juicy sweet spot, and it provides a kind of feedback that I really like. I've had some Jinhao nibs that are smoother, but I rather enjoy this one more. It's not scratchy, but you feel that you're writing which I think is great. In my experience it's a nice, wet nib that can lay down a nice patch of ink despite it being a pretty fine nib. There is little to no line variation, so if you're a flex freak it's really not for you, but since line variation and lecture notes don't particularly go hand in hand, I don't find that it detracts from the experience at all. Writing Sample: I'm no calligrapher, but I tried to make it as nice as I could for you guys! Overall: I adore this pen. I absolutely love it, and this is one that's always going to be inked. It's very affordable, it's very nice, it's not a boring black, and it just gets the job done. When I was contemplating buying one I couldn't find any reviews on this model, so hopefully this can be helpful to someone who is in a similar situation as I was. Maybe they aren't completely ethical design-wise, but if this is any indication, they make one hell of a pen.

http://www.iguanasell-pics.com/photos/logos/fpn_logo_45_45.png See all our items @ FPN Montegrappa Fountain Pen Ancient Mexican Civilizations - Bronze - L.E.Brand New in Box - Warranty by authorised Dealer - Free Shipping CHARACTERISTICS: Brand Montegrappa Description Montegrappa fountain pen Nib 18K solid gold nib Finish Bronze Closure System Screw-on Filling System Piston Filler Dimensions (capped/uncapped) - Warranty (years) 2 Line Mayan Calendar Reference ISCMN-BE Special features: The Mayan Calendar finishes in December 12th, 2012. Many interpretations believe this is the end of the world, or at least of a cosmic cycle. That's why Montegrappa releases this limited edition. Just in time!Decorating the pens are the engraved images of Aztec gods, with patterns reminiscent of distinctive Mayan architecture.The pen clip itself is fashioned after the sacrificial sword used by Aztec priests to dispatch their offerings to the gods.This model of the limited edition is all-bronze and has an 18K gold nib.The Mayan year had 360 days, so this limited edition contains only 360 pieces! CONDITIONS:The item is brand new in original box and comes with all papers and warranty stamped at the moment of the purchase by authorised dealerList price: $5560 - Contact us for a personalized offer Payment Methods: PayPalCredit cardGoogle CheckoutMoney Order (We have Bank accounts in the US as well as in Europe)Cash on Delivery (Euro Countries) Free Expedited Shipping (UPS or Fedex) to the US, Canada and European Union. Other countries, $18 (shared shipping costs) ABOUT US: We are an international company with more than three (3) years of experience in e-commerce, duly registered in the US and Europe. We are present on the most important Marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon, ecommerce sites: shopping.com, yahoo shopping... and our own website You can take a look at our eBay feedback here or read the opinions of other forum members: 1 , 2, or 3 CONTACT:To contact us, just write us a pm, orsend us an email to info@iguanasell.com http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-1.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-2.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-3.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-4.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-5.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-6.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-7.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-8.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-9.jpg http://iguanasell-pics.com/photos/D338/Montegrappa-Fountain-Pen-Ancient-Mexican-Civilizations-Bronze-L.E.-ISCMN-BE-10.jpg Don't miss the video!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M82nBwy29Fg CONDITIONS:The item is brand new in original box and comes with all papers and warranty stamped at the moment of the purchase by authorised dealerList price: $5560 - Contact us for a personalized offer Payment Methods:PayPalCredit cardGoogle CheckoutMoney Order (We have Bank accounts in the US as well as in Europe)Cash on Delivery (Euro Countries) Free Expedited Shipping (UPS or Fedex) to the US, Canada and European Union. Other countries, $18 (shared shipping costs) ABOUT US: We are an international company with more than three (3) years of experience in e-commerce, duly registered in the US and Europe. We are present on the most important Marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon, ecommerce sites: shopping.com, yahoo shopping... and our own website You can take a look at our eBay feedback here or read the opinions of other forum members: 1 , 2, or 3 CONTACT:To contact us, just write us a pm, orsend us an email to info@iguanasell.com More Montegrappa pens on our website Thanks for looking!----------------------------- Website: www.iguanasell.comJoin our newsletter for special promotions and news http://static.anuncios.ebay.es/images/dailydeals/dm/icon_facebook_24.png Follow us on Facebookhttp://static.anuncios.ebay.es/images/dailydeals/dm/icon_twitter_24.png Follow us on Twitter: @Iguana_sell

Hi, i posted aversion of this question in the "my first pelikan" section. i have a new m800 tortoise with a broad nib. i find that i need to exert a bit more pressure on the pen than i do with some of my others. The nib feels quite springy, much more than i am used to with my krone, graf von f c, visconti and sheaffer pens ( gold nibs) is this typical or could there be something up with the pen? I have tried using mont blanc seaweed green ink (very poor results) sailor ink and just tried some visconti. The latter two inks seem to be performing similarly. Any feedback you might be able to offer would be appreciated. It doesnt seem as smooth as the graf and not as wet as the stiff sheaffer nib. i was wondering if you might share your thoughts about its handling characteristics. Thanks