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What pens are we carrying today?

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,074
Location
London, UK
Today, I am carrying two Shule bladder-filling fountain pens.

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I bought these from a UK eBay store (I have one in each colour - green, red, blue, matte black, chrome). Nice, solid feel to them (lacquer over metal body). So far I've only used the green and the black. They have differently sized nibs - the black writes very smoothly, I think a medium nib (which I'm used to), while the green, with what appears to be a fine nib, I'm still getting used to (I adopte a 'diferent' stance with fps, being left-handed). I believe these pens to be of Chinese manufacture. They were very cheap (at GBP0.99 plus a few pence postage), so if they don't last long it is no great loss. My plan is that I will use these as daily carriers unless or until I find something more suitable, and even then, these will be idea for either a back-up (important if, like me, you prefer to use bottled ink) or for colours I won't use as much, such as red and green. The black and green pens are currently loaded with black Waterman ink, though I intend soon to order bottles of purple, royal blue, tropical blue, brown, red and green also.

My ideal pen would be my Waterman Phileas with a solid, lacquer-covered metal body, and a lever-filling mechanism. I'm still on the lookout for something like that in the affordable bracket - I've seen some beautiful Parkers and Watermans, but they're way out of my price range. The Phileas writes beautifully and fits my hand perfectly. All other things being equal, I would consider compromising and using a converter as I do with most of my current pens, but the Phileas' big "failing" in my eyes is its plastic body - I like a weighty pen that would take being stood on if I drop it in the street.
 

adriancol

New in Town
Messages
18
Location
Murrieta, CA
2 pens

The MB145 FP with a Medium nib blue MB ink, and in my briefcase my Sterling Silver Solitare MB 146 FP Medium (stubish) loaded with MB Racing Green ink :D
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
Yesterday, I stopped by the Fountain Pen Shop of Monrovia (formerly Los Angeles) to talk to Fred who was busy with new Lamy pricing. After some time I picked up 2 new #9668 Esterbrook nibs to update a couple of my pens.

Yesterday I inked up a Black Esterbrook SJ model with Aurora Black. That one I had changed from a somewhat scratchy # 1555 Firm Fine Gregg Shorthand point to a brand spanking new Master Durachrome Renew-point #9668 General Writing (Medium) to address some envelopes in the great resume send out campaign. It's like writing on glass with the new nib.

Today I filled my Lamy 2000 fine point with Caran d'Arche Blue ink for a few more envelopes.

I rinsed out my Esterbrook Dollar pen in the Copper color and popped out the #9048 nib which is a fine point for "Shaded Writing" meaning it's a flex point. Since I really dn't utilize those well I swapped it out for the other 9668 and filled it with Monteverde Disney Signature Ink in Black and wrote out a couple of pages of info on a lunch i was planning. Again smooth as glass.

I am in an Esterbrook mood i guess.
 

French

Familiar Face
Messages
73
Location
Connecticut
Asian today....

Hi,

Today I'm carrying my trusty modern Hero 100 flighter (stainless steel) body, fine, 14K hooded gold nib. It is filled with Noodler's Baystate Blue ink. I'm also carrying my 1950s vintage Yotsubisi Japanese Eyedropper pen in neguronuri Urushi. This pen has an 18K flexible gold nib, which ranges from extra fine (no pressure) to broad (moderate pressure). The pen is filled with Aurora Blue ink. Being a Japanese Eyedropper means that aside from being made in Japan, the pen has an ink shut off valve, which prevents ink from moving from the barrel of the pen to the nib. This pen had the shutoff valve mechanism restored by Richard Binder last year. Here are some pictures.

capped
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uncapped
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barrel design
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writing sample
IMGP0754.jpg
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,074
Location
London, UK
I see it's some time since I last posted.... in that time, I have acquired a few Parker 51s, and overcome my aversion to plastic pens. Hey, if something with a plastic body can last as long as my Parkers (mostly 50s) have..... ;)

Today, I am carrying a burgundy Hero 100, loaded with Saddle Brown ink (I can't recall the brand offhand). I also have sitting on my desk a Parker 51 in teal blue, though that is not yet loaded as I only picked it up from the post office on the way in this morning.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
Inked up and ready to go - Esterbrook Pocket Pens

I have been sending out resumes for a while now and love to address the envelope and sign the cover letter with a fine fountain pen. Since coming back from the LA Pen Show 2/15/09 and helping Shellie pick out some Esterbrook pens a "J" or transitional model and a desk pen, I have been really interested in getting my Esterbrooks in the rotation.

