Supersize My Nib! Redux - Thirty Pens In Thirty Days

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-One

 

Make: Pelikan

Model: 100N

Date: late 1940s?

Size: 123(L) x 13(W) mm

Nib: 14kt gold-fine-open

Ink: Noodler's Eel Blue

Cost: £42 (eBay)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5089974075_eb493a197e_b.jpg

A tale of two pens; until two months ago I had a lovely 100N with a broad nib in perfect condition. Unfortunately my wife's niece turned eighteen and I suggested a vintage pen as she is a writer of journals and letters. She managed to pick the Pelikan, and my only proviso was that I be allowed to replace whatever she chose. Which I promptly did with this pen.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5090573112_5fa19c51f0_b.jpg

As with any vintage purchase, it arrived with a few flaws, some of which haven't been completely ironed out. The main problems were at the business end; a bent nib and a broken fin on the feed. The fin has been fixed and I've burnished the nib enough for it to be usable, but it needs a little more work to get it straight.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5089975983_04667eef72_b.jpg

As a pen, I consider the 100N to be the perfect Pelikan; well-made, reassuring to hold when writing or just having it in the hand, vintage in looks but modern in performance, cute when capped, but business-like when posted. Their nibs (even when damaged!) are among the best I've used, and they are another of that rare breed of pens that can be used anywhere.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5090575086_a057ec519c_b.jpg

You'll only need one, but believe me you won't regret buying one.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5090573726_6631e574cd_b.jpg

(Pictured with a 120 and an M250 for comparison)

 

Tomorrow: Onoto 6233

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-Two

 

Make: De La Rue

Model: Onoto 6233

Date: 1930s

Size: 128(L) x 13(W) mm

Nib: 14kt gold-fine-open

Ink: Noodler's Eel Blue

Cost: £25 (eBay)

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5089977383_fdfc1c3846_b.jpg

 

As I think I've made obvious, I like Onotos and this is no exception. Even though it is a fine nib, it has a very soft feel with a bit of bend with it.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5089978031_43d72078de_b.jpg

 

I don't think Del La Rue had any qualms about making everything from good quality, long-lasting materials. They are regularly up for sale and generally always in good condition; only the filler parts (corks and washers) tend to perish. Fixing them is a fraught procedure, but one that is extremely rewarding as you can see.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5089978713_808bfda5e4_b.jpg

 

I really enjoyed finding this one; it's a lovely shape, the cap in particular, and it has an uncluttered look that sets it apart from similar-looking lever pens. I noticed that when the new Onoto company started up it was this shape that they designed their pens around (albeit with a flat cap top).

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5089980075_58f747ca14_b.jpg

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5089980705_558c8ffbc5_b.jpg

(compared with a bigger BHR pen that is awaiting restoration)

 

I think a wider nib and I would take this pen over the Swan Leverless and the Conway Stewart 58.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5089979339_12227e37a2_b.jpg

 

Next: Parker 180

Edited October 17, 2010 by soapytwist

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-Three

 

Make: Parker

Model: 180

Date: 1980 4th Quarter ('QI')

Size: 133(L) x 9(W) mm

Nib: steel-medium/XF-open

Ink: Quink Washable Blue

Cost: £18 (eBay)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5089981349_0bd5134d0d_b.jpg

The idea of this pen is a good one. I have reports at work that need annotating, and so the idea of having a normal pen that can be flipped over for writing small really appeals. It also fits into a Filofax loop which was useful for me at the time I bought it.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5089982023_933d5ccefc_b.jpg

(next to a 75 for size comparison)

 

Firstly the nice bits. I love the looks; a thin pen, it's still the most comfortable of thin pens, and the textured grip helps things. The spear-like nib give the pen a thrusting, purposeful aspect: this is a surgical instrument rather than a pen. Build-quality is good and I like the colour scheme better than some of the Place Vendôme plated models.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5089982641_72b3d5804e_b.jpg

Now the bad bits. I'd rather have a broad/fine combo than this medium/XF one. The medium is too thin for me to be truly happy with and the XF is like scratching with an inked needle both in how it feels and how it writes. There is also not enough variation between the two widths (see writing sample).

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5089983277_8ca743daa3_b.jpg

Someone can correct me on this, but I've tried my most slimline aerometric converter and nothing seems to fit, so i seem to be stuck with cartridges. I have the feeling that a change of ink would make this a better writer.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5089983885_f91dfdf1a3_b.jpg

In conclusion, if you can find one that works for you, go for it, but beware it doesn't necessarily do well all things it's supposed to.

 

Up next: Lamy 99

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-Four

 

Make: Lamy

Model: 99

Size: 132(L) x 13(W) mm

Nib: 14kt gold-fine-semi-hooded

Ink: Waterman Florida Blue

Cost: EUR18 (eBay)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5089984693_7c4fb2c77a_b.jpg

I was going to do the Lamy 27, but there is such an exhaustive review out there already, that I thought I would use its close relation, the 99, instead.

