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Thread: Aurora?

  1. #21
    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    The Aurora Afrika I have, has probably the best nib I've used so far, writes immediately wherever it touches, even though it has a dry-leaning flow it still puts down ink without skipping and has a feedback similar to a hard pencil without scratch or adverse feeling. Firmer but pleasant to use. The body itself (which I assume is nearly identical to the Aurora Optima outside of the trim) is comfortable, about the same height and thickness as my Pelikan M640, but has a nib with the physical size of an M800's nib, the grip area is larger than both the Pelikan M640 and M805, but is probably half the weight, and has a very nicely visible ink window.







    The nibs also happen to be easily unscrewed and interchangeable much like Pelikan, and the Piston seems to hold a decent amount.

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    Default Re: Aurora?

    I think Aurora is definitely a contender

  4. #23
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    Thumbs up Re: Aurora?

    OK so mine just landed here in NY and I gave it a quick once over and cleaning. Then loaded it up with some Aurora Blue, one awesome blue ink even if it is a purple/blue, and i can confirm that the fine nib in mine is not toothy at all but wonderfully smooth with the slightest bit of drag to give it some feel. This is a heck of a nib and I am impressed !!! Ill be getting a review together asap.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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  6. #24
    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    I put up my Optima review, here, at my new blog thingy, if anyone is interested.

    There is also an earlier post there about the Mystery Ink that compares Aurora Blue ink to the MI-10 inks.

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  8. #25
    gregamckinney
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Based on my personal experience, I will always buy an Aurora over a Visconti or a MB. I have had nothing but excellent experience with the five Auroras I've owned- admittedly all Optima family pens. I currently have a Sole that I would be very reluctant to part with (...from my cold dead hands...) I've never had the pleasure of owning a Nakaya, but I've tried several, and they seem VERY nice. If I had to purchase one or the other next, I'd go with Nakaya, but only because I don't own one.
    I don' think you can go wrong- at all- with an Aurora.

    Best Regards, greg

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  10. #26
    FPD earthdawn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    I put up my Optima review, here, at my new blog thingy, if anyone is interested.

    There is also an earlier post there about the Mystery Ink that compares Aurora Blue ink to the MI-10 inks.
    AWESOME review !!!

    That was a great read with excellent detail and pictures of your stunning collection.

    Thank you for sharing it with us.

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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    I put up my Optima review, here, at my new blog thingy, if anyone is interested.

    There is also an earlier post there about the Mystery Ink that compares Aurora Blue ink to the MI-10 inks.
    Can I inquire, Would you possibly be able to get me a secton measurment on the optima?

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    Default Re: Aurora?

    I do believe that pending the section diamiter , I have made my choice xD

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    Default Re: Aurora?

    The Optima 365: the length is about 2" from nib tip to section threads, with a 1" nib length. Section diameter is .40-.50" Hope this helps. Good luck with an awesome pen.
    -John-
    Visconti: Millionaire, Opera Club Blue and Almond, H.S. Lava steel midi, Michelangelo
    Delta: MOMO Design CF/Rose
    Aurora: Optima 365, Mar Adriatico
    Omas Galileo '93, Year of Light '15, Paragon Burlwood, FAO.
    Montblanc Johannes Brahms, No 32, No 22, 146 Burgundy, 146 LeGrand Platinum, 149 Platinum, WE Leo Tolstoy, Marc Newson, Georges Solti.
    Franklin-Christoph Model 3

  15. #30
    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    On the Aurora Afrika (measuring with a digital micrometer) , assuming the section/nib/etc is all the same as the Optima :

    10.4mm at the shortest diameter.
    11.8mm at the front (by the nib)
    12.7mm on the threads

    28mm from neck of section down to the section threads
    25mm from neck of section down to where the ink window steps up to the barrel (since threads are comfortable enough to hold onto).

