Two Walitys

[Roger]

Pens made in India? As a newcomer to fountain pens, I don't know whether this is unusual or not, but these two offerings by Wality are, indeed, made in India. These are The Model 52 and Model 69L respectively.

 

Rather than merely repeat the pertinent specifications, I'll direct your attention to the importer's web site: www.retrodesk.com There, you find all you need to know, including good photographs. My monitor shows some color in the photographs. Not so, they are quite black; probably black lacquer over an unnamed metal.

 

Much like wine, some of the fun in FPs is finding economical pens that just plain feel good and, most importantly, write well! Well, the Walitys might be in your future.

 

Nothing pretentious about these pens. Instead, they are good basic writing instruments. I don't want to downplay their construction, however. They are solid and handsome in appearance, with fit and finish as good as or better than many pens costing several times more. They both have silver tone furniture and the nibs are two toned steel with an average size blob of tipping material.

 

Specifically, the differences between the two are size and filling systems. Lets start with the 69L which is what I really wanted, to begin with. It's an eyedropper filler, no less. I suspect that eyedropper fillers seem old fashioned to many, but the advantages, of simplicity of design, and, in this pen's case, a gigantic ink capacity are worth having a go at. How much ink goes in that vault? 4.5 ml. That's a lot of words! Though a see-through area of the barrel to warn when the ink supply is dwindling would be nice, the usual 'low ink' symptoms of lesser flow and skipping warn the user when its time to refill.

 

Filling is easy. If you are of normal dexterity and reasonably steady, you merely use the eyedropper to fill the barrel accessed by unscrewing the barrel just below the cap threads. Hold the now separate barrel vertically with a light source guiding you so that you don't overfill. If you are putting black ink into that black barrel, you will see why a light source is important. The primo advice is to fill the barrel only to the level where there is about 3/8 inch, or more, of headspace. When you screw the barrel back into the section, you'll have a mess if you haven't left the headspace. I find that this is one filling arrangement that leaves no inky fingers, if done correctly.

 

So, how's it write? Very well, thank you. The F nib put down a proper fine line with an average flow rate. Exactly what it should do, and makes it the quintessential writer for Mr. Everyman. Only F nibs have been mentioned, so far, but perhaps a question directed to the web site would disclose whether others are available. Because of the girth of the section where one grips the pen, some of the girls may not cotton to this pen. The guys should love it!

 

Ok, the Model 52 is a piston filler that operates every bit as well as the Pelikan M250 in my limited stable. This does have a see through area of the barrel so that remaining ink supply can be estimated. It's shorter and different in shape than the 69L. Unfortunately, the same section girth applies, so the same people who find the 69L too large will feel the same about gripping the 52.

 

Guess what? It writes exactly the same as the 69L, and that's good! Not surprising since they both have the same nib, but comforting in that their QC is pretty good. Wality says that they make their own nibs.

 

The nibs have a little bit of tooth. I'm becoming rather fond of this feel, the more I use them. As a worst case scenario, I didn't flush them at all before using. I wanted to treat them as I thought many would who aren't necessarily pen fanciers. I did bow to the concept of making the priming ink a good 'free flower', however, and filled them with my newly acquired primer ink, Waterman Blue/Black. The 69L took off immediately; the 52 required a couple of downward strokes on the paper after which it has written the same as the 69L. I've used them daily for nearly two weeks. They both start instantly upon touching the paper and write for as long as I care to without any flow reduction or skipping. The 69L is still writing on the first fill; I just refilled the 52.

 

They can be purchased at the web site noted above. Me, I am a cheapie, so I had a look on the Bay. I bid on several 69Ls and was snookered at the 11th hour with prices that nearly reached the importer's web site prices. Later, I must have caught an off night. I picked up the 69L and the 52 (as an afterthought) for less than the 69L costs all by itself. Pete Bachran, proprietor of retrodesk.com, and the seller on eBay, did his job perfectly and in a few days they were in my mailbox via USPS Priority mail.

 

Buy them as you will, but buy them for great value and use them without concern.

[zxc]

Heh I ordered this pen this morning (the 69L) and am looking forward to it even more now!

 

[Roger]

Wonderful! Let us know how it works out for you.

[wimg]

Hi Roger,

 

Thanks for the great review! I enjoyed reading it. If you do have a digicam, it would be great to include your own pics, if possible. That would make it stand out even more. Alternatively, use a scanner, if you like.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[zxc]

I should be able to get some pics when mine arrives as well.

 

I managed to steal the digicam of my sister but now I've misplaced the USB wire

[southpaw]

Thanks for the review. I'll chime in with the others - your own pics would be nice. THANKS

[Ann Finley]

I'd been wondering what Wality's looked like--Southpaw mentioned them to me a while back. I like both eyedroppers and piston fillers--wish these came in more colors! (Maybe they do if one knows where to look.)

 

Very nice review, Roger--thanks. Glad you're happy with your purchases, and always glad to know about more affordable pens!

