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Hello everyone, Does anyone have any information about the AB Conklin brand? Though the nib is marked "Chicago," this pen and nib look like they predate the 1938 Chicago acquisition of the Conklin Pen Company of Toledo by quite a few years. I'm quite interested in the story of this pen, because it is in excellent condition, and seems to be a high quality pen with a very flexible nib.

Hi, I've been looking for a second Swan eye dropper and so this one made it's way from England. It is a 3202 MED with stub nib made ca. 1915 to 1920 with an original leather pouch. I think it was good luck to find such a nice pen... Some photos, the Swan as it came, not much to do for restauration, needs some reallignment of the tines. Best wishes Jens

So I acquired another little black ringtop: a Self-Filler with ripple chasing and clear imprints. It needs restoration but the beauty part is a very flexy #2 nib. Itll be a very nice addition to my rotation when it gets back from the shop.

This is a post radite Lifetime black, chased in its characteristic ribbon band from 1923, hard rubber.

Hi all. I recently acquired a vintage BCHR pen on which the imprint has been worn clean away and which has a rather unique combination of elements I've never seen before. Firstly, it isn't a lever fuller as it has a hole in the back, which seems to indicate that it was either originally made as a blow filler or modified into one (though the hole looks very well-machined), yet the section unscrews like it would on an eyedropper. The pen also has a slip fit cap rather than a threaded one, and it's fitted with a nib marked "Sheaffer Junior, Made in USA". Is there any way of possibly identifying which Sheaffer model it might be, or how old it is? I'll try to link pictures of the pen as soon as possible if it helps.

I am in the process of restoring an old webster chicago fountain pen. I do not know what year it was made in but it is a black chased hard rubber pen with the number 2 on the end of the barrel. To my surprise it had a 14k #3 warranted nib on it. I was able to remove the feed and nib and parts of the dried up sac with some alligator forceps but for the life of me I am unable to remove the grip section to replace the sac. Assuming that the grip section is shellacked in place... what has been the best method for removal of the grip section without damaging the pen?

Hello All, I recently purchased a Waterman 52 BCHR that was restored before purchase. It writes very well, no flow problems/railroading but it does something weird. I can write a couple of pages and then it acts like it's running out of ink in mid sentence. The first time, I figured it had run out (surprisingly in a short time) but when I pulled the fill lever over the sink, it sprayed quite a bit of ink. I figured it was an aberration. Fast forward, I flushed it with water and filled it again with a different ink. I've again written a few pages and it started drying out in mid sentence. I remembered the first time and I gently lifted the lever a couple of mm and it sprayed ink. Now it's writing again... It's not like it's a hard start caused by a nib drying out it's in mid sentence and it fades, then railroads, and stops writing all together. What causes this? I know it's an old pen but it's pretty simple design. Could the sack be twisted? Is there a way to fix it?

Hi all, I recently came across a no-name BCHR lever filler at an estate sale. It's the first pen I've attempted to restore, and I'm fairly confident on the sac replacement etc. However, the lever is stuck partially inside the barrel. It looks as though the whole lever was pushed in and then shoved backwards (away from the nib). The end that usually is visible is inside the barrel, and the end that's usually inside the barrel is visible, but because it gets wider than the slot, I can't get it out. Any advice? Please? Thank you!

