What's Up At Christof's

[branodncooley92]

Great pictures.

[kawuska]

Christof,

with that drawing talent you should consider making comic- books!Really, I love seeing your drawings as much as I like your pens!

Regards

[Baroz]

What a wonderful posting, Christof. Love the sketches and the pens and the history story behind the pens.

[christof]

Thanks to all for the compliments and nice comments. But I think it's time to forget about comic books and great customer service and get back to the really important things in life: cool vintage fountain pens!

 

I recently had the opportunity to work on some very cool vintage Soennecken. Perhaps you remember my antique store find with the green tin? There has been some coole pens inside. Also a post war Soennecken Präsident 1. I didn't posted pictures because the condtion was to poor. But now, the pen has been finished. Tom Westerich has been so kind to replace the missing cap ring and push knob, and I did the rest. Means: straighten the bent nib, complete disassembling and cleaning, polishing and reassembling with a new ink sac. Voilà:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8475/8096122653_33973ba958_c.jpg

This pen is fantastic, isn't it? Well, I have to admit that I got a little bit in a "presidential fewer" and bought another one from a reputated and well known seller. It's the pre war Präsident, completely made of hard rubber with a fantastic designed bulky cap band also made of hard rubber. I really would love to know who had the idea for this design feataure and how did he presuade his bosses to produce this... not an easy task I can imagine, haha.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8472/8096129614_83784c9dd3_c.jpg

An interesting detail: The pen is fitted with an 18ct. nib. Not that common for prewar pens, except for the french market.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8191/8096135520_cd3a8c156d_c.jpg

The third pen I worked on is an interesting Soennecken 116 from early post war time. This one is a piston filler.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8049/8096134826_0981f42dc9_c.jpg

The pen looks like the luxury version of common 116's. Three cap bands in different sizes and a huge "presidential" nib. Quite interesting I think.

The different filling mechanisms: Casein push knobs of the Präsidents and the hard rubber knob of the piston filler.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8048/8096135170_114148dbff_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8096135906_4ce079682b_c.jpg

Btw, the Präsident works in in my opinion similar to the Waterman's inkview. There's just a push knob instead of a lever. Interesting that Germans invented this system. The black tube around the casein knobs is just a securing mechanism, which can be screwed inside of the barrel while filling the pen.

The last picture shows the hard rubber Präsident with two other hard rubber push knob fillers, a Parker Lucky Curve and a Montblanc Meisterstück 124S.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8473/8096136236_134e6a4f1b_c.jpg

 

...hope you did enjoy this little review and let's see what's next.

Edited October 17, 2012 by christof

[peterpen53]

Very nice work, Christof. I'm beginning to find those Soennecken pens more and more interesting. That bulky hard rubber cap ring reminds me of some crescent fillers.

[markiv]

These look like the superstars when it comes to vintage pens. Simply fantastic.

[christof]

These look like the superstars when it comes to vintage pens. Simply fantastic.

 

Vik

This post is your keyword to post one of your great pictures of your own fantastic Präsidents. Please, please....

Christof

[tenney]

I love these teases, Christof... Great work on some great pens.

Now if only you were describing restorations of pens you were then going to sell (and I saw them for sale before they were all sold... and at a price within my budget, of course).

[ethernautrix]

Those are amazing -- what a beautiful restoration job you did.

 

Lovely.

[christof]

Now if only you were describing restorations of pens you were then going to sell (and I saw them for sale before they were all sold... and at a price within my budget, of course).

 

I have done this, several times, for example here: RESTORATION OF A ...

[tenney]

Yes, I know you have... but unfortunately $3000 is outside my pen budget :-)

[christof]

Believe it or not, of mine too!

[pavoni]

You always have been and remain compulsive viewing/reading Christof. Thanks for sharing.

 

Soenneckens always seem so distinctive, so classy (made even better with your professional photos :clap1:). I haven't yet got any in my collection but after seeing those beauties of yours, I think I am going to have to correct this situation in due course.

 

I urge everyone to take a look at the super restoration job Christof did on his MB L139. Nerves of steel

 

Pavoni.

[christof]

You always have been and remain compulsive viewing/reading Christof. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thank you Pavoni. I am always thinking that my english writing must be quite....uhm.... bumpy to read for native speakers.

[pavoni]

You always have been and remain compulsive viewing/reading Christof. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thank you Pavoni. I am always thinking that my english writing must be quite....uhm.... bumpy to read for native speakers.

 

When you have such fabulous pens, draw and photograph as well as you do Christof, who could possibly notice your very rare linguistic inaccuracies. You are a 'Star' and we very much enjoy your generous and valued contribution.

 

Pavoni.

[tenney]

Repeating... I do love your photos and detailed descriptions of your restorations, the process, etc. I'd love to watch a video of you at work. (does one already exist?)

[christof]

Repeating... I do love your photos and detailed descriptions of your restorations, the process, etc. I'd love to watch a video of you at work. (does one already exist?)

 

No video, sorry. I am not good enough as an actor...

But I'll try to post some pics of a cork seal repair next week.

[christof]

Okay, here I am with the cork seal pics! (Please forgive the poor quality. Usually, I take pics in the studio, not in the work shop...)

 

MB 144 repair:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3140/5739245576_f45597c349_b.jpg

 

Soennecken 110 repair:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/6917532582_e3a7ba1bc4_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7210/6917532428_601d60fff8_c.jpg

 

And this should be an illustrated explanation on what you see on the pics. Sorry for the poor quality- has been done on the road.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8463/8115218165_8c784911d4_c.jpg

 

personal note to step IV:

Lot's of collectors, amateur restorers but also lots of prof. restorers do not seal the corks with paraffine wax (I know that because I took a very close look to every pen I bought...). Some of them use silicon grease instead, others nothing - just blank cork. In my humble opinion, it's important to seal the cork with hot liquid paraffine. Cork is a natural material. Cutted to very thin walled seals it becomes brittle. Paraffine fills all the tiny holes and gaps and gives the seal solidity. It also does reduce the friction between the barrel walls and the seal and it prevents the complete soaking of the cork with ink. But as already said, this is just my own experience and opinion.

Edited October 23, 2012 by christof

[Soot]

In my humble opinion, it's important to seal the cork with hot liquid paraffine. Cork is a natural material. Cutted to very thin walled seals it becomes brittle. Paraffine fills all the tiny holes and gaps and gives the seal solidity. It also does reduce the friction between the barrel walls and the seal and it prevents the complete soaking of the cork with ink. But as already said, this is just my own experience and opinion.

Christof, it would be bliss if everyone did things your way. Every pen would be wonderful and problem free for a long time.

[tenney]

Christof, a work of art. You should be very proud of your restorations, and the instructions above... and for doing all of the detailed things like sealing in wax. Well done!