The New Wahl-Eversharp Skyline?

[drgoretex]

Just got a tantalizing glimpse of the fact the the resurrected Wahl-Eversharp is producing brand new skylines (at the very tail end of a 'for sale thread', now closed).

Well then. This is indeed interesting, so I just wanted to bring the discussion back on line in a more appropriate place, so I thought I would start it off here.

Here's the link to the Wahl-Eversharp website (http://www.wahleversharp.com)

And here's a direct link to a Youtube review of one of the Skylines (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb4AmMug784&feature=player_embedded) by Fountain Pen Day

This totally got my attention, so I checked out the vid and the website. My first reaction was "what?? that much for a steel nib c/c pen?", and yet I just keep pulling up the vid and website to look again. I think I know where this is headed...been down this road before.

But before I jump and order one, I just wondered if anyone else here has some experience with these pens. Any thoughts? (Wahlnut, feel free to jump in - this sounds very cool).

Cheers,

Ken

[snedwos]

I would like to see detailed pictures of the "ceramic" nib. Much more information.

[heraclitus682]

I also am smitten with these pens and would like to hear more.

[MisterBoll]

Does the ceramic nib come with any of the pens?

Writing samples would be appreciated.

[drgoretex]

This (http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/2726-New(er)-Review-of-WAHL-EVERSHARP-Pens-and-The-Ceramic-Coated-Nibs) appears to be an answer to this thread

Ken

[earthdawn]

Well I made the video so I can't really comment further lol.

But I'll be glad to take some close ups of the nib.

If anyone has any requests for close up photos of any part of the pen just post in this thread. I'll be doing a new video tomorrow so ill have things setup to do so.

It really is a great pen and while the $150 entry price may seem a little high to some it warrants the price IMHO.

[MisterBoll]

Thanks for the video Earthdawn. How does the new nib compare to older flex nibs?

[AltecGreen]

Let me chime in on a few points.


I have handled the pens both at the SF and LA Pen Shows and at a recent Pen Posse. The pens are the exact same size as the vintage Skylines. The new caps will fit the vintage pens.


The ceramic nibs are in fact not ceramic but coated with a ceramic coating. Syd tunes the nibs personally and they all write very well.

The flex nibs are not yet the equal of the vintage Wahl flex nibs. They are not that flexible but comparable to many 'modern flex' nibs. If sales go well, they will eventually start making their own nibs and probably vintage flex nibs. But that is in the future.

They are making everything except the nibs and feeds.

[earthdawn]

Thanks for the video Earthdawn. How does the new nib compare to older flex nibs?


The New Skyliner is the only one I have so I can't give my opinion there BUT if I compare it to my Waterman's 100 Year Nib there is a big difference.
Now as AltecGreen has said, and I agree 100%, the flex nibs are not yet equal to the vintage flex, nibs in general. The nib certainly has more flex then spring thats for sure. Remember Syd was not looking to make this "the new flex nib" just yet. There will be new nibs and the pen is setup so nib swaps are a breeze.
It writes super smooth with just enough feedback to let you know where you are as far as line variation. A slight push and you can achieve some beautiful accents when writing. Again, writing with it like any pen for everyday writing and note taking is a breeze and you would really never know it had the flex appeal it has. It's up to you if you want that little or a lot of extra variation.

[alc3261]

I got one and find it a decent pen. The nib is smooth but obviously no "wet noodle", I wasn't expecting it to be.

[reprieve]

I love the colors and have been tempted. The pen in Earthdawn's video review looks like an excellent writer--now I'm even more tempted!

[tenney]

From the video, it looks like the standard nib is more flexy than the ceramic coated nib. Is that the experience of owners?

What is the reason / advantages for coating a steel nib with ceramic and then with gold?

[earthdawn]

Ok .... got some pics up of both nibs... the standard one and ceramic coated one.

http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/2769-New-Wahl-Eversharp-Skyliner-50-nib-pics?p=32290#post32290

[wahlnut]

Let me chime in on a few points.


I have handled the pens both at the SF and LA Pen Shows and at a recent Pen Posse. The pens are the exact same size as the vintage Skylines. The new caps will fit the vintage pens.


The ceramic nibs are in fact not ceramic but coated with a ceramic coating. Syd tunes the nibs personally and they all write very well.

The flex nibs are not yet the equal of the vintage Wahl flex nibs. They are not that flexible but comparable to many 'modern flex' nibs. If sales go well, they will eventually start making their own nibs and probably vintage flex nibs. But that is in the future.

They are making everything except the nibs and feeds.

The feeds are of our own creation and computer designed to maximize "wet time" and flow sufficient to feed the semi-flex nibs at full throttle spread. That is why Earthdawn had to work hard to get his review pen to railroad track. Also the feed design is mostly the reason these pens fly on airplanes without leaking all over the crossword page!

