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So I have both a Custom 742 and a 743, both with the FA nib, and while the 743 was pretty much a perfect writer out of the box, the 742 is pretty much useless, constantly hard starting and skipping and making writing an otherwise miserable exercise. I've tried every ink in my collection, including the obscenely wet Private Reserve Tanzanite, and it did pretty much nothing to improve the flow. I've gotten the 2-slit feeds as well from Flexible Nib Factory, and while the 743 went from an already good writer to a phenomenal one that can use pretty much any ink, the 742 only became just slightly more usable, now capable of a few words without skipping/railroading and still borderline unusable for regular writing because of the constant hard-starting. I've ordered a 3-slit FNF feed to see if that might remedy the issue, but I've largely given up on the pen, and from searching the forums and Reddit, this seems to be a pretty common issue with #10 Pilot FA nibs. What exactly is the reason these nibs perform so much worse than their bigger cousins, even for regular writing?

Hi, I just came across this model, and I'd like to know of anything particular to look out for (design flaws, maintenance issues) when hunting for one and if possible what kind of pricing for a good (no scratches, no damage repaired) unrestored specimen. I tried to search here for info specific to the 100, but the search results came back with a lot of unrelated item, most likely because of the rather generic "100" name. Thanks in advance.

After Asvine, Jinhao is also launching an openwork metal version of its Jinhao 100 Century.

I recently ordered a Jinhao 100 Centennial from China, which should be arriving imminently. I realised - too late! - that the EF nib I have specified is not an original Jinhao nib. So, assuming I am not happy with it: - anyone know what make/style of nib I am likely to get? - can it easily be replaced with a “better” EF nib? - if, so what would you recommend? I recall reading that there was a switch from #5 to #6 nibs recently for this design, but I don’t normally mess with my pens these days, so any detailed advice would be welcome. A fine line is always my clear preference.

Having just picked up my grail pen, I was astounded by its size and thought a post such as this would be a useful reference. Take a look at the comparisons with a green Dinkie 540 (c.1950) and with its larger counterparts, a #77 (c.1958) , #58 (Red Herringbone c.1958 & Silver hatch c.1955) as well as with the c.1940s flat topped #1200 and the mighty Onoto Magna Classic (2019). The heart-breather nib design suggests my pen is a first edition. The #100 was released to coincide with the Golden Jubilee of Conway Stewart in 1955. Later models featured one band, no bands and a Duro point with a circular breather hole, like the #77 and the Herringbone #58 you see here. Please add to this post with your own comparisons, if not for the sake of usefulness then do it for the eye-candy!

Hello Everyone! If that's OK, I would have a kind question regarding the war-time Pelikan 100 and the Pd nib it was at that time (if I understand it correctly) offered with. Browsing through our domestic Polish eBay-styled websites, I have come across two Pelikans 100 with Pd nibs. In the attachment and belowyou can see photos of both Pelikans 100: - no. 1: - no. 2: Now, as you can see, the Pelikans, albeit both featuring Pd nibs, both have differently looking Pd nibs. The Pelikan no. 1 has a nib very similar to the ones I can see here: https://www.pelikan-collectibles.com/en/Pelikan/Nibs/Nib-units-since-1929/index.html However, the no. 2 is different, more goldish, and with a line running to both sides of the "Pd" imprint? I cannot find any other Pel 100 with such a Pd nib. Does anyone know anything about it? Would you say it is a legitimate Pelikan Pd nib from that time? I would really not like to purchase any counterfeit...

Dear all, Boring backstory... I've got a Parker 51 that works wonderfully. It's an heirloom pen and as it writes so wonderfully I no longer take it out and about. As such I'm in the market for a new 51 copy, a pen that I won't be fussed about loosing, breaking, nib down dropping, loaning... you get the picture Question: Can you wonderful folks list any 51 copies, and your experiences with them for me? If so I'd really appreciate it! I've heard the Hero 100 is a good imitation, one comment on fpn even suggested that the Hero 100 is a "slight improvement" on the 51. Could this be so! And if so how? Many thanks for your help, Badger

