Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Hi friends! I'm a big fan of fountain pens, both modern and vintage. I got carried away by fountain pens in 2016 and first bought various vintage pens. Some pens was in work condition, but some is not. I learned to repair them, fix nibs and regrind them to different sizes if it needed. Over the 5 years, many impressions and photos I accumulated in my archives. 4 years ago I decided to systematize my knowledge and made my blog dedicated to fountain pens and everything about this theme and share it with other fans of fountain pens or do easier choice for beginners. Last year I did over 60 review and tests. If the community is interested, I will post in this thread announcements for reviews, I can even for those that already exist and were written by me earlier. I suppose to do 2 threads: one dedicated to modern models 1980 (70?) - 20xx and one dedicated to earlier vintage models.
Today I present a last review written yesterday.
Pilot Metal Falcon Black (made in Japan) FE-25SR-BSF
The design of this model is exactly the younger resin model, cylindrical shape with slightly tapered ends. The body is made of brass and covered by black lacquer. The filling system is cartridge-converter, of its own proprietary Pilot format. Cap on thread, double start thread, closing-opening in 1 1/4 turns.
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1619511454/1...34239862_m.jpg
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http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1619511455/5...34239865_m.jpg
More detailed by the link: http://lenskiy.org/2021/04/modern-pilot-metal-falcon/
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Hey Andrew - lovely to see you here!! I look forward to seeing more of your art (and beautiful penmanship) - though I do also subscribe to your blog :)
Welcome!!
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Thanks so much for the review. I enjoyed most your lovely art and exquisite handwriting :thumb:
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Welcome Andrew! It's great to have you here.
C.
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Thanks friends!
Cross Townsend Black Lacquered (made in Ireland) 566-FA 10BL
This is a rather large pen with a characteristic recognizable shape, for me it really looks like a real torpedo 🙂 because of the tapered ends with a shiny cap. The body is made of brass, covered with black glossy lacquer, with a gilded cap. The filling system is a cartridge-converter of proprietary Cross format. The cap on friction, closes with great effort (5mm stroke) and a click at the end.
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1617893848/6...34003521_m.jpg
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Full review: http://lenskiy.org/2021/04/modern-cross-townsend-566/
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Hello everyone! Today at my show is another fountain pen from luxury segment from Italian masters.
Montegrappa Cosmopolitan 1849 E-W “California Gold Rush” LE (made in Italy) ISCON3SU
The tool have is a classic cylindrical shape with almost flat and slightly rounded tops. The main material is sterling silver with the khow-how technique of low-relief engraving. The section, piston knob and ring accents are made of dark blue resin. The filling system is standard for this class of pen – a built-in captive converter. Cap on thread, single-start thread, coarse, with trapezoidal section (pipe), closing/opening in 2 turns.
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1620811195/9...2/34420327.jpg
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http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1620811196/d...4/34420330.jpg
Full review: http://lenskiy.org/2021/05/modern-mo...olitan-1849ew/
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Fabulous artwork, and a very beautiful pen - just such a shame that it's a captive converter rather than true piston - it seems such a shabby thing to do to such a lovely thing.
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Thank you! I had not come across this thread before. While I like a pen review as much as the next person, I don't tend to read them that often. However, when enticed by such fine artwork and exquisite handwriting, it is a pleasure! I like the art that comes with the Montegrappa pen and the image reminds me of my favorite section of "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs", which is the story called "The Gold Canyon" and features a wonderful star turn by singer/songwriter Tom Waits:
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Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mizgeorge
Fabulous artwork, and a very beautiful pen - just such a shame that it's a captive converter rather than true piston - it seems such a shabby thing to do to such a lovely thing.
What is a captive convertor?
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Yazeh
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mizgeorge
Fabulous artwork, and a very beautiful pen - just such a shame that it's a captive converter rather than true piston - it seems such a shabby thing to do to such a lovely thing.
What is a captive convertor?
It is a converter that is built into the pen and activated by a knob, usually covered by a blind cap. Usually it means you can't unscrew the section, and it is an inexpensive way to make a semi-piston filler pen. Schmidt used to make an entire unit that could be put inside the pen this way. The main difference from a piston filler is that the ink is still inside of the 'converter', not using the entire barrel of the pen for ink supply. As such, it is still a relatively small supply. Some pens, like the Leonardos, have a converter that threads into the section and has a long piston knob you can access from the rear of the pen, although you can still take the section off and remove the converter.
There are a few variations, but I hope that makes it more clear.
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Hello everyone! I would like to return again to the Cross brand and show you one more version of the Townsend model, but in a different, in my opinion, interesting design.