[Empty_of_Clouds]

Can a vintage Skyline nib be fitted into the modern Skyline section?

[snedwos]

I highly highly doubt it.

[earthdawn]

Can a vintage Skyline nib be fitted into the modern Skyline section?

I emailed Syd this question and he said "Yes if it's a large one. "

[wahlnut]

The new WAHL-EVERSHARP Skyline pens will accept any of the vintage nibs of the same size. Our new nibs are our number 5 whuch are compatible with # 4/5 size WAHL-Eversharp or Eversharp nibs. The larger skyline nibs from the 1940's do work. On special order we have removed our stock nib and replaced it with an Eversharp fine flex. That is what the buyer wanted, so we accommodated the request. But our own contracted modified Pendleton Brown customized nib swaps offer one of our own nibs in fine italic semi-flex too.
Syd

[ac12]

I just tried mine, and here is my report.

Cosmetic. What can I say, it is NICE. Shiny gold plated cap, and polished plastic section and barrel. The finish is excellent. Nice open nib to look at as I write. For some reason I like looking at the open nib of a fountain pen, and I suspect many of you do also.

I skipped my normal routine of breaking in a pen with Waterman ink, because I wanted to load it with its intended ink Diamine Ultra Green.
I cleaned then pen, dried it, then loaded Diamine Ultra Green.
The factory nib was rather dry with Diamine Ultra Green and my very light hand. I had to adjust the nib to give me the desired ink flow with Diamine Ultra Green, with VERY little down force on the pen, and once adjusted....NICE :) It is a smooth writer. You will see later that this adjustment of the nib, for my writing style did not agree with flexing the nib.

I forgot to measure the capacity of the converter, but it looks a bit longer than a Parker converter. Next time I pull the converter, I will measure for volume. But realistically, that converter fully loaded will last me a long time. Because I rotate thru several different pens during the day, a converter of ink will last me from a couple of weeks to more than a month. The only quirk with the Skyline is that you cannot see the clear tube of the converter, except with the clear demo pens. The converter sits deep into the body. Think of a piston pen, unscrew the blind cap, and that is where you load the converter or cartridge. So you do not unscrew the body like the vintage Skyline, you unscrew the blind cap like a piston pen. Loading operation is no different than any piston pen, or visually any other pen where you cannot see the ink in the barrel. This will stop me from my habit of constantly unscrewing the barrel of my pens to look at the ink level in the converter or cartridge.

BTW, if you think you might run out of ink during the day because you can't check the ink level, I recommend you do what I recommend to students. At the end of the day, fill up/top-off the pen, that way you are starting the day with a FULL load of ink in the pen.

The semi-flex nib will flex a little, but I found it more comfortable to not flex the nib. Flexing the nib required deliberate effort to apply pressure to the pen. That is quite the opposite of my standard writing method of using the least amount of pressure to write. Flexing the nib is similar to using my Nikko G dip pen flex nib, where I have to apply pressure to flex the nib. Although the Skyline feels like it requires more pressure than the Nikko G. I did not do a side-by-side comparison of this, so I can't say much more. The degree of effort to flex the nib seems similar to the nib on my vintage Skyline, and I have that nib adjusted the same, to give me a desired flow at almost no pressure, and not to flex. I do not have a vintage Skyline flex nib, so I can't compare to that. I agree about calling it semi-flex, because you can get it to flex a little, but not like a flex dip pen. And please don't try to, as you would likely spring the nib if you do. A new nib will cost you much more than the $2 a flex dip pen nib costs.

Because I adjusted the nib to give me a desired ink flow with almost no pressure with the Diamine Ultra Green, flexing causes a bit too much ink to be put down. For flexing, the ink flow at no pressure needs to be less than what I have it adjusted for, the factory nib setting flow is closer to correct. If I were to use the pen to do flex writing, then things would change, as I would set the pen up closer to factory setting or use the factory set nib. And I would not use it for my normal very light pressure writing, because the pen would write too dry and light. So no fault of the nib, just my preferred way of writing does not match flexing a FM semi-flex nib with this particular ink. The nib ink flow behavior will likely be different with a wet ink such as Waterman. I tried a friends new Skyline, and the ink flowed well with my light hand, which is why I suspect my choice of ink.

I am rather sensitive to a pens balance, and have small hands. The metal cap at 15g is a bit heavy for me to use the pen posted, however the pen feels and writes just fine unposted, which is how I use it. I can use a vintage Skyline with a plastic cap posted, but the vintage plastic cap at 7g weighs less than half the 15g metal cap. And the plastic cap does not look anywhere near as nice as the metal cap. I like the metal cap, I'll write with it unposted.

BTW, there are several modern pens that I also cannot write with the cap posted, because the cap is HEAVY, and moves the balance point of the pen too far to the tail, for me. So this is an issue with several/many of todays pens.

All in all the new Skyline is a very good pen.

- Gary