What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[JonSzanto]

For Ruth and anyone else interested in the filling of small pens...

 

I wouldn't have popped into the thread on most other situations, but the combination of a small pen and a converter is so problematic. I first came upon this TEN years ago when I first joined FPN, and promptly bought a couple of Sheaffer TRZ pens from Ron Zorn. Reeeealy thin barrels, can't get carts and the only converter was a Monteverde mini-converter, which felt like it held about 4 drops of ink.

I won't belabor the point, but the smaller you make a converter, the less ink percentage-wise you will get, because the piston or other mechanism can only shrink so much, and will always take up more room in a smaller converter. You don't have to seal the carts, if you want to only fill per-use, and I do this with most of my pens - even regular converters - and prime the feed by placing a few drops on the underside of the nib. I waste less ink this way and get a maximum fill. The smaller the pen, the bigger the benefit, but it is also a personal choice as to whether you like this method or not.

[JonSzanto]

/ deleted double post.

[BinaEliora]

I will try the Kaweco squeeze converter just because I can  Since it is so small I will use a syringe to fill it. Otherwise there will be as much ink inside the converter as on my hands.

 

I haven't thought about the ink drop on the underside of the nib. I'll try that the next time. Thanks for the tip.

[Bikerchick]

On 1/26/2021 at 2:56 PM, HogwldFLTR said:

Here’s the Prometheus in the flesh. Finally arrived last night.

 

 

That's a beautiful pen, what is it inked with? 

[A Smug Dill]

Among other pens, an EF-nibbed Sailor Shikiori Manyo (i.e. the dark metallic green Professional Gear Slim model by any other name) I wasn't intending to buy, even though a unit of it (offered by a different seller) was sitting in my shopping cart. I ordered a Sailor Promenade — of which production has been discontinued for a while now — at an only-OK price, on account of dwindling stocks, only to be told the next day by the Japan-based seller that it's sold out, even though he/she had multiple listings for it at the time. Obviously one of those locals who makes a middle-man business out of accepting orders from overseas buyers on such platforms as eBay first, then in turn quickly order one from a local marketplace such as Rakuten Ichiba with next-day delivery to themselves to fill what is effectively a back-order; and so the stock availability indicated in their product listings would be unreliable, as it depends on some other party's stock availability and factors beyond those eBay sellers' control. After a bit of argy-bargy, it was finally agreed that he/she would send the Shikiori Manyo (which is still in production, just hard to get with an EF nib from a Sailor reseller outside of Japan) in lieu of the Promenade.

 

(He/she asserted that there's a US$20 difference in price and wanted me to pay more, but I countered that the unit in my shopping cart was only US$2 more than the price I agreed to pay for the Promenade, and pointed him/her to the other seller's listing. So, in effect, I impulsively bought the pen on a very minor but unexpected ‘price-beat’, instead of taking the easier (for the seller) and more conservative resolution of just accepting a full refund of the order.

 

Then I promptly ordered the particular Sailor Promenade variant, as well, from a different seller at the next best price I could find.

[como]

@inkstainedruth and @JonSzanto For small pens that only take small converter/cartridge, I use this cut-out small cartridge attached to a sac as in the photo of my very small Delta Dolcevita Mini. It gets enough ink and primes the feed at the same time, not to mention the fun of squeezing the sac for "swoosh swoosh" 😀.

[Bikerchick]

On 2/9/2021 at 5:37 PM, inkandseeds said:

I would like to thank all of you who post your purchases here, especially when you post a photo.  While I no longer feel the need or impulse to buy another pen, I do really enjoy living vicariously through your purchases.  Thank you.

Please tell me what the cure was. I'm tired of feeling that need, or rather, my bankaccount is.  Thanks.

[JulieParadise]

Eight days ago I could no longer resist and bought the beautiful OMAS Desk Pen Set from penboard.de

 

It arrived today and IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!! The fawn is pretty, the calender is just the right amount of wonky and the desk pen itself is an OMAS Extra with the typical desk pen shape. I filled it with Diamine China Blue and am happy with the writing (just a flexy fine nib, not exciting to look at but nice to use).

 

 

Bambi, you are gorgeous! 😉

[MoriartyR]

It’s great, Julie. I agree the calendar is the right amount of wonky and that makes the whole thing feel authentic. Nice to hear that the pen writes so well for you. It all looks to be in fantastic condition.

 

[Switala]

1 hour ago, JulieParadise said:

Oito dias atrás eu não pude mais resistir e comprei o lindo conjunto de canetas de mesa OMAS da  penboard.de

 

Chegou hoje e ESTÁ BONITO !!! O fulvo é bonito, o calendário tem a quantidade certa de irregularidade e a própria caneta de mesa é um OMAS Extra com o formato típico de caneta de mesa. Enchi-o com Diamine China Blue e estou feliz com a escrita (apenas uma ponta fina e flexível, nada empolgante de se olhar, mas bom de usar).

 

 

Bambi, você é linda! 😉

You have a very elegant set.
Congratulations on the acquisition, I wish you a lot of satisfaction.
Regards.

[BinaEliora]

6 hours ago, como said:

@inkstainedruth and @JonSzanto For small pens that only take small converter/cartridge, I use this cut-out small cartridge attached to a sac as in the photo of my very small Delta Dolcevita Mini. It gets enough ink and primes the feed at the same time, not to mention the fun of squeezing the sac for "swoosh swoosh" 😀.

How do you attach the sac so it doesn't come off in an inopportune moment?

