Nemosine Is Going Away. Clearance On All Their Stuff

[Honeybadgers]

This whole factoring in money for a custom grind thing just doesn't work for me, except when buying from Nibsmith.com and Nibs.com which will include the service (for an additional fee or otherwise) as part of the sales process. Deciding to get nib work done after receiving the pen (and having tested how it writes out-of-the-box) add a ridiculous amount of expense in shipping the pen overseas and back, not to mention the delays in transit and sitting in a nibmeister's queue.

 

For a pen like the Lamy 2000 Makrolon it'll cost more than the pen itself, and I can already conclude it's not worth it because... it's a Lamy 2000, not a Nakaya or some other "high-end" Japanese or German pen that carries prestige and distinction (possibly as a limited edition that is "artifically" rare or otherwise). It's a boring-looking workhorse-class pen that isn't going to please me more than a plain black Sailor Professional Gear with an F or EF nib that I can trust, by reputation and also lots of first-hand experience with Sailor gold nibs with the 1911 imprint. The whole point of my getting a Lamy 2000 would be to see for myself what it's like, that so many people here seem to rave about (and also more than a few who said they were disappointed or just plain didn't like it), not how to get a good pen out of the expenditure (or additional expenditure!) by customisation.

 

Piston-fillers earn no extra points with me; I do my best not to see them as a negative categorically. Large ink capacities earn no extra points with me. Wet nibs earn no extra points with me. "Understated" and "classic" with specific reference to European or American sensibilities earn no extra points with me. Lamy as a brand earn no extra points with me, although I'm starting to see the brand more favourably because it's releasing a limited edition blue-black Lamy 2000 and a super limited-edition Dialog Urushi set (which I can't afford), and the Imporium TiPt I got recently is quite nice for a gold-nibbed pen. The only thing going for the Lamy 2000 as a prospective purchase is my curiosity. In my opinion, the best way to relate to fellow fountain pen hobbyists is not actually to share a love for something in particular, or rejoice in the same traits, but simply to have tried something commonly known and formed an informed opinion as yet another (dare I say, equally as valid) data point for the wider community to see.

 

I feel slightly "bad" to be inclined to be dismissive of the Lamy 2000 by looks and design (including being a piston-filler) alone, without having used one and compared it with the Imporium, as well as gold-nibbed Pelikan, Aurora and Sailor pens (all of which also make piston-fillers). Spending US$115 or thereabouts to get one, and not expecting to like it -- but open to being wowed, if by some miracle of inconsistency the nib actually writes crisply and precisely -- is sorta a penance.

 

Anyway, none of that has anything to do with Nemosine, an American brand that was never in the same league as Lamy and such brands in the industry or "the hobby", although some of its models can be fairly compared with steel-nibbed Lamy, Pelikan, Aurora and Sailor pens. I still say the Nemosine Neutrino could compete with a much pricier steel-nibbed Aurora Ipsilon (but I don't own one of the latter, only a gold-nibbed Aurora Ipsilon Quadra Cento Italia). Could the Nemosine Singularity take on, say, the Pelikan P205 or Sailor Procolor 500? Probably not exactly, but then the Singularity is much cheaper. I don't know what the Nemosine Fission could compare against; now that I've used one to do some writing samples, I can say I just really don't enjoy holding it and writing with it, even though I'm perfectly happy with fat and/or heavy pens such as the Delta Sea Wood (which isn't heavy) or Rotring Initial (which is heavy).

 

 

One minor last aside - the 2k is genuinely probably the best value in fountain pens, bar none, considering the fit and finish. It's got the machining tolerances that thousand dollar pens would bow down and only wish they had. Like I said, the way the piston knob is completely invisible unless you're holding it an inch away from your face, only to just appear from nothing as you twist it, the overall fit/finish would wtill be impressive if it cost $500. If lamy just slowly upped the price over the decades, to where they were asking five hundred by today, nobody would be calling it overpriced for what they got. I got mine mostly because I like clean, simple, minimal designs that focus on ergonomics (it posts deeply, the slip cap clicks on crazy satisfyingly, the sturdy but well tensioned hinged clip that you can squeeze by the top to pre-open, the modestly nose-heavy balance makes it feel very driven into the paper, the general feel in the hand of the materials is just fantastic) but the writing experience was just so exceptional that I keep finding it inked.

 

That's obviously no indication as to whether you'd like it, but just keep in mind that at $150, it's one of the best -deals- out there, and you could probably pass it along with an unmodified nib for about $100 if you didn't like it with ease. I resold my F nib one once I got my EF, by just posting it on craigslist to someone local for $100 and it was sold within 4 hours.

