Who Is Using Franklin-Christoph.......?

[parnesh]

So I emailed FC regarding the piston filler and they said they plan to build one but are too busy to do so. Maybe next year. Now to see whether I get a #19, a #20 or another Pilot 912 with SFM.

[mmg122]

Parnesh...I have 2 #20s and a #40 Pocket Pen in solid green emerald. I have a B cursive italic in 18k (Masayuma ground), a SS Medium Stub (Masayuma ground), a FC factory ground Music Nib and a spare B nib. They are all beautiful nibs, write immediately and consistently and the pens are all quality instruments. I also think FC's prices are very reasonable. Their customer service is really top notch. If you already have a Pilot 912, why not take the plunge and go with a Franklin Christoph?i don't think you'll regret it.

[Jeffrey Garrett]

Already having the Pendleton Brown 19/1901 SE and being over the moon with it, I recently purchased a 'Smoke and Cinnamaroon' model19/1901 with Masuyama nib and some stationery items.

 

Service from FC is excellent; so much so, a few days later I ordered another Masuyama nib. I was astounded to find the nib was ordered on the Monday Pm and I was fitting and trying it on the Wednesday Pm of the same week - USA to GB in two days! Brilliant.

 

I really like the pens, I like even more, the ease with which I can purchase a special nib which suits my preference.

 

The next order is going in soon!

[savingbirds]

Just traded two Pelikan M200s that I don't use often for two Franklin Christoph pens. A "27" with an 18k gold medium stub and a "29" with an 18k gold medium italic both ground my Masuyama. I'm looking forward to trying these pens, as I've heard nothing but praise for their collaboration nibs with Mike.

[latetotheparty]

Thanks to whomever "resurrected" or in deed "bounced" this topic.

 

It gave me a chance to chime in.

 

I'm a huge, die-hard fan of everything Franklin Christoph!

 

My first encounter was during 2012 LA pen show I believe. I met with Scott Franklin at their booth right near the entrance where it's nice and open and not cramped with other vendors.

 

A very polite southern gentleman with a definite southern drawl I thought. And he used highly technical words like "finial" and alignment of the "tines". I didn't know what tines were at the time so I was taken aback bit, intimidated you might even say, by the deeply technical terminology. But nevertheless it didn't take anything away from the shopping experience.

 

I didn't plan on spending a whole lot of cash that day but I did want to pick up a $20 leather pouch from him. I asked him if I can put dibs on the thing while I go get some cash and come back and he was glad enough to oblige. I did come around later in the day and make good on my promise, but it's the little things like that, which stick in my memory. The personal touch.

 

Fast forward a couple of months and I'd been researching the brand and the product quite a bit. It was time to make a purchase and dive in with all 4 hooves and without reservations.

 

I placed an order for a Model 03 intrinsic (black with maroon finial) and a Model 19 '1901' with creme bands. The pens arrived and were quite impressive. I have never tired of the pleasantly muted aesthetic of FC products. Both pens though were death-gripped threads. I couldn't unscrew the barrel on either of them to get to the ink compartment.

 

I called Scott to ask what to do. And he said "give it all you got! if it breaks we'll replace it". I was really taken aback by the customer service. I didn't know one could do that. I thought, once you buy a pen, it is now your problem (Stiplua, Pelikan, Pilot and the rest come to mind, all the brands that come to us from resellers. And if you try to use the warranty it has to go back to Germany/Italy/Japan to get repaired or serviced. I'm sure I'm going to step on some nerves there but heck, I'm unabashed).

 

I finally was able to unscrew the thing after washing my hands and the barrel with soap to get a really good tight grip.

 

A model 33 Abditus and a model 19 with kings gold bands came in succession afterwards. The purchases of their excellent leather products, pen cases and penvelopes liberally peppered across the time continuum.

 

I also managed to get my hands on a Model 01 IPO to make my collection complete. Now I have 6 of their pens which all take the size #6 nibs. About this time Scott came out with FC paper and ink products which are all very nice. During the 2013 LA pen show I picked up from Scott a prototype of their really sober green ink called "Olde Emerald". I love that ink a lot.

 

Jim Rouse came onboard to help with customer service and I couldn't have met a nicer guy in the industry.

 

Recently I've picked up a couple of pens that take the size #5 nib. I got a Bellus (29) and a Collegia (27). Excellent build quality from both and I love the magnetic cap enclosure on the 29.

