Geha school pen

[vans4444]

GEHA " Schuhlfuller mit Reservetank"

 

A Geha school fountain pen. I understand from other FPN threads that this is likely to have been manufactured around 1955 in Hanover Germany. Geha was later bought by Pelikan

 

 

First Impressions

 

I bought this pen on impulse from eBay not really knowing anything about Geha pens.

 

My first impression was very positive. It seems well made, pleasant to hold, not unlike a small Pelikan.

 

Appearance and Finish

 

Black with gold fittings. I assume it is largely made of plastic. The steel nib is stamped Geha. The cap is impressed with “Geha Schulfuller Mit Reservetank” picked out in gold colour. The barrel is stamped X 30627. The cap clip is also stamped Geha.

 

The pen is generally in very good condition.

 

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww3/vans4444/Pens/Geha1.jpg

 

Design/Size/Weight

 

It is well proportioned being slightly shorter and very slightly narrower than a Pelikan 400NN. I don’t have an M200 but looking at nibs.com it seems to be very similar in size to the M200. I have mentioned Pelikan a few time so far I think because there is a Pelikan “feel” about the pen. The cap has a screw thread. The barrel a blue ink window.

 

Capped the pen is 125mm, posted 145mm and about 10mm in diameter. This makes it the same length as a Pelikan 120, 140 and 400 (not M400)

 

Posted it is very comfortable and well balanced. This is a pen that could be used over an extended period

 

For size comparison, below are pictures of four black piston filling pens. The Geha, a Pelikan 400NN (next to the Geha), a Raja (hooded nib, made in Pakistan) and a no name German pen (with a Pelican cap and a bison stamped on the nib)

 

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww3/vans4444/Pens/Geha2.jpg

 

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww3/vans4444/Pens/Geha4.jpg

 

Nib

 

It was advertised as having a medium nib. I think it is closer to a broad. It is very smooth and very wet. The nib glides easily over the page with no skipping. There is quite a lot of flex in the nib; it lays down a solid wet line that is three times as thick under heavy pressure as under light pressure.

 

Personally, I prefer fine, dryer nibs, so I don’t know how much use I will get out of the pen. That is not a criticism of the nib, which in the right hand would produce excellent script.

Filling System

 

Piston. This is why I bought the pen. It works perfectly and seems to draw up a lot of ink. The pen has a reserve tank. There is a green button under the feed. I have read that pushing or sliding the button will give you another two pages of writing. However, I have no idea how to work it. Perhaps it slides perhaps it is pushed? Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

 

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww3/vans4444/Pens/Gehanib1JPG.jpg

 

Cost/Value

 

I paid $40 for the pen including delivery. Before it arrived I was worried that I had paid too much. However now I have the pen I think it is good value for money.

 

 

Overall

 

A good, well made pen. This will make an excellent workhorse.

Edited December 19, 2009 by vans4444

[Beechwood]

Nice review Martin of this little known pen

[Bo Bo Olson]

@ 1950 the Geha stationary and office supply company brought out the Geha fountain pen, aimed at the Pelikan company. It gave them problems, was "as good" for 1/3 less.

 

After Pelikan got bought up by a Malaysian rich man's company @1990*, Pelikan bought up the Geha fountain pen division and closed it down.

 

* I could be wrong, it could have been the last gasp of the Swiss corporation that then owned Pelikan, before the Malaysian bought Pelikan.

I am not going to go hunting for conformation.

 

I've been collecting pens for @ 6 months now...I was looking at Geha just as I ran out of money for a while... Good nibs.

 

I bid for some, unfortunately mostly in Black...and I've way too many Black German piston fillers....no MB but MB don't interest me. Sonnecken, Osmia, and Geha did. Some one showed me in a letter Geha has good nibs. I only had a week hunting Geha before buying other pens made the leaves of the money tree fall off for the winter.

 

Geha is the only pen with the Reserve tank, that they invented.

I don't know how it works either. Write it dry, or pump out the ink and then push the button.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Bo Bo Olson

[Edgar Allan Bo]

I love the old GeHa's because of the nice flexy nibs, many of them have 14k nibs which are even more flexible, and you can get them for allmost nothing on eBay!

[adam11]

Very nice pen. Understated black elegance (just what I like) - and it is school pen! Higher end Geha's are very nice and I would like to have one. Believe you have to push the green button in direction to the section to activate reserve tank. Enjoy.

[MYU]

Thanks for this review, of an unusual Geha piston filler. Nice to see the comparisons to the other German pens. Geha pens fetch some decent prices, depending on the model and the condition. I'd agree that $40 is well worth it here.

 

It might be worth examining the piston system with water first. Fill it up and then switch the "reserve tank" button. Maybe the capacity increases slightly? See what happens when the pen is practically empty and you throw the switch. I wonder if you'll see any additional water flow out.

 

Actually a reserve tank is a bit of an odd feature, when you think about it. You have an ink window so you do know how much ink you've got left. Is a "reserve" really necessary? Why let the pen run out of ink prematurely, requiring you to flip a switch to get the remaining ink flowing?