[Geslina]

I wouldn’t exactly call it an impulsive purchase, because I really thought it over, but I just got a Pilot Decimo, fine nib, and I hate it. I was expecting a smooth, somewhat wet writer.  First off, for a gold nib, it feels very stiff.  Second, it skips.  When it’s not skipping, it has more line variation than I like.  I tried soaking the nib overnight, and tried a more lubricated ink...it seems to write a little better, but its still hard starting and skipping.  I think I’m going to return it.  I may not even want a replacement

[como]

3 minutes ago, BinaEliora said:

How do you attach the sac so it doesn't come off in an inopportune moment?

You apply shellac (a type of heat sensitive glue often used in sac’ing of fps) over the rim of the cut-off cartridge, then pull the correctly measured sac over it. Once the sac is on, you slightly rotate the sac so the shellac is even applied (while the shellac is fresh and not dried out yet). Then you wait for 20min to a couple of hours (depending on your patience). Afterwards you can test with water if the thing is working properly and not leaking. Then you are ready to go! Be sure you cut the sac to the right size. Too big, the sac is touching end of barrel and ink is squeezed out. Too small the ink capacity is compromised.

[como]

3 hours ago, JulieParadise said:

Eight days ago I could no longer resist and bought the beautiful OMAS Desk Pen Set from penboard.de

 

It arrived today and IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!! The fawn is pretty, the calender is just the right amount of wonky and the desk pen itself is an OMAS Extra with the typical desk pen shape. I filled it with Diamine China Blue and am happy with the writing (just a flexy fine nib, not exciting to look at but nice to use).

 

 

Bambi, you are gorgeous! 😉

That’s very nice, congratulations! I have an Omas desk set too, but without the animal and the device 😉 I don’t use it so much but the nib is very good, precise and flex (I would say that it’s perfect for Spencerian). I learned from a nibmeister  that the nibs on these Omas desk pens from this era are not always very flexible, but a good majority are very good. Enjoy your new vintage!

[rkesey]

4 hours ago, JulieParadise said:

Eight days ago I could no longer resist and bought the beautiful OMAS Desk Pen Set from penboard.de

 

It arrived today and IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!! The fawn is pretty, the calender is just the right amount of wonky and the desk pen itself is an OMAS Extra with the typical desk pen shape. I filled it with Diamine China Blue and am happy with the writing (just a flexy fine nib, not exciting to look at but nice to use).

 

 

Bambi, you are gorgeous! 😉

Oh that's fantastic. I've been resisting a desk set just because of real estate concerns (need room for a phone from the 1920s, vintage lamp/diopter, actual lamp, cigar box full of pens, TBR pile, ceramic "Picasso" my daughter did in high school--you know, the essentials) but that calendar and that ink window especially are making me rethink that whole strategy.

[JonSzanto]

9 hours ago, como said:

@inkstainedruth and @JonSzanto For small pens that only take small converter/cartridge, I use this cut-out small cartridge attached to a sac as in the photo of my very small Delta Dolcevita Mini. It gets enough ink and primes the feed at the same time, not to mention the fun of squeezing the sac for "swoosh swoosh" 😀.

 

Bingo - return of the "bulb fillers"! I have a few vintage pens I've restored, including Wahl Bantams, that are designed as bulb fillers. As long as the shellac holds you are in business. Well done.

[mizgeorge]

6 hours ago, JulieParadise said:

Eight days ago I could no longer resist and bought the beautiful OMAS Desk Pen Set from penboard.de

 

It arrived today and IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!! The fawn is pretty, the calender is just the right amount of wonky and the desk pen itself is an OMAS Extra with the typical desk pen shape. I filled it with Diamine China Blue and am happy with the writing (just a flexy fine nib, not exciting to look at but nice to use).

 

 

Bambi, you are gorgeous! 😉

Just delicious! And a bit of wonkiness is a very good thing

[kulnet]

Just purchased a Lamy Safari Terra Red with a medium nib from Dromgooles in Houston.

[inkstainedruth]

10 hours ago, como said:

@inkstainedruth and @JonSzanto For small pens that only take small converter/cartridge, I use this cut-out small cartridge attached to a sac as in the photo of my very small Delta Dolcevita Mini. It gets enough ink and primes the feed at the same time, not to mention the fun of squeezing the sac for "swoosh swoosh" 😀.

That's a really interesting solution.  How did you cut the cartridge down (I'm presuming just the non-coupler end)?  And what diameter sac did you use?  If I can't find a mini-converter that works for me I may try that trick, since I know I have shellac, and I think J Herbin cartridges are International Standard; there's a booth in a local-ish antiques mall that sells some vintage pens and some modern ink, including tins of Herbin cartridges (it's where I've bought a couple of vintage-ish Quink tie-tac style pins that are now gracing the bands of some of my hats).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[como]

16 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

That's a really interesting solution.  How did you cut the cartridge down (I'm presuming just the non-coupler end)?  And what diameter sac did you use?  If I can't find a mini-converter that works for me I may try that trick, since I know I have shellac, and I think J Herbin cartridges are International Standard; there's a booth in a local-ish antiques mall that sells some vintage pens and some modern ink, including tins of Herbin cartridges (it's where I've bought a couple of vintage-ish Quink tie-tac style pins that are now gracing the bands of some of my hats).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I used a box cutter to cut off the “butt” end of the small cartridge. Any very sharp handicraft type of knife would do. You will have to experiment a little bit on how much to cut the cartridge vs. the sac.  You can lay them all on the table, the section with cartridge in, the sac, and the barrel, as if they are all put back in but lay them out in parallel. So you can see where best to cut off. As the cartridge is not a straight cylinder shape but tapered, it’s a bit of guess work where to cut off and what size of sac to fit on. For my Delta Dolcevita Mini, I decided that the sac size should be 17 or 18 (I used a sac gauge). I would rather err on one size too small than one size too big, because a natural tight fit also helps the sac to stay on (but not too tight!). Have fun with it! You can fill this thing almost entirely full by squeezing the air out while holding the barrel nib-up and dunk again after the initial fill.