What pens are we carrying today?

[Shangas]

Today's pen is a 1925 Wahl Art Deco VP pen.

 

[fluteplayer07]

The hard rubber pens start as some of the earliest pens and there are examples of mixed red & black pens from around 1905, The hard rubber gets used until the early 1930's. My pen books are buried right now but usually we find 1920's pens most. Flex nibs from Waterman are less rare as are Wahl Eversharp but more rare from Parker or Sheaffer. A nice ripple will almost look like some type of wood grain effect and are considered a bit of a rarety compared to the single color black or red.

Some of the single color pens will have a pattern embossed into the body and cap, this is called chased.

I have a 52 with a nice flex nib, but haven't found a ripple in my hunts yet.

I did get and then sold a Waterman Safety pen that was black hard rubber where the nib, feed and section sort of twisted up into place to be used.

Thanks!

flute

 

[Shangas]

That's what I was writing with today.

 

[FountainPenGirl]

Hi, Just didn't want this thread to get too far behind. Today I just found a Parker Jotter with the tranditional arrow clip. At least I think it's a jotter. It's a ballpoint that very much resembles my Parker '61 fountain pen.

 

[Shangas]

The Jotter is a very slim Parker ballpoint pen. It has a very distinctive shape. I used to have one, but I never enjoyed it.

Today's pens are my 1908 Mabie Todd 'Swan' and my 1925 Wahl ringtop.

 

[David Conwill]

I've been stalking Esterbrook Js on eBay lately, but haven't bit yet. Largely I'm afraid of my ability to judge condition and don't know what to pay.

-Dave

 

[Shangas]

Condition is pretty-much universal across all fountain pens.

Check for things such as:

Cracks around the cap-lip. Yes? This means that the cap has been screwed on too tightly at some time in the past. If the cap has a cap-band on it, the cracking won't be (much) of a problem. If the cap is bandless...forget it.

Cracks or bending or bowing around the lever-hole. A bent lever is an indication that someone tried to force the pen with a nonfunctioning sac. Make sure that the pen has a good sac in it first, before trying to work the lever. Cracks or any warping around the lever speaks of possible and unnecessary trouble. Disregard pens such as that.

The nib should be even and unbent with a decent amount of tipping at the end. Some cheaper-quality pens did not have tipping, and instead used "Spoon" or "foldover" nibs. I'm not sure what the situation with Esterbrook pens is.

The clip should be flat against the pen-cap and shouldn't wiggle. If the cap has been 'sprung' (bent out too far), that can be fixed, but if the cap-clip spins and wiggles around, then disregard this pen. If it wriggles around, it'll wriggle right out of your pocket.

Check barrels for cracks, dings, any warping or bending, etc. And ask plenty of questions of the seller before starting your bidding.

 

[David Conwill]

Well, I took the plunge on an Esterbrook. I think what I really want is a red J, but it ended up that I bid on a gray SJ because it had the 2968 nib I wanted:

I am struck immediately by how light this is compared to the Waterman Phileas and the Sheaffer Prelude I normally carry. But I guess this was the near-disposable pen of its era, and the ones I'm used to are really luxury items.

Still, it fits my hand nicely. The tip is a bit blunter than I expected, and not as well suited to my penmanship as I'd hoped. I think a bit of practice is in order.

-Dave

 

[John in Covina]

No fountain pen made before the disposible era is that. An Esterbrook is light because they used materials that were light. The Phileas is heavier because the plastic they use to mold the body and cap is fairly dense but it flows well so the casting have less boo-boos and are very accurate to the mold. Some low level pens used brass bodies and caps and they are heavy.

There are people that prefer light pens and some that prefer heavy, most early hard rubber and plastic pens then to be pretty light.

Even Esterbrooks as inexpensive as they were were still a lifetime purchase. Most problems that come up can be repaired so you only parted with a fountain pen when lost or stolen- mostly.

 

[David Conwill]

No fountain pen made before the disposible era is that. An Esterbrook is light because they used materials that were light. The Phileas is heavier because the plastic they use to mold the body and cap is fairly dense but it flows well so the casting have less boo-boos and are very accurate to the mold. Some low level pens used brass bodies and caps and they are heavy.

There are people that prefer light pens and some that prefer heavy, most early hard rubber and plastic pens then to be pretty light.

Even Esterbrooks as inexpensive as they were were still a lifetime purchase. Most problems that come up can be repaired so you only parted with a fountain pen when lost or stolen- mostly.

John, I certainly didn't mean to offend. What I meant was that this was a mass-market pen, and the closest thing to a disposable in that timeframe. I think it's a great pen! And I see that the lightness has nothing to do with the original cost.

I've been using it all day, and have come to like it a lot. I think my first mistake, though, was loading it with Sheaffer Skrip ink. It's just so watery that it makes almost any pen scratchy. I have since re-filled with Private Reserve and I'm much happier.

-Dave

 

[Miss Neecerie]

John, I certainly didn't mean to offend. What I meant was that this was a mass-market pen, and the closest thing to a disposable in that timeframe. I think it's a great pen! And I see that the lightness has nothing to do with the original cost.

I've been using it all day, and have come to like it a lot. I think my first mistake, though, was loading it with Sheaffer Skrip ink. It's just so watery that it makes almost any pen scratchy. I have since re-filled with Private Reserve and I'm much happier.

-Dave

If you find you still don't quite like how it writes...a new nib might be in order..since they are interchangeable in Esties...opens a whole world of experimentation without buying another pen body.

http://www.esterbrook.net/nibs.shtml

has a list of nibs and their original uses...to give some idea of which you might like to hunt down on ebay...