Having a few #52 Watermans in full and 1/2V sizes, I felt the inclination to try a couple of different nibs from Waterman pens in the same era. I bought a #55, the same style as a 52 with a different (No. 5) nib, and a #94, a thicker pen also with a nib (No.4) different from my other old Watermans. It is the latter pen I am reviewing here. My comments and scores mean to reflect the context of a vintage pen, not today’s pen new out of the box. My comparison point is mostly other Watermans and to some extent Onotos of the same era (Onotos have their own virtues and foibles). Observing worse pens on ebay and other sites also influences some of the ratings. Appearance & Design Style is fairly typical of the era, which would be the mid to late 1920s as near as I can date it. The #94 is slightly shorter and fatter than a #52. It is only a millimetre thicker but visually looks to be more, especially in the cap. Furnishings on this pen are nickel, in good condition. The clip is a Waterman item, double-pinned to the cap, very probably an option with the purchase rather than universally fitted on #94 pens. The holding ring on the clip does not go all of the way around the cap, and there is no recess or other provision for it, so these suggest it was a Waterman option (marked with the Ideal globe symbol) added on order or by the retailer. The ball end on the clip suffers brassing, the rest is in excellent shape. There are the common four breather holes in the cap which undoes in a single full turn. Notably missing is the original dress ring on the bottom of the cap. The recess for it is present, so that knocks down marks for appearance. Actually, it all looks a bit boring but I do not mind that. I see the pen as a workhorse which will not raise eyebrows for most people when I take it out, but looks as practical as it is. The gold nib is a good large-ish size, well proportioned to the pen and in good condition with clear writing on it. There are no fins visible under the feed. On balance, I think the appearance and design wander below average, perhaps disadvantaged by prominent stylishness in my #52 pens. Score 3 Construction & Quality This #94 is BCHR which I read is a little unusual for #94 pens around today. Apparently the majority are celluloid, so probably score far higher in the previous category of appearance. Imprints in the HR are finely cut but all quite distinct with no part worn away. The barrel says on its longitudinal axis “Watermans // Reg U.S. (Ideal) Pat Off // Fountain Pen”and radially around the end cap the same first two lines then “Made in USA” as the third. On the end is a clear “94” as pictured. Chasing on the barrel and cap are present but not prominent, and the pen as a whole has that slightly faded look, a slight olive hue in the black. The end caps remain shiny. Everything is tight where it should be. The filing lever is straight and still closes with a click. Cosmetically there are no apparent scratches, no cracks, and no bite marks. Apart from a lack of polish, there is really nothing wrong with quality; definitely well above average. Score 9 (with due consideration for its age over its original appearance) Weight & Dimensions I do not post pens anyway unless they are exceptionally small. In this case I doubt I would want to even if it were a prior habit. The cap sits firmly on the barrel but very high. With the weight of the large clip this shifts the pen’s balance point by a few centimetres as the total length moves from 122 mm uncapped / unposted to 165 mm posted. Weight (without ink) is nearly 18g capped or posted dropping to a little over 10g uncapped. Unposted, it is a nice, light pen with a good thickness of grip for my taste. The section below the threads is thinner than the barrel of course, with the classical flared shape. It is easy and comfortable to hold and to control for any amount of time. For me I might score it 9 but if you really insist on capping your pens then you might be thinking of 3. Score 7. Nib & Performance What I like is that the nib is smooth and the pen writes first time every time with none of the vintage temperamentality one can find. The nib is well adjusted, in great shape, and behaves well despite the visible ink on it in the picture (Waterman Serenity Blue). See the picture of writing to glean more. Flex is not my thing so I find it hard to comment on that sensibly. It appears to me that flex is minimal although I rarely add pressure to pens. Certainly the No. 5 nib on my Onoto 6234 flexes significantly more than this without much pressure. My score is 9. Reduce that score if flex is important to you or you like to compare with a brand new high-quality pen. Filling System & Maintenance This is of course a lever fill pen. It had been serviced before I received it. The mechanism works as it should and the pen fills enough to satisfy me, which means it does not need to hold a lot of ink. I rarely fill pens entirely. I have not tried removing the section, having no present need. It should not be difficult, having been done somewhat recently. Given everything fits and works properly with no leaks, I score this above average. Score 7. Cost & Value Converting to a currency most people use or can index readily, the 94 cost me about US$148 plus modest freight. I do not assign a score to a cost, because that makes no sense at all. The value is in the pen which is then compared with cost to determine a value-to-cost view. Your position on marginal affordability will be of far more weight in the “value” of the dollars. Conclusion The average and median score of the first five items is 7, rating it comfortably above average, and not great. I like this pen. It will lead me to sell the #32 which is even more boring in appearance and less pleasing with which to write. Then again, the #32 cost far less so what did I expect? I am content with the particular purchase and commend the #94 style and nib for those with an interest in trying a vintage pen or expanding their range. It is highly likely to retain a normal place in my rotation, perhaps a little more often where I might be taking it out of the house as a practical, smooth, reliable, and largely bling-free pen. A note on methodology. I used a classical 5-point scale for scoring, then expanded it to use nominally 1-9. People have trouble using or processing 10-point scales or scales with no true neutral point, where my neutral is 5. The real problem in most scales is failure to use the available range, compressing to the upper end. I think 7-point might have been a better option for this.

Hi everyone...I'm need your collective help (if possible). I recently purchased a beautiful Parker Jack Knife Safety 2 1/2 Button Filler. The exterior of the pen is fantastic and the nib is yummy, but... ..I was only allowed to dip the pen for testing at the show, but upon getting it home, the filling system doesn't work. A sac would be helpful, but the metal cage that goes around the sac has become brittle and broken. Is there anyone that works on these and do I need to buy another pen now just as a donor (if I can even find one)? I'm afraid I paid far to much, now that I know this piece is broken. Do you think the seller knew it was bad? What can be done, if anything, to fix my expensive little gem?! All help is appreciated.

Recently acquired my first vintage Waterman, a BCHR 52 1/2V, and did a double take when it arrived in the mail. I knew these were small pens, but I didn't know they were THAT small. Yowza. That said, upon inking it up, it writes beautifully and I am absolutely in love with the flex nib. So I'm sold on vintage Watermans, but which model should I really be looking for? The obvious answer is a regular 52, but I'm worried that the barrel might still be too thin. My ideal (no pun intended) pen size is somewhere between a Parker 51 and a Pelikan M600. Is there a BCHR flex-nibbed Waterman that fits this particular bill?

Hello, I recently purchased a slip cap, eye dropper filler, Waterman 12. The pen has two decorative repousse bands with the same decoration as the pen in the link. In fact it looks almost exactly like the pen for sale at the following link. The only difference is that the patent statement is on the cap instead of the body. Was this done at different times in production? Does the location of the patent date statement identify a time of production range or was the statement placed in both locations during the same production runs? Thank you for your help. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Waterman-12-BCHR-Eyedropper-Fountain-Pen-2-gold-Bands-Restored-/111849472167?hash=item1a0abf80a7:g:mO4AAOSw8-tWXOb-

Hello! I am hoping you good folks can fill me in on the history (or lack thereof) concerning this recent purchase. I am aware that the Osmiroid 35 nib was often used as a quick replacement on pens, but I am more interested in the body of this pen. I have been unable to find any reference to what appears to be a rubber body (?)....let alone a button filler. Any thoughts? Was this cute little thing someone's Frankenpen? Osmiroid_button_001 by Pira Urosevic, on Flickr Osmiroid_button_002 by Pira Urosevic, on Flickr Osmiroid_button_003 by Pira Urosevic, on Flickr Osmiroid_button_004 by Pira Urosevic, on Flickr

