Death Of An Omas

[sansenri]

It meight sound too straightforward, but, wouldn't it be possible to 'glue' it back together?

Hi, Ruben, you mean the body?

 

no... it has not snapped clean, it's in a bad state, the broken part is corroded (and has also lost several smaller particles)... but in particular I think the whole body is still out-gassing... so I think I would be just heading for further trouble.

 

I've read that celluloid can be reconstructed, but then the wild pattern would be lost and in any case I don't think it is possible to do it on a celluloid that is continuing to decay. See the broken part, it's as though it has melted...

 

[sansenri]

sansenri: The piston from your pen should not be much different from the one shown in youtube video. Once you get the section off the barrel, which you have, you should be able to unscrew the piston knob which pushes the front part of the piston unit (seal and shaft) out from the front. Meanwhile keep unscrewing the piston knob, you will feel some resistance towards the end. Keep unscrewing over that resistance, and the spindle and the attached piston knob will pop out from the backside. To get the piston unit off the piston knob, you need to secure the pen and knock out the safety pin (metal pin that is fixed in the two holes of the piston knob). Once you do all that, you have fully disassembled the piston unit.

yes, thanks, that's the part I have to understand how to do, the pin hole is very small, so I need a small and solid pin to knock it through.

Will investigate in my tools... thanks

[como]

I've used a large thick needle with dull ends (maybe they are used for knitting sweaters? I have no idea and I only use these things for pen repairs), or push pin with the needle end dulled. I've killed one needle. The end of the needle where the thread goes in broke upon being hammered a few times, but that's even better as after that there was nothing more to break .

 

yes, thanks, that's the part I have to understand how to do, the pin hole is very small, so I need a small and solid pin to knock it through.

Will investigate in my tools... thanks

[fpupulin]

Dear Franco, thank you for trying to bring comfort, I'm not sure I have to listen to your advice... (but I've been googling already!...)

 

Congratulations to your daughter and I sincerely hope her Galileo will be one of the eternal ones!

 

 

 

Dear sansenri: thanks for taking the time to answer the message.

 

I fear that nothing is eternal, my friend, and as others have already stated, it is better to suffer for the loss of what one has loved and enjoyed than not having had...

 

That said, however, Wild is Wild. You may well not have a pen in this fragile and amazing celluloid, but you cannot have any pen like this celluloid. Good hunting!

[sansenri]

thank you Franco, as you know, when I say "eternal" I mean one of those batches that received the correct treatment and will last longer, probably to out-live us.

As many other pen makers, Omas was absolutely capable of making pens with such celluloids, one example I own is a 361 which belonged to my grandfather.

I think the pen dates 1948 or 49. He used it regularly. My father told me he remembered seeing his father using it. When my grandfather passed away the pen went to my father, and then a few years ago, before my father actually passed away, he gave it to me to use.

Let's hope many other Omas celluloid pens last that long and more.

[OMASsimo]

Well, it’s not celluloid in general that’s to blame and usually not the fountain pen makers in particular, either. The problem is in production of the raw material if the acid isn’t washed out properly. The curing process used by the fountain pen makers has no influence on that. So, if they got a bad batch from the celluloid producer, we’re going to see this kind of degradation some decades later.

 

I have so many celluloid pens from the 1930s through 1950s in my collection and not a single one with such issues, fortunately. My oldest OMAS pens are from the 1930s and the celluloid is in excellent condition. So are the couple of 361s I have. I think that the problems with OMAS celluloids started in the 1990s. Maybe, celluloid producers had forgotten by then how to do it right.

[jchch1950]

Galileo and Urbano are pens that will self destroy . I have both and they already show deterioration of the celluloid . What sad end to pens that were example of beauty and performance. .

[sansenri]

Well, it’s not celluloid in general that’s to blame and usually not the fountain pen makers in particular, either. The problem is in production of the raw material if the acid isn’t washed out properly. The curing process used by the fountain pen makers has no influence on that. So, if they got a bad batch from the celluloid producer, we’re going to see this kind of degradation some decades later.

 

I have so many celluloid pens from the 1930s through 1950s in my collection and not a single one with such issues, fortunately. My oldest OMAS pens are from the 1930s and the celluloid is in excellent condition. So are the couple of 361s I have. I think that the problems with OMAS celluloids started in the 1990s. Maybe, celluloid producers had forgotten by then how to do it right.

That is what I meant OMASsimo, it's likely Omas was little to blame (if not for raising demand), more so the celluloid producer who either forgot how to do it, or more likely, as I mentioned earlier, put so much pressure on rolling out the batches that in some cases they may have cut some corners...

[dms525]

I just read this topic. It's sad to see such a beautiful pen deteriorate.

