Arco Bronze Celluloid Inks

[William J. Catalano Jr.]

I will be getting a new Style Omas Arco Bronze celluloid pen. That being said, some of you that have Arco Bronze pens, what are your favorite inks or ink to put in them to match? Even if they don't match and it's a blue-black or something what are they? So far I've been leaning towards Graf Von Faber Castell Cognac Brown, but I might want a more darker/saturated ink. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Pictures are welcome as well!

[Seney724]

1 hour ago, William J. Catalano Jr. said:

I will be getting a new Style Omas Arco Bronze celluloid pen. That being said, some of you that have Arco Bronze pens, what are your favorite inks or ink to put in them to match? Even if they don't match and it's a blue-black or something what are they? So far I've been leaning towards Graf Von Faber Castell Cognac Brown, but I might want a more darker/saturated ink. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Pictures are welcome as well!

Congratulations!  There is nothing more beautiful than a genuine piece of Omas celluloid in Bronze Arco.  You will never bore yourself by gazing at it!

 

Most think of the Bronze Arco celluloid pens from their 1992-2001 production run of their Arte Italiana series as the "old" Bronze Arcos but, in fact, there were some gorgeous Omas Bronze Arco lever fill celluloid pens produced by Omas in the 30's.

 

On the other hand, there have been a number of "new style" Omas Arco Bronze celluloid pens over the years beginning with some production models by the Omas Factory in the early 2000's before they went bankrupt and out of business.  After that there has been several "new style" Arco Bronze models produced by others.  That's all a story (a real rat's nest) for another thread because it really is not germane to your question other than in one specific and important way.  In order to provide you with a good answer to your question, one needs to know, rather precisely, the construction of the filling system of your pen.  The "old style" pens of the Arte Italiana series were true piston fillers and the ink came in direct contact with the celluloid of the inner barrel's surface.  For those pens, great care needs to be given to the ink used in the pen and one is best advised to choose a well known, "gentle" and safe ink like a Waterman Blue-Black, etc.  There are of course others but one must assure that track record of the ink when in a celluloid barrel is well known. 

 

I think some of the "new" style Arco Brown pens fit this description but, for the most part, all of the "new style" Arco Bronze celluloid pens utilized some sort of ink converter, captive converter or gimmicky piston which does not allow the ink to come in contact with the celluloid except when the filling system fails and leaks ink into the inside of the barrel.  Some of these "new style" Omas Arco filling systems work pretty well but many of them do not.  Apologies for the digression, but the point here is that if the ink is not going to come into contact with the celluloid itself you "theoretically" can use any ink you wish, which is nice.  I say "theoretically" because you would really want to avoid an ink which is known to be corrosive because it could over time damage the filling system and require its replacement.

 

If you can indicate exactly which of the "new style" Bronze Arco pens you have acquired you might get some more specific advise as relates to the ink but hopefully this will give you a start in thinking about what you should use.

 

Good luck; please post photos of your pen once you have it and have given it a test drive!!

[William J. Catalano Jr.]

@Seney724 It is the new version of the newly Omas Paragon. Piston filler. I own an ASC Triangolo already with the Chilton style filling system and while cool, worries me because eventually the sack will need replacing. My Triangolo is the Green Autumn celluloid version with the magic flex no.8 nib. This Paragon is a 14k Gold no.6. Apparently the newer Version I'm getting of the Paragon has it so that the ink doesn't ever or shouldn't rather come into contact with the inside of the barrel's celluloid. I've heard rather good experiences with the new Paragons that have been released the last year or 2 so I decided to pull the trigger longing for an Arco Bronze celluloid for the last 5 years. I almost bought the skyscraper version of the Paragon. It was the ASC Gladiatore Medio that was a limited run with the amber version and blue celluloid that looks a lot like the old Parker Vacumatics from the 30's and 40's. I didn't end up doing it and sorely regretted it as when I went back to where I was going to buy it they were sold out. Thanks for the history lesson, it was gladly accepted!

Edited January 2, 2025 by William J. Catalano Jr.

[William J. Catalano Jr.]

I ended up getting an OMAS Parargon in Blue Saffron Celluloid as well. This one came today, I don't have the Arco Bronze yet. It's a lovely writer and pen and I adore it. I let it sit uncapped for over 6 minutes to test the nib and it wrote without a hiccup first nib to paper. Very well tuned nib. Also smooth for a fine. Really wish any pens over the price of $250 or $300 and a gold nib should come standard with an ebonite feed. The two other pens under it are a Nettuno 1911 Superba in Emerald Celluloid with a 14k. Gold Medium JoWo nib with Diamine Prussian Blue/ Diamine Earl Grey mix. Under that is an Aurora 88 Cognac Ebonite with an 18k. Gold Medium nib with Graf Von Faber Castell Cognac brown in it.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I really got to get a supply of Japanese paper. You have had much better luck with Ancient Copper than I have had, with good to better Euro papers.

Some very pretty pens, especially the top one.

 

I chase two toned shading inks, and would like to know what color ink you chase? Then I could give a recommendation or two.

A shading Bronze ink from Octopus, isn't lively enough for your top pen. That's the only bronze ink I have.

Brown shading Herbin: Cafe des Ills, or Lie de Thee` might look good in that pen.

[William J. Catalano Jr.]

@Bo Bo Olson If you want to try a great paper that shows great sheen and shading try the brand "Iroful." Supposedly the company that makes it made the version of Tomoe River before Sanzen took it over. I just got an A5 blank notebook on Amazon of it and it's awesome. It's a bit more thick than Tomoe River as well so not as much ghosting as TR. I own a big bottle of Lie De The' and adore it as it's one of my favorite browns. I've been using it lately in my Pelikan M1000 Brown Renaissance with a fine nib. I might have to try the other ink Cafe Des Ils. It kind of reminds me of SBREBrown by Akkerman which I own a big bottle of as well. Thanks for the conversation and suggestions! I don't chase any kind of specific attribution of inks per se. I just like what I like and enjoy if it matches good sometimes, but not every time.

Edited January 20, 2025 by William J. Catalano Jr.