Where to buy Omas nib collar for Ogiva Extra

[jskywalker]

I love Omas pens especially the oversize Paragon and Ogiva... but the nib collar always breaks after usage... 

 

Where can I buy these parts?

 

 

[Dione]

Exactly which part always breaks after usage? Do you mean something breaks while you're writing?

[Geert Jan]

I'm also curious about the 'always breaks after usage'.

If it indeed is the nib collar breaking, this link may give some insight https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/355637-omas-saft-green-nib-replacement/  I don't think there is any good reason to remove nib and feed on a regular basis. (that advice may be a little too late now)

Parts for OMAS will be hard to find, as the company has closed down some years ago.

[Dione]

Rule 1 in my personal rule set: Never try to remove the nib and feed from an Omas pen. The collar might break and you can't get another.

[Ron Z]

Omas nib collars/thread rings have a reputation for breaking after time.  No proof, but I suspect that they are made from Delrin, which I have found doesn't play well when expeosed to acid, as they invariably are when imersed in ink.  I now make replacements out of PEEK, but I don't just sell them - I want to fit them to the nib and feed, and then in the pen.   The hardest part seems to be cutting the silly notches on either side.

 

 

 

 

 

[gyasko]

The collar on my 1980s 557/F crumbled without me ever removing the nib.  Just a poor choice of materials.  I had John Mottishaw replace it since he handled OMAS repairs in the US  back when OMAS was a going concern.

[Dione]

37 minutes ago, gyasko said:

The collar on my 1980s 557/F crumbled without me ever removing the nib.  Just a poor choice of materials.  I had John Mottishaw replace it since he handled OMAS repairs in the US  back when OMAS was a going concern.

That is really very sad.  Glad you managed to get it fixed.

[Seney724]

2 hours ago, Ron Z said:

Omas nib collars/thread rings have a reputation for breaking after time.  No proof, but I suspect that they are made from Delrin, which I have found doesn't play well when expeosed to acid, as they invariably are when imersed in ink.  I now make replacements out of PEEK, but I don't just sell them - I want to fit them to the nib and feed, and then in the pen.   The hardest part seems to be cutting the silly notches on either side.

 

 

 

 

 

My understanding is that Omas recognized this problem in the early 90's soon after their introduction (or, more correctly, their re-introduction) of the Paragon in their Arte Italiana series.  They began to employ these newly manufactured collars sometime in mid-1994 and the pens which were manufactured with this "new" collar have fared much better than those outfitted with the earlier version of the collar.

 

Having had both, this is surely been my experience. 

 

Folks ought to take this into consideration when purchasing one of these pens.  The date imprinted on the section is actually useful!!

 

Two questions:

1)  I have not seen one of these collars in a color other than a charcoal grey to black.  Are the collars you are producing the color in the photo or is that one just some sort of special order to match the color of a particular pen?

 

2)  What might one expect to pay for the type of restoration work you are describing?

[fabri00]

You can try at Penboard.de

 

Or they can be machined with a lathe, as Ron do and as I also do for my own Omas pens.

 

Ron: I have no idea of they are made of Delrin, but I think Omas used different materials over the years, as I have some pens where they gat dammaged, and others where they did noty had any issue. For sure if you machine them from peek, they should hold forever......

[donnweinberg]

How about the nib collar on the Omas D-Day fountain pen?  I just received one from an eBay seller.  When I opened the cap, the nib fell right out of the section.  Upon closer inspection, the screw-in collar had totally deteriorated in this filthy (lots of dried ink) pen.  Can I obtain a new, better screw-in nib collar for this model?  I’m hoping I can so I don’t have to return the pen to the seller, who has little if any pen experience, and who will be left with a useless pen.

[fabri00]

I think the collar is the same of other models of the same size.

I do not have a D-Day, but it look like a normal extra round, not faceted.

[donnweinberg]

5 minutes ago, fabri00 said:

I think the collar is the same of other models of the same size.

I do not have a D-Day, but it look like a normal extra round, not faceted.

 

Correct.  Does the current Omas have the needed screw-in collar available, if you know?

[fabri00]

I have no idea, but I dont think so.

[Seney724]

This pen was introduced / produced in 1994.  I think you would be best advised to acquire a collar from that era.  They are still around......

 

Of note,  the problem you have encountered was quite common in the early 90's soon after Omas's introduction (or, more correctly, their re-introduction) of the Paragon in their Arte Italiana series.  They began to employ much improved collars sometime in mid-1994.   The pens which were manufactured with the "new" collar have fared much better than those outfitted with the earlier version of the collar.  My guess is your pen which was produced in 1994 probably had one of the older collars.  If you get one of the newer ones into it you will be fine.  Yes, they are screw-in.

