Show Us Your Black Pens

[vedearduff]

Those are nice pens, vedearduff. Are they both a matte black finish?

Yes, as is the other Parker that I mentioned. I have the matching BP and pencil sets for the pens in the photos. The Parker Classic has an M nib that also writes inverted as if it were an F. The Cross has an F nib as does the Parker not pictured.

[fpconverted]

I have to favourites, Lamy Al star limited edition all black in a fine nib and Sheaffer 300 piano black chrome in a med nib. Both pens are great writers. My pride and joy black pen is my Mont Blanc 149 le grande.

[JotterAddict62]

Here is one that I still have restore.

 

By the way could anyone enlighten me on the history of this pen?

[ANM]

Is your pen an eyedrop filler with a steel nib?

[Florida Blue]

Well, I just got my first Sheaffer oversized Balance and I decided to post a side-by-side picture of it next to the standard size Balance I showed earlier in this thread to give an idea of size.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7787_zps17ef7476.jpg

[ANM]

[Over the years they came in several different sizes.

 

 

Ovurl=http://s262.photobucket.com/user/matthewsno/media/DSCN1187_zps13351d0f.jpg.html]http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii101/matthewsno/DSCN1187_zps13351d0f.jpg[/url]

Edited January 19, 2014 by ANM

[kpyeoman]

Great pictures! Thanks for posting the OS Balance comparisons as well..I've always been curious about the difference.

[fpconverted]

So here they are: Lamy Al-Star limited edition all black and Sheaffer 300 series gloss black with chrome trim.

 

By far these are two of my favourite black pens that I use daily actually.

[fpconverted]

I have to favourites, Lamy Al star limited edition all black in a fine nib and Sheaffer 300 piano black chrome in a med nib. Both pens are great writers.

[Tas]

So many . . .

Must, not, buy, any, more, blacks !

(apart form the Pilot Justus obviously)

 

http://www.taskyprianou.com/fpn_my_black_pens.jpg

[kpyeoman]

fpconverted: I have that exact same Sheaffer 300 model, too! It's a great pen and I think people have been needlessly turned off of it due to comments about the weight of the cap. It's an excellent writer, and I find it to be a good size unposted. It also looks really sharp.

 

Tas: I have an identical black Intrigue inked up today. It's probably my favorite pen. I find the width to be much more pleasant than the Targas and it fits my hand perfectly when posted. It's a great combination of showly and reserved...perfect. Is that a stub nib Carene you have? If so, how do you like it? I'm thinking of getting one.

[invested]

I'm a little shocked I don't have more. but here are my few and apologies about the picture quality, I'm not actually sure where my camera is :S

 

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Holdav/2013-01-18142532_zpsc2a83b3c.jpg

 

L to R: Pelikan M200, Lamy 2000, Visconti Van Gogh Maxi, Parker IM, Warerman Carene, Sailor 1911L and finally Platinum President.

Holdav,

 

I love your collection. I have the Lamy and am currently trying to decide between the 1911L and the President...do you have a favourite?

 

I am also loving that Visconti, very nice, very nice indeed.

 

J

[Florida Blue]

[Over the years they came in several different sizes.

 

 

Nice collection of black Balances! The one on the far left looks just like mine.

 

Great pictures! Thanks for posting the OS Balance comparisons as well..I've always been curious about the difference.

 

Thanks! I was actually surprised at how much larger the oversize Balance is compared to the standard size. It's as large as a modern Sheaffer Legacy and almost as big as a MB 149.

[ANM]

 

Nice collection of black Balances! The one on the far left looks just like mine.

 

 

Thanks! I was actually surprised at how much larger the oversize Balance is compared to the standard size. It's as large as a modern Sheaffer Legacy and almost as big as a MB 149.

I think yours is like the second one from the left and the standard size in my picture is the second from the right. The far left one was the earliest Balance and had a longer, more pointed back end and a ball clip. Some of the later ones had a flattened ball clip.

Edited January 20, 2014 by ANM

[Tas]

Tas: I have an identical black Intrigue inked up today. It's probably my favorite pen. I find the width to be much more pleasant than the Targas and it fits my hand perfectly when posted. It's a great combination of showly and reserved...perfect. Is that a stub nib Carene you have? If so, how do you like it? I'm thinking of getting one.

 

Hi kpyeoman.

I LOVE my Intrigue. I bought it at a pen show in October here in London and have used it daily ever since. Akkerman's No 10 is it's fuel and the two behave really well together.

Such an underated pen, I feel. Mine cost £50 NOS and has the weight, feel and quality of a pen three times that.

 

As for my Carene. Hmm

I bought that on ebay for £30 but despite it being mint (I know I was lucky) it was a dry skippy medium nib and I like most of mine fine.

So, I took to grinding it down a little and getting rid of it's baby's bottom.

Now, I've become quite proficient at grinding nibs, steel nibs. Oh boy did I overdo this 18K gold fella!

It is now, as you pointed out, a stub. I pretend to be able to write like dcpritch when I use it and on the positive side it is even smoother (well perhaps AS smooth) as my Visconti Homo Sapiens. It's not a fine though and I regularly scour ebay for a fine nibs to replace it but have yet to find anything below £80.

Live and learn I suppose.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Tas

[kpyeoman]

Sounds like an adventure! FYI, in case you weren't aware, Classic Fountain Pens (nibs.com) sells Carene nib units individually for a pretty reasonable price.

[sansenri]

http://www.mediafire.com/view/er5ioypcpttvt8i/P1080919.JPG

 

no one black pens any more?

 

Aurora Optima, Delta Parthenope, Aurora 88 big, rolled gold and black cap

 

Edited April 3, 2016 by sansenri

[fountainpagan]

A sample

 

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/31/qyc3.jpg

[Dickkooty2]

Here are some German blacks from more-or-less the 50s-60s. Just arranged as a chorus line. I have more but i haven't added them to this prepared line-up.

 

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Left%20light_zpsci5wpuut.jpg[/url]

 

 

http://s271.photobucket.com/user/dick168/media/Mid%20light_zpsbsmjbnye.jpg.html?sort=3&o=129

 

 

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Mid%20light_zpsbsmjbnye.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Rght%20Light_zps6cbb6ic3.jpg[/url]

 

Mother ship

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/292467-identified-the-girls-in-their-little-black-dresses/

[Runnin_Ute]

Don't have any current photos of my black pens, but I have a fair number....

 

Parker 45 desk pen

Parker 45

Cross Aventura

Pilot Metropolitan

Pelikan 120 Merz & Krell

Parker 51 Special

Waterman Phileas

Esterbrook LJ skunk