Do you use a fountain pen?
Discussion
Prohibiting said:
.
The ink is called Yami-Dori, made by Sailor
That is a lovely colour ink!The ink is called Yami-Dori, made by Sailor
I have just inherited what I remember as a classic Platignum school pen from the seventies. Sadly lacking a cap, does anyone still supply parts for these? And what is the correct name/model please?
Desiato said:
That is a lovely colour ink!
I have just inherited what I remember as a classic Platignum school pen from the seventies. Sadly lacking a cap, does anyone still supply parts for these? And what is the correct name/model please?
It is called a Platignum School Pen, the cap is an odd oblong thing that screwed onto the nib section.I have just inherited what I remember as a classic Platignum school pen from the seventies. Sadly lacking a cap, does anyone still supply parts for these? And what is the correct name/model please?
The complete pen can be bought for a pound, or at least one very similar to the Platignum
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCHOOL-CARTRIDGE-PEN-PLA...
The nib is just folded steel, built for durability as opposed to anything else.
motco said:
I think this is the point for me too (no pun etc.). It's like watches; if they do the simple thing that they are designed to do well, then a penny more in cost is vanity, not logic. I know it goes against the opinions of many on PH, but if a £20 Casio is as accurate as the most expensive Rolex, or other expensive watch, then how can anyone justify spending more? Likewise with pens - they write smoothly and reliably for a fiver! What more should they do that justifies even a tenner, let alone hundreds? Just my personal view - other views are available...
What is a £20 Casio?http://tinyurl.com/ljtjepx
motco said:
I think this is the point for me too (no pun etc.). It's like watches; if they do the simple thing that they are designed to do well, then a penny more in cost is vanity, not logic. I know it goes against the opinions of many on PH, but if a £20 Casio is as accurate as the most expensive Rolex, or other expensive watch, then how can anyone justify spending more? Likewise with pens - they write smoothly and reliably for a fiver! What more should they do that justifies even a tenner, let alone hundreds? Just my personal view - other views are available...
I tend to agree with this. For me, the real measure is "fitness for purpose" - getting exactly the right tool for the job, at the right quality level (i.e. just before the law of diminishing returns kicks in). I'd never consider a Montblanc or any of the other megabuck pens (even if I could afford it), but at the same time I'm still a little wary of the cheap Chinese ones (more because I don't like how they copy other's designs than anything else). The sweet spot for me is in the lower-mid range Pilot and Lamy pens.
uncinqsix said:
motco said:
I think this is the point for me too (no pun etc.). It's like watches; if they do the simple thing that they are designed to do well, then a penny more in cost is vanity, not logic. I know it goes against the opinions of many on PH, but if a £20 Casio is as accurate as the most expensive Rolex, or other expensive watch, then how can anyone justify spending more? Likewise with pens - they write smoothly and reliably for a fiver! What more should they do that justifies even a tenner, let alone hundreds? Just my personal view - other views are available...
I tend to agree with this. For me, the real measure is "fitness for purpose" - getting exactly the right tool for the job, at the right quality level (i.e. just before the law of diminishing returns kicks in). I'd never consider a Montblanc or any of the other megabuck pens (even if I could afford it), but at the same time I'm still a little wary of the cheap Chinese ones (more because I don't like how they copy other's designs than anything else). The sweet spot for me is in the lower-mid range Pilot and Lamy pens.
Robbo 27 said:
It is called a Platignum School Pen, the cap is an odd oblong thing that screwed onto the nib section.
The complete pen can be bought for a pound, or at least one very similar to the Platignum
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCHOOL-CARTRIDGE-PEN-PLA...
The nib is just folded steel, built for durability as opposed to anything else.
Cheers Robbo, I will pick up one of those, thanks The complete pen can be bought for a pound, or at least one very similar to the Platignum
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCHOOL-CARTRIDGE-PEN-PLA...
The nib is just folded steel, built for durability as opposed to anything else.
uncinqsix said:
motco said:
I think this is the point for me too (no pun etc.). It's like watches; if they do the simple thing that they are designed to do well, then a penny more in cost is vanity, not logic. I know it goes against the opinions of many on PH, but if a £20 Casio is as accurate as the most expensive Rolex, or other expensive watch, then how can anyone justify spending more? Likewise with pens - they write smoothly and reliably for a fiver! What more should they do that justifies even a tenner, let alone hundreds? Just my personal view - other views are available...