[Dillo]

I recommend either considering sending it to RonZ in the states or someone in Europe who can remake them. (I don't have connections with either) In the past I've sent them to a friend in Italy who has sent them to a friend who turned them from other materials. Some of these parts are better remade in my opinion, but it's often a good idea to send the whole pen to someone to get it done to make sure the fitment is perfect.

[Seney724]

12 minutes ago, Dillo said:

I recommend either considering sending it to RonZ in the states or someone in Europe who can remake them. (I don't have connections with either) In the past I've sent them to a friend in Italy who has sent them to a friend who turned them from other materials. Some of these parts are better remade in my opinion, but it's often a good idea to send the whole pen to someone to get it done to make sure the fitment is perfect.

Why have somebody "remake" one when authentic Omas collars are still available? 

 

Tom Westerich sells them, see here:

https://www.penboard.de/shop/searchshop/?srchvalue=omas+collar&shop_seller=0

 

What you will receive from Tom is one of the newer (post 1995) collars. These later collars do not have the disintegration issues which were encountered with the original 1991 production run.

 

[donnweinberg]

15 hours ago, Seney724 said:

Tom Westerich sells them, see here:

https://www.penboard.de/shop/searchshop/?srchvalue=omas+collar&shop_seller=0

 

What you will receive from Tom is one of the newer (post 1995) collars. These later collars do not have the disintegration issues which were encountered with the original 1991 production run.

 

Thanks for this link.  I ordered both sized Omas collars, just to be safe.

[Seney724]

13 minutes ago, donnweinberg said:

 

Thanks for this link.  I ordered both sized Omas collars, just to be safe.

Good decision.  You should be fine and, hopefully, very pleased with the outcome.

Keep us posted!

[Dillo]

18 hours ago, Seney724 said:

Why have somebody "remake" one when authentic Omas collars are still available? 

 

 

I sadly don't have a lot of faith in OMAS's own parts because in many ways their pens suffer with a lot of their material choices. I've seen things with even the newly made collars, usually not splitting issues, but I have not been impressed. I've had better luck with the longevity and quality of certain remade parts, but then I also have someone in Italy who does them for me from hard rubber or celluloid.

 

I collect many vintage Italian pens including OMAS, and some of my OMAS are "retired" and no longer in use because of the materials they used when making the pens. If it's internal componentry, I send it to someone to get it rebuilt, but from trim plating quality and sometimes problems with celluloids and plastic materials, there are some things that I really keep a close eye on with my OMAS pens. My favorite OMAS I use now has had critical components remade and the pen rebuilt and has been serving me well for some time now. That very OMAS I got from Tom Westerich, but it went to one of my restorers to be restored after it started having issues. I have other OMAS, but that is the one that often comes to mind.

 

If you want the authentic, it's fine, but I caution about sticking to "authentic" components in some cases especially if I don't have a good track record with them.

[Seney724]

1 hour ago, Dillo said:

 

I sadly don't have a lot of faith in OMAS's own parts because in many ways their pens suffer with a lot of their material choices. I've seen things with even the newly made collars, usually not splitting issues, but I have not been impressed. I've had better luck with the longevity and quality of certain remade parts, but then I also have someone in Italy who does them for me from hard rubber or celluloid.

 

I collect many vintage Italian pens including OMAS, and some of my OMAS are "retired" and no longer in use because of the materials they used when making the pens. If it's internal componentry, I send it to someone to get it rebuilt, but from trim plating quality and sometimes problems with celluloids and plastic materials, there are some things that I really keep a close eye on with my OMAS pens. My favorite OMAS I use now has had critical components remade and the pen rebuilt and has been serving me well for some time now. That very OMAS I got from Tom Westerich, but it went to one of my restorers to be restored after it started having issues. I have other OMAS, but that is the one that often comes to mind.

 

If you want the authentic, it's fine, but I caution about sticking to "authentic" components in some cases especially if I don't have a good track record with them.

I quite agree....some of the Omas celluloids and components have been great disappointments.  For me, it has been the poor quality of the plating on the trim that has been most upsetting other than the utter failure of some of the celluloids which were not cured properly.  And, to be clear, here I am talking about the post 1991 productions, not those of the 30's-40's.

 

However, for the collars, apparently our experiences are different.  I have been quite pleased with the post 1995 collars.  Yes, I do prefer authentic components but not when the price one has to pay is poor performance or failure.  As the old saying goes, YMMV.