Vintage Jade Wahl-Eversharp Personal Point Review

February 4, 2017

Wahl-Eversharp is an American pen manufacturer that started making their Pyralin (celluloid) pens in 1927. One year later they added the Personal Point, which was one the first interchangeable nib systems. For more information about the history of the Wahl-Eversharp company, see the links at the bottom of the review.

This pen has excited me ever since I first laid my eyes upon it, sitting in an antique store next to a battered and bruised Esterbrook SJ that had seen better days. Twenty dollars later, I walked out with a dirty, unusable, and old Wahl-Eversharp. After some careful restoration, I now have a beautiful piece of vintage glory. Although I tried my best, the pictures I took with my phone don't quite capture how nice this pen is.

Design and Construction:

The pen follows the classic flat top design characteristic of many Wahl-Eversharps, and is made of Jade Celluloid with ebonite finials and an ebonite section. Overall, the design is very classy and looks relatively modern. The pen feels very high quality.

Interestingly, the barrel of this pen is lined with metal. This has helped the pen retain most of its color in the barrel, but has caused the area around the lever to discolor as the gases from the decomposing latex sac escaped. The four bands and the clip are gold-filled and have held up well, with only slight brassing. The roller ball on the clip helps make it very easy to use. The threads are very well made, and the cap comes off with one full rotation.

Size and Ergonomics:

Capped: 133 mm

Uncapped: 125 mm

Posted: please don't

Section diameter: Approximately 8.5-10 mm

Comparison of the Edison Collier, Lamy Safari, Wahl-Eversharp, and a Parker Duofold Junior. Note the Edison will not post.

The size of this pen is really similar to the Lamy Safari, and even longer when posted (do not post it ). However, the pen is heavier than the Lamy, especially when they're both uncapped, but they're not exactly heavy per se. It's a pretty comfortable pen in the hand, although not the thickest pen in the world (ie. the Edison). You're not exactly going to want to write a twenty page essay with this pen, unless for some reason you want to and I'm assuming too much about you.

Filling System:

This pen is the rather common lever filler. The lever seems to lock in place and will not move unless you make it. With a number 18 sac in this pen, it holds about a ml of ink. The removable nib also means you can fill the pen up with a syringe (sample users beware) and it can make cleaning and drying the pen a lot easier.

The Nib:

Arguably the best part about this pen, the medium semi-flex nib on this pen is amazing. It's definitely finer than a modern European medium. It requires just enough pressure to flex to be usable for normal things, but provides a nice amount of flex, that can embellish your handwriting if you have a heavy hand (unlike me). Be aware this is a semi-flex nib; it has more flex than modern semi flex nibs, but is not a full flex nib or a wet noodle, which both require very little pressure to flex. In any case, a flex or semi-flex nib will be easier to apply too much pressure and ruin to than most pens.

The paper is Rhodia

Conclusion:

This is an excellent vintage pen, however it is a vintage pen. Enjoy it at a slower pace; this is not really a suitable pen for bringing places for everyday use since the feed has essentially one giant air channel, which while it allows the pen to flex consistently, it also makes it so the pen is an ink cannon (literally) with even the lightest shake. It usually won't get ink on you're paper, but it will sometimes get ink in the cap and on the section. I don't mind inky fingers, but it's kinda awkward trying to find a tissue to wipe your pen. There's also the matter that it's an old pen that's not readily available. Everyday carry or not, Wahl-Eversharp has made a fantastic writing instrument that is willing to serve the best it can and is always a pleasure to write with.

While this review is of this vintage pen, I certainly advise you to seek any vintage pens. I'm sure you'll find some you want (need). Restored pens can be found at pen shows or online, but it's also a really rewarding experience to restore a pen that you find in an unusable state (antique shops, Ebay). Do not be afraid of the vintage pens, they are our friends.

As will always be the case, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Links:

http://www.fountainpen.it/Eversharp/en

http://www.rickconner.net/penspotters/eversharp.html