I tend to agree with this. For me, the real measure is "fitness for purpose" - getting exactly the right tool for the job, at the right quality level (i.e. just before the law of diminishing returns kicks in). I'd never consider a Montblanc or any of the other megabuck pens (even if I could afford it), but at the same time I'm still a little wary of the cheap Chinese ones (more because I don't like how they copy other's designs than anything else). The sweet spot for me is in the lower-mid range Pilot and Lamy pens.
It depends if you consider "fitness for purpose" in a completely utilitarian way. My TR7 has no practical purpose
but I bought it because I could afford it and I really wanted it. It's purpose therefore is purely enjoyment. Someone who has no interest in cars might choose to spend it on a nice watch or pen and at least you don't have to tax and insure them! Some people would buy a good watch as an heirloom they can hand down to their kids. There's no reason why a Rolex will not be in perfect working order in 200 years time and it may have appreciated in value if our society still values such things in 200 years. Or possibly not....look what happened to pocket watches.....What I don't understand is people who buy brand new cars, especially if they have to pay interest on finance to do so. I suppose a new car fits the purpose of enjoyment for some people as I can understand how it would be nice to have one completely new, although I do not value that aspect enough to spend thousands more on a car to achieve that particular "purpose". I suppose we all have our law of diminishing returns set at different levels depending on what we see the true purpose of the object.
Gosh, that turned into a bit of a ramble
Prohibiting said:
Loving my first stub nib. I think a 0.8mm would be a great daily writer.
Agreed, Iove how my Osmiroid writes with its Rola Tip. It's only a cheap nib, but it works much better as a stub than either of my Pilot stubs do. Much smoother, if not so sharp. I've ordered a calligraphy set recently. My hope is that by practising forming the letters properly, it will help me with my day to day writing.AlexC1981 said:
It depends if you consider "fitness for purpose" in a completely utilitarian way. My TR7 has no practical purpose but I bought it because I could afford it and I really wanted it. It's purpose therefore is purely enjoyment. Someone who has no interest in cars might choose to spend it on a nice watch or pen and at least you don't have to tax and insure them! Some people would buy a good watch as an heirloom they can hand down to their kids. There's no reason why a Rolex will not be in perfect working order in 200 years time and it may have appreciated in value if our society still values such things in 200 years. Or possibly not....look what happened to pocket watches.....
What I don't understand is people who buy brand new cars, especially if they have to pay interest on finance to do so. I suppose a new car fits the purpose of enjoyment for some people as I can understand how it would be nice to have one completely new, although I do not value that aspect enough to spend thousands more on a car to achieve that particular "purpose". I suppose we all have our law of diminishing returns set at different levels depending on what we see the true purpose of the object.
Gosh, that turned into a bit of a ramble
For me, fitness for purpose does include some degree of design flair and pleasure in using it. It's not fit for purpose if I don't like looking at it or using it. The Lamy Safari is a great example of what's good - it's a classic piece of design, performs its function perfectly and is durable. It's also pretty inexpensive. However, pens that tick all those boxes are a bit of a rarity, so they have their own special value. but I bought it because I could afford it and I really wanted it. It's purpose therefore is purely enjoyment. Someone who has no interest in cars might choose to spend it on a nice watch or pen and at least you don't have to tax and insure them! Some people would buy a good watch as an heirloom they can hand down to their kids. There's no reason why a Rolex will not be in perfect working order in 200 years time and it may have appreciated in value if our society still values such things in 200 years. Or possibly not....look what happened to pocket watches.....What I don't understand is people who buy brand new cars, especially if they have to pay interest on finance to do so. I suppose a new car fits the purpose of enjoyment for some people as I can understand how it would be nice to have one completely new, although I do not value that aspect enough to spend thousands more on a car to achieve that particular "purpose". I suppose we all have our law of diminishing returns set at different levels depending on what we see the true purpose of the object.