    8.3mm wide on the nib at the wings
    21.8mm from the base of the nib to the point when installed

    101mm from the neck of the section down to the tail of the pen (not posted)

    In inches

    0.409" at the shortest diameter.
    0.464" at the front (by the nib)
    0.5" on the threads

    1.01" from neck of section down to the section threads
    0.98" from neck of section down to where the ink window steps up to the barrel (since threads are comfortable enough to hold onto).

    0.32" wide on the nib at the wings
    0.858" from the base of the nib to the point when installed

    3.96" from the neck of the section down to the tail of the pen (not posted)
    Last edited by KBeezie; August 6th, 2015 at 08:26 PM.

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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by FP Newbie View Post
    The Optima 365: the length is about 2" from nib tip to section threads, with a 1" nib length. Section diameter is .40-.50" Hope this helps. Good luck with an awesome pen.
    -John-
    Thank you very much.

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  19. #32
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    I put up my Optima review, here, at my new blog thingy, if anyone is interested.
    Well, I'd say that is just about everything you could ask for from a pen review. Well done.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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  21. #33
    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    I put up my Optima review, here, at my new blog thingy, if anyone is interested.

    There is also an earlier post there about the Mystery Ink that compares Aurora Blue ink to the MI-10 inks.
    What would be nice is showing write sample of a Pelikan or two next to the Aurora to demonstrate how much of a difference there is between say Pelikan and Aurora. For example the 18K "M" on my Afrika appears to me what I would expect of a Western EF (not a Western F) It is roughly identical to my Lamy 2000 in EF, and about 2 size down from the 18K M in my Pelikan M640 (which makes the Lamy 2000 about right for the EF, along with every other western EF I used).

    Which is of course confusing because nibs.com claims their tipping chart is accurate (Though it's mainly the physical tipping size, not what it puts down), which makes it identical to typical western sizing (something that's not reflected on my Afrika). Not to say it's bad, just unexpected when I receive an "M" marked nib and get an EF (though I was told before hand that it was rather dry, just figured they meant it was so dry that an M wrote much less, but it's decent flow and staying EF).

    :P Nice review of so many Optimas. I like the old style mixtures better in terms of body colors.

  22. #34
    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by KBeezie View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    I put up my Optima review, here, at my new blog thingy, if anyone is interested.

    There is also an earlier post there about the Mystery Ink that compares Aurora Blue ink to the MI-10 inks.
    What would be nice is showing write sample of a Pelikan or two next to the Aurora to demonstrate how much of a difference there is between say Pelikan and Aurora. For example the 18K "M" on my Afrika appears to me what I would expect of a Western EF (not a Western F) It is roughly identical to my Lamy 2000 in EF, and about 2 size down from the 18K M in my Pelikan M640 (which makes the Lamy 2000 about right for the EF, along with every other western EF I used).

    Which is of course confusing because nibs.com claims their tipping chart is accurate (Though it's mainly the physical tipping size, not what it puts down), which makes it identical to typical western sizing (something that's not reflected on my Afrika). Not to say it's bad, just unexpected when I receive an "M" marked nib and get an EF (though I was told before hand that it was rather dry, just figured they meant it was so dry that an M wrote much less, but it's decent flow and staying EF).

    :P Nice review of so many Optimas. I like the old style mixtures better in terms of body colors.
    Oh thank you. But I have to say that's not my experience, so I couldn't say that. Yes I've found that Aurora nibs run narrower than typical European nibs. And yes Pelikan nibs do run wider. But I have three medium Optima nibs, and mine aren't extra-fines by any stretch. If they were than wouldn't that make my fine Optimas into extra-extra fines? Which they aren't. I am a huge fan of very narrow nibs, so believe me that I would be thrilled to get a medium that's like an extra-fine. But it just isn't the case for me.

    For example, I am sure that my Aurora medium nibs all are wider than my current Lamy 2000 fine nib, which is a very standard fine nib for the Lamy 2000. I've had four different Lamy 2000 fine nibs -- or five -- over the years, and I have had variation in the Lamy 2000 nib as well. Within a range.

