Anyone else into fountain pens?

[viclip]

Having conducted an extensive, rigorously-scientific investigation (See results below) I think you must be right. The ink clearly has two components, of which the blue is by far the less soluble. I suppose that makes it the first to come out of solution as the ink dries.

So, now we know how to mix up our own solution of dark green ink

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Pen & ink was the order of the school day back in the 1950's. Threads like this where Osmiroid isn't the common choice makes me wonder if there was some sort deal between our Education department and Osmiroid pens. It seemed as though we all had them back then. Even the school dip pens, had Osmiroid nibs.

Ball point pens were strictly taboo at my school, the only concession to an alternative was a pencil. We were issued with 'rough' books. These were an A4 size blank exercise book for random jottings, or 'rough' workings. We could use pencil or pen & ink in them, but you would find yourself in trouble if you used a ball point pen.

Italic script was also taught at my school, we also had Gothic script, but fanciful flourishes on capital letters at the start of a sentence were discouraged, didn't stop us though. These days if I have to contact a company or government department, I never use e-mail, always a handwritten letter in pen and ink. It gets a response everytime.

This is my Osmiroid Platignum, note the bladder lever.
View attachment 153511
This caligraphy set was a gift, I think it was from my Dad, memory either fades or confuses, sorry I can't be sure.
View attachment 153512

You school, sounds very similar to mine!!

 

[Edward Reed]

this is my early 1940s Sheaffer Valiant white dot with Military Clip.
In the 1940s this particular pen sold for $10.00 which was quite a lot to spend on a pen for the time and is equivalent to around $140 in todays money. (I purchased this one last year for $140 so there you go ) Military clips were a response to Military Regulations that a pen would be unseen when the pocket flap was buttoned over the shirt pocket. Sheaffer used standard clips and folded them over to form the military clip. its fun to write with... except the I rarely get to use it with today's online payments, online forums and private messaging. This would have also come in a set with a matching mechanical pencil. one day I hope to get one.

 

[beckster]

Great photos! I was not aware there was a military standard for the clip. I have several early post war Parker p-51s which I use every day. Regards

 

[Edward Reed]

Great photos! I was not aware there was a military standard for the clip. I have several early post war Parker p-51s which I use every day. Regards

yes, its was an interesting design development that helped keep the top of the pen cap lowered deep into the pocket and not be seen. the pocket flap wouldn't bunch up and would help cover the exposed part of the clip essentially hiding the pen altogether. I don't think too many pen companies designed these. I believe Sheaffer had the jump on that design and may have even had a patent but will have to look to be certain. they offered I believe 9 different pen colors in four models with the military clip option.

---- update: (U.S. Patent No D123,485, issued to Ray E. McKiernan and assigned to Sheaffer).

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Great picture and pen, lovely handwriting too, unlike mine, which as my schoolmasters used to say, looks like a spider has crawled out of the ink pot and walked across the page.

 

[Raul]

I have a few:

- Sheaffer PFM III (Pen For Men) 1960 and its distinctive inlaid nib

- Aurora 88 P (1958 my birthyear)

- Parker DuoFold Senior (1928-30)

- Pelikan 140 (New Old Stock)

 

[Edward Reed]

I have a few:

- Sheaffer PFM III (Pen For Men) 1960 and its distinctive inlaid nib

- Aurora 889 (1958 my birthyear)

- Parker DuoFold Senior (1928-30)

nice pens! that inlaid nib is really amazing! neat variation that I had not seen before... particularly like the Parker DuoFold Senior!

 

[Edward]

My latest top tip: the best pens I've ever discovered in new production: the Wing Sung 601. It's a Chinese copy of the Parker 51, with a vacuumatic mechanism that, if anything improves on the original. Don't buy in the UK/ US, buy direct on eBay from some of the Chinese sellers. Got to wait three weeks for them to arrive, but you'll get them for a third of the price. Every bit as good as my original P51s, but their ready availability means I'm not afraid to take them out and use them in anger. Exact dimensions of the 'real thing' - just outstanding. You can find them with asingle or double jewel end. There's also the 601A, though note that it has an exposed nib, not the hooded one of the true 51 design. As good as any expensive, Western pen I ever tried. I especially enjoy the demo models, watching the ink fill! Aside from, on most of them, a series of small ink-windows (not visible when capped), and the Wing Sung designation engraved on the cap, you'd swear they were the real deal.

 

[Edward Reed]

My latest top tip: the best pens I've ever discovered in new production: the Wing Sung 601. It's a Chinese copy of the Parker 51, with a vacuumatic mechanism that, if anything improves on the original. Don't buy in the UK/ US, buy direct on eBay from some of the Chinese sellers. Got to wait three weeks for them to arrive, but you'll get them for a third of the price. Every bit as good as my original P51s, but their ready availability means I'm not afraid to take them out and use them in anger. Exact dimensions of the 'real thing' - just outstanding. You can find them with asingle or double jewel end. There's also the 601A, though note that it has an exposed nib, not the hooded one of the true 51 design. As good as any expensive, Western pen I ever tried. I especially enjoy the demo models, watching the ink fill! Aside from, on most of them, a series of small ink-windows (not visible when capped), and the Wing Sung designation engraved on the cap, you'd swear they were the real deal.

very interesting! thanks for that tip off! will look into it now for future needs.

I'm not afraid to take them out and use them in anger.

So, you might say one will look cool and stylish during divorce proceedings

 

[Edward]

So, you might say one will look cool and stylish during divorce proceedings

An area of law I have long avoided, but they've certainly served me with the appropriate gravitas to apepar before the Scottish Justice Committee to discuss defamation reform!

 

[Edward Reed]

An area of law I have long avoided, but they've certainly served me with the appropriate gravitas to apepar before the Scottish Justice Committee to discuss defamation reform!

LOL!!!!

 

[Edward]

AS an aside, this morning I disassembled one of my 601s which had sustained a knock that pushed the nib up inside the body. Following a quick look on (where else) Youtube for an instructional video, I was able to quickly and easily ascertain that the nib just needed pulled back out a bit, and it was an easy fix. In this era when so many things are treated as disposable, to be thrown away if they stop working, it's nice to have something so effective and yet realtviely low-tech that can easily be repaired at home.

 

[GHT]

In this era when so many things are treated as disposable, to be thrown away if they stop working, it's nice to have something so effective and yet realtviely low-tech that can easily be repaired at home.

That is so true. The MG had a puncture, had to have a new inner tube, nobody repairs punctures anymore. It's much the same with fountain pen bladders, we learned how to repair them if they leaked when I was at school. Try even buying a new bladder these days.

 

[Edward]

That is so true. The MG had a puncture, had to have a new inner tube, nobody repairs punctures anymore. It's much the same with fountain pen bladders, we learned how to repair them if they leaked when I was at school. Try even buying a new bladder these days.

I've noticed several ebay sellers doing replacement parts for the Wing Sung; I'm thinknig of picking a few up so that I can do my own repairs. It's ridiculous that it feels like such an achievement, but maybe I feel that because in today's disposable world it is unusual. One of the things that attracted me back to fountain pens way back when I was still at school was the idea of having a pen that wasn't just a throwaway item, but that could be kept going for many years. I often wonder whether any of the fountain pen producers will ever catch on to the idea of sustainability and being environmentally friendly as a selling point! I keep a couple of those 'space pens' around as a means of writing on things that the fountain pen can't (ever noticed how it's almost the norm now for gretings cards to have a glossy surface that can't take anything 'wet ink' - even biro smears if you're not careful?), but evne though 99.9% of my handwriting these days is for noone but me, there's still something much more pleasant about using a fountain pen.