 

I've been holding off on the Eclipse but now that I'm building up my repertoire of pens that carry a size #5 nib it's very much in my future now. Maybe with a factory 1.1 nib.

 

I never really got to the Stabils 65 and 66 and neither the panther or pocket. I wish they finally come out with the panther. I've been waiting for ages.

 

But when I was at the 2014 show in LA it felt like meeting an old friend. Both Jim and Scott are very very nice gentlemen. Others that were at the booth were commenting while pointing at me "he knows them, he's working on the inside".

 

They had a presence at the 2014 SF pen show but it was only Jim that came to SF and the poor guy was swamped the entire time. The trouble with SF is that it falls in August, in direct contention with DC super master ginormous worldwide (err. sorry, universe-wide) pen show.

 

I wish they come out with more folks to help Jim during SF show this year. They've got a new addition to the staff. A person by the name of Lori. I had a chance to chat with her on the phone. Very nice lady who places her roots here in San Diego California (woo hoo!!)

 

Sorry for the long autobiographical here. But I felt I needed to share my story.

 

Thanks to whomever got down this far reading my babble.

 

 

 

Edit: Oh and I almost forgot. I have a Model 20 Marietta on it's way out to me. Super excited about it.

 

I didn't know what they named it after. Each of their names is very thoughtful and considered. Until I heard one of the interviews of Scott Franklin and discovered that the company had its roots in Marietta GA before they relocated to North Carolina.

I enjoyed reading your story and I can relate to you becoming a die-hard fan of F-C from the outset I hope you like the 20. I only just discovered F-C this year after searching for pens made in the U.S. My Model 20 in glossy black with medium SS nib arrived about a month ago and I absolutely love it. I did a review of it on FPN because I was so impressed. F-C just has such wonderful customer service, which is reason alone to support them.

[pepsiplease69]

I enjoyed reading your story and I can relate to you becoming a die-hard fan of F-C from the outset I hope you like the 20. I only just discovered F-C this year after searching for pens made in the U.S. My Model 20 in glossy black with medium SS nib arrived about a month ago and I absolutely love it. I did a review of it on FPN because I was so impressed. F-C just has such wonderful customer service, which is reason alone to support them.

Thanks for reading my babble and commenting. I'm always skeptical when I write such long narratives whether I will entirely lose my audience midway through. It doesn't prevent me from going on these long journeys though.

 

I have since came into possession of a model 40 Panther and I love it a lot.

 

The other thing I'm liable to do is put the 1.5 italic nibs on some of my FC's. I'm finding a new appreciation for that nib size and I like how my writing tuns out on 7mm ruled paper with that nib.

 

I've taken my noodlers ahab, konrad and neponset and installed the goulet 1.5 nib (they are the same JoWo nibs as ones used at FC) on them and they write very well. Currently they are my everyday carry pens.

 

Enjoy your FC's and please come back from time to time and let us know if you acquired any new models and how you're liking them.

[tinta]

I have a #2, #3, #19, #40, #65, #66............oh dear, I'm hooked!!

How do you like your model 03?

What material? Clip or not?

What nib do you have on this model? Stock or custom?

 

Used to have two model 03s: a black which I sent to a friend in Kent, UK & a clipless smoke which I use daily. It's my go-to IG ink pen.

Edited November 23, 2015 by tinta

[latetotheparty]

Thanks for reading my babble and commenting. I'm always skeptical when I write such long narratives whether I will entirely lose my audience midway through. It doesn't prevent me from going on these long journeys though.

 

I have since came into possession of a model 40 Panther and I love it a lot.

 

The other thing I'm liable to do is put the 1.5 italic nibs on some of my FC's. I'm finding a new appreciation for that nib size and I like how my writing tuns out on 7mm ruled paper with that nib.

 

I've taken my noodlers ahab, konrad and neponset and installed the goulet 1.5 nib (they are the same JoWo nibs as ones used at FC) on them and they write very well. Currently they are my everyday carry pens.

 

Enjoy your FC's and please come back from time to time and let us know if you acquired any new models and how you're liking them.

