Metal Plated Pens Vs Resin Or Lacquer Pens ?

[joshsrn]

I like heavier pens, regardless of the finish.

[Tom Aquinas]

While I love my metal pens, for everyday carry in my shirt pocket, metal is too heavy. So I carry a resin fp and resin bp. And if I should accidently break them, they're much cheaper to fix than trying to replace a dented metal pen part.

The original blurb I received from Parker in 1970 when I got my first Parker 75 was to let the pen rest in your hand use the weight of the silver and consequently not press so much and that writing would be easy, especially with th eability to angle the nib and rest the fingers in the special grooves around the nib section.

 

Edit: The blurb was the accompanying instructions...I wish I'd kept it.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Tom Aquinas

[fpconverted]

So.... i have been thinking about metal finished pens lately and i was wondering why someone would prefer them over any other finish like resin or lacquer finish.... according to how they feel in your hand when holding them.

 

i have always loved the colors of non metal plated pens or solid metal pens... like lacquer and resin

so thats why i dont own any metal plated OR solid ones.

 

what about you ?

 

do you like them or hate them? ... or ... just consider them part of your pen collection rotation.

 

thanks

Im with you on this one! I am also an avid collector of chrome, and metal based fountain pens. I have alwasy liked the metal fp's as well for that reason you suggested how they seem more robust. I know there are tons of plastic, resins, enamels out there that are fantastic but preference wise I like the shiny metal of chrome finishing, silver finishing, rhodium and white gold. Never been a fan of gold tho. I love my collection of metal pens. Im now loooking at a MB solitaire II le grande in stainless steel.

[ac12]

For a regular use pen, I want durability, looks come 2nd. Hence my choice of metal for #1.

I like my Parker Flighters (brushed stainless steel) for their day-to-day durability.

Along with the Flighter are some other metal finishes that are durable, such as chrome.

I would not want to use an easily damaged/scratched metal finish (gold or silver) as a daily use pen.

 

Resin or plastic would come after the flighter, because they can put up with the day-to-day use without showing wear, and can be buffed out if needed.

 

I would not want to use a lacquer pen as a regular use pen simple because I would probably chip and scratch the finish. Buy for a less used pen, a lacquer finish is fine.

In the same category as lacquer are soft metal finishes that are easily scratched, such as gold or silver. Again those would be less use pens.

 

Very interestingly, for a ball pen, gold is better for me. The odd reason is that for some reason that I have not figured out, a gold pen does not slide in my hand if it is sweaty or has the least bit of body oil on my fingers, where as chrome or smooth plastic will. Having said that, I still won't use a gold ball pen as a daily use pen, for the same reason I won't use a gold fountain pen as a daily use pen.

[fpconverted]

The Visconti Van goh pens are beautiful! Does anyone know if they are suitable for daily use with normal wear and tear? Im not a collector of laquer pens but it did catch my eye. It may sway me. I would love to add a beautiful lacquer to my collection but only if its unique like the Visconti Van goh's.

[bizhe]

The Italix churchman's prescriptor is similar in design, and has fewer digits in price.

 

yes i agree about the design. unfortunately... the design i like most now is the Dupont Montparnasse.

[fpconverted]

So.... i have been thinking about metal finished pens lately and i was wondering why someone would prefer them over any other finish like resin or lacquer finish.... according to how they feel in your hand when holding them.

 

i have always loved the colors of non metal plated pens or solid metal pens... like lacquer and resin

so thats why i dont own any metal plated OR solid ones.

 

what about you ?

 

do you like them or hate them? ... or ... just consider them part of your pen collection rotation.

 

thanks

Id like to re-add one of each. As a young collector and new beginner of fountain pen collecting, I think at least one of each type to add to a discerning collection. I def think we have preferences and for me it's the silver, chrome, rhodium or gun metal effect is what attracts my eye. I've always been a user of shiny pens and for me the Cross Century has been my first choice ever since the teens. I've owned many Cross century's over the years and my current collection add-on's are two Cross Century pens. A Lustrous chrome fountain pen in med nib and a Tech 4 with the same finish. I have always loved the classic American design of the Cross company and have never had issues with any of their products.

 

So back to the original question by the op! For me I'd like to have at least one of each of the different styles of fountain pens to my collection.

[jar]

The Italix churchman's prescriptor is similar in design, and has fewer digits in price.

 

I'm curious why you would say that the Italix Churchman's Prescriptor has any design semblance to the ST Dupont Montparnasse?

[Ron Z]

Interesting and entertaining discussion.

 

I have a bit of a bias towards plastic, celluloid and hard rubber pens based on what I see coming through the shop and a couple of decades of collecting.... not to mention my experience in cosmetic finishing of pens when done repairing them.

 

I prefer the "plastic" (the word in truth covers all three mentioned) materials because when they are damaged, wear, and get scuffed up you can polish the blemishes out. Sterling and other metal pens can be de-dinged, and the luster restored. But a painted finish (which is what lacquer, epoxy and such over metal are) is nearly impossible to bring back to, or close to, it's original state. Polishing always means removing material, and polishing is what you do when the surface gets scuffed up. For some reason I seem to get little nicks in the finish of lacquer pens. I don't drop them, bang them against things, or otherwise misuse or mishandle them, but invariably they end up with a little chip somewhere in the pen, and you can't repair it.

 

I've had clients ask if I can restore the finish of their lacquer pen, and I have to tell them that I can't. I've had clients send pens in for service with the lacquer mostly gone - chipped off to the point where most of the pen is brass, but without any dents in cap or barrel. Just worn. If it were a celluloid pen I could make it quite presentable. But a lacquered finish? No. Plated? Perhaps if the wear isn't too bad, and even in extreme cases we could tank plate the metal. But lacquer? There isn't much if anything that can be done because I'm not willing to try to match color even if I were to get into respraying pens with an automotive finish followed by baking to cure.

[ethernautrix]

I was about to trumpet the wonderful beauty of urushi over ebonite... and then remembered two of my favorite non-Nakaya pens are in rotation: two Pelikan Toledos, a 700 and a 710.

[bizhe]

I'm curious why you would say that the Italix Churchman's Prescriptor has any design semblance to the ST Dupont Montparnasse?

Because they both have very short sections, and I believe both have a brass inner barrel (Prescriptor on top, Montparnasse below):

*images borrowed from the Internet

[jar]

Because they both have very short sections, and I believe both have a brass inner barrel (Prescriptor on top, Montparnasse below):

*images borrowed from the Internet

montparnasse prescriptor.jpg

 

 

Actually the section of the Montparnasse is internal. Sorry but I see no real semblance.