Spirit Of Life design by Henry Simpole

[Ghost Plane]

Oh definitely!

 

One can never have too many Simpole pictures in front of them. And how gratifying to be mentioned before the pen is even done!

[Ghost Plane]

I'm embarrassed to say, this is the first thread I check every morning to see what's happening. :embarrassed_smile:

[Truffle Finder]

You, and about 50 others it seems!

The only news that I have at the moment is that Graham will be working on the base pens through most of tomorrow, he has asked me to ask you to send 'good positive vibes' to help the proceedings. He is a great believer in Karma, so ...... "One, two, three...... Good Vibes... Good Vibes... Good Vibes!!!"

You know what they say, "Every little helps!" at least a very big Super Market chain thinks so!!! :thumbup:

See Yawll!

Truffle Finder.

[Chris Chalmers]

Can the Powers That Be for FPN create a "good vibes" emoticon please?

Meanwhile...........here go the usual - open wide Graham - incoming good vibes!!!

[Ghost Plane]

Good vibes, good vibes, good vibes...

[Truffle Finder]

I am pleased to inform those who are interested, that Henry has been in touch with the masterful Graham, and he has been up early this morning [apparently 6.00am] to work out the exact measurements for the SOL pens, this 'ground-work' is vital for producing functional fountain pens, which is easy to overlook, or take for granted when one looks at the finished article, and not realise quite how much work has gone into making everything that is being looked at! [Does all this make sense to everyone?] Trust me it is far more complicated than meets the eye, [is what I'm trying to say!]

Graham will be up early again tomorrow, and will have the pens ready for shipping to Henry's workshop in the next few days. :bunny01:

One thing that Graham has pointed out,is that because the pen is so long in the body, it will have no need for any 'hole' at the back end of the barrel, leaving plenty of room for the converter filler to be quite happy to supply the ink to the nib, and allowing for 'no' possibility of any leakage from the back-end of the barrel for those people who are planning to use the pen as an 'Eye-Dropper'

Well I think that's you up to date on the news-front.

See Y'awll !!!

Truffle Finder.

Still no news from George!?

"And now folks, It's "Sock It To Me Time!!!" [Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, circa 1969.]

[Ghost Plane]

Heah come da pens! Heah come da pens! <if I'm parodying that show properly>

 

Glad to hear the eyedropper option. Suspect I'll stick with the c/c when I'm on the road and want the safety of cartridges, then go 'dropper when I'm to home.

[Chris Chalmers]

Without wanting to disturb the vibes, or put the cat amongst the pigeons - or ruffle any feathers at all..............can the dimensions of the Spirit of Life pen be given here.............I have four pens made by Henry, all quite large - but the only other CS pen I have is the sterling silver Duro 100 LE, so have no idea or reference point! Maybe Truffle Finder can ask Henry next time he peeks over his shoulder?

This is just a question - or request, not anything else..........and telling me that it is the size of a Churchill means nothing - unless the pens I have with Henry's overlays happen to be Churchill size of course! :blink:

 

Does anyone else wonder, or do you all know?

[Truffle Finder]

In answer to Chris Chalmer's 'wonderment' of the dimensions of this pen, I have done an 'approximate' list of the measurements:- As follows.

 

Cap O/lay diameter. 1.8 cms

Barrel " " 1.6cms

---------------------------------------------

Cap O/lay length 6.5 cms

Barrel " " 10.3 cms

 

Cap blind-cap 1.5 cms

Barrel " " 1.5 cms

-------

Total length 19.8 cms.

Bearing in mind that these measurements are worked out with the cap screwed on the barrel, the 'open' pen measurements will not be known until Graham has actually made the first pen.

Personally, I would think that it will be very unlikely that anyone will need, or want to 'post' the cap on the back of the pen when using the pen, purely because the 'approximate' length of the pen will be about

16.8 cms. [This is a 'guestimate'!!! You understand!]

I hope that's a help.

