Fountain pens

[Steve Smith]

It may help to flush the pen with water and some mild household solvent like 409, but the reality is that most new pens are not nearly as reliable as vintage pens. My first nice pen was a Sheaffer Connousieur, bought new in the early 90's for $100+ IIRC. It always started with a skip. Never got better.

Vintage pens are superior. In style and in function. It is that simple. And this is The Fedora Lounge. If you reach inside your vintage suit and remove a Bic or a Waterman Phileas (modern FP), that is just wrong. Use a quality vintage pen to complement your look. It is much easier to accomplish than you may realize.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Following the theft of my Parker 61 pen, pencil and ballpoint (which I kept in a beautiful vintage cigar case) I bought the Waterman Carene, in the same black lacquer / gold plate trim as my Parkers.

Sadly, despite a couple of years' usage, this pen still skips on a rapid, curving downstroke. I've put up with this as it's a beautiful pen, with a nice weight behind it, but find myself reaching for my Lamy. Is there anything I could do do alleviate this -might it still benefit from a good flushing after this period of use?

My best advice to you would be to over and read the Parker board at Fountain Pen Network. They might be able to offer advice and also if not, who you can take the pen to for servicing. Its a spectacular resource and network of people.

 

[panamag8or]

My best advice to you would be to over and read the Parker board at Fountain Pen Network. They might be able to offer advice and also if not, who you can take the pen to for servicing. Its a spectacular resource and network of people.

I agree. FPN is a great resource.

 

[John in Covina]

Adjustable

My first nice pen was a Sheaffer Connousieur, bought new in the early 90's for $100+ IIRC. It always started with a skip. Never got better.

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Dry line writing can be the result of several things, but if it is consistant it may need to have the nib and feed adjusted. The split in the nib, the distance between feed and nib, even the channel going thru the feed for the ink may need a little tweeking. If you can hook up with a local club they can point you to a good repair guy. For some switching to Private Reserve Tanzinite helps with the flow.

My Stipula Ventidue 22 was a miserable dry writer and my Visconti Van Gogh needed serious work to make it a good writer.

However, all of my modern Pelikans are trouble free as are my Lamy, Rotrings, Schaeffers, Namiki/Pilot pens.