Search the Community

From top: A wooden kit pen given to me by a beginning penmaker from long ago. Heavy, doesn't post, but writes well. Rotring Core (or KOOR, after my favorite Klingon). Just. Plain. Weird. But it writes really well and I love the nib. Laughably hideous NoNami pen from Walmart or somewhere way back. Weighs as much as a school bus, doesn't post, and doesn't write all that well but I had to have it just because. Little Pentech Mr. Kenshin got me from a drug store. Fond memories and it writes well enough. Diplomat Butterfly, the third fountain pen I ever bought, not counting a Sheaffer school pen and an infomercial one that was hawked as being able to play darts with. Levenger Mach 5, heavy as neutronium and difficult to hold, but it writes beautifully. NoNami pink pen, probably the fifth fountain pen I ever bought. Its pink rubbery plasticky barrel gets sticky after a couple of years, but alcohol revives it. Tombow Zoom. Wonderful writer, comfortable to hold. Apart from the Butterfly, all take standard international cartridges or converters.

Hello there, Took an interesting hobby to hoard weird, unusual, peculiar nibs to find new means of calligraphy. Recently, I've bought a whole little box stuffed with old nibs in antiques in Prague and I encountered this little guys. I can't really identify them, no matter how my english description is plaguing Uncle Google. This nibs?/cones?/resevoirs? whatever isn't working anymore, but apparently you drip some ink in it and the stick in the end of cone will let ink down by pressing it against papper (hence the spring). That's just so much to my reverse engineering. I tried to let it stay in warm water to clean content in it, solve the rust away in vinegar and brush it of in baking soda. None of it make it better. I'm looking forward to buy a new one, but there is nothing like brand or signature of manufacturer, which would hint its origin. So I figured out that you, guys, may help me. Tried to find it here for what felt like hours, so I submit this thread (after I sign up to this amazing community!). It may be regular model of some stationary tool I didn't know about, or some rare oddity not really used in any time. tags I used in forum, google: cone, funnel, nib cone-shaped, unusual nibs, calligraphy dip cone type, so on.. (I really tried) Value every opinion. (mobile photos, bad quality :(( )

I unexpectedly won this vintage pen on eBay recently. It is my first Platinum pen! I must say, even though I had to do a thorough cleaning and purchase a new converter, it does not disappoint! However, after scouring the internet, I can't seem to find anything about this specific model. It looks like it might be a variant on the PTL-10000 or PTL-5000 maybe? At least the shape of the barrel and the nib seem to imply that. If anyone could knows anything or can identify this pen, I'd really appreciate it. I'm very curious.

So first post and I've got something a bit out of the ordinary to ask, which so far is proving a bit of a challenge for me. I bought a slightly odd looking Parker Centennial on ebay a few days ago (I'll include the link at the bottom). From the photos it looked like a normal black Mk1 Centennial, but with a few things wrong with it the two main ones being the clip seemed to be of the original Duofold ball ended type, and the nib also appeared to be of a similar vintage. I thought that it might be cobbled together from old parts, or a custom job, but as it wasn't selling for much I put in a bid almost out of curiosity to just see what the thing was! Well it arrived today and the plot has only thickened, for starters it is very well put together, better than all but the best custom makers could mange, the clip also doesn't look quite right for a vintage one, the font is ever so slightly different. However the biggest enigma came in that the section does not unscrew! Despite some careful determination on my part it doesn't come undone, and indeed I am convinced it isn't supposed to. So the question I end up at is what is this? I have done a bit of my own research, but haven't found much, apart from this: http://www.heritagecollectables.com/parker-centennial/ which lists something similar as a prototype. However given the price they're asking and the amount mine cost I'm not sure if that could really be the case. If anyone had any ideas please do tell me, I'm going mad for want of knowing what this thing is! Link to the listing on ebay: RARE VINTAGE PARKER DUOFOLD MADE IN CANADA FOUNTAIN PEN IN BLACK | eBay

By now I'm sure everyone here thinks I'm off my rocker, but I've yet another obscure, weird product question regarding dip pen nibs. Ready? Anyone ever heard of a Laundry nib? It says LAUNDRY NIB right on it! Hardest dang thing to write with in the world. Hard as nails and ink will NOT stay on the nib. It was on one of the holders I purchased. The shape is much like a bank nib (which says BANK NIB on it), and quite round, quite large, but...it's just odd! (Not at home, so no pic at the moment.) Wonder if Laundry is a name and it's just a horrible generic nib, lol. There are the usual suspects, the Gillotts, Hunts, Esterbrooks, blah, blah, blah, but what is the most unusual or off the wall nib you have come across and what is it like?The most recent purchase garnered me a Miller Bros. Bank Nib with a pretty key breather hole. It was unusual for me, but I must say the flex is awesome! I also have a nib I'm guessing was made for a group as it is a "Clan" nib. So info on the nib would be good...your oddest, unique nib and why would be a fun addition. ...and GO!