Senator Windsor

[southpaw]

Background

One of my first fountain pens was a Pelikan M200. The M200 taught me quite a few things about FP’s, one of which was, “I like piston fillers!” I enquired as to other inexpensive piston fillers with the FPN crowd and was told to snag a Senator piston filler if I could find one. Guess what? I did! And it was NOS to boot!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Senatorcapped.jpg

 

Overall Design (4/5)

The design of the Windsor is very crisp and simple. It calls to mind the design of another German piston-filled fountain pen, the Pelikan M200. The barrel is a plain black barrel with a visulated section just before the threads. There are no bands on the barrel. The cap has a gold-plated band on the bottom with “Senator,” the Senator logo, and “Germany.” The clip is also gold-plated and somewhat reminiscent of Pelikan’s clip.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Senatorcomparison02.jpg

 

Size & Weight (4/5)

For comparative purposes, dimensions of the Pelikan M200 are also listed (Senator/M200):

Pen length capped = 134.5/125 mm, uncapped = 122.8/120.8 mm, posted = 151/146.5 mm, grip length = 16.4/14.4 mm not including threads

Pen barrel diameter max = 11.4/12.2 mm, grip = tapered 10.4-9.4/9.8-9.2 mm

In the hand, the pen feels much like an M200, just slightly larger (I have no experience with a larger Pelikan other than an M805). It is light, comfortable, and well balanced.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Senatorcomparison01.jpg

 

Nib (4/5)

The nib is a gold-plated IPG (Iridium Point Germany) with Senator’s logo engraved in the middle. This medium nib writes very much like an M200 fine. The nib is smooth with just a touch of tooth.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/Senatoruncapped.jpg

 

Filling Mechanism (4.5/5)

It’s a piston filler that operates smoothly and holds a good quantity of ink. It does not have quite the quality feel to it that the M200 does, but it’s a well-built piston filler nonetheless!

 

Fit & Finish (4/5)

The lacquered gloss black finish is well done. All of the gold-plated trim is good, especially given the price-point of the pen. All fittings and joints are tight.

 

Value (5/5)

Unfortunately, as least as I understand it, these pens are no longer made. However, they do pop up from time-to-time as NOS offerings. I haven’t seen them much if at all used – and having one, I understand why. I was able to pick mine up NOS for less than $20 shipped – for a piston-filler with a very decent nib! At that price, it’s nearly impossible to beat.

 

Summary (4.5/5)

Clean, simple, classic looks. Good fit and finish. Nice nib. PISTON FILLER! All at a value that can’t be beat. What more needs to be said? If you can find one, I highly recommend you snatch it up before someone else does (like me!).

 

A chickenscratch sample from the Senator. As you can tell, when the pictures were taken, the pen had just a bit of Waterman Purple left in it. It has since been rinsed and reinked with Noodler's Verdun Green Eternal Ink.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/michaelwhitesides/senatorwritingsample.jpg

[Roger]

Good again, SP.

 

Concluding with a writing sample is a nice touch adding a fancy period to the last sentence.

 

Did I hear correctly somewhere or incorrectly infer that the Senator Windsor as a clone of the Pel M200 can also take Pel nibs?

[southpaw]

  Roger said:

Good again, SP.

 

Concluding with a writing sample is a nice touch adding a fancy period to the last sentence.

 

Did I hear correctly somewhere or incorrectly infer that the Senator Windsor as a clone of the Pel M200 can also take Pel nibs?

Thanks.

 

Thanks.

 

The Senator nib does unscrew, and, having a Pelikan M200, I thought I'd give it a go. No diceQ

[Rique]

I´ve got one of those Senators, bought some 15 years ago, and I agree with everything you said. Mine is a special calligraphy edition, which came with three different italic nibs. The pen is a great buy (or was; I think it is no produced anymore). The only problem I think worth mentioning is, I can´t post the cap on it; the cap never stays in place. Otherwise, a great pen.

Edited September 21, 2005 by Rique

[southpaw]

  Rique said:

I´ve got one of those Senators, bought some 15 years ago, and I agree with everything you said. Mine is a special calligraphy edition, which came with three different italic nibs. The pen is a great buy (or was; I think it is no produced anymore). The only problem I think worth mentioning is, I can´t post the cap on it; the cap never stays in place. Otherwise, a great pen.