    And that is normal in my experience. I have found that there is a range in every single brand's hand-ground nibs. Including Aurora, Pelikan, Lamy and Sailor. But what I'm describing as a range is having a nib be a little bit wider or narrower than others from the same brand with the same width marking. One can't really expect a Pelikan medium to be the same as another brand's medium. Compare a Visconti extra-fine to a Sailor extra-fine, and you'll feel you're on different planets.

    I suspect that some of your experience with your specific nib must reflect how yours is set up, the inks you are using and of course the width of the other nibs you are using as comparisons. For example, I remember that you modified your Lamy 2000 extra-fine nib yourself because you thought it was too narrow and dry for your tastes. With your Aurora, if you aren't happy with it, maybe you could talk to the dealer, if you bought it from a dealer, or send it to a nibmeister?

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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    Much better than the vintage 88 I had, which was flimsy but fun.
    My vintage 88 feels pretty solid, though I feel I have to cap it carefully to avoid catching the nib (a springy EF).

    My other Aurora is a 98-based Archivi Storici, as recommended by jar. It’s matte black and gold, which somehow makes it blingier than the shiny black and gold 88. The finishing on the cap is a little rough.

    I’ll probably pursue more vintage Auroras. The design of the modern ones doesn’t do anything for me.

  24. #36
    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    I suspect that some of your experience with your specific nib must reflect how yours is set up, the inks you are using and of course the width of the other nibs you are using as comparisons. For example, I remember that you modified your Lamy 2000 extra-fine nib yourself because you thought it was too narrow and dry for your tastes. With your Aurora, if you aren't happy with it, maybe you could talk to the dealer, if you bought it from a dealer, or send it to a nibmeister?
    Here's a write sample for clarification, and it was second hand, and I have enough nibs of a variety of gamuts to notice when things aren't quite what they're said to be. But finding actual comparative write samples out in the wild seem to be nearly non-existent for Aurora for some reason.



    That's a No.12 Rhodia pad by the way.

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    Default Re: Aurora?

    That Aurora sample looks medium to me , and the Lamy 2000 looks to write fatter than I would expect to see from a supposedly EF nib (Platinum is closer). Just pulled out my vintage Aurora 88P. It has a fine nib and it writes comparatively finer than the Aurora in the example shown above.

    Look at the variables. Different pens, different feeds, different nibs, different inks. The only static element here is the paper. I wouldn't like to draw a firm conclusion about nib widths under these conditions personally.

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    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cryptos View Post
    That Aurora sample looks medium to me , and the Lamy 2000 looks to write fatter than I would expect to see from a supposedly EF nib (Platinum is closer). Just pulled out my vintage Aurora 88P. It has a fine nib and it writes comparatively finer than the Aurora in the example shown above.

    Look at the variables. Different pens, different feeds, different nibs, different inks. The only static element here is the paper. I wouldn't like to draw a firm conclusion about nib widths under these conditions personally.
    There had been other comparison and other inks tried and the perception may be due to the image itself being larger (as it's a Rhodia No.12 pad), the Platinum EF is a Japanese EF, the Lamy EF is what I'd call a true Western EF compared to most other western pens I've used over the last year. The Pelikan M640's Medium runs ever so slightly smaller than most of the Western Mediums.

    Didn't you give up on the whole pen hobby?

  27. #39
    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by KBeezie View Post
    Didn't you give up on the whole pen hobby?
    Sounds like the classic line "Have you stopped beating your wife?" I mean, what's the point of that?
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

  28. #40
    Senior Member KBeezie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by KBeezie View Post
    Didn't you give up on the whole pen hobby?
    Sounds like the classic line "Have you stopped beating your wife?" I mean, what's the point of that?
    Only mentioned it cuz I recalled the 'goodbye' sale he had not too long ago.

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