Truffle Finder.

[Chris Chalmers]

My word Truffle Finder! :hmm1: That was quick! I hope you didn't find Mr Simpole in his pyjamas and let him have a cup of tea before making him find his ruler but I am impressed and will now compare these figures with the ones here!!! :clap1:

Edited August 15, 2010 by Chris Chalmers

[Ghost Plane]

Having multiple Churchills, this pen was chosen for the base so that the pen would balance and be long enough for my back on the barrel grip without needing to be posted. This is me doing my "the pen is long enough for me" victory dance.

[Truffle Finder]

While 'mouching' around Henry's studio/workshop, I just thought that I would measure the inside length of the boxes. The idea of reverting to the proposal of using the back of the chauffeur's seat in the Phantom Rolls Royce seemed a little extreme, not to mention the extra expenditure!

I am pleased to say that there is a space of 21.2 cms in length to house the pen.

This should be a pleasant relief for those who had planned to demolish their present garage, to rebuild one of an appropriate size to house the car, which has the seat, which holds the box, in which the pen can be stored when not in use!!! :ltcapd: :ltcapd: :ltcapd:

"And now for something completely different............"

See Yawll !!!

Truffle Finder. [in silly mood!] :bunny01:

[kazoolaw]

Checking in on this thread for the first time since it went past two pages: probably the only thread where "SOL" doesn't include 'luck'.

gary

[Ghost Plane]

There's a whole different "Spirit" in this thread. :ltcapd:

[Truffle Finder]

I'm pleased to say that the 'wonderful' Graham has been working hard at the base-pens over the weekend, I spoke to him this morning, and things are progressing as hoped. A slight problem [which should be easy to overcome] is the difference between the diameters of the cap and the barrel overlays, but it has been discussed, and a way round the problem has been decided upon.

I don't want to sound like a politician, but there is no cause for alarm! If there were not problems like this to contend with, there would not be people like Graham to sort them out! Trust me he has it all in hand.

As soon as it is ready, a photograph will be posted here.

Watch this space.

Truffle Finder.

[Chris Chalmers]

 

I'm watching!!!! Can't wait to see some pics of our pens............. this is worse than having a baby - and I should know all about that

 

sorry - too much information :embarrassed_smile:

[Ghost Plane]

Waaaaaaaaaaaay TMI! :roflmho:

 

Is this their way of saying the pen needs a diet?! :ltcapd:

 

Y'all will have to keep an eye on the progress for me. Headed off on travel after today and can't swear to internet accessibility during the whole thing.

[Seville]

So question that has been lurking in my head since the decision to have a c/c/ed pen. Are the nib sections a standard CS design? By that I mean would it be possible to order other complete sections to have various nib sizes for the SOL pen?

 

Thanks

 

Philip

[Truffle Finder]

In answer to your question, the nib units are standard Conway Stewart Churchill sized nibs, offering all the current nib 'types' that they offer with their pens.

I hope this is a help.

Truffle Finder.

[Truffle Finder]

Hi there!

I've just been looking at at another thread [about Yard o Led fountain pens], the topic drew the attention of Ghost Plane [who has two of them] and GP explained about the pen not requiring cleaning too often, but when it does [or should I say when they do!] the use of a man's handkerchief is all that is required to clean the pen.

In my experience of handling Henry's O/lay pens, I find that a dry face flannel is best to clean the light tarnishing which does occur to a greater or lesser degree depending on how frequently the pen is used, the advantage with this form of cleaning is that a 'patina' forms over time, in the depression and engraved parts of the silver, which remain darker than the 'higher points' of the pen's decoration.

It is a good point to have arisen, the important thing to remember is that silver cleaning fluids, or even silver cleaning 'wadding' [Duraglit] should never be used, as this will result in a white residue forming in between the filligree silver and the pen body, which looks horrible.

As my old headmaster used to say to us, "Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest!" 'nuff said!!!

Truffle Finder.