Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 29

Thread: Lever mechanism fillers

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    France
    Posts
    27
    Thanks
    9
    Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Lever mechanism fillers

    Hi, I have a question about fountain pens with lever filling mechanisms. Is it true that they are out of production? I find it strange that pens with every other type of filling mechanism are still being made an sold. Eyedroppers, bladder fillers, syringe and rotary piston fillers, all can still be bought new, but the only lever fillers available are old, second-hand ones on ebay.

    Any reason why?

  2. #2
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,405
    Thanks
    6,879
    Thanked 10,367 Times in 3,978 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    I don't think it's true that lever filling pens are completely out of production.
    Some brand new pens are still made as lever fillers: I believe Esterbrook & Conklin are made as lever fillers.
    You could still find brand new, modern Conway Stewart lever fillers around and although I don't think they are currently in production, they wouldn't be described as old or vintage.
    I'm sure others will come up.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  3. #3
    Senior Member Deb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Highlands of Scotland
    Posts
    1,747
    Thanks
    2,353
    Thanked 1,927 Times in 842 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    They are certainly not commonly made nowadays. Nor are button fillers. Both of these filling systems are expensive to make, in comparison with cartridge and piston fillers.
    Regards,
    Deb
    My Blog

  4. #4
    Senior Member Kaputnik's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    By the long tidal river.
    Posts
    1,043
    Thanks
    2,713
    Thanked 2,570 Times in 695 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    I don't think it's true that lever filling pens are completely out of production.
    Some brand new pens are still made as lever fillers: I believe Esterbrook & Conklin are made as lever fillers.
    Is that actually the case? I can't find any of the modern "Esterbrooks" that have lever mechanisms, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. Of course, most of the vintage ones do. And the modern Conklins have the old crescent filling mechanism, which compresses the sac a bit differently. But again, maybe there's some model I've overlooked.

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    You could still find brand new, modern Conway Stewart lever fillers around and although I don't think they are currently in production, they wouldn't be described as old or vintage.
    I'm sure others will come up.
    I'd forgotten about those. My one Conway Stewart is a vintage one from, I believe, the 1950s.

    On the original question, I use vintage lever fillers fairly often, such as the Eversharp Skyline that I have inked now. It's not really the filling mechanism that's the selling point, though, it's the vintage nibs, materials, and styling. For modern pens, I'm partial to piston fillers. I suspect that the pen makers don't see much demand for lever mechanisms, and wouldn't care to gear up to make them again.
    "If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly."
    G.K. Chesterton

  5. #5
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,405
    Thanks
    6,879
    Thanked 10,367 Times in 3,978 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    If I have not seen current Esterbrooks being made with lever bars then I'm sorry that I'm mistaken. I thought there were new ones being made but that they were still lever fillers.
    I recently saw a very expensive pen on a specific pen web-site but despite it's beauty it completely put me off that it was a lever filler despite being a brand new pen. Sadly I have forgotten the brand name.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  6. #6
    Senior Member stub's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Daegu, Korea
    Posts
    1,066
    Thanks
    224
    Thanked 791 Times in 401 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Delta was the last company I know of that made a Lever filler. Their desk pen was a lever filler right to the end.

  7. #7
    Senior Member penwash's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Dallas, as in the 80's TV Series
    Posts
    3,662
    Thanks
    3,364
    Thanked 6,703 Times in 1,972 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    I don't think there is a single modern pen (still produced today) that are mass-produced as lever fillers. Custom or limited/special editions, maybe, but I also doubt this.

    I wish there are at least one or two, not because I have high hopes that they will reach the high standard of the original Conklin Endura or original Esterbrook in terms of lever mechanism build quality, but because I want pensacs.com to have a guaranteed source of revenue for decades to come.
    - Will
    Unique and restored vintage pens: Redeem Pens

  8. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to penwash For This Useful Post:

    azkid (May 26th, 2020), Chrissy (May 26th, 2020)

  9. #8
    Senior Member Ron Z's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Western Pennsylvania
    Posts
    611
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 1,085 Times in 396 Posts
    Rep Power
    5

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Quote Originally Posted by stub View Post
    Delta was the last company I know of that made a Lever filler. Their desk pen was a lever filler right to the end.
    Delta, and some of the Conway Stewarts, like the Churchill and Dandy. Even then, they used a modern nib unit designed to be used with a cartridge/converter pen. Joe Cali made a few. There are some button fillers out there, but most lean towards cartridge/converter or piston filled.