Edited September 18, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[A Smug Dill]

It's got the machining tolerances that thousand dollar pens would bow down and only wish they had. Like I said, the way the piston knob is completely invisible unless you're holding it an inch away from your face, only to just appear from nothing as you twist it, the overall fit/finish would wtill be impressive if it cost $500. If lamy just slowly upped the price over the decades, to where they were asking five hundred by today, nobody would be calling it overpriced for what they got.

Screw you Lamy. That's just outright disrespectful, at least the stainless steel model had custom tooling costs. This one is just the same plastic, only blue.

As it is, $400 for a blue plastic lamy 2000 is literally an insult to my intelligence, a corporation just trying to see what it can get away with.

I ordered one, not the least because you're so keen on selling the Lamy 2000's virtues to fellow hobbyists and how the embodied value of even the basic Makrolon version — due its design, engineering and manufacture — ought to be worth $500 or thereabouts, so that must also hold true for the rarer, more sought after Bauhaus Limited Edition which shares the same characteristics (and didn't cost me US$500).

 

I personally also took it to be a plus that Lamy has decided (or implicitly acknowledged) that only the EF nib is fit for its Limited Edition run of 1919 units.

Edited September 18, 2019 by A Smug Dill

[Honeybadgers]

If nothing else, it's a reliably easy resell if you dislike it, with minimal loss of investment. But I think you'll appreciate its attention to detail.

Edited September 18, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[MuddyWaters]

I agree with Hb about all he said about the Lamy 2000, especially it being best value on the market, except that the Lamy 2000 fails to be comfortable in the hand for many people unfortunately. But it's for you to try and we shall see.

[PaganArcher]

Welp... I just bought seven new Singularities, all with 0.6 or 0.8 stubs. Mostly because for an extra fifty cents over just buying the nibs, it was too good of a deal to pass up.

 

I do wish I had bought some of the inks while I was able, but such is life. I'll miss the brand when they disappear for good, but hopefully they'll continue those nib sizes among the offerings at Birmingham.

Edited September 21, 2019 by DriftingSands

[Bibliophage]

Thanks. I went ahead and pulled the trigger - one each of three different models, just to try, and probably give away

[thudthwacker]

I went for two: a Singularity with a broad nib in gunmetal, and a mystery pen. They arrived today, and thus far, I really love the Singularity. It's my first broad nib (though I've got a number of 1.1 stubs), and it works for me -- I filled it with Colorverse Dark Energy and, after writing out a postcard with it, I can tell it's going to be a pen I use a lot.

 

The mystery pen turned out to be a Fission in nickel (with a medium nib), and while I haven't had a chance to ink it yet, I very much like the look of it and the feel in my hand. I'm looking forward to filling it and seeing if I like it as much as the Singularity.

 

Oddly, these are the only pens I own that I prefer to use posted -- and that's especially odd with the Fission, as I would assume it would be way too back-heavy. But I like it.

 

All in all, I'd call it a very pleasing use of $20.

[thudthwacker]

Just spent another $20 on two more Singularities -- decided to try one of the 0.8mm stubs, and got another medium from the "mystery Singularity" grab-bag. Are Nemosine nibs typical of Jowo's offerings? I've been really happy with them -- it's the main reason I ordered two more pens.

 

(Also, while it doesn't much matter: the Singularity I got last time is in Granite, not Gunmetal. Don't really know where I got "Gunmetal" from.)

[Drone]

The Singularity stock seems quite low now, only the solid Velvet Black and Ivory color pens are left. I just picked up a Black Velvet Singularity with a 1.1mm Stub, reg. $19.99, sale $7.99 + $4.99 USPS Shipping = $12.98 total. My clear demonstrator Singularity cracked where the clip mounts on its first day. I've heard the solid color pens don't crack as easily. We'll see. At worst I'll end up with a spare converter and a good #6 steel 1.1mm stub nib & feed.

[thudthwacker]

Hm. I look in on the Nemosine page every now and again, and I would swear that some options keep going in and out of availability, which seems odd for a clearance. I mean, do they keep finding boxes tucked away in corners? For example, if I recall correctly, the Mystery Pen was sold out when I was placing my second order -- there was only the Mystery Singularity available. Now, the Mystery Pen is back. (Granted, it's possible that I'm just wrong about it ever having been gone. Though I'm quite sure that the available nib options for some of the Singularities have changed over time.)

[Misfit]

I thought I was done buying from the Nemosine close out. But I used the #5 nib bought for a Neutrino on a TWSBI. I decided to get another 1.1 nib, a #6 nib in 0.6mm and a Mystery Singularity. Maybe should have gone the Mystery pen route instead of Mystery Singularity route.

