Do you use a fountain pen?

[AlexC1981]

I was looking at some of Faber-Castell's pens and they have some cracking designs.

[motco]

AlexC1981 said:

I was looking at some of Faber-Castell's pens and they have some cracking designs.

Oddly enough I am very impressed......

By the photography!

[E24man]

Loving the jade example.

[flight147z]

Ordered a Lamy Safari to replace by broken Jinhao. I will miss the flouresent yellow colour (ordered Matt black) but given the use i got out of the Jinhao in the short period of time that i had it i think its worth buying something a little nicer! (Also nice not to have to wait 4 weeks for delivery from China!)

[wong]

Let me know if you want the name of an expert to regrind the Montblanc nib.

[/quote]

I'm in Hong Kong and I probably wont get this done for a while yet. I'm enjoying cheap pens at the moment. The Lamys haven't arrived yet.

[alorotom]

My 159 arrived yesterday and I have been quite surprisingly impressed with my 250 over the passed few weeks ... I've even scrapped my iPad and keyboard for work and gone back to a nice notebook!

I am a little surprised at the girth difference between the 2 but the 159 (the larger) does still feel nice in the hand

[Robbo 27]

alorotom said:

My 159 arrived yesterday and I have been quite surprisingly impressed with my 250 over the passed few weeks ... I've even scrapped my iPad and keyboard for work and gone back to a nice notebook!

I am a little surprised at the girth difference between the 2 but the 159 (the larger) does still feel nice in the hand

Good choice on the colour.

Interesting on the notebook. I was involved in a legal dispute a few years ago and was asked to supply evidence of what had been said and agreed. I was able to provide my notebook and this was accepted by the Court, the judge said he would not have accepted evidence from a computer as, in his learned opinion, it could have been faked, my notebook probably saved my job and future employability.

Nice pens.

[uncinqsix]

Robbo 27 said:

Good choice on the colour.

Interesting on the notebook. I was involved in a legal dispute a few years ago and was asked to supply evidence of what had been said and agreed. I was able to provide my notebook and this was accepted by the Court, the judge said he would not have accepted evidence from a computer as, in his learned opinion, it could have been faked, my notebook probably saved my job and future employability.

Nice pens.

I've also recently started writing down all tasks and notes in a notebook, which is something I should have been doing my whole career instead of relying on the "try and remember it" method combined with a chaotic email inbox.

It's made me much more effective at work, and I can already see a bit of trouble brewing that I will avoid due to notes l made in my book.

Back to those pens, do you find the step down from the barrel to the section uncomfortable? It's the one thing that bothers me about my Cocoon, which has a similar shape, but I have adjusted my grip to avoid it.

[Sway]

On a topical note, just found out Theresa May signed the Article 50 letter with a Parker Duofold Centennial...

[Robbo 27]

uncinqsix said:

Back to those pens, do you find the step down from the barrel to the section uncomfortable? It's the one thing that bothers me about my Cocoon, which has a similar shape, but I have adjusted my grip to avoid it.

Not at all uncomfortable, perhaps it is all down to the grip. I am right handed, the pad of my thumb is on the threads. pad of my forefinger is in line with the nib and on the section, not even aware of the step down.

[8Ace]

Sway said:

On a topical note, just found out Theresa May signed the Article 50 letter with a Parker Duofold Centennial...

Saw that and did wonder.

To the poster above who has a white Jinhao 159 - I have an identical one that was delivered yesterday. It's like writing with a marrow. I normally post my pens but the bigger steel Jinhao pens are too heavy when writing like this.

Just seen this: pretty. Interesting to show the difference in line thickness with a steel and gold nibs. Wouldnt have expected that.

http://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/03/edison-nouveau-...

[Robbo 27]

8Ace said:

Saw that and did wonder.

To the poster above who has a white Jinhao 159 - I have an identical one that was delivered yesterday. It's like writing with a marrow. I normally post my pens but the bigger steel Jinhao pens are too heavy when writing like this.

Just seen this: pretty. Interesting to show the difference in line thickness with a steel and gold nibs. Wouldnt have expected that.

http://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/03/edison-nouveau-...

Thanks for the link, not sure what to make of the nib comparison, as you say interesting.

By the reference guide there does not appear to be a significant difference between the nibs until you get to the Broad and stub nibs and i cannot see much of a difference on the written page between gold and steel. It used to be said that gold nibs were always smoother and better than steel nibs, no longer is that always the case.

[8Ace]

Robbo 27 said:

8Ace said:

Saw that and did wonder.

To the poster above who has a white Jinhao 159 - I have an identical one that was delivered yesterday. It's like writing with a marrow. I normally post my pens but the bigger steel Jinhao pens are too heavy when writing like this.

Just seen this: pretty. Interesting to show the difference in line thickness with a steel and gold nibs. Wouldnt have expected that.

http://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/03/edison-nouveau-...

Thanks for the link, not sure what to make of the nib comparison, as you say interesting.

By the reference guide there does not appear to be a significant difference between the nibs until you get to the Broad and stub nibs and i cannot see much of a difference on the written page between gold and steel. It used to be said that gold nibs were always smoother and better than steel nibs, no longer is that always the case.

Maybe just the way I was looking but the line from the steel med looks finer than the line from the 18k med...

[alorotom]

Robbo 27 said:

uncinqsix said:

Back to those pens, do you find the step down from the barrel to the section uncomfortable? It's the one thing that bothers me about my Cocoon, which has a similar shape, but I have adjusted my grip to avoid it.

Not at all uncomfortable, perhaps it is all down to the grip. I am right handed, the pad of my thumb is on the threads. pad of my forefinger is in line with the nib and on the section, not even aware of the step down.

have to admit I have never even noticed the step-down either but i do have a very lazy/hold of the pen hence my near illegible (to others) scrawl

---
I have found adjusting to the 159 this morning very easy and its made no difference in my writing performance

[ClockworkCupcake]

I'm still trying to work out what my Sheaffer with the inlaid oblique nib is.



The inlaid nib means it is in the Imperial or quasi-Imperial range. The "short diamond" inlay with rounded tip to the long edge of the cutout is going to be key to identifying it. That rules out the PFM (Pen For Men) 1959-c1968 and the Imperial 1961-c1998, and it's not a Lifetime as it doesn't have "Lifetime" on the clip.
This site seems to imply the Sheaffer Imperial Cartridge c1970-1975 but the description is rather vague and light on information.

This site makes me think it's the Model 440 (a "quasi-Imperial") but other sites confusingly show the 440 as having a V / Arrowhead cutout to the nib rather than a diamond one. But certainly from the pics in that link it is an exact match. And the more I google the Sheaffer 440, the more convinced I am that this is what I have.

For example, this link shows a pen just like mine, and even the 130mm length quoted matches my pen. Likewise this link

So, on balance of probabilities, it's probably a 440. It's certainly not a 330 due to the cap.

Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Wednesday 29th March 11:40

[ClockworkCupcake]

I seem to have built up quite a collection so far.

[Robbo 27]

ClockworkCupcake said:

I'm still trying to work out what my Sheaffer with the inlaid oblique nib is.


The inlaid nib means it is in the Imperial or quasi-Imperial range. The "short diamond" inlay with rounded tip to the long edge of the cutout is going to be key to identifying it. That rules out the PFM (Pen For Men) 1959-c1968 and the Imperial 1961-c1998, and it's not a Lifetime as it doesn't have "Lifetime" on the clip.
This site seems to imply the Sheaffer Imperial Cartridge c1970-1975 but the description is rather vague and light on information.

This site makes me think it's the Model 440 (a "quasi-Imperial") but other sites confusingly show the 440 as having a V / Arrowhead cutout to the nib rather than a diamond one. But certainly from the pics in that link it is an exact match. And the more I google the Sheaffer 440, the more convinced I am that this is what I have.

For example, this link shows a pen just like mine, and even the 130mm length quoted matches my pen. Likewise this link

So, on balance of probabilities, it's probably a 440. It's certainly not a 330 due to the cap.

Your pen is the Sheaffer 440G, G referring to the gold nib and clip.

From memory it takes the cartridges with the squared off ends:



...and there is a right way and a wrong way to put the cartridge in. You put the cartridge into the barrel and then screw that onto the nib section.

[Robbo 27]

wong said:

I'm in Hong Kong and I probably wont get this done for a while yet. I'm enjoying cheap pens at the moment. The Lamys haven't arrived yet.

I used to live in Jardines Lookout. From memory there are some pen shops in Des Voeux Road in Central, antiques shops which had a tray of pens for sale, perhaps long gone. I also used to go to China Products in Causeway Bay, pens were just a few cents then. I think the shop has been pulled down when the MTR was built.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Robbo 27 said:

Your pen is the Sheaffer 440G, G referring to the gold nib and clip.

Thanks Rob. The nib and clip are a steel colour, rather than gold, but I think you are correct that it is a 440. All research I have done so far suggests this.



Edit: I think the reflection off the yellow lines on my cutting mat are making it look gold, but it's definitely polished steel not gold.

Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Wednesday 29th March 12:49

[Robbo 27]

ClockworkCupcake said:

Thanks Rob. The nib and clip are a steel colour, rather than gold, but I think you are correct that it is a 440. All research I have done so far suggests this.

Ah ok, sorry it was the light.

Only Sheaffer made an oblique as acute as this pen, at 30 degrees, other pen companies just did 15 degrees. To get the most out of the nib rotate the pen 30 degrees to the left.