I know what you mean about posting - has to post the cap with a little pressure or mine has the same problem. I'd love to know where to grab a few extra nibs for it.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Where do you get it?

 

Dillon

[southpaw]

Snagged mine off of Ebay - not much help, I know.

[Ann Finley]

Nice job, Southpaw! Thanks for taking the time to do the review--I like piston fillers, too--wish more brands offered them at reasonable (lower!) prices.

 

Best, Ann

[cmeisenzahl]

Always good to see a reasonably priced piston filler. Great review, thanks.

[jd50ae]

Saw a few Senators listed on SwisherPens a few years ago, wish I had bought one or two or...... <_<

[sfeinman]

I've seen the Senator President listed on the pengallery.com, which is based in Singapore

[helius]

Thanks for reminding me, sfeinman. I knew I'd seen it somewhere recently!

 

Just a note: It's a small detail for most of us, since shipping from either country would take just as long, but Pengallery.com is located in Malaysia, not Singapore.

[southpaw]

  sfeinman said:

I've seen the Senator President listed on the pengallery.com, which is based in Singapore

Please note that the Senator Windsor and the Senator President are two entirely different pens. The Windsor is Pelikan M200 size and the President much closer to a MB 149. The Windsor is an good pen but closer to an entry-level pen and the President more aimed at higher ends (having owned the Senator and having a President, both are excellent pens, imho).

[Steve Heisler]

I have owned a Senator Regent pen (no longer manufactured) with a fine iridium point nib purchased at Lee's Art Shop in NYC more than 20 years ago. It was and is a great pen; light, with a flexible nib and writes still with a flowing, perfect wet line. You barely feel the pen on the page. For the hell of it I recently bought a Sentor Windsor on EBAY (NOS, about 28 bucks shipped and it writes just as beautifully as the Regent.

[RevAaron]

After reading about the Windsor a while back, I've been looking to get one. Only thing I've seen on eBay has been one for $60, plus $20 shipping. The guy counter offered $30 on a $20 ofter, so if you're looking for one don't offer any more than that. He just relisted it, dropping the S/H to $13. Just FYI if someone is so pumped to get one that they want to pay the high asking price.

 

...or, if anyone wants to sell me one, feel free to PM me.

 

Aaron

[shoppy]

Looks great, thanks for a very informative review. I am now on ebay on my iphone looking.

[RevAaron]

Muhahaha! Finally, I have obtained a Senator! I attempted making reasonble offers to the guy trying to sell one for $60, but I have perservered and got one for $17. Excuse my over-epicing of this not-so-epic quest, but a guy get's excited.

 

The most curious part? It comes with a bottle blue Senator Windsor Ink. Not sure if Senator made their own ink, or who makes it, but figuring it out is half the fun...

 

Aaron

[RevAaron]

I just got my Windsor- and I'm very impressed. Higher quality than the Reform pens I've used, both the 1745 and the Reform Classico, which is very similar to the Windsor. Especially the nib- heck, this pen was shipped uncapped in the display box (!), and the nib is still much smoother than the Reform 1745 or Classico.

 

It also has the smoothest piston I've used outside of a modern Pelikan. In both cases, you almost wonder if it needs to be recorked, because the cork just moves too easily.

 

I'm actually very impressed by this pen, and it feels like it's a tier up from the Classico. The nib is very firm but very, very smooth. The Senator-brand (?) blue ink that came with it is pretty nice too, a royal blue withe more green tones than Pelikan, Skrip or Quink Royal Blue.

 

Verdict: Recommended! I'd even say it's worth it to spend a bit more for this pen, maybe $30-40. Color me impressed.

Edited October 4, 2008 by RevAaron

[Nasdal]

  RevAaron said:

I'm actually very impressed by this pen, and it feels like it's a tier up from the Classico. The nib is very firm but very, very smooth. The Senator-brand (?) blue ink that came with it is pretty nice too, a royal blue withe more green tones than Pelikan, Skrip or Quink Royal Blue.

 

I've tried the senator with Pelikan ink first, and wasn't impressed.

After changing to Parker Quink it writes very smooth and with no problems.

Both are black inks.

 

ciou

 

[georges zaslavsky]

nice pen southpaw do you have the senator website????? I am interested in their fattest pen.