Travelling with ink: North Devon, June 2024.

June 23, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 4 Comments

We have just returned from a week’s holiday in Ilfracombe, North Devon. Our holiday flat was in a grand Victorian terrace, in a house dating from 1872 with stunning views of the harbour and the rocky coastline. We were also lucky to have a solid week of good weather and this made for a wonderful trip.

A week away involves choosing which writing tools to bring. I had my usual inner debate on whether to bring a selection or travel light and just bring one. As usual, I came down on the side of bringing a selection. The final tally amounted to five fountain pens, three roller balls, two ballpoint pens (one being a multi-pen) and one mechanical pencil. I also brought too many notebooks: A Leuchtturm A5 for holiday journaling, a Stalogy 365, A5 in a leather notebook cover for when out and about, a new Moderno (WHSmiths) A5 notebook for any creative writing (which I did not open all week!), a little red Silvine pocket memo book which I carry everywhere and an A5 Ryman’s sketchbook and a small set of watercolours.

To this, I added a square notepad bought at the RNLI shop near the harbour, little changed from their notepads that I used to get on family holidays some 50 years ago.

It transpired that I used only one of the five fountain pens, a newly acquired Lamy Nexx, purchased for its striking Neon Orange cap. I had not been a particularly big fan of the Lamy Nexx, with its rubber faceted grip but on giving it another chance and some sustained daily use, I found it very comfortable and it performed faultlessly. The bright orange cap shouts holiday vibes.

I used the blue Lamy cartridge that came with the pen. Writing each day in the Leuchtturm journal using a medium nib, the cartridge lasted for a respectable 38 pages.

When the Lamy finally ran dry, I switched to a Jacques Herbin clear demonstrator roller ball pen, (model 22500T) which uses standard international cartridges. I had bought this a few weeks earlier, at Pens Plus of Oxford and like it a lot, far in excess of its modest price-point. It has become my shirt-pocket pen, great for short notes or longer writing sessions too.

Jacques Herbin roller ball ink cartridge pen.

I did not discover any fountain pen shops, either in Ilfracombe or any other places we visited, not that I was in need of anything! But I thoroughly enjoyed my quiet time spent with my notebooks and pens, and watching the harbour activity from our windows.

With little more to report as to the performance of either the Lamy or the Jacques Herbin pen, there was some other, off-topic, “product testing” of some recently acquired items. First, I had picked up some lightweight, inexpensive Quechua, fabric waterproof hiking boots from Decathlon, and was glad of the chance to try these out in the hilly coast paths. There are lovely walks on Hillsborough Hill, (known as “The Elephant’s Head”) which we could see from our flat and this was a good testing ground for the boots.

Unlike my leather Karrimor boots, the Quechuas are extremely light and comfortable and as soft as slippers, yet provide a tough, grippy sole. On my first hill walk I found that having opted for a larger size for the added width, my feet slid around a little inside the boots on descents. However, on my next walk, I solved this simply by lacing the boots more tightly.

Another feature of the boots is their claim to being waterproof. In dry, summer conditions there was not the scope to try these for a long walk in heavy rain. However they stood up well to wading through shallow rockpools on the beach, keeping my socks and feet dry. Being so light, they would not provide enough support and protection for very rugged terrain. Having read mixed reviews of these, I am keen to see how they fare over the next 12 months or so.

Another recent acquisition immediately prior to the holiday, was a Casio G-Shock wristwatch, bought chiefly for its 20 bar water resistance (equivalent to approximately 200 metres) for swimming in the sea.

Casio G-Shock model GA-2100-1AER in a rockpool.

Being lightweight, comfortable and easy to read with its white hands on a black dial, I enjoyed wearing this all week. My only complaint would be that the digital readouts in the lower right quadrant are too small and dark (unless viewed in line with a light source), but in practice, it is better that these are not too prominent and distracting as, nine times out of ten, I just want to read the time.

Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe. A sheltered cove with a tidal pool (submerged here at high tide) accessed only by tunnels through the cliffs, dug in 1823.

Finally, back from my week away, I tested my other inked pens for hard starts. All did well. Only the Parker 51 Vacumatic needed a moment and a light moistening of the nib, but for a 1940’s pen, this is entirely understandable.

My Pen of the Week: Lamy Nexx, Neon Orange.

Early thoughts on the Stabilo EASYbirdy fountain pen.