Introduction: The Conway Stewart brand has always been one of Interest, Desire and Pride in the Fountain Pen community more so since the unfortunate events that befell it. But it seems that a conscious and considerable effort is being made to revive the brand. I was fortunate enough to attend my first pen show at Los Angeles in February of this year. After the initial “pen”sory overload, the hunt for a memorable “First Pen Show” Pen began. A word of caution, such hunts can begin and end at a single table if you’re not careful with your cash! And for me this could have been Sarj Minhas’s table, hadn’t it been for the overinflated valuation of an Omas Arco. So I had to move on…to Syd Saperstein’s table where a lively discussion on Conway Stewart was underway between a few patrons and Mr. Emmanuel Caltagirone himself. We come to know Manu has a few of the new Model 100 Conway Stewart pens for sale and we move to his table. And there is where my hunt ended; with me pocketing an Omas Ogiva Alba and the Model 100 in Classic Green (some call it Pistachio). I have been using the Conway Stewart daily for the past 1 month and would like to share my review of the pen. Packaging: The pen comes in a hard case with faux leather. The Cover of the box can be inverted and used as a pen rest which is lined with velvet and has the Conway Stewart branding. Inside is a booklet, in the recent redesign, with a lot of information on the history of the Company right till the recent acquisition. As per the specifications The New Conway Stewart Model 100 comes in 4 colors; Beluga Black, Blue Lapis, Pistachio and British Green. Solid Semi Flex 18k Nib. Special Engraving on the Nib. Greek Art Deco band on cap. Piston Filler Operated. The Pen: I chose the Classic Green just because I don’t have many green pens. It is the well-known Green Freckled material with lots of random sparkly bits (? Cellulose Acetate) and with Gold Trim. The pen is of a good size, comparable to large pens. Here are some size comparisons. (L to R): Platinum 3776 Kawaguchi, Omas Ogiva Alba, New Conway Stewart Model 100, Mont Blanc 149, Lamy Safari. The pen seems to have the Classic Model 100 Shape; I do not have the original for comparison. The Golden Trim I was told is Gold plated. The thicker Cap band has a Greek Key Motif and the New Conway Stewart Branding. The barrel tapers gradually and there is no Engraving like previous Conway Stewart pens. The cap takes exactly 1 complete turn to open and posts securely. In hand the pen feels well made with tight tolerances, fit and finish. The material does not feel plasticy and the pen has a pleasant weight to it. The balance is towards the barrel end but I find that it rests well on the web of my hand. The cap is light and posting the pen does not alter the balance. The posted size is very comfortable too. The section might be considered a bit short. It has flare towards the nib and the difference in thickness of the section is 2mm. The cap threads are polished and do not prevent you from gripping the pen over them. Filling System: The end of the barrel has the Piston Turning knob. I think this pen has a Captive Converter Piston. The knob does not move away from the barrel during operation as usual Piston fillers eg. MB 149, Lamy 2000. The piston action has been very smooth and the ink capacity is around 1.2ml. The Nib: The Nib is 18k Gold with engraving similar to the New Eversharp Decoband. Visually the difference between the glossy and matte areas is very striking. This is one of the few nibs that looks good with Nib Creep but also a pain in the butt if you like to keep your nibs pristine after inking.Compared to the Vintage Nib which I always found a bit boring, I like this better. Due to the limited number pens available for sale at the show I could only get a Medium nib whereas I prefer Broad Nibs. I did a dip test and was happy with the performance. The nib was very smooth out of the box, an 8/10 on wetness and soft. Then Manu points out that the nib is pretty soft and suggests I push it a bit! And I was sold. Writing Sample below. The last 3 lines were written with the Vintage Conway Stewart nib. I feel the people behind Eversharp’s Flex nibs might be behind this nib too and I feel the variation would be more apparent if the nib was a Fine to begin with. Compared to the Vintage Nib, the new one gives out more line variation when pushed and feels more soft/springy during regular writing. I might go as far as to say that the New CS Nib has equal, if not more, variation that a recent Flex Nib from an Italian Manufacturer! Having tried both at the L.A Pen Show. Size comparison to a Conway Stewart Wordsworth: The Little Things: The Cap Finial on my pen is dark brown in color with a bit of marbling. Would have been better if it was solid black or same color as the rest of the pen. The Clip is very secure. The capping/uncapping motion is very smooth. The flare on the section seems to create an air tight space like the Slip and Seal System found in Platinum pens. I have not faced any dry starts on this pen. The Greek Key cap band has ITALY marked on it! An ink window is sorely missed. The Piston knob has a mild resistance at the 2 extreme positions but continues to turn even beyond this point. Might this damage the mechanism over time? Conclusion: This being my first “Show Pen” it will be treasured always and being an almost perfect pen for me It has managed to be always inked. I do not know what the Retail price of the pen will be but for the sub $400 price I paid for it I am completely happy with it. The Conway Stewart Material, piston converter, and of course the Star of the Show, the Nib make for a good $400-500 Pen. Looking at the “New” Conway Stewart as a company it obviously has a lot of Italian influences behind it. I guess the British Heritage behind the name should be forgotten and the New Model 100 makes a good case for it.