 

At first glance this looks like a long and slender pen, and quite sober in appearance; but in the hand it is much chunkier, with a girth much the same as the 27. It is also much lighter than the 27 or 2000.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5089985375_bba337d00a_b.jpg

The nib is a nice fine (if you like fine nibs) and very stiff, even though it isn't completely hooded.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5090586172_9dec784b5e_b.jpg

The mechanics of the pen are very similar to the 27/2000 although the cap is a screw-on rather than the push-on type

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5090585574_cdfb8abf4a_b.jpg

It is a well-made, if a little uninspiring pen when placed against Lamy's post-2000 designs. There are other German piston fillers of this era, available for the same sort of money (Pelikan Silvexa, Montblanc 32) that are probably more satisfying to use.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5090584932_290aae8a11_b.jpg

Later: Parker 75

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-Five

 

Make: Parker

Model: 75

Date: 1968?

Size: 128(L) x 12(W) mm

Nib: 14kt gold-broad oblique-open (replacement)

Ink: Waterman Florida Blue

Cost: approx £35 (eBay, including matching BP)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5089991695_3980ba2139_b.jpg

I'll say that, right from the beginning of this review, everyone who collects a variety of makers should have a silver 75 in their collection. I consider the design to be one of Parker's best; they look good in any guise, are balanced and feel substantial without being too heavy. The section is comfortable and the nibs seem to be great writers whether they are fine or broad.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5090588044_9a7549e135_b.jpg

To my mind, the best model in terms of a usable writer is the Cisele version. The cross-hatched silver doesn't wear and with prolonged use the pen actually gets better looking as the lines blacken. So, as the Cisele is the best version to use, I have chosen my less common Godron model with flat tassies and 20 micron depth gold plating.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5090586764_9ce7a06bdc_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5089989099_e3b45a14b5_b.jpg

I used to have five or six different versions, but have now whittled them down to these two pens. I'm very happy I did because I appreciate and use them more than I used to.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5089990369_7ec6617302_b.jpg

Tomorrow: Montblanc 32

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-Six

 

Make: Montblanc

Model: 32

Date: early 1960s

Size: 128(L) x 13(W) mm

Nib: 14ky gold-medium-intarsia

Ink: Noodler's Eel Blue

Cost: £20 (eBay)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5090590536_7042c0c1b7_b.jpg

Back in the sixties Montblanc (who still made mid- and low-tier pens) decided to ditch their rounded styles and introduce hooded nibs and streamlined looks. The 3x pens were at the lower end (above school pens like the Monte Rosa), but they still have MB's legendary build-quality, attention to detail, and 'writeability'.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5090591086_fe5136cb6f_b.jpg

Here I have to make a play for these being the ultimate vintage 'user'. They are regularly up for sale on eBay (generally going for £50 or less), rarely have problems, and are easy to dismantle and clean.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5090591710_6c27aa4355_b.jpg

(pictured with a slightly later 31 'wing' nibbed version)

 

If you buy one, you will generally find the gold accents to be a little brassed and the barrel to be a bit marked from where the cap has rested on it. But everything else will be in good order*; a perfect condition to use every day. Throughout the thirty days this one has been in my bag next to the pen I'm reviewing.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5090592460_66fc074436_b.jpg

It works well, looks good, feels right and writes perfectly at an inexpensive price. What more could you want?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5090593012_148fc3a94f_b.jpg

(Intarsia nib on the bottom, wing nib on top)

 

*Obviously this is no guarantee, but I've had far fewer issues with MB pens of this era than Parkers or Pelikans.

 

Tomorrow: Parker 65

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-Seven

 

Make: Parker

Model: 65 Flighter

Date: mid 1960s

Size: 135(L) x 12(W) mm

Nib: 14kt gold-medium-open

Ink: Quink Black

Cost: approx. £20

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5089996811_a5b5840334_b.jpg

I picked this up in a job lot of pens. The best thing about vintage Parkers (especially the stainless steel Flighters) is that they don't look special in a clutch of other pens, and so they are the most likely of junk shop finds (in the UK anyway). The other good thing about Flighters is that, unlike plated of lacquered pens they don't deteriorate with use and they normally look as good as new.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5090596750_1e67856e06_b.jpg

This pen is no exception; the pen is in great condition and the nib writes very well. It is very stiff though; I'm not sure if this is is a descendent of the 61 nib, but it feels as stiff as a hooded nib. It's not what you expect when looking at it.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5090595826_940e42d1e0_b.jpg

In all other aspects (build quality, grip looks), it's reassuringly Parker, but I would say that the 65 does feel a little soulless compared to other Parkers. There's nothing really innovative in the design, which marks out Parker's great design successes of the Vacumatic, the 51 and the 75.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5089997447_c86bca7a7c_b.jpg

It's nice to use, but there are always more satisfying pens in reach for me!

