Search the Community

I haven't seen a full-fledged photo gallery here of the modern Sheaffer Balance 2 (or Balance II), so I thought I'd provide one now. If I'm wrong, I apologize in advance, but no harm done. I'll provide photos in a few separate posts here. Let's start with the Balance 2 "Classic Colors," which were made from an injection-molded solid-color resin. They came in three colors -- Hunter Green, Navy Blue, and Black -- and were available in FP, RB, and BP. The FP came with a 14K solid gold nib, available in a few widths, including a stub. The nib was quite firm. Here are my photos. You'll notice that the Hunter Green FP shown here has a stub nib. Many years ago, I sold my Navy Blue and Black Balance II FPs, so I only have a BP in each of those colors in my collection.

After viewing some older posts about some of the products made by the U.S. company, Karas Kustoms, I was stimulated to check out the KK website, and I just received two of their fountain pens. I went with their "Signature Series," and within that series two of the "Decograph" models. Here are photos I took yesterday of the two pens. Each pen comes inside a very solid stainless steel ("SS") cylinder that twists off in the middle. The Karas symbol 'K' is on the upper part of the cylinder. After removing the upper part, the pen is revealed, sitting safely in a foam insert along with KK's "cheeky" instruction sheet (read it) rolled up inside. I've unrolled it for the second photo. Here are photos of the Signature Series "Black Pen Society Decograph" fountain pen for 2019. According to the KK page for this pen, Paul Erano of the Black Pen Society collaborated with KK for this particular pen (not the Decograph style itself). The clip is a one-piece milled aluminum machined at a slight angle to help keep the pen securely in a shirt pocket. The finials on the cap and barrel are aluminum and are securely screwed in, according to the site. The body and barrel are machined from solid thermoplastic. The Decograph is said to be KK's lightest pen, weighing .72 ounces (20.4 grams). The pen's length is about 5.25 inches (about 13.5 mm). The standard nib is a SS # 6 Bock with KK's own design on the nib face. For various premiums, one can order the Decograph (as well as all the KK FPs) with a titanium nib or a gold (14K or 18K) nib, and there are a decent variety of nib widths available. I chose the standard SS nib in a medium width, as right now KK is out-of-stock on some of the other widths (depending on nib material). If there were no stocking issues, I would have ordered a broad or stub. The pen comes with a Schmidt K5 cartridge converter and two Monteverde ink cartridges. For those who insist on posting their caps on barrels, one can post with the Decograph pens, but I wouldn't recommend pushing the cap on the barrel end too forcefully or too often. I don't think the designers intended for the cap to be posted. Posting would add weight that some pen uses desire, as this is a light-weight pen. I don't post my pens, unless they are very short without posting. Whatever green you see in these photos of the BPS Decograph is only a reflection from a green object. This pen is all black. Next are photos of the Deco Green FP. I've enhanced the coloration to compensate for my less than ideal photography conditions, so that what you see here color-wise is how the pen actually looks. This model has the same length and weight as the BPS Decograph above, so I need not repeat myself. I filled my Deco Green through the converter with Krishna Elegent Teal ink. It wrote immediately with its medium SS nib without any issues. The nib has some springiness to it, and writing with a light touch is easy and very pleasant. The line it puts down is on the wet side, which I like. Thus far, I am very pleased with this pen. The cost of each was $130 with just the standard nib.

Ignore this partially duplicative post. I don't know how it appeared.

My new Italix Captain's Commission arrived today, so I thought I'd share the excitement with some quickly taken photos. The package arrives. A first glance in the box. The beautiful metal cap. Next to a Parson's Essential.

I was talking to my wife's cousin today about a pen that he made for me last year and decided to take some photos of it, and then some more photos, and then I came back for more. Eventually, I got a couple that I liked, and sent them to him (in way too many emails), posted a few to Twitter, and posted the better photos to my blog. Cell phones can be a bit limiting. Even when I thought I had the nib in focus, I'd often see a blurred mess on the screen afterwards. I could have taken the DSLR out of the case, but sometimes improvising is fun, so I decided to use my LG V10. http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-1-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-2-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-3-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-4-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-5-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-6-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-7-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-8-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-9-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-10-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-11-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-12-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-13-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-14-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-15-150x84.jpg http://cdn.jnash.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/custom-fountain-pen-16-150x84.jpg Photo of My Writing Desk (5.7 MB)