Gosh, that turned into a bit of a ramble
Prohibiting said:
I know it's been mentioned before but what is the recommended course of action for smoothing a nib? Was it drawing figure of 8's on 12,000 micromesh paper?
My factory stub nib makes a slight scratch sound when I move it in a particular direction.
First job is to make sure that the nib is perfectly aligned, no amount of smoothing will fix a misaligned nib. If all is good then this vid will help:My factory stub nib makes a slight scratch sound when I move it in a particular direction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB_x13un5Qc
As you know, the difference between a stub nib and a regular medium nib is that there isnt much in the way of tipping material, in the shape of a round blob, that you can smooth in every direction, side to side and in an arc meaning backwards and forwards.
Micromesh is a fairly new product, older tuners used different products, one trick was to use a paper bag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD2f89M-LhE
Other people used flint or any stone that was smooth enough to reflect light, or polished soft metal such as aluminium or copper.
One item not to be used is the sharpening stone, also called whet stone or oil stone. Even the twin sided stones are too coarse for nib use.
Some very old pens have developed a flat spot, almost like a foot, which may be perfect for that user and is the result of years of wear although in this image the spot is not as flat or as smooth as it should be and will scratch. Gentle smooth in one single direction should fix that and may work very well on your stub depending on how much movement you want in daily use and whether you rotate the nib during use.
This is the Burnham set. Not got around to fitting a sac on it yet. It's almost too nice to use.........almost
It's a small pen, probably made as a ladies pen, but I would not say it's so small as to be a mini-pen. I'll get a comparison photo up later.
Burnham boxed by 1891CxelA, on Flickr
Burnham boxed 2 by 1891CxelA, on Flickr
I like the little card that I found in the box. Assuming the card is the date he received the pen then William Hartley Hurst kept his new pen and pencil nicely for a long time. Rye Hill was closed 10 years later.
A little more digging and into the history and I found the obituary of the likely former owner who passed away last year at 71 years old. He would have been 14 years old when he received the set.
I suppose a lot of vintage pens that come up for sale must be through house clearances due to the death of the original owner. Almost wish I hadn't looked!
It's a small pen, probably made as a ladies pen, but I would not say it's so small as to be a mini-pen. I'll get a comparison photo up later.
Burnham boxed by 1891CxelA, on FlickrBurnham boxed 2 by 1891CxelA, on FlickrI like the little card that I found in the box. Assuming the card is the date he received the pen then William Hartley Hurst kept his new pen and pencil nicely for a long time. Rye Hill was closed 10 years later.
A little more digging and into the history and I found the obituary of the likely former owner who passed away last year at 71 years old. He would have been 14 years old when he received the set.
I suppose a lot of vintage pens that come up for sale must be through house clearances due to the death of the original owner. Almost wish I hadn't looked!
I dont think you will find a nicer set than that one Alex, looks like new.
A lot of Burnhams were casein but apart from the thin plating, history of the Burnham pen company from WES:
http://burnham.wesonline.org.uk/Basics_of_Burnhamo...
A lot of Burnhams were casein but apart from the thin plating, history of the Burnham pen company from WES:
http://burnham.wesonline.org.uk/Basics_of_Burnhamo...
I have been fortunate enough to inherit a nice looking Osmiroid along with a selection of different nibs.
Just need to spend a little time getting it writing again. I know that it hasn't been used for at least nine years.
In the box along with the Osmiroid nibs were three various folded steel nibs for the Platignum school pen.
Just need to spend a little time getting it writing again. I know that it hasn't been used for at least nine years.
In the box along with the Osmiroid nibs were three various folded steel nibs for the Platignum school pen.
Desiato said:
I have been fortunate enough to inherit a nice looking Osmiroid along with a selection of different nibs.
Just need to spend a little time getting it writing again. I know that it hasn't been used for at least nine years.
In the box along with the Osmiroid nibs were three various folded steel nibs for the Platignum school pen.
Thats a nice start. Just check and see if that is a crack running through the threads on the barrel, it could be ink or a pattern in the material.Just need to spend a little time getting it writing again. I know that it hasn't been used for at least nine years.
In the box along with the Osmiroid nibs were three various folded steel nibs for the Platignum school pen.
