Saw The Wahlnut & Decobands Today.....a Good Day!

[ArchiMark]

Managed to make a visit to the SF Pen Show today. Relatively short visit, but very enjoyable.....as always....

 

Had a very nice chat with our own 'Wahlnut' about the new W-E pens. Also, held and test drove the new W-E Decoband pens.....

 

WOW!!!

 

Talk about serious oversize pens...really gorgeous pens....wish I could get all 4 colors....after some agonizing over selection, I ordered the ebonite rosewood pen with the wild red urushi monster size feed and beautiful nib.....

 

The Wahlnut done good with this one.....I know it's up there, but if you see and hold it, you will realize what a wonderfully well crafted and handsome quality pen this is.....

 

 

Can't wait to receive it......will have to be patient though.......

 

Any other soon to be new Decoband owners here?............

 

Mark

 

 

 

[user01]

I love the design of the new Decoband pen. Unfortunately the price is a bit too high for me at the moment.

But the pen is very high on my wish list. That´s for sure.

 

How does the "Superflex" nib perform?

 

And what filling system is used? It looks like a Sheaffer´s "touchdown" filling system. Is it a pneumatic filler?

[whichwatch]

You bet! I saw it at the Washington DC show and couldn't leave without plunking down my deposit. Same as you - the rosewood ebonite.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing an update from Syd regarding progress.

[Fqgouvea]

I'm very impressed with the looks, and very interested in the pen, but the price is way beyond what I am willing to pay, at least for now.

[ArchiMark]

I love the design of the new Decoband pen. Unfortunately the price is a bit too high for me at the moment.

But the pen is very high on my wish list. That´s for sure.

 

How does the "Superflex" nib perform?

 

And what filling system is used? It looks like a Sheaffer´s "touchdown" filling system. Is it a pneumatic filler?

 

Did not do a lot of writing, but nib felt very nice, with a good amount of give to it as I wrote....

 

Filling system is similar to the Sheaffer or Visconti filler.....think it seems like a very robust design....

[ArchiMark]

You bet! I saw it at the Washington DC show and couldn't leave without plunking down my deposit. Same as you - the rosewood ebonite.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing an update from Syd regarding progress.

 

Great.....

 

Sounds like it should available near end of September......or early October....

[zaddick]

I put down a deposit today. Rosewood with that great red feed. The pen is great in the hand. I can recommend it for those who like large pens.

[ArchiMark]

I put down a deposit today. Rosewood with that great red feed. The pen is great in the hand.

 

Excellent choice!......

 

 

The pen is great in the hand. I can recommend it for those who like large pens.

 

Yes, and also if you need a mini bat available with you........

[Amit37]

It looks sleek and grandiose as can be, from the online pictures. Is the Demonstrator version a limited run or one of the four color variations available? Though way beyond my budget, I look forward to hearing further reviews of it in use!

[ArchiMark]

Intention of Demonstrator was to just be a demonstrator of the pen at pens shows, etc.

 

Don't think it's been decided if there will be a limited run of the Demonstrator version....more work to finish a Demonstrator since you have to polish inside as well as outside.....

[Amit37]

It looks sleek and grandiose as can be, from the online pictures. Is the Demonstrator version a limited run or one of the four color variations available? Though way beyond my budget, I look forward to hearing further reviews of it in use!

 

True. Besides, the redwood and classic black finishes accent the traditional style and flat top design.

[zaddick]

Syd said the demo was not for sale but many people had asked about buying it. I personally did not see the desire as you cannot see any ink that has not leaked to where it is not supposed to be. You casically just see a metal tube for the filler. I prefer piston fillers for my demo pens.

[zaddick]

Here is a picture I took of the pen after putting down my deposit.

 

 

 

What a great feed. Tipped me away from the blue color that will be more limited (300 max). Apparently, the challenge is sourcing 20 MM stock so they can end with and 18 MM pen. there is not a lot out there. The blue color only has enough stock for 300 pens if there are no production errors. More likely there will only be 280 pens that end up getting made.

 

The next color in the line up may be a rich honey.

[rpsyed]

Here is a picture I took of the pen after putting down my deposit.

 

20150829_165050_resized.jpg

 

What a great feed. Tipped me away from the blue color that will be more limited (300 max). Apparently, the challenge is sourcing 20 MM stock so they can end with and 18 MM pen. there is not a lot out there. The blue color only has enough stock for 300 pens if there are no production errors. More likely there will only be 280 pens that end up getting made.