 

Or... is the reserve actually just a mechanism that helps get the remaining ink into the feed, for another page of writing? When my Pilot M90 recently ran out of ink, I lightly wrapped the nib with a square of tissue paper and gave the pen a few wrist flicks. Some ink sprinkled out into the tissue paper, but I ended up with enough ink to write about a paragraph before it was completely dried out. So, I'm wondering if this "reserve" switch does something similar.

Edited December 19, 2009 by MYU

[Doug Add]

Nice review of a good little pen. I think your price was probably fair. I paid $15, $20, $25, and $25 for the four I have owned, but the last one I bought was in 2002. Only the first one I obtained back in 2000 remains. I have passed the others on to friends who liked them.

 

I wish we had learned to write with pens like this when I was in school! I think the Schulfüller is a great way to enjoy fountain pens for not much $$.

 

If you ever decide to part with this pen let me know. My son has been searching for one lately, as he really enjoys writing with mine.

[vans4444]

Thanks particularly to Robert Alan I have worked out how to use the reserve tank.

 

Use the edge of the cap to push the green button towards the section. This releases some extra ink. The button resets itself when you refill. For the reset to work it is important to make sure the piston is fully at the bottom of the barrel (next to the section) before you start screwing the piston up, filling the pen.

 

My writing I awful but her is a picture of some squiggles to show the flexibility of the nib. I would say it is flexible rather than semi flexible, but I am a newbie so could be wrong.

 

 

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww3/vans4444/Pens/Gehawritingtest.jpg

 

Doug Add, I want to play with the pen for a while, but I don't think I will keep it. The nib is too wide for my liking. If it had a fine nib it would certainly be a keeper. I will look out for another one with a different nib.

Edited December 19, 2009 by vans4444

[Ondina]

.

 

I've been collecting pens for @ 6 months now...I was looking at Geha just as I ran out of money for a while... Good nibs.

 

I bid for some, unfortunately mostly in Black...and I've way too many Black German piston fillers....no MB but MB don't interest me. Sonnecken, Osmia, and Geha did. Some one showed me in a letter Geha has good nibs. I only had a week hunting Geha before buying other pens made the leaves of the money tree fall off for the winter.

 

Geha is the only pen with the Reserve tank, that they invented.

I don't know how it works either. Write it dry, or pump out the ink and then push the button.

 

My excuses for being an enabler

 

The reserve tank consists in a small ink reserve in the upper part of the section -that is usually black with a small transparent part that grows overtime as the rest is prone to lose the paint. When the green slab is pushed upwards, the upper part of it, a sort of sliding valve grooved into the feed goes up releasing the ink to the feed. Enough to write a couple more pages even with the flexy nibs.

 

I'm looking for a feed for one, by the way, in case anyone has one laying around.

[Doug Add]

Doug Add, I want to play with the pen for a while, but I don't think I will keep it. The nib is too wide for my liking. If it had a fine nib it would certainly be a keeper. I will look out for another one with a different nib.

PM when you are ready to part with. My remaining one is marked fine, but writes a bit wider than some of my fine nibs. I would offer a trade, but I like this one too much to let it go.

[Bo Bo Olson]

The Lady has a very fine hand...

 

It sets me a goal, to really learn to write.

 

And a pen to buy.

 

Unfortunately, my wallet has become an echo chamber.

Edited December 19, 2009 by Bo Bo Olson

[saintsimon]

The reserve push button in the feed is typical of GeHas. Their cartridge school pen had this feature, too

[piembi]

I love the old GeHa's because of the nice flexy nibs, many of them have 14k nibs which are even more flexible, and you can get them for allmost nothing on eBay!

 

This is why I have three of them - with different nib sizes. The nibs are a pleasure to write with

[Robert Alan]

Thanks particularly to Robert Alan I have worked out how to use the reserve tank.

 

You are very welcome! I am so glad I could help you.

 

If you check Martini Auctions: http://martiniauctions.com/auction/index.php you will find a variety of German, including Geha, and other European pens that you may not see on eBay. Prices are in Euros, however, and, currently, the dollar to Euro rate is not good.

 

Regina Martini is knowledgeable and extremely trustworthy. She, often, has many listings, with a good selection, on her site and on eBay.

 

Happy Hunting!

 

R.A.

[Bo Bo Olson]

There is a small chamber behind the twist out nib, before the main chamber. The push rod on the bottom of the nib, opens up the reserve tank.

 

I don't know how to lube the side of the barrel like on a Pelikan because the spicket shaft is in the middle and tooth picks can't be bent enough to reach the side. I'll figure something out some day when it starts needing it.

 

I do not have a school pen. I do have some nibs for a school pen, they are as good as the Pelikan 120 nibs.

It is possible to find a semi-flex nib for the old school pen, which has a different size nib screw than the 790. I ruined one.

 

I have a loose steel OB nib that is semi-flexible. I don't have a spare 790 nib assembly to put it on and have it from time to time in an Artus pen.

I have two 790's, one with a wet writing semi-flex 14 K KM, the other with a maxi-semi-flex/'flexi' 14 K EF.

 

The number on a Geha School pen, is individual so that each student had his number written down at home so it could not be stolen.

 

A 790 has three gold rings at the top of the cap. They look better in real life than the picture.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B6FmHUwBWkKGrHqEOKiMEyVVGG6IBMwIK6RCg_12.jpg

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/B6FmJVwB2kKGrHqEOKm4EyyFEhzKZBMwIPTRw_12.jpg

Edited October 7, 2011 by Bo Bo Olson

[richardandtracy]

These look much nicer than the one I got in the 1970's & 80's: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=52501

Wish I had been in a position to see the older ones, they look so much better.

 

Thanks for the review.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

 

 

[TMLee]

THIS IS HOW THE INK RESERVOIR WORKS ...

 

Here is a page of the instruction sheet.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6969.jpg

 

A closeup of each paragraph in German.

Can someone translate?

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6970.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6971.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6972.jpg

 

This is how the reservoir works ...

 

The rim of the cap is in metal , so you can use it to push the green tab.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6973.jpg

 

This diagram shows where exactly is the reservoir.

Note that the reservoir is in line with the window edge, which means the window will show up empty of ink even though there is still a reservoir of ink beyond the window.

The ink cant get into the feed becos the feed is higher than the ink reservoir.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6974.jpg

 

So... to get the ink into the feed, there is another route.

Push the green tab upwards, and the ink flows into the feed from the BOTTOM of the reservoir.

I believe the quantity of ink is significant.

Easily another page of writing.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6975.jpg

 

The last picture advertising their inks

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6976.jpg

 

The specimen I bought came with this instruction sheet and even a guarantee slip...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6977.jpg

 

I am not sure whether the green tab is broken on this pen.

Becos I remembered seeing some other specimens on the internet have a different looking green tab.

They have that 'shoe' kind of a tab.

Mine is lacking that 'shoe' thingy. (its just a straight shank)

I also see some pens have a straight green push rod just like mine.

I have this awful feeling that I bought a lemon ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6992.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/FP/GEHA%20790/DSCF6989.jpg

 

I am impressed with the flex of the nib.

Really remarkable !

[Ted Andkilde]

THIS IS HOW THE INK RESERVOIR WORKS ...

 

Here is a page of the instruction sheet.

 

Nice find.

 

 

I am not sure whether the green tab is broken on this pen.

Becos I remembered seeing some other specimens on the internet have a different looking green tab.

They have that 'shoe' kind of a tab.

Mine is lacking that 'shoe' thingy. (its just a straight shank)

I also see some pens have a straight green push rod just like mine.

I have this awful feeling that I bought a lemon ... \

 

I have one that looks exactly as yours does, and functions quite well. So I'm pretty sure the simpler actuator just indicates the age of the pen.

 

Cheers, Ted

[Bo Bo Olson]

One of my 790's has the shoe, the other not. So yours is ok.

It's wonderful to look at the papers that show how the reserve tank works.

 

Mine does not have a size on the nib, or feed, but on the back of the pen on the 'blind' cap.

 

It's first rate you got the box and the instructions.

 

Suddenly things become simple. A last warning, the last gasp before one it totally out of ink. Actually it carries a small bit less ink because the reserve tank is a bit in the way.

I'd known there is a small chamber behind the screw in nib. What I had not known was how the 'reserve' tank worked. And, it 'holds' more ink than I thought because much of the 'tank' is actually the end of the ink chamber, being freed for use.

 

It's sort of needed, in one way it's hard to tell when it's out of ink to me.

It's always been for me..."Oh, it's got a window. ".

 

My two 790's are slightly different, one has a green window, and the section is full black. The other has a blue window and is transparent blue half way down the 'black' section.

It just looks black when filled.

I am so blind, I'd not noticed that. :embarrassed_smile:

 

Perhaps because I always have them filled, I lost that both have windows in the first place. I don't hold them up to the light.

 

Now that the pen has been sitting not being used for a couple of generations. Do the brown paper bag trick, remember to rotate the nib. 15 second sets. That should take the micro-corrosion that 'iridium' picks up from lack of use.

 

What nib did you get, a semi-flex, or a maxi-semi-flex/'flexi'. My KM is semi-flex, and to my surprise my EF is 'flexi'.

Mine was supposed to be OEF and I'd paid 1/4th more for it. But I decided it was good enough to keep. I also realized that truly a OEF would be too small to really see much, so won't be bidding on one again.

Edited October 29, 2011 by Bo Bo Olson

[TMLee]

THIS IS HOW THE INK RESERVOIR WORKS ...

 

Here is a page of the instruction sheet.

 

Nice find.

 

 

I am not sure whether the green tab is broken on this pen.

Becos I remembered seeing some other specimens on the internet have a different looking green tab.

They have that 'shoe' kind of a tab.

Mine is lacking that 'shoe' thingy. (its just a straight shank)

I also see some pens have a straight green push rod just like mine.

I have this awful feeling that I bought a lemon ... \

 

I have one that looks exactly as yours does, and functions quite well. So I'm pretty sure the simpler actuator just indicates the age of the pen.

 

Cheers, Ted

 

 

Phew !