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I have seen some reviews about pens made of aluminum, about their weight and feeling. Also in some cases they mention that the paint over the aluminum are prone to peel off or to be scratch with normal use. Any comments about the suitability of anodized aluminum for fountain pens?

I bought a Lamy Persona today (it sneaked up on me from the window of a local antique shop). It's the first one I've encountered in person, and it seems to be fairly uncommon. For more information and pictures, see this excellent review by gds from 2008. The version I have looks exactly the same, except that mine doesn't have the little bump at the top of the clip (4th picture in the linked review, compared with 3rd picture in this post). I prefer the cleaner line this renders. The converter says, "Lamy / W.Germany", which I guess dates it to the 1980s. It looks like the pen I bought was used once or twice, then badly-cleaned (or not at all) and stuck in a drawer for years. I was able to fill the pen with water in the shop and 'write' with water for a bit to check that the feed wasn't completely clogged. It's a beautifully smooth nib. The pen feels very comfortable to hold, and is well-balanced when posted (which it does with a satisfying click). I am now in the process of cleaning it, and look forward to writing with this pen once it's ready. I have three questions in the meantime. CONVERTER I understand that the pen uses an out-of-production threaded converter (either the z25, as the 2008 reviewer, or the earlier z23). It does work, but there are some bits of ink in it that I cannot remove through flushing, and there are traces of ink behind the seal. I would therefore like to disassemble it for a thorough clean, and to apply some silicone grease. But the back doesn't easily unscrew, and I'm reluctant to use force. My question is therefore, can old Lamy converters be disassembled? Picture: converter NUMBERS I have noticed a set of six digits on the black plastic part of the section that screws into the barrel: a "1" followed by a space, and then "09861". I fantasise that this means I have the 9861st pen produced in the first series, but that is pure conjecture on my part. Do you know what the numbers mean? Picture: Numbers MATERIAL Previous discussions suggest that I have a titanium version of this model. Is anyone able to say what this means - is it solid titanium, or is it another metal with titanium plating (in which case, what is the underlying metal)? Answers gratefully received! Pictures: clip + pen posted

So, the pen I most desire is a Edison Menlo, pump filler. However I won't be able to afford one for several years for sure, and the original Parker Vacs scare me. I know it's expensive but I love that shape and the filling system, and the ability to pick your own acrylics. What makes a pen worth it to you, personally, I like steel nibs just as well as gold nibs, if tuned properly. Is it purely aesthetics, purely the nib (softness, smoothness, plating?), or size? For me it is mainly shape and filling system, I have $75 for my Pump Filler, and I'll probably spring for a Newton Pen after that. Also, what is the most you can ever see yourself paying for a fountain pen. Please don't give any answers like ''the minimum should be $300 because quality is expensive'' this is simply not true for the majority of users. Thanks for your time and I look forward to reading your responses