Cross Townsend Tuxedo (made in Ireland) L556-F
This is a enough large pen of the well-known Cross design, until recently the top model (before the release Peerless 125 model). The body is made of brass with black glossy lacquer with sterling silver cap(unmarked). The filling system is a cartridge-converter system of its own proprietary Cross format. The cap on friction, closes with a pleasant force (5mm travel) and a click at the end.
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1620061806/a...34315493_m.jpg
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Full review: http://lenskiy.org/2021/05/modern-cr...wnsend-tuxedo/
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After 2.5 years, another tool fell into my hands, and I don’t want to create a personal post for it, but at the same time I have something to show 🙂
Montblanc Meisterstuck 147 Traveler LeGrand (made in Germany)
This tool is a cigar-shaped form (torpedo) made of black, glossy (precious) resin with gold-plated elements. Cap on thread, full closure in 1 1/6 turn with three-start thread. The filling system is not a classic piston, but a cartridge. The tail section, which in the classical system is the piston knob, in this case is the tail section of the tray for 2 cartridges: one working, the second reserve. The system does not needed manually mounted cartridge by pressure, this did automatically when the tray is screwed into the body. There is a locking tab inside the tray that fixed cartridge from moving.
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In search of information about this model, I came across another interesting thread on FPN, namely, the possibility of using a converter in the cartridge tray. In the thred, there was a mention of a mini converter of the Monteverde using a shrinkable pipe. The idea itself seems utopian to me because the standard cartridge is much smaller than the tank volume of the 146 piston-filler model, so why reduce it even further with a mini converter?. However, there was the opinion of a one FPNers who uses a pen only for signatures and his cartridges empties is very very slowly, the nib dry out faster than he writes them. In general, for the sake of interest, I also decided to experiment on this topic. I didn’t have a Monteverde mini-converter at hand, but I did have an international KaWeCo mini converter. After installing this converter in tray, it turned out that there was still a lot of space left until the stop and converter was not fixed. Having looked around everything on the table 🙂 my gaze fell on the syringe with which I fill the cartridges, or rather, not even on the syringe itself, but on the needle cap. As it seemed, it is ideal as a compensating collar, even the necessary measurements have already been made by the technologist in the form of stiffening ribs.
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1621536773/3...34527029_m.jpg
Full review (with old post): http://lenskiy.org/2018/08/montblanc...-147-traveler/
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Amazing! What an art ... And the handwriting.. you are Blessed .
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Hello to all readers and pen lovers. Today I have the 2nd premiere. Firstly, this is my first review of this brand, and secondly, this is probably one of the smallest, modern, serial models of fountain pens.
Kaweco Liliput Silver (made in Germany) 10000453
The shape of this pen is cylindrical with rounded ends and most likely looks like an elongated pill (or mini sausage :)), and its diameter is no thicker than my youngest son’s little finger :). Despite the name Silver, this pen is made of brushed aluminum and construct of the minimum elements: nib unit in collar, section, body and cap. Filling system is cartridge/converter by international format. The cap, by the way, on thread, the thread is single-start, closing/opening in 3 and 3/4 turns.
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1624088956/c...34875822_m.jpg
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Full review: http://lenskiy.org/2021/06/modern-ka...iliput-silver/
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Lovely as always Andrew. Quite apart from your phenomenal artistic talent, I could just look at your handwriting all day... :)
(and they're not bad little pens either!!)
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mizgeorge
Lovely as always Andrew. Quite apart from your phenomenal artistic talent, I could just look at your handwriting all day... :)
Hear, hear!
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Thanks! I just very love fountain pen and they draw and write self:)
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)
Hi to all readers! Not so long ago I reviewed a smaller model of the first year of production, and today I want to show a “oversize” version of the later years of release in the top design.
Montegrappa Reminiscence Oversize Vermeil with Palladio pattern (made in Italy) RE94
The design of this pen is a octagonal shape and is made of gold plated sterling silver. This cover design is called Vermeil, while the goldplated face should be at least 2.5 microns (for Reminiscence – 5 microns), in contrast to the more commonly used 0.25-0.4 microns. With proper care, this allows you to keep the original appearance for a long time. Filling system is cartridge/converter by international standard. Cap on thread, single-start thread, closing/opening in 1 with 1/4 turns.
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1624801444/8...34965137_m.jpg
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1624801444/b...34965138_m.jpg
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1624801445/9...34965145_m.jpg
Full review: http://lenskiy.org/2021/06/modern-mo...ence-oversize/
Re: Reviews of some modern fountain pens (will update)