Maiora Alpha K

[dms525]

Maiora has released a new fountain pen model, the Alpha. It comes in three italian resins, all of which I find attractive.They come in both a C/C/Eye dropper and piston editions. I ordered two of the "Alpha K" piston pens. These are limited editions of 388 pens in each color. One of my pens has arrived, and it is (as expected) even more beautiful in person than in the photos. This model is the "Ercolano." I ordered it with a 14Kt gold 1.1mm nib.

 

 

 

 

The pen is essentially identical in size and configuration to the Delta Stantuffo pens. It is a bit shorter than the Maiora Libertà pens but has the same piston type. The nib writes beautifully right out of the box with the ink that came with the pen.

 

I am looking forward to receiving the other pen I ordered and may have difficulty depriving myself of one in the third color.

 

Enjoy!

 

David

[askwyatt]

Gorgeous. 

[Carrau]

Very nice, David.  I received mine in the Pompeii material yesterday, but hadn’t had time to photograph it as of yet.  Like yours, mine has a 1.1 stub, and also wrote beautifully right out of the box.  The color of the material is intense, and I love the size and feel.  I’m altogether pleased.

[dms525]

  On 2/25/2022 at 12:08 AM, Carrau said:

Very nice, David.  I received mine in the Pompeii material yesterday, but hadn’t had time to photograph it as of yet.  Like yours, mine has a 1.1 stub, and also wrote beautifully right out of the box.  The color of the material is intense, and I love the size and feel.  I’m altogether pleased.

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Congratulations. The Pompeii looks very handsome. The thin lines of green that I see in some photos are startling (in a good way).

 

The Alpha K is my second Maiora with a gold stub. The other is equally good. I also have one Maiora with a steel stub. It is very good also. I'm impressed with their range.

 

David

[Carrau]

I finally had a bit of time to snap a couple of photographs of the Maiora Alpha in Pompeii resin.  The red and green coloring was highly appealing to me, and reminiscent of the colors in the Conway Stewart Poinsettia resin.  The images seem to have gotten cut off in the transfer, but if clicked on, show correctly without the cutoff.

 

 

[encremental]

Both beautiful pens !

And the Ercolanco looks like it is Conway Stewarts's turquoise Fleck [393]. I have a 58 series in it, and could stare at it for hours (although I do wish it wrote a little better). A lot of their beautiful resins were from Italy, I believe.

 

John

[jchch1950]

The colours of both pens are amazing. What is the material of the pens?

[Karmachanic]

Different colours in the UK

[Carrau]

  On 2/28/2022 at 10:17 AM, jchch1950 said:

The colours of both pens are amazing. What is the material of the pens?

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Thank you encremental and jchch1950 for your compliments on the material.  It was simply described as resin.

[dms525]

@Carrau The colors are indeed intense! 

 

Enjoy your new Maiora ... intensely!

 

David

[dms525]

One problem I have found with both of my Maiora pens with pistons is that ink flow seems to slow after about half the ink has been used. I don't know if air is not able to enter the piston chamber to equalize pressure or what. My recollection is that my Delta stantuffo pens have a similar problem.

 

David

[TheDutchGuy]

Very beautiful pens indeed! Hope you’ll be able to solve the flow issue!

[TSherbs]

I have been considering one of these in a medium nib, but I am worried that the medium is quite broad. I use pens for writing, and I like using 7-8 mm ruled paper for the size of my letters. Any advice?

[Carrau]

  On 3/2/2022 at 11:29 AM, TSherbs said:

I have been considering one of these in a medium nib, but I am worried that the medium is quite broad. I use pens for writing, and I like using 7-8 mm ruled paper for the size of my letters. Any advice?

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Not having a medium nib, I’m of little help here.  Perhaps posting your question on the Italy Pen Forum might get attention from others with a Medium Maiora.

[dms525]

  On 3/2/2022 at 11:29 AM, TSherbs said:

I have been considering one of these in a medium nib, but I am worried that the medium is quite broad. I use pens for writing, and I like using 7-8 mm ruled paper for the size of my letters. Any advice?

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I would check with a Maiora vendor. I only have stubs, but Maiora uses JoWo nibs, although with non-standard feeds for their gold nibs. I think you could expect nib widths to be very similar to any other gold JoWo nib with maybe a bit higher ink flow due to the feed. But data are better than speculation, so ask some one who knows.

 

David

[TSherbs]

thanks to both of you for your replies....

[dms525]

  On 2/28/2022 at 6:56 PM, dms525 said:

One problem I have found with both of my Maiora pens with pistons is that ink flow seems to slow after about half the ink has been used. I don't know if air is not able to enter the piston chamber to equalize pressure or what. My recollection is that my Delta stantuffo pens have a similar problem.

 

David

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An update on the ink flow issue I had: I switched inks from the Maiora-branded ink that came with the pen to Waterman Serenity Blue. Flow improved slightly, but there was still occasional skipping. I then cleaned the pen and loaded Iroshizuku Kan-Peki, a very wet and well-lubricated ink. Joy! The skipping problem has completely disappeared, even after writing with the pen for a few days.

 

I am dismissing charges against the piston.  I think the issue is with the feed, but, if there is no problem using a readily available (if pricey) ink, is there a problem? 

 

Anyway, I am happy and looking forward to receiving another Maiora Alpha K with a stub nib which is currently in transit from Rome. I might just ink it with an Iroshizuku ink right off the bat.

 

David

[Carrau]

The Maiora ink I received with the pen seemed to dry out quickly in the pen when I tried it.  This was not the case with Serenity Blue or Monteverde Sapphire, the other inks I have tried.

[dms525]

My second Maiora Alpha K arrived last night. I inked it with the Maiora-labeled blue ink that was included with the pen. I am very happy to report that, so far, it is writing perfectly with absolutely no skipping. 

 

 

 

David

[Carrau]

Very elegant, the blue and gold setting each other off so nicely.  I happy it wrote well for you, David.