 

 

Up next: Rotring Renaissance

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-Eight

 

Make: Rotring

Model: Renaissance

Date: 1980s

Size: 134(L) x 13(W) mm

Nib: gold plated steel-fine-open

Ink: Noodler's Eel Blue

Cost: £1.50 (Oxfam)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5090001393_3f006339e5_b.jpg

This is not a pen I would ever have considered buying when it was new or even at a sensible second-hand price, but when I saw it on a shelf at my local Oxfam I thought I had better snap it up.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5090001967_b78bb34602_b.jpg

I was actually quite surprised when I extracted it from its box. It reminds me of a Pelikan M200; a little thinner in feel, but it is a standard German, steel-nibbed, piston filler.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5090601018_9e7a61ac62_b.jpg

It feels fairly solid, maybe not quite up to Pelikan standards, but perfectly acceptable. The gold plated parts are fairly upfront, and I also like the trademark red rings at either end and give the pen a little bit of 'personality'.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5090600390_85a80da04b_b.jpg

Writing with it is acceptable if not inspiring. The nib is a little stiff (but I'm comparing it to a Pelikan again), and the section is comfortable enough. A good, sensible, no-nonsense pen this; useful for taking to places you wouldn't mind losing it, but a faultless performer all the same.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5090003571_ddc3f65b26_b.jpg

Tomorrow: Montblanc 146

[soapytwist]

Day Twenty-Nine

 

Make: Montblanc

Model: Meisterstück 146 LeGrand

Date: early 1980s

Size: 143(L) x 15(W) mm

Nib: 14kt gold-medium-open

Ink: Noodler's Eel Blue

Cost: £82 (eBay) - £125 in 1987!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5090004319_20f275b4bd_b.jpg

Now we're cooking on gas. I bought this a little while ago with a few obvious problems, most notably a bent nib and a leaking section.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5090604686_97204acf9b_b.jpg

The nib is back in shape (although it needs burnishing to help the looks) and the section has been resealed thanks to advice from niksch on the Montblanc Forum, so it's back to working condition.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5090007317_8068acf45d_b.jpg

And what a pen. I'm not a fan of the gaudier excesses that Montblanc have produced in the last twenty years or so, but I don't regard this pen as gaudy. It's also one of the few pens I would consider worth the money if bought new.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5090604116_3a651de17c_b.jpg

The pen is a delight to hold, balanced whether the cap is posted or not, and looks fantastic. Precious resin or not, the plastic on this pen feels to be of better quality than others. As an object it just seems to demand better care than one would ordinarily give a pen. Writing becomes an event when using it; just check out how few mistakes I've made in this review compared to others (these are all first drafts).

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5090005551_089ff407d9_b.jpg

Is it usable every day? Almost; mostly worries about losing it stop me from taking it everywhere, It is however, the only pen I would recommend regardless of cost.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5090602848_e9b0f0e666_b.jpg

Last Day: Parker Sonnet

[soapytwist]

Day Thirty

 

Make: Parker

Model: Sonnet

Date: 1993 2nd Quarter (IIL)

Size: 132(L) x 13(W) mm

Nib: 18kt gold-stub-open

Ink: Quink Black

Cost: free (damaged)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5090007995_e856f673aa_b.jpg

I thought it would be good to finish with a relatively modern pen that is easy to obtain in most parts of the world. My example is an early one; the nib was buckled when I received it, but as it's my only factory stub, I thought it worth repairing.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5090607602_0016241612_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5090010611_801acf9ebf_b.jpg

It's a classic Parker: sober and well-made without being a work of art. Apart from the obvious nib problems this example has performed well, although I am aware that the Sonnet's track record is not flawless. I'm also not surprised that the design is faked a lot. I think the pen has a certain cachet about it, and in the hand it reminds me of a Montblanc 144 Classique. The size, weight, nib shape and even the slip-on cap are very similar.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5090606558_20a666cb85_b.jpg

(Pictured with a steel nibbed Flighter of similar vintage)

 

I think that if you are looking for an entry into fountain pens and are not sure about vintage pens, a second-hand user Sonnet is a great place to start. There are lots of styles and nibs to choose from, and as long as you educate yourself about how to identify the fake ones, you should be able to pick up a very reasonable example.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5090009161_e535cf0239_b.jpg

Thanks for your interest over the last month; I've appreciated your comments and corrections. Please keep making them as that's what this forum is all about. MYU is on holiday at present, so please continue to comment on the discussion thread until either he (or some helpful mod who's standing in for him) merges the two threads. As for me, I have a few pens that missed the cut that I'll be reviewing in the coming months, but I'm having a rest for now!