 

I hope the Mystery Singularity is not one I already have.

[thudthwacker]

I checked this morning, and the Mystery Pen is once again showing as sold out. I'm going to keep an eye on it this time in case it comes back -- mainly because I don't want to come to the conclusion that it doesn't go back and forth, and I'm just really lacking in observational skills.

[thudthwacker]

Aha! The Mystery Pen is back in stock, so I'm not crazy. Well, I'm not mistaken about them going away and coming back, anyway. Shouldn't over-promise.

[Misfit]

They are coming and going. I have now ordered two mystery pens, one guaranteed to be a Singularity. I wish it would be a green one. I did not know about Nemosine until that pen color was gone.

 

It is almost like Christmas these mystery pens. Also ordered loose stub nibs.

[Misfit]

My first of two Nemosine shipments arrived today. The Mystery Singularity was the Walnut brown version. I was so happy to see that color. I had wanted one after I ordered the 5, but did not see the Walnut then, only later. It was such a happy result.

 

Next up is a Mystery pen that could be a Fission, Neutrino, or Singularity.

 

When my brother was visiting, I brought out the 4 Singularity pens and suggested we each pick a favorite. He picked Ivory while I picked Granite. Since I have a Pelikan Cafe Creme, I was happy to let him have the Ivory pen. My brother got the Ivory in 0.8 nib, and Velvet Black in 1.1. I got the Polar white in 0.8 and the Granite in 1.1.

 

My two recent orders include the 0.6 nibs for the Fission pens I got in Birmingham bundles with TWSBI Ecos. I also got another #5 nib in 1.1mm for my Neutrino.

Edited October 21, 2019 by Misfit

[Misfit]

The second shipment arrived today. It felt light, so I figured no Fission pen for the Mystery pen. It was a Singularity, this time what I think was called Black Marble.

 

I sort of wanted a Neutrino in nickel, but getting another (and no repeat color) of Singularity is fine.

[uaexemarat]

I just received my shipment of 6 Mystery pens

 

It was 4 Fissions (Gunmetal, Dark Blue, Light Blue and a weird grayish one) and 2 Singularities (Black Marble and Coral)

 

I was hoping to get a Neutrino, but it was not the case

[thudthwacker]

I just received my shipment of 6 Mystery pens

 

It was 4 Fissions (Gunmetal, Dark Blue, Light Blue and a weird grayish one) and 2 Singularities (Black Marble and Coral)

 

I was hoping to get a Neutrino, but it was not the case

 

Ooh, a Coral Singularity, you say? Very nice!

 

Maybe the Fission you got is the Nickel finish? I got one of those, and I like it a lot.

[Misfit]

I wanted a Neutrino in nickel, and should have bought one when it was available. I have the Singularity in Coral. It’s a very attractive pen.

[A Smug Dill]

I recently received a pack of PenBBS spare parts, which includes (among other things) standalone feeds, housing for nib units, and plenty of O-rings in different sizes. I'm happy to let you know that after pairing a Nemosine #6 EF nib (from a Fission pen, which is a model I've come to dislike and regret buying) with a new feed and forcefully jamming them into a nib housing from the pack, the replacement nib unit fits the PenBBS 308 perfectly (with almost no headroom when the cap is screwed on), in spite of the Nemosine nib being marginally longer than the PenBBS nib.

 

That's a much, much better idea that trying to pull the factory nib out of the pen's original nib housing unit, given how fragile the fins on the PenBBS feeds are. One of the five standalone feeds I received already has a small number of fins that are misshapen and fractured. The replacement nib housing is rudimentary and does not have any 'keying' for the nib body, and it took a lot of force to push the nib as far in as the original nib unit (which is clear, if slightly blue in colour) shows where the factory nib is sitting. Even after that, the nib wrote terribly wetly (and sorta defeated the purpose of replacing the nib on the pen with a Nemosine #6 EF, which I have tested and know is capable of putting down very narrow lines), and it took some more pushing on the nib to finally get it to behave. I have no doubt that it'll now be nigh impossible to remove the nib from the replacement nib unit without permanently wrecking the feed, housing or both, but since I have no intention of ever returning the nib into a Nemosine Fission pen, it isn't all that much of a worry.

 

I just wish Nemosine had offered its remaining stock of Singularity pens (with Stub nibs in different widths) earlier in its closeout sales, so that I needn't have purchased my three Fission pens just to get those #6 nibs. Their awful painted brass pen bodies with the glossy metal sections and most uncomfortable step-down can now go into the trash, even though the factory PenBBS nib units with F nibs won't (as much as I don't find them fine enough for my tastes).