Fountain Pens, Pocket Watches, Pipes

[fountwriter]

It just occured to me that some of you guys might be interested in "The Pipe Smoker's Ephemeris". It is a free semi-regular publication that has lots of vintage pics of pipe smokers..most of which are dressed to the nines. Also has lots of reprints of old articles from golden era smoke mags and the occasional article on Noir, True Crime, and Sherlock Holmes. Also, comes with a nifty retro style lapel pin for new members. And it has been published semi-regularly since 1964.

To receive it in the mail, simply send the Editor/publisher a snail mail and ask to be put on the list.

Tom Dunn
20-37 120th St.
College Point, N.Y. 11356-2128

I enjoy it a lot and some of you might as well.

Adam

 

[Brad Bowers]

Fountain Pens and Lefties

Never had a fountain pen, though it would be nice. However, I'm a lefty, and I absolutely hate getting ink on my hand. (I freak out when I see people writing phone numbers on their hands). I've adapted my writing to minimize the mess, but it still happens. I'm thinking a fountain pen would make it worse, though I don't know why I think that. Anyone have experience in this area?

Brad

 

[Brad Bowers]

One other question: Are there different nibs to get different line widths? In a regular pen, I buy extra fine, as I prefer as fine and narrow as I can get, not these medium tips.

Brad

 

[fountwriter]

One other question: Are there different nibs to get different line widths? In a regular pen, I buy extra fine, as I prefer as fine and narrow as I can get, not these medium tips.

Brad

Most of the companies offer different nib sizes, and the nicer pens come in many different sizes.

Here is a chart for the Pelikan nibs:

Pelikan Nib Chart

If you wanna go for cheap and retro, look into esterbrook lever fillers. They had literally dozens of different nibs available and sold the nibs seperate from the pen so that each writer could choose what they wanted.

The esterbrook was the bic of the late 30's and 40's. They were really popular with the GI's and were almost always in "care packages" from the states. There was even a shortage during the high point of the war due to the demand for dependable pens from the front line.

As a side note, GI's did not carry bottles of ink, but were rather issued ink tablets. In europe, GI's would often reconstitute their ink using booze so as to keep the ink from freezing in their pen.


Interesting tidbits!

Adam

 

[jamespowers]

As a side note, GI's did not carry bottles of ink, but were rather issued ink tablets. In europe, GI's would often reconstitute their ink using booze so as to keep the ink from freezing in their pen.

Hmmm... I can see it now. Give me a drink of your pen.

Regards to all,

J

 

[fountwriter]

While looking over my fountain pen collection (didn't count 'em) I noticed I had a large number of Parker 51 units. Great writers, very precision, but very modern pens.

The Parker 51 is a great pen!!! It was introduced in 1941. It had a snazzy hooded nib and looked --MODERN--.

At the end of the war in Europe Gen. Eisenhower could not attend the signing of the Armistice, but he sent along a pair of his Parker 51's for the document to be signed with so he could be there in spirit. (Incidently, Mac signed the Armistice ending the Pacific Theater with a Parker Duofold from the 20's)

Little historical points.

I have always loved both the 51 and the Duofold.

Adam

 

[Zach R.]

I was looking at some modern pens online and at the local Office Depot, what do you think about the Waterman Phileas? It seems to me that it is a good, relatively cheap starter pen that you can use either Cartridges *or* bottled ink.

 

[fountwriter]

I was looking at some modern pens online and at the local Office Depot, what do you think about the Waterman Phileas? It seems to me that it is a good, relatively cheap starter pen that you can use either Cartridges *or* bottled ink.

The Phileas is a great first pen and I especially like it in black. The two tone nib is also very retro. The nib on mine is very smooth and puts out a nice wet line of ink. It is a great everyday pen to put in a shirt or vest. It is fancy enough that people will notice it and retro enough that it goes great with a nice 3-pc suit and hat.

Waterman inks tend to be a bit thin, though, so oyu might want to look into Noodler or Private Reserve inks. They have a lot of funky colors that really show up on paper.

Adam

 

[zeus36]

Never had a fountain pen, though it would be nice. However, I'm a lefty, and I absolutely hate getting ink on my hand. (I freak out when I see people writing phone numbers on their hands). I've adapted my writing to minimize the mess, but it still happens. I'm thinking a fountain pen would make it worse, though I don't know why I think that. Anyone have experience in this area?

