General opinions on Waldmann pens?

[kaisnowbird]

Just watched Dr Brown's review on the Waldmann Tango FP and must say I'm intrigued. (Actually, just added a Waldmann Edelfeder to my wish list.)

My local B&M store doesn't carry their FP, only a ballpoint. I was wondering if any fellow geeks here have had hands-on experiences with FPs from this brand. Would you agree with Dr Brown's assessment? How does it compare with Yard-O-Led, Caran d'Ache or other silver/similar pens?

The price seems reasonable. The pen looks good. However, there is something in the company's logic that I can't really understand. For example:

- Why wouldn't they include a converter with the pen? Starting from well above 100 euro, these are not your cheap knock about pens. The packaging looks really nice, yet they skip on the essentials? Not very German IMHO.

- Why would they fit a fine guilloche sterling silver pen (surely a luxury item) with a plain-looking steel nib? Dr Brown's praises on the quality of the steel nib is comforting though.

Your thoughts?

[kaisnowbird]

Any body cares to chime in?

[Uncle Bud]

I have ordered a Waldmann, but it's not due in until mid January. I'll post a mini review when I receive it. Cheers.

[kaisnowbird]

Thank you and looking forward to it.

[ever onward]

I'll chime in to say I completely agree with you: no converter and a steel nib on a sterling pen make no sense. I looked at a Waldmann some time ago but didn't make the buy, so I can't add much else.

(And, Hi! I just joined the forum a couple days ago.)

best wishes,
ever onward

[Adhizen]

I have one and they are nice pens. They do write well for having a steel nib. They are well made. I'm selling mine because its a little thin in diameter as pens goes my tastes and I have other pens I use more.

[kaisnowbird]

I'll chime in to say I completely agree with you: no converter and a steel nib on a sterling pen make no sense. I looked at a Waldmann some time ago but didn't make the buy, so I can't add much else.

(And, Hi! I just joined the forum a couple days ago.)

best wishes,
ever onward

Thank you and .

[welch]

I don't know Waldmann, but a German company called Diplomat makes a super-smooth steel-nibbed pen. I tried one at Art Brown's in NYC...or, more accurately, a group of us gathered around someone who was considering buying an Excellence A Guilloch. We each tried the pen and a less-expensive Diplomat, gave our opinions (mine: a great pen, although $265 should buy a great pen); not sure which was chosen.

Considering the Waldmann:

- Metal grip is not my choice.

- Pen ought to have a converter. If not, then the company forgot something. At least the company website should declare the type of cartridge the pen wants

- Steel nib can be good. This one is assembled by Schmidt, the site says. I believe that Schmidt makes nib assemblies, using an actual nib from another German company. Maybe JoWo? A shaky memory tells me that the original TWSBI used Schmidt nib assemblies, and Levenger uses them for their True-writer pens.

- No hard evidence, but I suspect that more fountain pen companies are trying steel nibs as the price of gold increases. I think Pelikan's gold nibs have increased by $20 or $30 in the last four or five years. A steel nib might not be evidence of poor construction if the nib is well-made. We write on the "irridium" point, so (I think) that care given to the point counts more than whether the nib is gold or steel. Brian Gray, of Edison Pens, has an interesting essay "in praise of steel nibs", at http://edisonpen.com/page.cfm/In-Praise-of-Steel-Nibs

- One consideration: you are in Australia. Does Waldmann have a good distributor? Who fixes the pen if it's not quite right when you open the box?

[kaisnowbird]

I'm familiar with Diplomat products and for some reason I'm only lukewarm towards them. I might be tempted if I stumble across an Excellence B on sale.

Waldmann appears to offer pens of similar quality at similar or lower price point, but using sterling silver, and that's where the appeal lies for me.

I am not prejudiced against steel nibs, but have the notion that as a general principal the nib of the pen should not be made with material that's cheaper than the body of the pen.

I'm not worried about distributors in Australia. I'd buy from a retailer that offers great customer service and will let them take care of me if there is a problem. Thank you for the thought though.

And thank you for that link to Brian's article.

Cheers,
Kai

[penstaking]

to return to the OP's query about the Waldmann Tango...

I have a Tango and yes, i like it. mine however has a window; it does not have the plastic collar at the feed; it is a piston fill; it is silver plate, not sterling silver, so it is less weighty at 40 gr; it cannot be posted; and finally, the nib is a huge, really large Schmidt iridium-plated steel nib that writes really well. i've never had a problem with it and enjoy using it. it is not, however (and this is true for every German pen I own -- well, those would be pelikans basically -- i don't have any other german brand except a sonnecken) a dynamic or thrilling experience to write with. it is simply reliable, fun to use, and beautiful to look at while writing.

in general, i don't agree with sre brown's assessment of the waldmann nib (obviously we have different models and different nibs; my schmidt nib must be a size 6 and that on his waldmann a 5 if i am viewing it correctly) nor of steel nibs in general -- they are almost always inferior to gold and gold-plated nibs. these latter resist corrosion better and spread or diffuse ink better along the width of the feed. they also apply ink more consistently and with a wetter flow. my gold-nib pens will almost always supply a more interesting line -- more shading, more chiaroscuro.

that having been said, my waldmann tango is still a good and reliable writer, and the large nib makes for a good flow, though i would not call the feel of the nib, and the line it lays down, particularly wet -- just wet enough.