I bought this pen from a dear friend sometimes back, but it was delievered to me last week, I was not able to find much information about this pen online, so wanted to share few pictures with all of you, if anyone got some information about this pen I will appreciate. http://s5.postimg.org/mhzgmoycn/Pelikan100a.jpg http://s5.postimg.org/k1xn8ug9z/Pelikan100b.jpg http://s5.postimg.org/mxaqfpk9z/Pelikan100c.jpg http://s5.postimg.org/xy5vkqciv/Pelikan100d.jpg http://s5.postimg.org/q6p5m68dj/Pelikan100e.jpg http://s5.postimg.org/wlo6iuf3b/Pelikan100f.jpg http://s5.postimg.org/74adczmqv/Pelikan100g.jpg Best regards.

I got this pen just recently among other pens, I was totally amazed by its beauty and wanted to share few pictures with you all, hope you will enjoy. Best regards. Return it? Is this guy drunk or what???

I bought this pen a few days ago ( http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hero-100-Vintage-Classic-Design-Black-14K-Gold-Nib-Fountain-Pen/32320663063.html ) to be told by our friends at reddit that it is indeed a fake. Does anyone know of a legit retailer from the United Kingdom to buy this pen. Perhaps this seller on ebay? ( http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-Hero-100-Black-Fountain-Pen-14K-Gold-Fine-Nib-Classic-Series-/390847448859?hash=item5b0052c71b:g:IGIAAOSwEetWBPUl ) Thanks.

I just visited the Montblanc boutique and I wanted to share some photos of the Andy Warhol 100 Limited Edition. A truly unusual and gorgeous pen ! Here you can see it with my 1928 (which is also very nice and special) which do you like more ? You can also see in the tray two different montblanc skeleton, which do you like more and why? Christian

I have a few Waterman pens (Le Man 100, 200, Opera and an Executive), and a few (all identical) converters that are more or less original to the pens or from about the same era. In the Opera and others the threaded converter forms a tight seal...but in one pen (the Le Man 100) the same converter is loose--to the point that it seems as though it could fall out. As far as I was aware the Opera is just a fancier body on the same Le Man 100 base. So I don't understand why the converter would fit any differently. Any insights? and where might I be able to get Waterman converters that fit these pens perfectly these days? A few of the converters became brittle and failed so I would like to acquire a few more and have read that some of the universal replacements do not offer a perfect snug fit.

Hi I recently bought this pen from ebay. It cost 400GBP at an auction! Initially I thought this was a bargain. Now I have doubts, whether this is real or fake. 3 things basically that concern me: 1) Feels extremely light. What is the weight of this pen? 2) The tip of the barrel is "very black" slightly different to the remaining of the barrel. reminds me some of the cheap counterfeits you see of metal starwalker pens you see on eBay. I have tried to capture that on the photos. 3) The Instructions booklet has a lot of Chinese instructions and certificate is right at the end. Now having said that I tried to compare this pen with the few available images on the net and it is not far off the nib barrel cap and so on. It has a serial number next to clip and the words Germany metal and Pix under the clip (but nowadays many fake do so). Also when you put it in bright light you can see the red tinge of the resin. Also like my rest of the MB FP when you place a magnet next to the nib it repels it. Can someone help me solve my dilemma. Ideally someone who knows or has this pen. What's the length of this pen with and without the cap. Also what was the original price of this pen? Cheers in advance.

Is it still possible to get stub nibs from Waterman or do you know of any other source of replacement nibs for the Waterman 100 (besides random luck on ebay)? I would love to find a factory stub but would also be happy with a medium that could be custom ground to a stub And if so, any idea of the cost? many thanks

