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Informal Review - Speedball Auto Level Filler - Nib Pen

amberleadavis

By amberleadavis
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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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Decades ago (at least 3), my beloved step-monster purchased this pen for me at an antique show. I didn't know how to make it work or what was wrong with it (if anything). When I went on an excursion into my caboose (Union Pacific 1952), I found several of these pens in my desk. I brought them to the office and shipped them off to ArtsNibs.com and he "fixed" this one for me.

 

It's not a traditional fountain pen. You can read about it here.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inked_Today/20141227_145646.jpg

20141227_145646.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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Univer explains what this pen does in this post:

 

Posted 02 December 2007 - 12:09

 

 

That's a Speedball Auto-Feed Pen Holder, shown with a Speedball dip nib installed.

 

This pen was designed to allow the use (and easy interchange) of dip nibs in a conventional lever-fill sac reservoir pen. The tube at the side of the nib (which Speedball called a "feed tube") is a sort of quasi-Snorkel. To fill the pen - which you do without a nib fitted - you open a valve on the tube, immerse it in ink, and operate the lever. To use the pen, you slide a nib into the section (unsurprisingly, Speedball nibs work best) and open the feed tube valve. Then, as you write, you press the button on the section to release ink to the nib through the feed tube.

The system works pretty well, all things considered. The use of dib nibs with a reservoir pen always seems to entail some design compromises.

I believe the pen is a 1940s/50s design. It's not particularly common, and it's not a well-known product. When they come up, they don't typically command high prices.

 

The Auto-Feed is a really large pen. I've never restored one, but I've been told that they can be a bit tricky to resac - maybe because of the complication of the ink-release button.

 

Hope that's helpful!

 

Cheers,

Jon

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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Pens+Pencils was kind enough to share the original instructions that came with his pen.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7097/7173231157_38c53af05c_c.jpghttp://farm8.staticflickr.com/7228/7358448036_f675dcdd72.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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The nib that came with the pen was a B4.

 

I tested it first with my Christmas present from Sinistral1.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/2014-Inklings/2014-Ink_2192.jpg

2014-Ink_2192.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/2014-Inklings/2014-Ink_2193.jpg

2014-Ink_2193.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/2014-Inklings/2014-Ink_2195.jpg

2014-Ink_2195.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/2014-Inklings/2014-Ink_2202.jpg

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/2014-Inklings/2014-Ink_2202b.jpg

2014-Ink_2202.jpg

2014-Ink_2202b.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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So, I switched nibs and I made a goof.... I closed the little valve on the side of the nib.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inked_Today/20141227_145655.jpg

20141227_145655.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inked_Today/20141227_145703.jpg

20141227_145703.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inked_Today/20141228_171234.jpg

20141228_171234.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inked_Today/20141228_171251.jpg

20141228_171251.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Inked_Today/20141228_171329.jpg

20141228_171329.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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2014-Ink_2202b.thumb.jpg.b34619056e783810a219794bfabe01fc.jpgAnyway, I couldn't fill the ink until the lever was opened back up. So the nib kept drying out. Turns out you must push the little button to get the ink through that little valve.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/2014-Inklings/2014-Ink_2202b.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/2014-Inklings/2014-Ink_2205.jpg

2014-Ink_2205.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/2014-Inklings/2014-Ink_2207.jpg

2014-Ink_2207.jpg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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veryred NOS (New Old Stock)

veryred

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I have the pen but my pen being repaired for re-shellac now.

It's a very practical pen.

Could I use your original instruction images for my private blog.

Thank you for great review.

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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Those aren't mine, I credited the original poster. You should ask him.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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amberleadavis Pen Dust

amberleadavis

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Ok. Thank you.

 

I don't think he'd mind.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ergative Extremely Rare

Ergative

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Interesting design. In the first post about this pen that you linked, someone said that the design only works with speedball nibs, because the tube delivers ink to a top-positioned reservoir. That would obviously rule out William Mitchell nibs (reservoir is on the bottom), but perhaps a Brause nib could be used? I prefer almost any nib besides speedball for broad-edge calligraphy.

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