Thank you! I too have just acquired an F-C 40 Panther (after much pre-arrival drooling!) and love it! I haven't tried the broader nibs simply because I usually have to write at speed, and that doesn't marry well with broad nibs. I'm extremely happy with my F-C 40 and 20. William Morris said to have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful or believe to beautiful. My two pens fulfill both these criteria

[Hospitalier]

I have an FC P66; great pen, it was my first 'high end' pen, and,to be honest considering I ordered both a music nib and a medium Masuyama stub, I shouldn't really need much else.

 

FC company are a dream to deal with, absolutely. According to my last communication with them, they have plans for more colour opitions and limited editions for the P66; I wasn't too disappointed to miss out on the Jade LE P66 (only six examples available!), but it would've been very nice to have... hoping now for the fullsize or pocket 66 in red.

[arcadeflow]

How would a medium Masuyama stub compare with the regular steel medium nib? I want a nib for general writing, I need smoothness and confort, no sharp edges, forgiving angles.

[alc3261]

How would a medium Masuyama stub compare with the regular steel medium nib? I want a nib for general writing, I need smoothness and confort, no sharp edges, forgiving angles.

It is very smooth, no problems for normal writing.

[kpjimmy]

How would a medium Masuyama stub compare with the regular steel medium nib? I want a nib for general writing, I need smoothness and confort, no sharp edges, forgiving angles.

 

 

It is very smooth, no problems for normal writing.

 

I actually just got the Masuyama broad cursive italic to replace my Masuyama medium stub on my FC29 Bellus that they don't sell any longer and both write like butter, but I don't have a regular steel nib to compare to. The lifetime guarantee is what I love about these nibs. I know I probably won't even cash in on it, but the draw of hand ground nib had me curious and now I can't look back lol.

 

And I use my FC in my everyday office work without issues.

Edited November 30, 2015 by kpjimmy

[arcadeflow]

 

 

 

I actually just got the Masuyama broad cursive italic to replace my Masuyama medium stub on my FC29 Bellus that they don't sell any longer and both write like butter, but I don't have a regular steel nib to compare to. The lifetime guarantee is what I love about these nibs. I know I probably won't even cash in on it, but the draw of hand ground nib had me curious and now I can't look back lol.

 

And I use my FC in my everyday office work without issues.

 

You mean it is buttery smooth as long as you keep the angle steady, right? Italics are supposed to have sharp edges, I'm not confident it can replace a regular medium nib in overall smoothness since they have forgiving writing angles...

[alc3261]

 

You mean it is buttery smooth as long as you keep the angle steady, right? Italics are supposed to have sharp edges, I'm not confident it can replace a regular medium nib in overall smoothness since they have forgiving writing angles...

It is a Cursive Italic so the edges are not sharp.

[arcadeflow]

It is a Cursive Italic so the edges are not sharp.

 

So it is almost like a stub? The stub should be smoother, right?

[alc3261]

 

So it is almost like a stub? The stub should be smoother, right?

Yes

[DrDebG]

I discovered Franklin Christoph earlier this year at a pen show. Jim and Scott helped me put together a stunning brown shimmer Panther 40 with a Masuyama 14K medium stub semi-flex nib. This is THE perfect pen for me. I love it above all others.

 

Then, I ordered a bottle of Midnight Emerald. What a terrific ink! While it is not my favorite color (I'm much more of a blurple fan), it is a wonderful ink with wonderful flow in any of my fountain pens, and has wonderful shading.

 

I decided to try one of their Lucky 13 Penvelopes. This is an very well made pen case. All of my pens, even some of my larger pens, fit very nicely.

 

I also purchased one of their Firma-flex notebooks as an insert into my existing zippered notebook. The paper is wonderful and well suited for fountain pen ink. I wasn't sure if I would like the very slight pink shade to the paper, but I do like it and find it compatible even with my most audacious ink colors.

 

This is a long winded post, but I must finish by saying that I am very happy with the high quality and excellent customer service of everything I have purchased from F-C.

 

Jim and Scott: WELL DONE!

[linearM]

I own the emerald green 02 Intrinsic with a medium stub. It is a great pen, top quality materials and fit and the nib is a smooth writer.

[Edsal17]

I have the FC pocket 40 in smoke and Ice with a cursive italic nib. I converted it to an eyedropper pen. It is a great little writer and shows the ink off wonderfully.

[Sharookh]

My latest - Smoke and Cinnamaroon / Italic Calligraphy 1.5mm nib, inked with Iroshizuku's Yama Budo.....