My first review has to be handwritten, hasn't it? http://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8501/28971094030_76a56e0ff4_c.jpg This is the most unlikely pen in my collection. More than a year ago, at the very start of my pen craze, a friend gave it to me and said: "I'm sure it's no more than a novelty piece, but try it - maybe the funny thing can write". Well, it can! The fine hooded nib is smooth as glass. Inked with Parker Quink Black, this little croco wasn't funny at all. A serious writer. However, after the second filling the Caiman started to misbehave. There were problems with ink flow, and I had to "boost" it with the piston. http://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8538/28971103310_d6b1898236_c.jpg Besides, the pen proved itself unsuitable for long writing sessions. The section is too thin (for my hand at least). Of course, there's an ornamental band you can grip at, but after a page or two you begin to hate it all: the section, the crocodile ornament, your fingers. The shape of the pen, its dimensions - all seem fit for posting. Save the cap itself. It refuses to sit on the barrel, so you have to use the Caiman unposted, no matter you like it or not. Back to the appearance. The hooded nib is "guarded" by two little jewels. Putting some imagination into gear, we can suppose that together they represent the caiman's head (eyes, snout, open mouth with a nib protruding from it). OK, so we've got a zoomorph pen here! The barrel and the cap are metal, laquer-coated. The coating is rather thin and prone to scratches. The clip is stiff, and it's very hard to slip the slip-on cap off. VERDICT: hardly usable. Smooth nib doesn't justify an ugly design and uncomfortable body. For laughs I received it, for laughs I keep it. http://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8428/28643899243_e22f3a889a_c.jpg What a shame! I wrote "Cayman" (like Cayman Islands), and the little pet is called "caiman", yes, with an "i". Shame on me! A bit of trivia: Caimans live in Central and South America, rather far from the river Nile, so the choice of ink (in French, Eau de Nil means "Nile Water") is not SO obviousDo you know that Crocodile's flagship pen, a Duofold wannabe, is marketed as "Fierce Alligator", no less? http://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8602/29230639036_9b5a3a0928_c.jpg http://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8075/29230625896_439455563b_c.jpg http://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8484/29164393702_38d1421763_c.jpg Specs: Length - Capped 5.375" - Uncapped 4.75" - Posted 5.875" Diameter - Grip .34" - Barrel .48" Weight - 22 g. (source: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/235187-chinese-pen-reviews-c215-y016-j163-j3000-specifications/) Another review, more positive: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/234955-chinese-pen-reviews-crocodile-215/ And one more, very positive: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/287824-crocodile-215/

Dear collector community! Even though my todo list is far from empty, I want to present you my collectibles page, the site has over 2,000 photos and describes nearly 500 Pelikan piston fillers are now be considered. https://www.rothemel.de/pelikan I have very nice Supporters with photos, a good exchange and good ideas! Only through such assistance can I make corresponding information on cartridge fountain in future. Particularly welcome is every constructive criticism. Any error note (if spelling errors in content or in translation, wrong informations), forgotten pens or whatever is welcome! I´m happy if you would contribute photos, ideas eg about technical improvements, self-written articles or or or... Each supplement whether lack of a fountain pen or your own photos, ideas to technical improvement, self-written articles or or or ... can make this site more useful only. Hope the site is useful for you and will be better in future. I´m looking forward to your response! Have a nice weekend! Dominic

slow weekend, so i got to finish up on that 1st gen vac jr with the fat nib that i'd mentioned on another thread a couple days ago...good grief, does this thing lay down a nice fat line, oh yeah...wet, and definitely a little wooly on the low-bid copy paper...my new sig pen, for sure (since i, like a mo-ran, lost my pel 140m a couple months ago)---i'm not as sure that it's a stub as i thought, but definitely a broad nib, and dig the 'crystal' barrel...cheesy kitchen-sink-lit ipad photos below oh, btw, what is the 'R' at the bottom o the nib?

My birthday pen arrived this morning. Thought I would share the unboxing! (The pen is now put away until my birthday at the end of May)

Received my Jinhao 159 today along with a Goulet 2-tone Medium Nib. Gave the pen a good flush with the feed and everything before attaching on the Goulet Nib. It's a tad lighter than I expected, and the feel of the body doesn't feel quite like my X750s do (they feel like paint on brass/steel), but didn't feel plastic either, I think it's a lacquer of some sort on the barrel.I know inside it appears to be brass or such, just the lacquer or whatever it is caught me off guard in terms of what I expected to feel. Feels good in the hand, but I wouldn't write with the cap posted, and the screw cap is a nice touch, since most of the larger Jinhao pens I've had sometimes have rather stiff snap caps. (though I'd rather it stiff than too loose). http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/jinhao159/marble_full.jpg http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/jinhao159/marble_close.jpg http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/jinhao159/amethyst.jpg I have it inked with Diamine Syrah at the moment. http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/jinhao159/write.jpg

Hi, I've received my M800 Tortoise today! It is my 10th pen right now, and one of my grail pens. I'm very happy with it, and glad that I've decided to spend more than what I usually do! http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/131118/P1170317_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/131118/P1170309_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/131118/P1170299_2_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg M800 & M400 http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/131118/P1170329_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/131118/P1170336_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg M400-M600-M800 http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/131118/P1170255_2_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg http://www.kepfeltoltes.hu/131118/P1170258_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg Thank you for watching!

Enjoy: http://i42.tinypic.com/imjdj9.jpg http://i40.tinypic.com/30sy4gi.jpg