 

[David Conwill]

If you find you still don't quite like how it writes...a new nib might be in order..since they are interchangeable in Esties...opens a whole world of experimentation without buying another pen body.

http://www.esterbrook.net/nibs.shtml

has a list of nibs and their original uses...to give some idea of which you might like to hunt down on ebay...

As I said, the change in ink has made all the difference.

That chart is actually what led me to this pen, as I searched "Esterbrook 2968" and came up with the pen I purchased. I actually bid on the gray SJ and a brown J with a fine nib, intending to switch them, but the J ultimately went for approximately ten times what I bid, so I'll just use the SJ.

-Dave

 

[John in Covina]

John, I certainly didn't mean to offend. What I meant was that this was a mass-market pen, and the closest thing to a disposable in that timeframe. I think it's a great pen! And I see that the lightness has nothing to do with the original cost. I've been using it all day, and have come to like it a lot. I think my first mistake, though, was loading it with Sheaffer Skrip ink. It's just so watery that it makes almost any pen scratchy. I have since re-filled with Private Reserve and I'm much happier.
-Dave

Hey Dave! Not a problem! I am defensive of Esterbrooks because it was for most and still is considered by some collectors as not worth the time. <There are those that think if the nib is not gold it can't write well or if it is not fancy it's not worth using or having.>

Esterbrook fans know their fine qualities while others need to be dragged begrudgingly to recognize them. Esterbrooks were well made so they were often the first selection for business, industry, government and school use where it performed well and offered the best balance of cost and quality.

I am glad you are enjoying it. If the nib is not to your liking new nibs are available from many pens stores that handle vintage and they come up on Ebay. (For those that may be looking: Just remember the fountain pen nibs are 4 digits if you see Esterbrook nibs with 3 digits it's for a dip pen.)

I just did a talk on Fountain Pens for the Fedora Lounge Queen Mary event Saturday (5/15/10) morning with a focus on Esterbrooks for the attendees.

 

[Shangas]

Today's pen:

1946 English-made Parker Duofold "NS" button-filler.

 

[John in Covina]

Many of the English Duofolds are really beautiful we don't see them much in the US.

 

[Shangas]

Hey John,

I don't know that I should call this one 'beautiful'. It's jet black, with gold-ringed black cap-jewels on the blind-cap and the...eh...cap-cap...and it has a gold cap-band below the arrow clip, with the alternating...kinda herringbone pattern on it. Similar to: \\\\////\\\\//// It's the same pattern that I think they used on the 1930s Vacumatics. Here's a couple of photographs:

And there's the sample of my horrific handwriting to go with it.

 

[John in Covina]

Black with Gold Trim is very classic!

 

[Hexenmeister]

I love my fountain pen and use it at home for the more important things, but at work I fear to carry it because I'd end up handing it to customers to sign receipts and the like. I've found that most people when first presented with a fountain pen don't know who to write with it, and my pen has nearly bitten the dust a few times. I have therefor been looking for the perfect "cheap" pen to carry at work, as the uber cheap blue pens the office sends us are worthless.

So far I've really enjoyed the Uni-ball Signo 207. With a 0.7mm tip, I find it has almost perfect flow at a width that really helps to smooth my writing and keep things legible and aesthetically pleasing to read, and comfortable to write.

On my last pen hunt I picked up a pack of Bic Triumph 730R's. They certainly look nice and have replaceable ink cartridges. I opted for the 0.7mm again, owing to my enjoyment of that width in the Uni-ball pens. It writes very smoothly, not unlike the Signo, and is a joy to use. My only reservations are a) 0.7mm according to Bic seems to be wider than 0.7mm as measures by Uni-ball, so I'm forced to write a bit larger than I usually do, so I may try the 0.5mm next time. b) it is almost too light, to my hand. I like a little bit of inertia in my pens to keep the rhythm as I write. and c) the cap does not sit securely on the back of the pen. I'd like to feel a little click when I put the cap on the back, and with this pen the cap, at best, just sits atop the pen.

 

[John in Covina]

For good writing NON-fountain pens I tend to like PILOT G-2 Gel Pens or other sries Pilot gel pens, although some of the other brand gel pens are quite good also. The gel writers are pretty smooth and takes little effort to write with. THe thing is they can get balky if you write on paper fresh out of the printer, fax or copier as the chemicals from those prcesses interferes with the ink.

It's funny that people will have absolutely no idea how to write with a fountain pen and can get no clues from looking at the nib at all. It's like they are trying to use a spoon to scoop up soup but they are holding it sideways or upside down.

 

[David Conwill]

No Nonsense!

Well, I’d like to be carrying my Sheaffer Prelude today, but it’s been missing for about a month, leaving me with just my Esterbrook SJ (which has become a real favorite), and my Waterman Phileas.

Yesterday, I pulled out a Sheaffer calligraphy set I’d purchased at a garage sale for $1.00. It included three of their cheap-o “No Nonsense” pen bodies along with three “Italic” nibs (F, M, and B). I’d really purchased the set for the cartridges, as they’ll work in my Prelude, but I decided to load up one of the No Nonsense pens and try it out.

Initially I stuck a blue cartridge in the B nib, but it’s not really a good nib for general writing, so now I have a black cartridge in the F nib, and love it.

Too bad there’s no way to use a converter with these. I hate buying cartridges - it’s one of the reasons I got into fountain pens to begin with!

-Dave