 

The next color in the line up may be a rich honey.

That feed looks really cool. Looking forward to everyone's reviews! If that nib performs well, I think I'll be in too. I do need a couple months to recover from my pen purchases this summer though ...

 

Btw, for those have gotten to hold it, what's the weight and balance like? I like a big pen, with a large gripping section, but more than 40 grams uncapped - I use all my pens unposted - would be too heavy for me, unless the pen is really well balanced.

Edited August 31, 2015 by rpsyed

[zaddick]

That feed looks really cool. Looking forward to everyone's reviews! If that nib performs well, I think I'll be in too. I do need a couple months to recover from my pen purchases this summer though ...

 

Btw, for those have gotten to hold it, what's the weight and balance like? I like a big pen, with a large gripping section, but more than 40 grams uncapped - I use all my pens unposted - would be too heavy for me, unless the pen is really well balanced.

It is heavy. I did not get the weight from Syd, but it is well balanced. I wrote with it and held it for maybe 10 minutes and found it to be comfortable. (I do like large pens though!) There is a metal tube for the filling system and this helps to keep the weight from focusing at the nib or at the back end like on some other large pens (looking at you Sailor KOP and MB 149 with brass threads).

 

The nib reminds me of a good soft semi flex 18C/14C 149 #9 from the late 1950s to early 1960s. It is called superflex, but it is not a wet noodle. If you have a light hand it will not flex but give you a soft feel. If you are a hard writer and like nails, the standard nib is not for you.

 

I don't usually buy pens at full list price, but I felt this was a company and a pen worth supporting. The pens will probably not be ultra rare, but if others like them as much as me, then there may not be many used ones out there. Luckily, if you don't want blue, then you can think about it and wait for feedback from others as the black and rosewood should be produced for a while.

Edited August 31, 2015 by zaddick

[PAKMAN]

Been looking at it online and can't wait till Dallas to see it in person! If I can sell a few pens I'm bringing to Dallas I may have to order one!

[pepsiplease69]

I also had a nice chat with Syd. I expressed to him that the price was way out of reach for me as well.

 

If there was a way to get a ghetto-ized version of the same pen: feed minus the urushi lacquer, no fancy box, no insides filling mechanism to be used an eyedropper filler.

 

He said that urushi lacquer exclusion won't help too much with the price. And once I unscrewed the barrel from the section I saw that the internals were all brass or some sort of metal, so not a good candidate for eyedropper conversion.

 

I've been still pondering to work out a payment plan with Syd and pay down the price in 4-5 monthly installments.

 

I have to clear it with the wife but once the proposal has been ratified by the home-ministry I'm thinking of sending post-dated checks to Syd for all installments and have him send me the pen once the last check clears.

 

The pen's feel was AWESOME. It is indeed superflex and gorgeous.

 

Syd also pointed out that the nibs on the decobands on display at the show were all 18k, but the production model nibs will be 14k which makes better sense for flex nibs, they would be more durable. And I agree.

 

If I go for this pen, I'd probably opt for the all-black model.

[zaddick]

Update from Syd today. The pens are about 3 weeks away from completion. The excitement builds...

[Wahlnut]

It's been a while since I went back to review posts that came in while we were on DECOBAND world tour with shows and all. I've just read through the above and glad to see the reactions.

The filling system is a "Chilton style" Pneumatic filler. The pen holds 2.1ml of ink.

The #8 nib takes a little practice for one to acquaint with the flex available. It will easily go from fine to double broad with the correct amount of hand pressure.

The size is ergonomically advantageous according to my son the Dr. larger holds are recommended to combat hand and finger fatigue.

Michael Sull, master penman, endorsed it as being good for artistic/figurative writing when he tested it at the SF Show.

The Demonstrators are going to be made in a very limited quantity (some are being made now). These pens are NOT MOLDED. Each one and each piece is hand cut on lathes and polished. The demos require fill crystal clear polishing inside and out and that adds a ton to labor. When they come out they will have to sell for about $150 more than the Rosewood, Blue and Black...

Have you seen the Blue pen in actuality? It was not available at the SF or Dallas Shows yet. Here it is:

 

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a75/wahlnut/DECOBAND%20LAPIS_zpsdnnh8fdv.jpg

[ArchiMark]

Great info, Syd...

 

And that blue marbled pen looks beautiful.....much nicer than I'd imagined....

 

Although I'm tempted for Decoband No. 2 and don't even have No. 1 yet.....

 

 

Hope to see my No. 1 pen soon......

 

Mark