Brad

Brad, I am a Lefty and still use them. These use a water-based ink that is non-toxic. I think you can get paper tablets made specifically for fountain pens that soaks the ink fast to help prevent getting it on your hands and quick drying ink is available as well. I tend to slow down my writing when using a fountain pen and have (like you) adapted to avoid dragging the edge of my hand across the ink. For sitting at your desk, a friend of mine showed me that if I empty the pen first, then use it like a quill pen; that is, dipping it into the inkwell, writing most of a sentence, then re-dipping-- it gives the ink just enough time to dry before finishing out the text. It also gives you time to plan your words out.


Zach,

Waterman Phileas is a very cool pen and around 20 bucks. I have three, two in fine and nice medium one for signatures. That is the FP I carry and if it
gets lost it's no big deal- easily replaceable.
Bic does make a disposable fountain pen called the VARSITY, that has a perfect flow pattern. I use that one for travel and loaners. I think it is less than three dollars. I bought a whole box a few years ago.


BTW, you should not let anyone use a fountain pen that you don't mind doing without, as the nib will conform to your writing style and wear in to that
specific compound angle. If you loan it out, the other person will not get as nice a result as you do and they could ruin your customized nib with too much pressure or plain abuse.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Thanks, zeus36. I'll look into these in the near future.

Brad

 

[scotrace]

Help?

Before I break this nice pen fooling with it...
I don't know anything about this Parker pen - it comes to me via my wife, it was her father's - how does it work? How is it filled? Does the plunger at the end pull out?
Thanks. As always, you gents are a great resource.

 

[BixChix26]

bottle inks

i have a great old black-and-gray marbelized Cavalier pen from the '20s which i love, but have a hard time getting appropriate bottle ink for it. Go to Office Max and try finding bottle ink! Any suggestions on appropriate dipping inks for period pens?

 

[scotrace]

Sorry to be so doltish,

but is this a dipping pen I have?

 

[jamespowers]

I think it is a dipping pen. Is there a lever on the side of the barrel that I can't see in the photo?
I have one like it that has a lever on the barrel that you pull out and then stick the tip of the pen in the ink. Release the lever slowly and it sucks up the ink.

Regards to all,

J

 

[fountwriter]

i have a great old black-and-gray marbelized Cavalier pen from the '20s which i love, but have a hard time getting appropriate bottle ink for it. Go to Office Max and try finding bottle ink! Any suggestions on appropriate dipping inks for period pens?

Well, there are several places online that sell nice inks for fountain pens. My wife sells fountain pen inks so checkout her shop (follow the link in my sig), but by all means just google and you will see there are quite a few brands out there to be had.

Hope this helps

Adam

 

[BellyTank]

Hey Scott- it's not a syringe type is it? I've heard of them but not seen um.
Kinda like a syringe... you draw the thingy at the top out to fill it..(?)

Mechanical Pencils are my area- I like the marbelized ones-

B
T

 

[fountwriter]

I don't know anything about this Parker pen - it comes to me via my wife, it was her father's - how does it work? How is it filled? Does the plunger at the end pull out?
Thanks. As always, you gents are a great resource.

It is a Parker Duofold Junior in green Marble "Permanite" if my eyes don't deceive me. It is from the early 30's. "Permanite" in some colors tended to discolor easily with age, so that particular material was abandoned for others.

It had a button filling mechanism, which means that you would stick the nib in the bottle of ink, press the button at the end of the pen and when you let go, ink would be drawn into a resevoir in the pen barrel.

The Duofold was a great pen and it was a common demo for Parker to have a pilots toss them out of planes to demonstrate how non-breakable they were.

Marketing used to be a lot more fun.

Adam

 

[BellyTank]

OK- that makes sense- I thought it was something with the button...

B
T

 

[jamespowers]

Aha. Makes sense to me.
I think I will stick to my Rollerball.

Regards to all,

J

 

[zeus36]

Scott,

Go ahead and dip it in an inkwell, enough to get the nib and feed wet, then you can write with it to see how you like it, before trying to use the button filler (this will also act as a solvent and thin out the old ink).

If you are thinking of sending it in for repair or refurb., I can recommend several outfits, or you can research the filler mechanism online.