 

Best, Ann

[Guest Denis Richard]

The have some models with overlays. I actually just ordered a 52 in rose gold overlay (EBay Buy it Now, for $12.99).

[Roger]

Hi Roger,

 

Thanks for the great review! I enjoyed reading it. If you do have a digicam, it would be great to include your own pics, if possible. That would make it stand out even more. Alternatively, use a scanner, if you like.

 

Warm regards, Wim

 

Thanks.

 

True, but there would be little to gain considering the good large pics that Pete's website has already.

 

Sure, it would spruce up the review, but retrodesk.com is only a click or two away.

 

I have a digicam, but it is not as capable as some in the close up dept. Now, my Leicas are easily up to the task, but that's a lot of work to have negs. done then scan them, etc. Dunno about scanning the pens directly on the scanner bed. I can't believe that the image would all be in sharp focus.

[Psyktek]

Googled and found this link.

 

It mentions maroon and blue as available colors, and a Medium nib. However, only the 52 not the 69.

 

Bob

[southpaw]

Roger,

Regarding the close up - not a problem. Set your digicam to high res, take the shot from your min focus distance, then crop the image, and voila! Close up pics! (Many of us have to do this.) HTH, southpaw

[Roger]

Roger,

Regarding the close up - not a problem.  Set your digicam to high res, take the shot from your min focus distance, then crop the image, and voila!  Close up pics!  (Many of us have to do this.)  HTH, southpaw

Thanks Southpaw. I know I can do that, it's just the bloody purist in me hates to lose even the small amount of definition that would result from the crops.

 

Next time I have an hour where I'm off this forum, :blink: I'll see what the loss actually is. Probably won't even be noticable.

[antoniosz]

I hade posted these somewhere (Zoss?, PT?) but I guess not on FPN. So here you are:

 

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/azavalia/wality1.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/azavalia/wality2.jpg

[zxc]

http://www.rocketcloud.com/fp5.jpg

http://www.rocketcloud.com/fp6.jpg

http://www.rocketcloud.com/fp7.jpg

http://www.rocketcloud.com/fp8.jpg

 

Some pics, the best I could take.

[Psyktek]

Recieved a 52 on Saturday and used if for a day's charting yesterday. Very nice feel in the hand, light but balanced. Good writer, with a fairly wet line using Pelikan 4000 black.

 

Very satisfactory for someone with big hands, and a bargain at $14.00 shipped. I wonder how durable the twist piston filler will be however. Might look for a 69 as well, just to try out an eyedropper pen.

 

Bob

[Guest Denis Richard]

I received my 52 today. All I have to say is that it is the biggest bang for the buck I have seen in 20+ years of using fountain pens.

 

Finish is as good as pens many many times the price (it cost me $12 + shipping). The nib is really great. I usually smooth all my nibs right away, but this one did not need it (from what I understand Airmail Co. produces their own nibs).

 

I like it so much that I just ordered a second 52 (the gold filigree-like model, while the one I received today is the rosegold model), and the #77C, which is also a piston filler, but shaped more like the Parker 45, with a semi-hooded nib. Both pens plus shipping for less than $30

 

A note on the shopping experience : I ordered from Todd & Theresa Nussbaum. I went through Ebay for the first one (their handle is penking2002) and through their site today (ISellPens.com). I warmly recommend them !

 

Denis... still in schock from the pleasure from that "cheapy"

[Roger]

Glad you like them, Denis.

 

The folks you mention are considerably less expensive than where I dealt for the same model but with different trim. The models you mention were not available at retrodesk.com. I'll have a look at the Nussbaums. Thanks.

[RLTodd]

Concur completely with all positive comments on the Wality 69L for both the plunger fill and eyedropper fill. Both of my nibs are very smooth and without 'tooth.' Both nibs are definitely first class, one being a fine and the other a little wider than fine. The fit and finish are top drawer, slightly better than my M605 Pelikan.

[Nellie]

After reading the great review and helpful comments here I got a 52 as well, and I agree. It's an unbelievably good pen for the money and Pete's - retrodesk - service is perfect, too.

[rroossinck]

I'll add my overwhelming "Amen!" to this thread as well. Early this week, I rec'd two black & chrome 52 piston fillers, and a black & chrome 69 eyedropper. Pete @ Retrodesk had them to me very quickly, and they write VERY nicely! Fit and finish is great - outstanding actually, for a pen in this price range. The two 52 piston fillers will be given to a couple of kids in the youth group that I run who are graduating from high school this year. They'll be brand new to fountain pens, and I trust that this will be a good introduction.

 

After doing the customary dish soap rinse, all three started up right away! The eyedropper is a touch generous with the feed, but after clearing it with a couple of careful shakes into the sink, it seems to be working just fine. Since the eyedroppers are a little more finicky than the piston fillers, I'm keeping the eyedropper for myself. My first BIG pen!