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Hello, I have recently bought a Sheaffer Balance 2 in crimson glow. It has a broad nib and I`m wondering about the size of that nib, thinking of eventually fitting a vintage Sheaffer Balance nib (EF) on this pen. Will an old number 5 nib fit? Thanks in advance, Greetings, Steffi

I had the pleasure of seeing a very nice vintage fountain pen during a recent dinner with a friend. The pen belonged to the his late grandfather. It is an Omas Extra lever filler with marbled brown celluloid. I love looking at any vintage pens, and noticed that the nib is not the usual Omas vintage nib. It has a kind of sheep(?) imprint on the nib with "14K-585" and "OSMIUM" on it. I didn't write with it, but I tried on my thumb nail and it feels very soft and flexible, a typical wonderful vintage nib of that era. With the permission of my friend, I posted the photos of this pen in the hope that someone might know what this interesting-looking replacement nib is. Many thanks! By the way, I had offered to restore (lever is stuck and also needs new sac for sure) and polish this pen for my friend, but he doesn't want. He wants to leave the pen as how it was when he received it, and only uses it as a dip pen. I understand.

Those who have been keeping track of my reviews (not to mention my compulsive accumulatory tendencies) will know that I have a bit of a soft-spot for the custom. Sick of the mass-produced homogeneity of modern consumer products, I'm much more liable to give an unknown artisan a chance than purchase another pen from one of the big brands. So when I caught a whiff of C.E. Levi pens, it was really only a matter of time before I pulled the trigger. C.E. Levi is actually Cameron Lewis, a genial (at least via eMail) Canuck with a rather unusual predilection for pens. While it is not unusual for 'boutique' manufacturers to source bits and pieces from outside manufacturers, almost everything that Cameron uses is produced in-house. Moth to a flame and all that… Skimming the website, all his creations are variations on a theme: simple, cylindrical pens, incorporating a button-filler at one end, and a vintage nib at the other. As I'm wary of very heavy pens, the mammoth Colossus was immediately out, which left the Nox by process of elimination. I'll admit to being deeply curious about the Colossus (especially the idea of the material's evolution over time), but I would have to handle one before making a commitment - something that simply won't happen without some great charity from Cameron. But anyway, I'm a big fan of ebonite, so I hardly feel short-changed. $50 deposit paid, six months waited, the pen arrived. No ornate box, no frills, just the little cylinder slipping from the bubble-wrap. Some of the photos are Cameron's own, some are mine: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3686/10310998133_bf6856a1b8_c.jpg My wife handled it before I did. She proceeded to "ooh" and "aah" as she unscrewed the cap and the blind cap, rolling each part in her fingers. This pen is sensory overload, it really is. There is no plastic whatsoever, and the fit and finish is immaculate. The ebonite is perfectly smooth and expertly polished - not to a flat, glossy sheen, but not dull or rough either. All the parts that move or screw are solid brass, so beautifully machined with little grooves and dips as wonderfully frivolous embellishments, not least the perfectly-set filler button which functions with a satisfyingly firm yet oiled action. There is a lot of love in this pen. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/10310868426_8208c76ece_c.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5520/10308340216_ab30ac95fa_c.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/10308270414_ff3155444f_c.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5520/10308341696_d1df78f278_c.jpg I had asked for a very fine nib, and the size 5 Shaeffer FeatherTouch nib is pretty much bang-on a modern European EF. It is smooth and stiff and neither glassy nor toothy. It writes very similar to my Platinum Izumo Fine - one of my favourite go-to nibs - and leaves a steady, unbroken and confident line. The integration into the section is perfect, and I've had no leaks. I'm not sure where the feed is from (I assume it's modern), but it is more than up to the challenge. I love vintage nibs but I'm not a big fan of vintage fragility; this pen is the best of both worlds. Absolutely lovely, really. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7435/10308339276_d1d7cff3a9_c.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7314/10308319135_8213ffdc16_c.jpg Is there anything I don't like? Well yes: the size. This is my, rather than the pen's, fault: I didn't pay enough attention to the dimensions on Cameron's site. My thoughts were more "don't like metal, want ebonite" and that was that. When first unpacked I was surprised by its diminutive delicateness, and that surprise really hasn't diminished. I've used it extensively in the last month and, although the balance is perfect, I find that as the Nox is about the width of a Pelikan M400, but the length of an M600, and because the cap doesn't post, it feels a bit short in my hand and my fingers become a bit cramped. Personal preference entirely... Top to bottom: Omas 360 Lucens LE, C.E. Levi Nox, Hakase Buffalo Horn http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3812/10308323045_cab27b7496_c.jpg Now to the biggest surprise: the price. The retail of this pen is $500. At that price, I would say it is very good value. The quality of the craftsmanship, the rarity of the filling system, the fitting of the vintage nib; it all suddenly makes an M800 seem very very expensive. However, Cameron was kind enough to only charge me $350 on the condition that I write a warts-and-all review here on FPN. And that makes this pen the bargain of the century, in my opinion. My wife apparently, thought the same: "What's that?" "Nothing." "Don't lie. It's another pen isn't it. For God's sake, don't you have enough already?" "Not really." "Well, show it to me then." *studies it - see above* "So how much was this then?" "$350." "Don't lie." "I'm not lying." "Shakran! Lier!" "Really, I'm not lying!" "Well I'm not talking to you till you tell me the truth." One invoice presented and marital bliss was restored, but it just goes to show: this could (and perhaps should) be a much much more expensive pen. Cameron, if you are reading this: thank you for the wonderful pen, and I would love to discuss the possibility of an oversized Nox!