The Black Doller pen on the left has a WWII series 8668 nib which is really rare. I have been replacing a lot of the nibs to go with mediums and a few broad nibs which I find suits my writing style for smoothness and comfort.

Here is my collection of Esterbrook Pocket pens I also have 3 desk pens.

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These are all writing really well and are inked except the blue one.
 

Firefyter-Emt

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Northeastern Connecticut
Most of the time I carry a Parker 51 or one of my Vacumatic's. Next would be either my Sheaffer snorkel or the Statesman TD. Every now and then I feel like being colorful and let one of the Esterbrook's tag along. When I really want to feel stuck up, I bring out my Mont-Blanc 244 with the OBB nib.

Inks are matched to the pen for the most part, mostly Noodlers and my favorites tend to be the Fountain Pen Network exclusive inks. I have the Starry Night in the cedar blue 51, the Galileo Brown in the cordovan 51, although I have Legal Lapis in the gray one. The snorkel seems to really like Lamy turquois, the Statesman only likes the Tulipe Noir. The Esties never seem to be heads over heals with any one ink. ;)

Here is my little collection, I carry a fountain pen every day, and on rainy days where one may not work, I take my gray 51 and the matching pencil with it.

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Ethan Bentley

One Too Many
Messages
1,225
Location
The New Forest, Hampshire, UK
bburtner@moran said:
What type of pens are you " vintage" set guys using today?I am curious. Fountain? rollerball,ball point.And thoughts on the high end excuse me Yuppie stuff Montblanc,Aurora you guys are sharp out there let me know your thoughts so this old guy can figure this pen craze thing out.Do you fellows think that a Meisterstuck writes any better than a "51".Let me know.


When I worked at a bank in the City of London one of the managers had a Mont Blanc Rollerball. They had a habit of occasionally unscrewing the lid but then one day they couldn't get it back together again.
I had a look for them and eventually got it back together but the materials used to make it as well as the quality of the screw fixing were not that great, the exterior finish is nice though, for the price £££ I would have expected more.
I've also always thought they were a bit stubby.
I've always liked Waterman but Mrs. Bentley prefers Cross.

I usually carry a Waterman Hemisphere with Blue Ink and another with Brown, a vintage Parker ballpoint and another ballpoint which has an lcd clock in the end. There are often propelling pencil floating around in various suits/coats too.

Has anyone any experience with Yard-O Led?
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
univibe88 said:
I am carrying a Parker 51 that I just got back from restoration. It's been a long wait and I am very happy to be carrying it today.
***********
Champagne for everyone!

I am not sure if I wrote it here, but while I have several 51's I rarely used them because I don't wear my reading glasses enough. What happens is with that tiny bead of a nib is so hard to see that when I write with the 51, I can't see nib and tend to turn the pen in my hand at some point and spend too much time trying to write slightly off of the sweet spot.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
Today I have been using the Blue Esterbrook SJ with a 2668 medium nib.

I took a ride over to see Fred Krinke at the Fountain Pen Shop of Monrovia (formerly LA) to drop off a new Laban Catalog and their latest price list.

We yakked a bit and then he assisted Peter (a local Pastor) with replacing a Triumph nib on a lever fill Sheaffer Balance.

Fred was looking at adding some of the J. Herbin line of fountain pen inks to what he carries.

I looked at some of the Esterbrooks in the case and sighed mightily over the lack of funds in my bank account right now.
 

univibe88

One Too Many
Messages
1,146
Location
Slidell4Life
John in Covina said:
Fred was looking at adding some of the J. Herbin line of fountain pen inks to what he carries.

He should. I like J. Herbin very much. I have their violette pensee in my P51 right now.
 

Esme

One of the Regulars
Messages
169
Location
Eugene, Oregon
The same pen I carry every day, Pinkie.
A Mabie Todd Blackbird from 1937, I think (or is it 47?) with Noodler's Ink in Concord Bream.
 

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