May 31, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 9 Comments

This post is unashamedly about an entry-level school pen for those who enjoy trying fountain pens from the lower end of the spectrum.

It is getting on for six years since I wrote a post on the Stabilo EASYbuddy, a chunky, robust, plastic fountain pen designed for children. The EASYbirdy looks very similar but has some important differences.

Examined side by side, the EASY birdy is about 10mm shorter when capped, yet the same length as the EASYbuddy when uncapped. The EASYbirdy has a shorter barrel, a longer section, a smaller and “unglazed” pair of ink windows, unequal length facets for the thumb and forefinger, and a semi-hooded nib.

Stabilo EASYbirdy with Stabilo EASYbuddy (right) and Lamy Nexx (left).

But the most significant distinctions are that (a) the EASYbirdy is available in Left or Right handed versions and (b) has an adjustable nib-housing, allowing the nib to be rotated either left or right, or centred, in relation to the grip facets.

As a lefty-overwriter myself, I was intrigued by this design. I was keen to see how it worked and whether it was of any benefit to me. I spotted a half-hidden display of these pens in a local stationery/computer repair shop, on a shelf behind numerous boxes of roller-ball and gel pens.

The EASYbirdy sample tray contained six pens: three for left-handers and three for right-handers. The pens for lefties were all in pink and green with “L” at the tip of the barrel. The pens for righthanders were green and blue with “R” on the barrel.

It took me a while to spot how the left and right hand versions differed, before eventually noticing that the facet for your forefinger came down a little further than the facet for your thumb. This hardly seems necessary but I suppose it helps towards a grip whereby the forefinger is flatter against the section instead of being bent at a right-angle.

The shorter facet is for the thumb on this left-handed model.

Having grasped this, I was still confused about the off-setting of the nib and why there were so many display samples in the tray. The answer is that a customer, whether left or right handed, can try writing with pens with nibs pre-set to left, right or centre, (labelled as -1, 0, and +1) to see which is most comfortable.

The retailer can then dial in this adjustment to a new pen, using his special plastic Stabilo tool (NOT sold with the pen). If not right, the pen can always be brought back for the nib rotation to be altered.

With facets at “ten to two”, this shows my nib rotated for a lefty overwriter.

The only other fountain pen that I can think of with a faceted grip and the ability to rotate the nib, was the Parker 75 in which you simply gripped the nib and feed, and twisted them one way or the other as desired. The EASYbirdy system is different: a tool is needed. Also, you do not apply the tool to the front end of the pen, as you might expect. Rather, you remove the barrel and use the tool to loosen the housing from inside the section. Once loose, the angle can be altered and the tool is used to tighten it up and lock it in place.

Likes.

The steel nib writes smoothly and with good flow. The pen takes standard international cartridges. If using the short ones, there is room for a spare in the barrel, making for a great outdoor and EDC pen. The length of the pen uncapped, at around 133mm together with the generous girth (even allowing for facets) makes for a comfortable pen. The left and right options, together with the ability to rotate the nib, means that there should be a version and setting for everyone.

A cartridge inserted with room for a spare in the barrel.

Dislikes.

The need for a tool, which is not included with the purchase, is a little disappointing. I can understand that, once set up in the shop, most people may not want or need the tool again. Personally I would like to have my own or it would be even better if the tool could somehow be built into the cap or barrel. The push-cap is secure but does not click. It does not post either, although the pen is long enough without posting. The colour scheme of pink and green is not to my taste, although distinctive. I accept that I am not the target age group.

Conclusion.

I am not generally a fan of faceted grip sections on fountain pens, which dictate how you must hold the pen to the paper and punish you with uncomfortable ridges if you do not comply. But here we have a rubbery ergonomic grip with the option to rotate the nib. The pen fits the user; the user does not have to fit the pen. I do find that I can hold the pen at the facets whilst still having my nib rotated inwards. For lefties especially, this could make writing a little more comfortable, whatever your age.

The taming of the Scribo, Write Here Africa fountain pen.

May 5, 2024July 25, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 5 Comments

In April I spent a delightful week in Shropshire on the Netley Hall Estate, a few miles south of Shrewsbury. The Shropshire Hills National Landscape is a beautiful region. We enjoyed visiting nearby towns, with streets lined with picturesque half-timbered buildings dating from Tudor times.