    Visit Main Street Pens
    A full service pen shop providing professional, thoughtful pen repair....
    Please contact us by email, and not PM for repair inquiries.

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to Ron Z For This Useful Post:

    Chrissy (May 26th, 2020)

  11. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Chester, North West England
    Posts
    160
    Thanks
    119
    Thanked 119 Times in 59 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Over on Etsy, Rue du Stylo has a couple of lever fillers for sale.

    https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/6267...search_click=1

    Both look very attractive. Maybe they have recycled mechanisms from vintage pens.

  12. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    1,739
    Thanks
    139
    Thanked 609 Times in 445 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Ron,
    With your repair experience how would you rank the lever/sac filling system in terms of strength and longevity?
    gary

  13. #11
    Senior Member Deb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Highlands of Scotland
    Posts
    1,747
    Thanks
    2,353
    Thanked 1,927 Times in 842 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    I'm not Ron but many of the lever fillers I restore are 90 - 100 years old. That's pretty strong and long-lived. I hardly ever have to fix a lever.
    Regards,
    Deb
    My Blog

  14. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Deb For This Useful Post:

    Ahriman4891 (May 27th, 2020), Chrissy (May 27th, 2020), Jon Szanto (May 27th, 2020)

  15. #12
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    US
    Posts
    6,793
    Thanks
    642
    Thanked 898 Times in 690 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Today a E Faber failed. The j bar broke. I had one for Esterbrooks and shoved it with my long nose tweezers. Good as new. The Aerometric probably was an improvement. but as long as Anderson's sells j bars and #18 sacs, I feel enabled.

  16. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    US
    Posts
    6,793
    Thanks
    642
    Thanked 898 Times in 690 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    I'm not Ron but many of the lever fillers I restore are 90 - 100 years old. That's pretty strong and long-lived. I hardly ever have to fix a lever.
    And you have some very nice restored pens!!

  17. #14
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    San Marino
    Posts
    100
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 30 Times in 23 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    No lever mechanisms pens. Perhaps Yafa may consider it, since they got the Crescent Filler back?

  18. #15
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    1,739
    Thanks
    139
    Thanked 609 Times in 445 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    I'm not Ron but many of the lever fillers I restore are 90 - 100 years old. That's pretty strong and long-lived. I hardly ever have to fix a lever.
    Deb, thanks for your response. I have my own opinion, but someone with repair experience is much better qualified to comment than I am. Of course the fact that my thoughts match your actual experience....


  19. #16
    Senior Member Deb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Highlands of Scotland
    Posts
    1,747
    Thanks
    2,353
    Thanked 1,927 Times in 842 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Quote Originally Posted by kazoolaw View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    I'm not Ron but many of the lever fillers I restore are 90 - 100 years old. That's pretty strong and long-lived. I hardly ever have to fix a lever.
    Deb, thanks for your response. I have my own opinion, but someone with repair experience is much better qualified to comment than I am. Of course the fact that my thoughts match your actual experience....

    There are exceptions. Waterman box levers have a tendency to crack but can be replaced without much difficulty, provided you have the right size of replacement. Conway Stewarts, especially post-war ones, sometimes lose the disc at the end of the lever and the only answer is to replace the lever. Swans, Sheaffers, Summits, Mentmores, Wyverns, Wahl Eversharps, Burnhams and all the rest tend to be rock solid in my experience. Pressure bars may rust or lose their springiness but are replacement parts.
    Regards,
    Deb
    My Blog

  20. #17
    Senior Member penwash's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Dallas, as in the 80's TV Series
    Posts
    3,662
    Thanks
    3,364
    Thanked 6,703 Times in 1,972 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by kazoolaw View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    I'm not Ron but many of the lever fillers I restore are 90 - 100 years old. That's pretty strong and long-lived. I hardly ever have to fix a lever.
    Deb, thanks for your response. I have my own opinion, but someone with repair experience is much better qualified to comment than I am. Of course the fact that my thoughts match your actual experience....

    There are exceptions. Waterman box levers have a tendency to crack but can be replaced without much difficulty, provided you have the right size of replacement. Conway Stewarts, especially post-war ones, sometimes lose the disc at the end of the lever and the only answer is to replace the lever. Swans, Sheaffers, Summits, Mentmores, Wyverns, Wahl Eversharps, Burnhams and all the rest tend to be rock solid in my experience. Pressure bars may rust or lose their springiness but are replacement parts.
    Just to add to Deb's overview on British pens, I find that the American vintage lever-fillers vary in terms of quality. The top notch ones are what you'll find in Conklin (Toledo, not Chicago), also surprisingly Esterbrook. These are rock solid with no wobbling at all.

    Sheaffer Balance lever fillers are also good, with a few sample that exhibit wobbling. Parker didn't do lever fillers other than the Parkette and some branding for department stores. Wahl Eversharp are more spread out in the quality spectrum.

    What surprised me is that some of the no-name "third tier" pens actually exhibit well-made lever fillers. Pens from Ambassador, Majestic, Victor, and a few others. As well as "second tier" brands like Eclipse, Moore.
    - Will
    Unique and restored vintage pens: Redeem Pens

  21. The Following User Says Thank You to penwash For This Useful Post:

    Deb (May 28th, 2020)

  22. #18
    Senior Member Deb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Highlands of Scotland
    Posts
    1,747
    Thanks
    2,353
    Thanked 1,927 Times in 842 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    As an afterthought, although Conway Stewart and Onoto also use box levers I haven't come across any of them with cracks.
    Regards,
    Deb
    My Blog

  23. #19
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    US
    Posts
    6,793
    Thanks
    642
    Thanked 898 Times in 690 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Quote Originally Posted by penwash View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by kazoolaw View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    I'm not Ron but many of the lever fillers I restore are 90 - 100 years old. That's pretty strong and long-lived. I hardly ever have to fix a lever.
    Deb, thanks for your response. I have my own opinion, but someone with repair experience is much better qualified to comment than I am. Of course the fact that my thoughts match your actual experience....

    There are exceptions. Waterman box levers have a tendency to crack but can be replaced without much difficulty, provided you have the right size of replacement. Conway Stewarts, especially post-war ones, sometimes lose the disc at the end of the lever and the only answer is to replace the lever. Swans, Sheaffers, Summits, Mentmores, Wyverns, Wahl Eversharps, Burnhams and all the rest tend to be rock solid in my experience. Pressure bars may rust or lose their springiness but are replacement parts.
    Just to add to Deb's overview on British pens, I find that the American vintage lever-fillers vary in terms of quality. The top notch ones are what you'll find in Conklin (Toledo, not Chicago), also surprisingly Esterbrook. These are rock solid with no wobbling at all.

    Sheaffer Balance lever fillers are also good, with a few sample that exhibit wobbling. Parker didn't do lever fillers other than the Parkette and some branding for department stores. Wahl Eversharp are more spread out in the quality spectrum.

    What surprised me is that some of the no-name "third tier" pens actually exhibit well-made lever fillers. Pens from Ambassador, Majestic, Victor, and a few others. As well as "second tier" brands like Eclipse, Moore.
    Not surprising to me regarding Esterbrooks. I am curious to why you think so????

  24. #20
    Senior Member welch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    1,031
    Thanks
    1,504
    Thanked 510 Times in 344 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: Lever mechanism fillers

    Maybe unreliability killed off the lever fillers. By the late '50's, my parents insisted I used a cartridge school pen and then the C/C Parker 45. They had stories of sacs collapsing in the late '30s in their high school. Of the "first tier" American pen makers -- Parker, Sheaffer, Eversharp, Waterman -- Parker and Sheaffer competed for having the cleanest and most innovative filling systems. Waterman died in the early '50s, and Eversharp died about 1957, just as they were working on the cartridge/converter system that went into the successful Parker 45. (Imagine Eversharp offering a cartridge / converter version of the Ventura 1958). Esterbrook began selling squeeze filling and cartridge systems.

    Of course, most of the third-tier pen companies died off. Maybe the economy-pen buying public wanted a ballpoint like the BiC rather than an Arnold or Stratford?
    Last edited by welch; May 30th, 2020 at 12:13 PM.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •