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Dear all, I've recently tried 3 bock nibs (all new), all with three sealed cartriges, and all 3 nibs, when pointing downwards, would collect ink quickly between the fins, and if I write like that would burp the ink on paper. None of my other Bock nibs that I've had for a while did this. Now I have another one in hand (for someone else), and it's doing the same thing, using a converter. I am sure there is no air leak anywhere, and to be honest, 4 nibs is way too much of a coincidence. What are your thoughts please?

My collection is still quite small. But I have some more vintage pencils on order. And my nightstand drawer and the closet shelf are getting to be too messy (and potentially damage-worthy on the pencils). I can't put them all into coffee mugs on my desk. I already have three mugs jam-packed with pencils and other writing utensils! I can't afford to do what I would like, which is to buy half a dozen Musgrave cedar boxes. So, what do you lot do? I am considering getting a few of these Container Store pencil boxes, for starters. https://www.containerstore.com/s/multisnap-office-storage-boxes/d?q=pencil+box+with+lid&productId=11010311 Any other suggestions are welcome.

Hello Friends and Pen Enthusiasts, I plan to manufacture "Luxury HandMade Fountain Pens". I want your suggestions with reference to the following:- 1. Which Material would you suggest I should use? a.) ebonite b.) teak wood c.) resin d.) any other then please suggest. 2. Which NIB is the best in the world. ? a.) Schmidt b.) Bock c.) Jowo d.) any other then please suggest. 3. Which material nib is the best? a.) Steel b.) Gold c.) any other then please suggest. 4. Which is the best ink feeding system in the world? 5. What kind of material should be used for the Clip ? -- a.) Brass b.) any other then please suggest. I sincerely await your inputs or suggestions of any or all of the above points. Incase you believe that I may have missed something crucial or I need to be aware of then please feel free to let me know. In the event you want to suggest something which is different then my thought process mentioned above then too please feel free to share your thoughts. Though I am at an advanced level of conceptualisation, my intent is to create a "TRUE LUXURY PEN" which can be handed down from generations to generations and is extremely high on quality. All Suggestions are welcome. Thanks, Vikas

I am in the process of reassembling a Parker 51 Aerometric (1948 marked nib and barrel, no O-ring) after replacing the breather tube and sac. I had really no problem getting all the parts disassembled but I am now concerned with how tight the feed is getting it back into the collector. It feels much tighter going in than it felt coming out. And it seems like I can't get it as far in as it needs to be because one, it's so tight that I can't even feel the feed hitting a stop point and, two, when I then put the nib in as far as it can go the tip of the feed is too far forward compared to the tip of the nib. I managed to get the feed back out of the collector to start over, but I'm stopping here for some advice. Would it help if the parts were wet maybe? I'm guessing silicone grease would be a bad idea :-) My browsing hasn't yet come across this issue for any insight. Thanks, Marc

So I saw this this parker sonnet at my local book/stationary store. I didn't see any finish resembling the finish on that sonnet on parker official website. After googling for a while I found out that that was a parker sonnet laque moonbeam! It's a 1994 edition and it's still brand new, the price tag is $150. Is laque moonbeam a rare collector item now? I'm wondering if I should get that pen, if it were you would you take it?

Hello All! I am newer to the world of fountain pens/inks, excited to be here! As a noob to the community, I could not relate to this statement more - "The ever-reliable Pilot Metropolitan, an oft-cited gateway drug to full-blown fountain-pen addiction.” - YUP, first pen that started it all for me. I am trying to track down a bottle of the 'Noodler's Berning Red' ink from 2016 to purchase. I have not had much success, so I thought to ask the community directly. If anyone had a bottle they would be willing to part with/sell me, please reply to this post or PM me please, thanks so much!! EJ

Pelikan P476 cartridge fountain pen was manufactured from 1973-77. Although, very common in Germany 40 years ago, despite not being rare, do not come up for sale very often. 1. Appearance & Design (8/10) This is a rather conservative design using chrome and plastic. Not what I normally associate with the majority of Pelikans traded today. I suspect it was the company's attempt to manage the transition from fountain pens to the convenience of ballpoints. Despite using cheaper materials, the quality and construction is very good. I particularly like the use of stainless steel for the nib enabling it to survive the decades with no damage and as good as new. The choice of a matte black cap works well with the shiny chrome barrel. Uncapped, the finish and feel of the glossy black section (grip) is different which makes me wonder whether they've used a different plastic to other pens at the time. The choice of a blue ink-view window compliments the uncapped pen but I question it's functionality. After all, it uses cartridges with room for an extra one in the barrel. Overall, it's a simple design that works for me and compared to its competition at the time, I would have been tempted. 2. Construction & Quality (9/10) As mentioned above, the construction and quality is good despite using plastics and chrome. The pen is light, so I prefer writing with it capped. Interestingly, it feels solid and fits well in my hand. I'm surprised they used a plastic thread (section) meeting the metal thread on the barrel. It might be fine but I would be careful when screwing on the barrel. With constant use, I suspect the chrome barrel may mark over time but would withstand a lot of punishment. It's surprisingly sturdy and I wouldn’t worry about it being dropped. 3. Weight & Dimensions (8/10) – Capped: 132mm; Uncapped: 124mm; Posted: 147mm; Diameter: 11mm; Weight: 18g. The pen is lighter than those I normally use. The cap is half the weight of the pen; it posts securely, feels balanced and comfortable in the hand. I could get used to it. 4. Nib & Performance (8/10) – It has a stainless steel F nib which on paper looks like an EF. Being steel it has no flex and is not toothy or scratchy, writing quite smoothly. I didn’t need yet another pen inked, so for this review it was dip tested with this year's Pelikan Edelstein Olivine. It had no difficulties laying a consistent fine line on: plain printer paper; gloss calligraphy paper; and Manga paper (an advantage of an F nib). Unlike the more popular Pelikan nibs, these don't use a nib unit. The nib and section can be removed but only with the correct tools so it’s not a good idea to take it apart. The feed holds a surprising amount of ink. Given the age, and rarity, it will be difficult to find another nib. In the 70’s, the nib range was: Fine (F); Medium (M); Broad ( ; Left Oblique-Medium (OM); Left Oblique Broad (OB); and Left Oblique double Broad (OBB). I have only seen them in Fine or Medium. If you enjoy fine nibs then this is one to try. 5. Filling System & Maintenance (8/10) – The barrel has room for two small proprietary 4001 cartridges. Most of the small international cartridges fall out. Naturally, the pen can use a proprietary cartridge converter, which again is not compatible with most international standard converters. However, the small plastic “Parker” converter does fit snugly. Cartridges are clean and easy to use to use. 6. Cost & Value (8/10) – The pen was a gift. It’s a NOS vintage pen and not very common so would generally attract the attention of collectors, which artificially inflates the price. I have seen one set (pen and ballpoint) with the original box selling for US$210. A pen by itself, in average condition, sells for US$35-US$50. This pen including the box, instructions, and original cartridges could sell for US$50-US$70. It’s hard to justify the price Pelikan collectors are prepared to pay; it’s entirely dependent on demand. However, from a practical point of view, on average, as an everyday writer, I suspect the pen would be worth US$40. The build quality is comparable to the cheaper range of Pelikan pens. Would I buy one for US$40? It would be a difficult decision when comparing with brand new pens, but it is vintage Pelikan. If you like EF or F pens then of course it would be attractive and definitely a talking point, so for that price I would buy on. 7. Conclusion (Final score, 49/60) – Overall, I like it, it’s a nice unpretentious pen. I have only ever seen Pelikan Souverans so this was a nice surprise. Initially, I was sceptical, but it lived up to the build quality of a Pelikan pen. It makes a nice daily writer and although I generally shy away from a Fine nib, I could get used to this one. I have a lot of pens but don’t consider myself to be a collector. I firmly believe fountain pens are built to be used and this one will last for decades. However, since Fine nibs are not my favourite, I will most likely sell it, so will keep it in pristine condition until I decide what to do with it. Don’t faint, I’ll even keep the box and instructions, just in case. It’s definitely a go-to pen for those that love Fine nibs.

Hello everybody, a suggestion for improvement of my website was to have a Changelog. Absolutely good idea and comprehensible, but much additional work for me. Now the changes are more manageable and the idea of linking to social media brings both topics together. I have registered with facebook only because of the last Pelikan HUB. So I'm a layman with facebook. Suggestions for improvement - also to the Facebook page - as always - very welcome. https://www.facebook.com/pelikan.collectibles Hope nevertheless it pleases. The changes of the last weeks I have already recorded. Future changes will follow. Best regards Dominic

I've gotten more than one Platinum Preppy fountain pen lately. I am cleaning and flushing them all. A problem I'm running into is that they take so long to dry out. All in all, a Preppy will take about three or four days to completely dry out once I've gotten done with cleaning it. I really would like to have the drying process take a lot less time. I also don't like a pen with enclosed parts to be wet and exposed to the atmosphere for that length of time because it increases the possibility that something will start to grow in the water in that part. The problem is the collector, or whatever it may be called, in the section. That's the thing with all of the fins on it that fits in the section and into which the nib and feed fit. I have been able to remove the nib/feed unit from the Preppy, but that collector thing, which is the same color plastic as the cap, is giving me trouble. Has anyone ever been able to remove that piece of plastic? If so how did you do it? I can't find anything that will even get a grip on the thing. Thanks for any help with this.

What, exactly, makes a pen a "user grade" pen? I see this term all the time, and am sure it applies to most of my pens...is there a specified amount of wear on an older pen that puts it in this category? Or something unusual like a really deep scratch or a personalization or a cap that doesn't quite fit? I'm asking for knowledge, but I'm also asking because, if I decide to sell any of my pens, I want to be able to describe them properly. Thanks.

I finally got around to re-sacing the ~1935 Swan M2 self-Filler (with a hard rubber lever) I bought months ago, now I can't put it down. I know it's just because it's the flavour of the week and the novelty will wear off but it's reminded me just how satisfying it is to get a very old pen writing again. I've now found my interest in mid-vintage (1940's and 50's) totally reinvigorated. They knew how to make 'em back then. 1930's and earlier are interesting too, but it was a bit later when companies worked out how to produce really high quality in large numbers. I have a preference for English pens of the era, it's just my taste. Oh......does this mean I'm becoming a collector....... I can feel that worm wriggling in, I've started thinking about models and colour options; even potential storage issues. Just yesterday I caught myself thinking that I could bump my pencils and charcoals out of their half of my cantilevered chest to make more room.......

Hi all, I've been wondering about the Hero 616. Does anyone know if the feed/collector system is the same for the 616 as that on the Parker 51? Just curious is all... Thanks, Badger