This was the first pen I managed to convince my parents to get after a debacle where I managed to lose 3 Parker Sonnets (2 RBs and a FP), 2 IM rollerballs and a whole load of other stationery when I foolishly misplaced my pen case. Note: When there are 2 ratings, the top is for my satisfaction, while the lower is for how much it could do, for that particular category. For example, I might be extremely satisfied with a stiff nib (5/5) but the lower rating would be (1/5) since it couldn’t flex at all. The ratings are not included in the final score. Initial Impressions Box and Instructions (4/10) The fact that this came in a box at all was a surprise. It’s a standard cardboard/leatherette box which, frankly, smelled rather like glue. It felt cheap, but for the price of the pen I didn’t expect much else. Instructions weren’t included at all with the pen. Aesthetics (11/20) The pen was rather small and built from metal, which gave it a decent weight for its size. The surface coating was a matte black, and was applied very well. I have used/abused it for just over a year, and none of the coating had scratched/worn off, even though I’ve dropped and dented the metal barrel at least twice. The chrome silver plating gave a modern and stylish look, albeit a rather conventional design. The plating tarnished easily, and a week after I had bought it I realised that a patina was developing. Since I used it everywhere, even in the school lab, I may or may not have exposed the pen to more than it should have. However, a week of normal usage definitely was not expected to make this effect, and I was somewhat confused at why this was happening. It did go away eventually, after a month of usage. The chrome section was shiny, and picked up fingerprints easily. The cap created a rather drastic step up from the barrel when closed, which I felt was not the best of design choices. The chrome “jewels” were quite pleasant, but suffered from how easily it tarnished. Initial Feel (6/10) The pen had a solid feel and a hefty weight that alluded to a higher quality pen than what the price for it was. The liberal use of metals made the small pen surprisingly heavy, but still compact and fit well in the hand. The chromed section is often debated, with some saying that it detracts from the ergonomics, but I had no real issue with using it. The cap, although snapping off and on with an authoritative sound, still had room to move when closed. This was frankly annoying, and subtracted from the overall experience. Filling (2/10) The pen came with a proprietary Sheaffer converter, which was poorly built. The plastic piston handle rattled and was extremely stiff. There was no support for the converter, and it had to stick haphazardly onto a small metal nub, which caused me great concern. Performance Smoothness (9/10) Satisfaction (7/10) Rating The steel nib was remarkably smooth and evidently well-polished. The medium nib is pretty standard by European terms, but felt a little finer due to the stiff nature. A large sweet spot was present, due to the well-polished tipping of the tip which I did not expect from a cheaper pen. There is still some feedback on the nib, which is not entirely unexpected. This nib is actually very impressive, and writes smoother than a lot of more expensive nibs I own. Flexibility (3/5) Satisfaction (0/5) Rating Being a steel nib, there is no flex at all. Not surprising and I was certainly not expecting any from a pen from this price range. Flow (7/10) Satisfaction (4/10) Rating The pen is moderately dry, which was of no issue since the nib did not demand too much ink. So far, it’s a reliable flow which has rarely skipped. Hard starting is not a big issue, and only present if it’s been left alone for over a week. And even then, I only need to retrace one or two letters in order to get the flow going again. General reliability (15/20) The pen itself is quite reliable, and doesn’t skip. It is a hard starter after sitting a few days idle, but the issue is not exactly unheard of. I have used the pen extensively two years ago, since this was the first “serious” fountain pen I got after a year or so hiatus. The performance is nothing extraordinary, but works most of the time. The converter, on the other hand, is a pain to fill. The piston is extremely stiff, and feels like it could fall apart at any point. After first using one in my Sheaffer Targa, I decided to find another squeeze converter, which my dad luckily found amongst a stash of used ballpoint refills in a flea market. There is an obvious improvement and now the pen is much easier to maintain. Construction and Ergonomics Fit (5/10) Components of the pen are built solidly out of metal (I’m assuming brass) and fit together firmly, except the cap, which moves a lot when closed, and the converter securing system (or the lack of one). This makes opening the barrel a risky task, since the converter may decide to fall off the shallow nipple at any time. Clip (4/10) The clip is a rather simple but stylish design, with a cutout running down the middle of the piece. It is extremely stiff and very hard to get on a pocket, but definitely won’t fall off easily. The fact that it needs two determined hands to operate gives the pen a low score in this section. Posting (6/10) The pen is still fairly useable when posted, mostly due to its compact size. The balance does not shift too dramatically, since the cap posts quite deep and the fact that the pen is a small size keeps most of the weight within my hand anyways. Miscellaneous (Extra thoughts) Value for money (9/10) I paid approximately $25 for this pen, and have been very satisfied by it, mainly by how it compares to the Lamy Safari, which I am less impressed by. For this price, I didn’t expect much, but the product delivered a very smooth nib with a reliable system that does not fail when maintained properly. Innovation (1/5) The design is not innovative in any sense, since it’s a proprietary C/C system in a brass pen with a classic design. It’s not a pen people would gravitate towards, but rather one that you can use without feeling pretentious and uptight. There is nothing new or special about this pen. Image and Advertising (1/5) As a lower end pen, this isn’t well advertised either on the internet or out in the streets. The Sheaffer Ferrari 100 pens are much more prominent amongst the marketing of the company. Buying experience (3/5) I bought this pen at a Sheaffer kiosk. There isn’t much to expect while buying a cheaper product, but the saleswoman included 4 free cartridges in addition to the free converter and the pack of Sheaffer Skrip black cartridges that I bought alongside it. For a $25 pen, this was a nice and unexpected touch. Total (83/150)=55.34% To conclude, I think that this pen is a steal for how much it sells for in my country (a bit cheaper than overseas, it seems). This is a classy yet affordable pen, at least when compared to the Safari. A friend of mine remarked how he thought a pen like the 100 would be many times more expensive than the Safari, considering the liberal use of metals which seems to create an impression of quality. The pen, for me, is nowhere near perfect. It has many flaws, which do add up, but is still a better, if not then at least comparable, product in the Safari price range. The Sheaffer 100 can be seen as a step-up from the Metropolitan/Pelikano-type starter pens. All in all, it’s a rather good value for what it cost, but don’t expect much from it except for a steady performance.

I think that's a 100, but someone can tell me for sure? Thanks.

Initial Impressions: My first impressions were very good - this is a very solid, tough pen, that I’m sure will last a very long time if not forever. The cap doesn’t have an amazingly satisfying *click* but it’s secure and not too tight, although I’ve heard reports of them being too tight. Upon writing with it for the first time I found it to be very wet and very smooth, one of the smoothest I’ve tried. I got this for only £25 from CultPens, and for this price it seems to be a very good pen... Design: It’s a pretty slim pen - it has a long plain barrel, and a polished grip section. For a polished grip section I don’t actually find it too bad, it has a slight oval shape to it but doesn’t taper making it not very slippy at all. The clip on the cap is definitely on the tight side being almost unusable. The nib is, like the other lower-end Sheaffer’s rather small. I opted for the matt black finish and so far it hasn’t suffered from any scratches. The pen’s weight is a little on the high side having a metal construction but I don’t find it to be too heavy. By metal I mean all-metal, the barrel, the grip section and the cap making for a very solid pen and for a grip section that screws onto the barrel very nicely - if you’ve read any of my other reviews you may know I’m generally not a fan of a plastic grip section, metal body combination as they usually don’t “glide” very well when assembling the pen. Overall a nice design, the only thing I think could really be improve on is the cap. I have large hands so find it to be a little too slim for my taste but I can’t hold tht against it, it’s a very nice pen so earns a score for this part of the review of... 9/10 Nib and Performance: The nib is one of the smoothest I’ve ever used and I am very impressed by it. It has a little bit of feedback, just enough to be nice but not so much as to be a nuisance. In terms of line thickness it’s thinner than Lamy nibs, but thicker than Pilot nibs, I’ll upload a picture for comparison with various other medium nibs. In terms of flow it is definitely on the wetter side, not absolutely soaking but just right, and the feed always keeps up and there are never any false starts. As I said before it’s quite a small nib which I rather like - I generally find smaller nibs nicer to write with for some reason. It’s nicely decorated as well, with a big “M”, “Sheaffer” and some slight decoration, again I’ll upload a picture so you can see for yourself. Overall the nib gets an impressive... 10/10 Conclusion: For only £25 this pen is a steal, and perfect for anyone who’s more inclined towards the slimmer fountain pen. Personally I like bigger ones but I still find myself using is due to its almost perfect nib. If you’re looking for a tough pen for day to day use this would be perfect, I’m sure this pen could withstand quite a lot! Score: 19/20 Pics! http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7451/12254103865_f98be6dfbf_c.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5479/12254103005_b84cfb40bb_c.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2884/12254269963_f3fd8e3661_c.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/12254532144_25357d15b1_c.jpg Writing sample with comparisons to Lamy nibs and a Kaweco as well... http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7352/13166469415_2e3fa31e49_c.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/13166733314_51ccd3a148_c.jpg And a size comparison... http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2857/12254281983_82b552b578_c.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7440/12254281053_a872506103_c.jpg Sheaffer 300, Sheaffer 100, Sheaffer Prelude, Lamy Studio, TWSBI Diamond 580, Kaweco Allrounder, Pilot Prera