Hi all, Wondering if anyone might have some advice to get me out of the pickle I'm in... So up until this evening, the cap on my Waterman #12 eyedropper used to look like this: Not minty by any means. But, at least black. It now, looks like this: As you can see, it's now lighter, and has a lovely blue tinge to the chasing....no! It's a tragedy! Or well ...actually ...I can only admit it was my negligence. In a rookie move of stupidity, this morning I put my beloved Waterman 12 eyedropper in my jacket's inner pocket (the inside pocket you sometimes get in jackets, which sits perhaps just below one's chest). This was not the first time that I've done so, and I always am careful to place my pen in a small zip lock plastic bag (I am in need of funds for a pen pouch - although the plastic bag helped today), squeezed the air out, zip it up, and put it upright in my pocket. However, I usually wear a thick sweater (it's winter here in Australia now) underneath my jacket, and I think my choice not to wear one today was my undoing. As the pen was now closer to the direct heat of my body today because I wore no sweater ...and because I'm guessing it was less than half full ...yep, you guessed it! It had a leak. The section was fine, I had put silicone grease on it when it was filled up, so no problem there. But, it must have leaked out of the nib, into the cap, and flowed out of the cap, soaking the cap in warm ink for ....I have no idea how long. A nice marinade of Waterman South Sea/Inspired Blue ink. The result as you can guess, was not pretty. I won't blame you if you grimace. What was once a, not minty admittedly, but certainly black cap, has now turned into a greeny brown ...BLUE disaster. The chasing lines have a bluer tinge in real life, whereas the non-chased part is more greeny.The barrel was affected, but not nearly as much as the cap, which was doing backstroke in the blue. So I guess my question is, can I do anything about it? Micro mesh? Sunshine cloth? Horn of unicorn dissolved in essence of featherweed? I do realise abrasives may wear down the chasing...but the blue tinge to the chasing irks me... I really do love this pen. It writes as smooth as butter, and has a lovely flexy italic nib. It certainly was, and still is my pride of joy, so I feel awful that my negligence of eyedropper heating has caused it to be in the state it is now. Any help or advice you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your thoughts in advance! Cheers, Harry

Okay, I need some expert help, please. FINALLY, I got myself a flex Mabie Todd. Now I'm having trouble figuring out what a 42 is. The imprint says (and shows)Swan, but the clip shows the patent date with no Swan. Is that correct??? Is the clip gold or gold filled? It sure is shiny. Is this a Swan or a Frankenpen and about when was this lovely made? I'm so excited!!

Hey there, I am looking to purchase a vintage Waterman nib for my Waterman 52 BCHR. I will be reffering to nibs found on this page: http://www.nibs.com/vintage-waterman-fountain-pen-nibs.htm Previously, I had a nib identical to Item # WNV-183 in it, which is a Waterman U.S Pat. Off #2 Semi flex nib. I was wondering, if Item #WVN-1, the #2 Ideal New York flex nib, would be able to fit in the pen. I would assume so, given that Item #WVN-1 measures 25.4mm in length and 6.0mm in width, while Item # WNV-183 measures 25.1mm in length and 6.1 in width. However, I would just like to ensure that this is the case. Edit: I also emailed sales@nibs.com for an answer two days ago, but have yet to receive a reply :/

I recently purchased a black chased hard rubber pen on eBay, with the only markings being an imprint of a soldier on the cap, and "Cadet 14K 2 S" on the nib to give any indication of what make or model it might be. I've been trying to research Cadet, and have turned up nothing but Sheaffers (which this pen is decidedly NOT) and Summit, perhaps? It's a really nice pen, great writer with great flex, and much cleaner now than the listing photos I'm sharing. I'm just befuddled by the lack of information. And hoping that someone more knowledgeable of pen history might be able to shed some light on this little guy! The listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/400765394859?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT A couple listing photos: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTU4WDExMjM=/z/d-AAAOSwDk5UAPOo/$_57.JPG http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/1ksAAOSw-jhUAPPH/$_57.JPG?rt=nc

I had an accident the other day when I was removing a perished sac from a very pretty (and otherwise intact) 452 1/2 V: the nipple part of the section where the sac attaches crumbled along with the remains of the sac itself when I started to scrape the sac rubber off gently, so there's no longer a complete nipple to attach a new sac to. I need to replace the section, but the only pens I have for parts are the wrong size: the closest I have is a 52 V, but the section on that has too large a diameter. Two questions: does anyone have both a 52 1/2 and a 52 1/2 V they can compare to let me know whether the sections are identical in size? (It makes shopping for a parts pen on eBay a bit easier if they are.) And is there anyone out there who sells parts only?