If the lever can move, dont force it if it is stiff, then this may mean that the sac is good and that it will take in water which will help you flush out the nibs. These nibs are very easy to unscrew from the pen and just leave in a little water for a few hours, the old ink will simply dissolve away.
If the lever doesnt move, and the pen doesnt take in water then this will mean that the rubber sac has perished, This isnt a difficult job, a new sac will be around £2 and the correct glue being shellac which will be under £4.
Robbo 27 said:
Thats a nice start. Just check and see if that is a crack running through the threads on the barrel, it could be ink or a pattern in the material.
If the lever can move, dont force it if it is stiff, then this may mean that the sac is good and that it will take in water which will help you flush out the nibs. These nibs are very easy to unscrew from the pen and just leave in a little water for a few hours, the old ink will simply dissolve away.
If the lever doesnt move, and the pen doesnt take in water then this will mean that the rubber sac has perished, This isnt a difficult job, a new sac will be around £2 and the correct glue being shellac which will be under £4
:thumb up:If the lever can move, dont force it if it is stiff, then this may mean that the sac is good and that it will take in water which will help you flush out the nibs. These nibs are very easy to unscrew from the pen and just leave in a little water for a few hours, the old ink will simply dissolve away.
If the lever doesnt move, and the pen doesnt take in water then this will mean that the rubber sac has perished, This isnt a difficult job, a new sac will be around £2 and the correct glue being shellac which will be under £4
Cheers Robbo, will give that a go.
Desiato said:
:thumb up:
Cheers Robbo, will give that a go.
By the way, that finish on the Osmiroid will look superb, it should pop like mother of pearl when you have finished, scroll up and see the superb work done by Alex on his Osmiroids. Just needs some careful polishing and a bit of care.Cheers Robbo, will give that a go.
Hope you can post some pics when it is done.
Robbo 27 said:
I dont think you will find a nicer set than that one Alex, looks like new.
A lot of Burnhams were casein but apart from the thin plating, history of the Burnham pen company from WES:
http://burnham.wesonline.org.uk/Basics_of_Burnhamo...
Thanks for the link, that's what I call a proper collector!A lot of Burnhams were casein but apart from the thin plating, history of the Burnham pen company from WES:
http://burnham.wesonline.org.uk/Basics_of_Burnhamo...
I picked up a few mini pens recently. Three Burnhams (including the one I posted earlier) and two unknowns. The Wearever is there for size comparison although it is slightly smaller than average. The blue one has a slightly wider girth than the others and is more usable. The tiny one is really compact when the caps on. It has a thread on the end of the barrel so you can post it, although it's still too small to rest properly on my hand. The two left ones are nowhere near as nicely made or finished when compared to the others.
DSC01082 by 1891CxelA, on FlickrNew cap for my Osmiroid 65, reusing the clip from the blue-grey cap. Platignum Gold Tone that I nearly ruined in the background. Not sure what to do with it really. I haven't bothered fitting a sac to it because It's a bit of a sensible no nonsense pen for my taste. I'll probably move it on as well as the three red pens in the above picture at some point. The red Burnham's are doubling up with the blue one which I like more. I'll keep the little stubby one.
DSC01081 by 1891CxelA, on FlickrNext ones to be done up. Quite a variety in size!
Parker Duofold Senior Lucky Curve button filler which I think is from the 1920s, and 2 Conway Stewart 540 "Dinkie" lever fillers in what I believe is known as Peacock colour. I suspect the Dinkies may be casein and from the 1930s.
All are non-functioning so need new sacs and a good clean.
I was intending to possibly move them on once refurbed, but Mrs C&C has already claimed one of the Dinkies!
... and I can see myself keeping the Duofold.
CS540x2andLC by conradsphotos, on Flickr
Parker Duofold Senior Lucky Curve button filler which I think is from the 1920s, and 2 Conway Stewart 540 "Dinkie" lever fillers in what I believe is known as Peacock colour. I suspect the Dinkies may be casein and from the 1930s.
All are non-functioning so need new sacs and a good clean.
I was intending to possibly move them on once refurbed, but Mrs C&C has already claimed one of the Dinkies!
... and I can see myself keeping the Duofold.
CS540x2andLC by conradsphotos, on FlickrGassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff