Shouldn't a very good pen get a very good clone?

[Skip]

... I would find it (for myself anyway) somewhat limiting to collect and use only antique American fountain pens......

In that one statement you show how little you know of the collectors, both here and elsewhere. Very few operate in that narrow range, and likely have pens from many more places than you even imagined *made* fountain pens. Even if one limited themselves to only American brand fountain pens, the history and breadth of the makers, the thousands of models created over at least 150 years, would be a lifetime endeavor to acquire.

Do what interests you, but also be aware of the rather large areas of the pen use/collecting/appreciation world of which you are yet to become familiar with.

Reads good to me! ~Am greatly looking forward to expanding my existing areas of knowledge into the larger areas you post of here... However right now I have so much interest and enjoyable fun with what I am doing re fountain pens that this expansion will have to wait for it's time.
I did awaken perhaps some wider interest while viewing vintage Sheaffer vacuum-loaders onna web, but am far too busy enjoying myself right now with other aspects of this fascinating hobby. ~I don't wanna put too much in my wagon all at once y'know? ~Turning my pen hobby into an intense search thing could make it seem too much like work and possibly disappoint me...

[FredRydr]

Your Wahl Eversharp gold-filled Coronet set with red pyrolin and adjustable nib will wait. No one will be cloning that with much success.

[Skip]

Your Wahl Eversharp gold-filled Coronet set with red pyrolin and adjustable nib will wait. No one will be cloning that with much success.

That set can wait forever AFAIC. I sincerely doubt $1500-2000 worth of gold plate is going to make it write any better... ~Or even make it something worth cloning?

[Niner]

Getting a lathe just for your hobby is impressive! ~But I couldn't fit one too well in my smallish (but nice) apt. ~And anyway if I had one I'd probably just cut my damn hand off...

My shopping is merely window shopping so far. And smallish apartments have an advantage perhaps not immediately obvious to all: They deter purchases of lathes.

[christof]

A lathe for smaller repair jobs doesn't need to be large. I have an Emco Unimat SL:



it can be stored in a drawer.

(sorry for beeing off topic)

[Niner]

A lathe for smaller repair jobs doesn't need to be large. I have an Emco Unimat SL:

it can be stored in a drawer.

(sorry for beeing off topic)

Still off topic here, but I'd like to know whether you bolt that lathe down during use.

[Skip]

A lathe for smaller repair jobs doesn't need to be large. I have an Emco Unimat SL:



it can be stored in a drawer.

(sorry for beeing off topic)

It's not off topic if you use it to repair Asian 'clone' pens?
(Sorry, just joking here...)
But that is an impressive looking chunk of machinery; -more than enough to frighten both me and my apartment! ~When living in my lady's house with a basement, drills, sanders, and saws were the upper limits of my power tool skills...

[~JJ]

Hey Skip,
I bought one of these V126's based on your review. My own personal impression:
For premise, I highly prefer pens you can post, as it kinda reduces the clutter around one's writing space, but mainly becuz it's 1 less thing you've gotta keep track of! I also generally like pens under 30 grams full weight. My choice of this model V126 was the Blue Swirl finish with EF nib.

I haven't written with it yet, but did take it out of its packaging for a quick dry-writing road test to check the feel of it in my hand and, gotta say, the posted config makes this pen awfully backweighted. I don't know if this particular finish brings a vvariance from a 'lighter version of the model (the 'Swirl versions don't seem to be as common as the others in that series, & cost a few dollars more), but in my dry run I purt quickly began to feel like I was arm wrestling with Mighty Mouse or sump'n! Nothing like my Custom 823, which feels almost too light to represent its expense. I was in a hurry heading out for a Dr's appointment so didn't try it unposted, & still haven't but, wanted to make the point here while I can. How does yours compare to my findings? Have you got or tried an actual 823?

[Jon Szanto]

I don't know if this particular finish brings a vvariance from a 'lighter version of the model (the 'Swirl versions don't seem to be as common as the others in that series, & cost a few dollars more), but in my dry run I purt quickly began to feel like I was arm wrestling with Mighty Mouse or sump'n! Nothing like my Custom 823, which feels almost too light to represent its expense.

These notations seemed at variance from my impressions. I currently own two V126 pens (transparent green and matte clear) as well as a Pilot 823. I got out my digital scale to weigh all three. Note that the two Asvine pens had approximately 1/2 barrel of ink, the 823 is filled about 3/4 full; the ink amount would not account for much of a change in variance. With those parameters, the weight of the pens were:

V126 green: 28.05g
V126 clear: 28.34g
Pilot 823: 30.55g

I have a hard time believing there is an acrylic that would cause a different model of 126 to weigh significantly more. As to posting... that is up to the user, and for me it varies by pen, design, and weight distribution. All three of these pens feel fine unposted to me, but also not unwieldy in my hand if posted. The 823 feels the most back-weighted when holding only the barrel, but the barrel alone is only 20.74g. The concept that a worthy pen must consequently be heavier is an odd but common notion. The Parker 51, possibly the best-selling pen of all time, weighs only 19.75h capped; a Lamy 2000 is a massive 26.83g (it's budget cousin, the Safari, is a mere 16.75g). Heft may give the impression of value in the hand, but may prove to be a drawback in longer writing sessions.

If I travel or will be in a dodgy environment, I'd probably take a 126 (which I have fitted out with a Sheaffer nib). However, on any given day with all things being equal, I enjoy using the Pilot pen more. Indeed, MMV.

[Skip]

I haven't written with it yet, but did take it out of its packaging for a quick dry-writing road test to check the feel of it in my hand and, gotta say, the posted config makes this pen awfully backweighted. I don't know if this particular finish brings a vvariance from a 'lighter version of the model (the 'Swirl versions don't seem to be as common as the others in that series, & cost a few dollars more), but in my dry run I purt quickly began to feel like I was arm wrestling with Mighty Mouse or sump'n! Nothing like my Custom 823, which feels almost too light to represent its expense. I was in a hurry heading out for a Dr's appointment so didn't try it unposted, & still haven't but, wanted to make the point here while I can. How does yours compare to my findings? Have you got or tried an actual 823?

Nope I haven't tried an 823. It's a bit too expensive for me to buy for just a fun tryout... But I do find the Asvine V126 an absolute delight to write with and not especially 'heavy' at all?
Perhaps your experience might be different from mine because of the "dry writing road test" as the delight I find with the V126 has much to do with the ultra smooth and easy way it lays down ink! (~And perhaps you also just wanted the 823 to be lighter and thus a better pen for your usage?)

Look all, I have no gripe against the 823 (except perhaps for it's costliness?). I'm sure if I tried one I would also like that pen very much. ~People don't rave about a pen like the 823 unless it is indeed a very, very good pen, right? All I'm saying is I find the V126 a fantastic pen for any price (it's usually around $30), and as it's so similar to the 823 I no longer feel any desire to own the $336 Pilot.

In fact I like the V126 so much I was just delighted with it again yesterday as I wrote out something as simple as a grocery shopping list... I have it inked with Waterman's Harmonious Green and have never enjoyed writing "bananas, milk, ice cream, bread" so much as I did this time with the smooth flowing V126 and that cool looking green ink! ~I'm sure I could do the same with Pilot's 823; but then I'd be less able to afford groceries and might even have to skip the ice cream!
{~And skip the ice cream?? Hey, that ain't never gonna happen!!}

[FredRydr]

An analogy of an original versus a clone, using a 1930 Model A Ford Roadster DeLuxe:

Vintage original:



Modern clone:

"That just don't seem quite right...somehow" @ 1:43

[Skip]

Guess I pretty much do prefer the look of the 'original' Model T here... ~But I must venture to say there's probably not very much metal, rubber, leather or glass on that one that's very 'original' either?
Plus I wouldn't be too upset with owning that cool looking 'clone' y'know?

[kazoolaw]

“They tend to split at the seams on either end if you open them, more so if you do it with any regularity.”
Why would one open them, especially with some regularity?

[Ron Z]

“They tend to split at the seams on either end if you open them, more so if you do it with any regularity.”
Why would one open them, especially with some regularity?

Some people just do that. They like to get every smidge of ink out of a pen, so take it all apart to clean everything. I don't see the need, and do see the results when a pen has been disassembled too often.

[Chrissy]

“They tend to split at the seams on either end if you open them, more so if you do it with any regularity.”
Why would one open them, especially with some regularity?

There are always some that just do that. As Ron says, maybe they like to keep pen repairers in work.