I have never seen this before!

[Kurt S]

Is anyone familiar with this type of pen? it has a piston filler mechanism on it , but is the tip supposed to be like this, or is something missing?
1358913590

[jar]

Pretty common. It is a stylograph.

[Kurt S]

Pretty common. It is a stylograph.

I acquired a bunch of miscellaneous pens and this was one of them. I am not at all familiar with them! I haven't tried writing with it yet, it looks like there is a lot of dried up ink visible in the ink window. It doesn't seem like it would write very smoothly though! Is the tip all there, or should there be another piece that goes on it?

[Hawk]

I remember using pens with tips like this to make mechanical drawings. They come in various diameters to produce different line widths. The pen is held vertical. Inside there is a small wire with a plastic end. The object of this is to keep the ink flowing since the ink had high solids. I'm sure someone else can expound on this. I think there was a brand name called Rapidigraph.

[jar]

Pretty common. It is a stylograph.

I acquired a bunch of miscellaneous pens and this was one of them. I am not at all familiar with them! I haven't tried writing with it yet, it looks like there is a lot of dried up ink visible in the ink window. It doesn't seem like it would write very smoothly though! Is the tip all there, or should there be another piece that goes on it?

Looks like it is all there. You may or may not be able to get all the ink off since they often used heavy pigment drawing ink.

[Hawk]

I forgot to mention in my previous post that the step down diameter is made so that the pen can ride against a straight edge and the ink will not bleed to and under the straight edge. Drafting memories in college....

[kidde]

The most common reference is a technical pen. Koh-I-Noor mostly what I used. Prior to CAD/CAM final drafts were written in ink using one. A fine weighted wire should be inside the tip. It protrudes slightly from the end and when touched to paper it lifted the weight allowing ink to flow. Used primarily with India ink and prone to clogging if not maintained religiously. Now days almost exclusively used by artist due to the very consistent fine lines available, they require a different technique than any other pen I have used. Generally a near 90° angle keeping the tip off the paper with the wire in light contact. Oblique holders and lettering machines (LeRoy?) Made the use of them easier for beginners.
This information is pried from my old brain and may contain serious flaws, but to the best of my recollection is accurate.

Paul

[Runnin_Ute]

I have two - both Staedtler/Mars 700's - one is a 4 x 0 (.18 mm) and the other is a 3 x 0 (.1 mm)

I haven't used it in a little while but what I used it for mostly is marginalia at a very fine level - like in a Bible. The 3 x 0/.1 I got in January for about $7 on ebay. The other I bought in the spring of 1980 and paid a lot more than that - probably in the $20-$30 range in those days.

[Kurt S]

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your input! Up until now, I had no clue what kind of pen it was, or if it was missing part of it, etc. I learn something new every day! Thank you again!

[johnus]

Believe that this one is similar.1361313614
eBay buy- have never used it.