Wahl Eversharp Skyline Burgundy with Gold Filled Cap

December 30, 2009

Intro

The last few months I've been very busy on the roll out of a project that I manage. I've been making long days and came back home late, often missing decent dinner. Than late at night after having done some work again I would sneak onto Ebay and browse around a bit. You know....some compensational behavior....I mean one has to balance things in life. Missed a dinner? Get a pen instead! How to say...selectively at random...search for this...search for that...and then yeah...there it was...a Wahl Eversharp Skyline, burgundy with a gold filled cap, excellent condition, re-sacked...in the last 2 minutes of the auction. I ever bought a skyline with a stub nib but that was a lady size pen, this one was the standard and seemed much more interesting size wise. I bid, got overbid, bid again and yes I had it. Just over $25 and a few bucks for shipping. I did win some pens at Ebay but sometimes it can be a PITA ('xcuse my French) to prevent to get overbid. But this time I was right there on the spot. Now wait for the pen to come.

The seller was very reactive and sent off the pen right after I paid while she had the chance the post office might be closed down already. The pen came about a week later, well packed in bubbles, cloth and box, and man was it a sweetie to receive.

I know I'm not the first one to do a review on this pen, but I'm just so happy with this one that I had to write about it. Sure I went to look for more of these pens and found that actually the burgundy version is offered a lot. But then again I found that the price at which I got it in relation to the quality was absolutely a bargain, nevertheless not a reason to treat it as a bargain.

Design:

The design of the Skyline is classical, art deco, futuristic, whatever you want to call it...for me it's great. Diabolic shape, rounded on both sides. The cap is the biggest part and a part of barrel and section are a bit smaller in diameter in order to fit the outside of the cap with the lines of the rest of the barrel. I hope my aesthetic descriptions are okay here. Anyway, the basic design comes from a high tech steam loc from those times....which times? The 1940-ies and up. There's a lot of information available about these pens and it's a treat to read. I just like the design. It's not of this time, but it's timeless and great. Just look at it, hold it. Some of my colleagues were quizzed when they heard this pen reached about 70 years already. They had no clue...neither had they about my nightlife... And man this pen fits nice in my Liam's red brown leather pen case.

Further, barrel and section of red resin, cap is rolled gold, ribbed design.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/153/4168282157_66f5f34066_b.jpg

Filling system:

Lever filling system. This pen has been re-sacked and it's lever system is working perfectly. When refilling the mechanism also inside is clearly visible, clean and above all working. It takes a reasonable amount of ink though the eversharp is know for not too large ink capacity. This might be due to it's tapered barrel. But without a doubt, this is working all fine and in terms of filling mechanisms this is just fine to me.

Nib:

14K Gold nib, Fine, firm, does have some flex with pressure but I wouldn't name the nib flexible or even semi flexible, but writing very smooth. Very nice consistent flow. Always starting up without problem and no skipping issues or what so ever

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2507/4168277251_eff905c9e7_b.jpg

Overall:

Getting a vintage pen at this price with such a design, quality and taking in regard a gold nib, gold filled cap....I call myself very lucky. Not many modern pens would beat this quality at much higher prices. So I'm really happy to get this one and am eager to look out for more of this line. But I fear the other prices will be much steeper, but who knows...one day I'll be lucky again. This is certainly a pen that should belong in the collection of a vintage pen collector or anyone who loves a good design next to a good nib.

December 30, 2009

Thanks for sharing your Skyline! I have two demi's, and despite their low ink capacity I use them all the time just because of the nibs and the fun styling.

December 31, 2009

thanx for the review and congrats... that was a great price for the pen. mine has a semi-flex F nib and i love it immensely.

December 31, 2009

A restored Skyline in good condition for $25 seems like a pretty sweet deal to me. Congrats!

December 31, 2009

I just treated myself to a Skyline, same cap as yours only my pen is black. It arrived yesterday. Lovely pen, but a real wet noodle of a nib, I'm struggling a bit with it to be honest. Couldn't use my normal Diamine, had to resort to MB Bordeaux instead. Don't know if it's normal for a Skyline to be such a wet writer or not.

December 31, 2009

<snip>Don't know if it's normal for a Skyline to be such a wet writer or not.

I had a wet, flexible nibbed Skyline. Was too much for me and I ended up trading with an other FPN'er for a finer, drier writing Skyline. So... "normal" is to the nib not the pen.

January 1, 2010

A restored Skyline in good condition for $25 seems like a pretty sweet deal to me. Congrats!

Agreed, that's more like a "sumgai" deal. Those pens were not cheap in their day. I really like the strong Art Deco appeal.

I just treated myself to a Skyline, same cap as yours only my pen is black. It arrived yesterday. Lovely pen, but a real wet noodle of a nib, I'm struggling a bit with it to be honest. Couldn't use my normal Diamine, had to resort to MB Bordeaux instead. Don't know if it's normal for a Skyline to be such a wet writer or not.

That sounds unusual, Carrie. Is your pen that flexible, to be called a "wet noodle"? Or are you referring more to the amount of ink delivered? If so, your pen probably needs an adjustment. I've got two Skylines and a Skyline nib installed in another pen and none of them are gushers. A good medium wet line.

January 1, 2010

A restored Skyline in good condition for $25 seems like a pretty sweet deal to me. Congrats!
Agreed, that's more like a "sumgai" deal. Those pens were not cheap in their day. I really like the strong Art Deco appeal.

I just treated myself to a Skyline, same cap as yours only my pen is black. It arrived yesterday. Lovely pen, but a real wet noodle of a nib, I'm struggling a bit with it to be honest. Couldn't use my normal Diamine, had to resort to MB Bordeaux instead. Don't know if it's normal for a Skyline to be such a wet writer or not.
That sounds unusual, Carrie. Is your pen that flexible, to be called a "wet noodle"? Or are you referring more to the amount of ink delivered? If so, your pen probably needs an adjustment. I've got two Skylines and a Skyline nib installed in another pen and none of them are gushers. A good medium wet line.

I just checked it again...it was $20.50 + a $ 7 + for shipping! I still can't believe it myself.

January 1, 2010

I just treated myself to a Skyline, same cap as yours only my pen is black. It arrived yesterday. Lovely pen, but a real wet noodle of a nib, I'm struggling a bit with it to be honest. Couldn't use my normal Diamine, had to resort to MB Bordeaux instead. Don't know if it's normal for a Skyline to be such a wet writer or not.

this is my second as I wrote and well they're juicy but certainly not over. The latest one I do really like it just has a fine flow. It starts every time just fine even if it hasn't been used for some time. My little blacky is different in that. I live in hot conditions and it seems it tends to dry out faster. I suspect the sack isn't too well as well so I may want to replace that sometime. It isn't leaking though.