Show Us Your Pens

[nidan48]

Conklin crescent and Waterman eyedropper. My two favorite pens, especially with a nice flexi nib.

 

[robrinay]

From what I recall, the method of the Parker 61's construction made it almost impossible to clean.

Not to say that you couldn't clean it. It just took a really, really, really, really long time. It took ages to flush the ink out due to how it was fed to the nib.

If it's the capillary fill version it can be flushed using the rubber bulb of an old bicycle horn or similar rubber bulb or a syringe with a rubber hose attached. -fit the bulb or hose over the capillary tube and section and squeeze and then release the bulb to **** and then blow a weak cool detergent and water solution up and down through the nib. If using a syringe - pull and push the plunger to flush the pen in both directions Finally rinse with clean cool water using the same method. Rob

 

[Ralph_Phillips]

The only fountain pen I've got is a Wahl Eversharp bought by my great grandmother in 1929. The note with it contains all known details on it and was written by my grandfather before he died.

What I keep in my pocket for daily use though is this Fisher Original Astronaut Pen because it really does write underwater and upside down...

 

[johnnycanuck]

Got these two on sale.

I still have one in my pocket from 13 years ago that’s blue plastic and SS. That replaced a SS with gold clip from 1997 my wife lost at Costco. Nothing quite like a Parker Jotter.
Johnny

 

[Turnip]

Fisher ******

 

[1930artdeco]

Just picked these up at an antiques store. The top is a champion-guess 60/70’s-but I liked it due to the clear ink reservoir. Cleaned and started writing with it! If I remember right the other is an Esterbrook from the late 40’s. Going to learn to rebuild pens on these.

mike

 

[Nobert]

If I remember right the other is an Esterbrook from the late 40’s.

You might already know this: the interesting things about those Esterbrooks is that the nib is interchangeable, so if you're not entirely happy with it, you can find a replacement in a different style or width.

 

[1930artdeco]

Thanks Nobert. I have to rebuild it first and then try it out. After that if I don’t like it I may change it. I like fine point letters so we will see what this o e is like.

mike

 

[Turnip]

Classix from Switzerländ, Caran d´Ache 849, desk pad leather fibre.

 

[Turnip]

Faber Castell e-Motion Stealth twist-action pen

 

[Turnip]

rOtring 600

 

[fabiovenhorst]

Eversharp Skyline, 1940s

 

[Edward]

Got these two on sale.
View attachment 286252
I still have one in my pocket from 13 years ago that’s blue plastic and SS. That replaced a SS with gold clip from 1997 my wife lost at Costco. Nothing quite like a Parker Jotter.
Johnny

The Parker Jotter is quite a classic, around since 1954. Very handy pen to have to hand for things like postcards, envelopes and glossy greetings cards where a fountain pen isn't always practical. There's actually also a fountain pen version (since at least 2004) which can be acquired fairly cheaply. It's a cartridge rather than a true fountain, but can of course be used with a converter for bottled ink. Nice pens, I have a few.

Fisher ******

The Fisher pens are nice indeed. I have a Capomatic that stays clipped permanently to my passport case, primarily for filling in landing cards when I fly for work, though less commonly used for that purpose now that those are beginning to be replaced by online forms. (Not a trend to which I object by any means, especially as it means I can now fill in the form while waiting to board the plane rather than bleary-eyed at the destination airport!).


My favourite pens are all fountain pens. I'm particularly fond of Chinese made pens. Fountain pens are still much more commonly used over there, usually with fine or extra fine nibs, for obvious reasons. I'm very fond of several Majohn pens, particularly the A1, a metal bodied, push-button fountain pen. Very similar to my Pilot Capless / Vanishing Point i design. The latter was a present from my parents and they are *not* cheap (three figures GBP), which makes me reluctant to carry it about for fear of loss. The Majohns come in at about thirty notes, which makes them great for having to hand in a jacket; the one-handed operation makes them very easy to grab and use on the go, especially when not seated. My ultimate favourite pens, however, are my Wing Sung 601s.

(Photo from web, not mine).

These can be had for little more than a tenner (if prepared to order direct from China and wait an extra couple of weeks for delivery), closer to thirty if you buy from a Western dealer. They are unashamedly inspired by the venerable Parker 51 (of which I have two or three), though when you examine them side by side they are not a mere copy. The mechanism is rather an improvement over the original, Vacuumatic P51. Most (not all; I have a couple of early versions that lack this feature) have an ink-window feature that can be useful to get some idea of whether there's still ink in there. I have probably in the region of a couple of dozen of these, bought over several years. They're my go-to pens for daily use, very much enjoyed. 99% of my handwriting is for myself alone these days; I don't recall the last time I wrote more than a quick postcard note for anyone else to read. In all truth, I could probably go entirely digital day to day if I wanted. Nonetheless, I much prefer a handwritten note, and still quite often carry a notebook and pen to scribble random thoughts in. I also keep a physical diary for work, which nowadays means buying my own as The Institution has stopped providing them on the assumption we'll all use the electronic feature in Outlook / Teams. (Which I do for the electronic meeting invites, but I still also note those, and anything else, in my handwritten diary.)