 

I have 3 pens in OMAS Wild celluloid. All seem to be intact, for now. Your story makes me want to use them more often. Enjoy them while I can.

 

David

[como]

May I ask which model(s) are your Omas Wild if you don’t mind? The Galileo Wild was the only version known to me to have this outgassing problem among different Wild versions. In Post #47 Urbano was mentioned to have such problem also, which was the first time I heard of such issue with this model. Wild is one of my favorite Omas celluloids.

I just read this topic. It's sad to see such a beautiful pen deteriorate.

 

I have 3 pens in OMAS Wild celluloid. All seem to be intact, for now. Your story makes me want to use them more often. Enjoy them while I can.

 

David

[Michael R.]

My two Omas 360 Wild (original design) still lock good; so far.

Besides my two Arlecchino celluloid pens a blue Lucens Extra as well as the black Lucens Extra are starting to look and smell suspicious.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Michael R.

[como]

Michael R: Are your two Omas Lucens modern or vintage? Thank you!

My two Omas 360 Wild (original design) still lock good; so far.

Besides my two Arlecchino celluloid pens a blue Lucens Extra as well as the black Lucens Extra are starting to look and smell suspicious.

[dms525]

May I ask which model(s) are your Omas Wild if you don’t mind? The Galileo Wild was the only version known to me to have this outgassing problem among different Wild versions. In Post #47 Urbano was mentioned to have such problem also, which was the first time I heard of such issue with this model. Wild is one of my favorite Omas celluloids.

 

I have a Galileo, a 360 and an Oldwin in OMAS Wild Celluloid.

 

David

[Michael R.]

Michael R: Are your two Omas Lucens modern or vintage? Thank you!

Armando Simoni collection from the year 2000; both are modern.

[como]

These are beautiful pens, David. Wild is mesmerizing. Though the outgassing is well known on Galileo, there are also many that look as good as new. Enjoy your Wild!

 

I have a Galileo, a 360 and an Oldwin in OMAS Wild Celluloid.

 

David

[como]

Michael R.: I see. I really hope that yours will hold up well, or last as long as possible. When they came out, I didn’t buy them because I found them too beautiful to be inked, these transparent barrels. Also I remember the blue Lucens set was quite expensive. The vintage ones are also wonderful. I am especially fond of the semi transparent Tortoise model. Like sansenri said, use it use it use it!

Armando Simoni collection from the year 2000; both are modern.

[sansenri]

I just read this topic. It's sad to see such a beautiful pen deteriorate.

 

I have 3 pens in OMAS Wild celluloid. All seem to be intact, for now. Your story makes me want to use them more often. Enjoy them while I can.

 

David

please do, David, but I'm rather convinced mine was a bad one.

If anything, store them properly, with sufficient ventilation.

[como]

I have come back to this thread a few times, with the feeling of lament, nostalgia and admiration. I have been thinking of my pens too, my Italian celluloid pens. A good majority of my humble Italian pen collection are pens made of celluloid. I never had an Omas Wild. By the time I seriously thought about getting one, Omas was already bust and I learned from a nibmeister of such outgassing problem on the Galileo. So eventually I bought an ASC Bologna Extra Wild out of nostalgia for Omas. That pen never had any problems, was very unapologetically huge. The celluloid was of course stunning too. But it was too big for my not particularly large hands. Eventually I decided to sell it, having looked at it much more than using it. So once again I was left with no Wild, a material I find so mesmerising despite no real chatoyance and depth like you see in celluloids with a sort of marbling effect. I was out looking for a "Wild" again and I didn't know where to go because though I never heard of the outgassing problem on Wild other than the Galileo model, I couldn't be absolutely sure and it was difficult to find something not too expensive. In the end I decided to try to get a vintage one. After all, this celluloid, along with Arco Brown, Arco Grey, were widely used in the 1930s and 1940s in the Italian pen scene! So I got this, a button-filler, Parker Duofold streamlined style The King from 1930s, probably made by Omas but not necessarily. It is old and somewhat discoloured, but I think it is beautiful.

 

So what I want to say is this: I shall be cautious, but I shall be brave.

 

[sansenri]

that is an interesting pen, como, and you probably picked up an old enough wild to be mostly sure it will continue to age well!

Nice nib, too! Congrats

[como]

Thank you, sansenri. A few years ago I had a chance to buy an Urbano. The white streaks on the pen looked a bit more creamy than usual. So I think perhaps that's how the Wild celluloid ages. The discolour is a little more profound on the barrel of The King than cap (maybe due to rubber sac inside), but overall looks stable. It's almost 90 years old.

that is an interesting pen, como, and you probably picked up an old enough wild to be mostly sure it will continue to age well!

Nice nib, too! Congrats