Vintage Pens in May

[penwash]

Let's keep this going:

Today's pen is a Gold Bond set

[azkid]

Not today, but yesterday I wrote a letter with my itty bitty Wahl sitting next to a 12S Elgin pocket watch I got running last year. Both are circa early 20's.



Other than that it's been all Parker 51. Because I only have four pens plus two on the way to fill the month, after all.

With 5 more days of "51" ahead I had to shape the nib a tad to bring the horizontal lines size down a bit (wear?). It has been bugging me for awhile. Seems better now.

[gbryal]

My May arsenal. So far this month I have used the OS Balance, Waterman 94 with Green nib, Parker "51", and Parker Lucky Curve.

maypens.jpg

L-R: Pelikan 140 with Oblique, Parker Lucky Curve, Sheaffer Oversize Balance, Parker 51, Wyvern Perfect 81, Waterman Taperite, Parker Lady Duofold, Pelikan 400nn, Wearever (dunno what kind!), Waterman 94.

[azkid]

Recently received Sheaffer Junior Balance in Rose Glow, dating to 1934-39.



The pen arrived a few days ago and needed some polishing and other minor work but came with a new sac.

It is now writing nicely with it's fine, slightly flexy, gold nib. I will be giving it a more thorough test drive over the next several days.

[penwash]

Thank you azkid for keeping this thread going.

This is what I wrote with yesterday. I just finished restoring the pen:

[azkid]

I'm having a hard time using anything but the Sheaffer Junior Balance.

But a couple of Esterbrooks recently arrived along with supplies from Indy Pen Dance and I replaced their sacs last night. So far so good...

[penwash]

Good job! Azkid!

Where are the others, I thought this thread should be full of photos like this.

Come on, people!

[Deb]

[IMG][/IMG]

I picked up this Waterman on eBay last week. As with many Watermans, the section took some patience and effort to remove. That done, it was a simple matter to clean the pen up, re-sac it and get it writing again. As there is no imprint on the barrel giving model number or name, I have to go with my own estimation that it was made in the early forties. Later models use a similar clip and lever but they're not in patterned celluloid. The nib is splendid, smooth but with a touch of feedback which I need and there's a little flexibility. The gold plating is in good order, which is a pleasant surprise as Watermans of this time often have very worn plating.

This is what the words "fountain pen" mean to me. It's an ideal pen to write with and I love the pattern and the Art Deco clip.

[Cob]

A couple of nice Mabie Todds.

First an attractive and rather de luxe Blackbird. It is numbered BB2/62 - with that material code I should have expected the famous Wine & Silver material... Mabie Todd: always enigmatic!

BB2_62.jpg

Even more recherché perhaps is this very pretty small Jackdaw, numbered J6B/73. I understand this one was made during the war. MT, often ratehr remiss in stamping their pens went the whole hog with this one - end of barrel, main barrel stamp, section and feed stamped Jackdaw. A lot of trouble for a cheaper model. The nib is a delightful flexible one.

Jackdaw.jpg

Rgds

Cob

[fqgouvea]

I haven’t been as consistent as I should with the “vintage in May” theme, alas, but yesterday and today I used this trio.

[gbryal]

We're about halfway through the month, and it's been no hardship to use just vintage FPs. I've been taking my lever-fill Wyvern to work in my shirt pocket, and haven't required a pocket protector (thought that would be kind of cool.) I am not using them all equally, and I had to rotate out my newest Pelikan because of a leak (this is mostly my fault.)
The Wearever has some starting issues but a little water wakes it up. The others have been reliable and write when put to paper.
Favorites this session have been the Wyvern and the Waterman Taperite, though the ones I trust the most are the Pelikan 400nn and the Parker "51".

[azkid]

Had to go look up "recherché"...

Great pens! I have been wanting a Skyline for quite awhile now. And a Mabie Todd. And a Waterman.

Meanwhile, a NOS Esterbrook, firm, xf nib (2550) arrived today to replace the hinky nib in my black J, above, that is slated to take over work duties tomorrow from my Balance Junior so it can go play with mystery ink #17...

[azkid]

Here's the Estie J with XF firm 2550 nib.



I mean. Wow. I like em fine but this almost hurts to look at. The line is notably thinner than the Pilot Metro F.

It took quite a bit of coaxing to get the tines aligned and smooth enough to be usable. It isn't easy or particularly pleasant to use even after all that. Surely a different ink would help.

I thought it was NOS but out of the box it was dry as a bone and tore up the paper and clogged itself.

[penwash]

I just restored this one yesterday:

[azkid]

Cool pen, penwash! And love the drawings as always.

Edit: that 2550 Estie wrote much wetter, smoother, and all-around nicer with Iroshizuku Take-sumi.

Last night this full length Sheaffer Balance arrived in the mail from one of our own.



Flushed and filled with "ol' standby," Pelikan 4001, and using it for work notes for the next few days to get to know it a little better. I already know the length is great.

[azkid]

After enjoying the Sheaffer it is on to one of my red Esterbrooks, an LJ with a fine 9556 nib. And, of course, Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black.



Yesterday I felt like lightly buffing the haze out of old celluloid.



Dremel + cotton wheel, slow speed, and using Dialux compounds. And going slow and checking often.

This material is harder than the watch crystals I usually work with, taking longer than I am used to for the scratches to vanish.

Red followed by white does a super job, if you ask me, and really brings out the depth of the swirling patterns, leaving a luxuriously smooth finish that is a joy and pleasure to use.

[gbryal]

Great photos. I may have to get a real camera. My pens are more charming than my phone lets on.

[azkid]

Great photos. I may have to get a real camera. My pens are more charming than my phone lets on.

Thanks. I'm using my Pixel 2XL. Decent camera but usually I have to tweak the photos using Snapseed.

[carlos.q]

I usually only use vintage pens and they are usually my vintage Pelikans. But during May I have used a Plum Parker "51" aerometric Demi, a 70's Parker 45 and this 1960's clipless Montblanc 149 with a delicious 18c B nib. This nib's performance reminds me of some of my vintage Pelikan nibs, only that this one is much larger.

1960sMB149.jpg

BTW, does anyone have a spare 149 clip that is willing to part with?

[Driften]

I have been using my 1950's Pelikan 400 some this month as well as my 1960's Montblanc 149, but mostly I have been using current production pens. I should have noticed this thread sooner

Last month I used a Parker 45 for a couple of weeks. Most of my vintage pens sit un-inked. I just don't like pens that use a sac. I can never tell how well I filled the pen and I run out of ink way sooner then expected.