I was eager to visit Write Here, the superb independent fountain pen shop in the heart of Shrewsbury. This was my first time in the town and I had hoped to visit ever since learning of this shop and meeting John Hall regularly at pen shows.

The shop was everything I had expected, and more! I could have spent hours browsing the fountain pen displays. It was just as well that I was constrained by the two hours maximum stay where I had parked my car, plus the knowledge that my wife and mother-in-law were meeting me in a nearby coffee shop.

In the preceding days, I had formed a desire to buy a Scribo, a grail pen at the outer-limits of my spending comfort zone, although quite which version and with which nib, I had not decided. I had tactfully asked my wife whether there were any rules that I needed to know before visiting the shop. “Only buy one pen” she replied. Right. Better make it a good one then.

In the shop John asked whether there was anything in particular that I would like to look at. I asked to see two Scribos: one being the Write Here “Africa” and the other, a Feel “Blu Califfo.” (The Blue Caliph is a variety of fig and the pen is a lovely deep dark blue with small bursts of orange in the resin).

The Scribo Write Here pens are produced for Write Here in annual limited editions of just fifty numbered pieces, the “Africa” being the current version. Previous edition colours were (1) grey with lime green, the Write Here shop colours; (2) Cardinal red and Noble green (the only year in which the fifty pens were split between two colours); (3) Blue; (4) Tropea (named after a type of red onion); and (5) Mariana Deep Blue.

Like the Scribo Feel but without its faceted body or bulbous barrel, the Scribo Write Here editions are also piston fillers and have the same renowned gold nibs and ebonite feeds, in 14k (extra flessible) or 18k gold, with Rhodium plating. Others have already reviewed the Scribo Write Here fountain pens, including UK Fountain Pens, SBRE Brown, The Pencil Case Blog and Dapprman. What follows is the tale of my own purchase and getting acquainted with the pen, rather than another review.

Scribo was formed by employees of the former Omas pen company and produces nibs with the same tools and to the same specification as Omas. I have never owned an Omas pen but it is common knowledge that the Scribo Feel and Write Here models have very desirable nibs which are just like the Omas OM81 nibs of old.

Back to my decision-making. John provided a table and ink and anticipated that I may wish to use my own paper. I produced my Stalogy A5 notebook and had a blissful time trying both the Feel Blu Califfo and the Write Here Africa. I soon decided that I would not go home without buying one of them!

To narrow down the options, I ruled out the 14k Extra Flessible nibs as these can be difficult to use for a lefty-overwriter and easy to spring. That still left a range of beautiful nibs in 18k gold. I tried the Africa with a fine nib. John then swapped in a new broad nib for me to try. In the Blu Califfo I tried an extra fine, which I also liked. I did not need to try the extra extra fine.

I was struggling to chose between the Africa and the Blu Califfo as I liked elements from both. The Blu Califfo was a gorgeous blue, my favourite colour and very slightly longer. I liked its faceted body but not so much the aesthetics of the bulbous barrel meeting the straight section, although admittedly, very comfortable to hold.

The Africa however, was like a vintage tortoiseshell colouring but more hardcore, like a leopard and with patches of clear acrylic resin. This had one advantage, namely that you could see the ink level between the black and golden-brown flecks of colour.

To help with my deliberations, John suggested showing me something completely different. I then enjoyed his personal guided tour of all the pen displays, including Pilot, Sailor, TWSBI, Conway Stewart and a generous range of Leonardo pens, with his comments on the various merits of them all. This was refreshing and I saw several pens that I had not seen in the flesh before. As John said, most pens look better in real life than in photographs.

Returning to the table, I weighed up the two Scribos again. As I felt that I would be happy either way, I chose the Africa on the grounds that you could see the ink level, it did not have the bulbous barrel or metal ring at the end of the section and was also the lower priced of the two.

As for nibs, I already had a good number of pens with medium and fine gold nibs but fewer with broad nibs, especially a stubby broad. John added, perceptively, that I had looked the most comfortable whilst trying the broad nib. This clinched it and so I became the happy owner of the Scribo Write Here Africa, number 25/50, with an 18k broad nib.

I would like to say that I took it home and all ended happily ever after. I should have filled the pen and just got on with it, allowing it to run in, but could not stop myself from tinkering with the nib. On close examination, I felt that the nib was not quite centred over the feed. Foolishly, I tried to adjust this by twisting the nib in situ, as though it were a steel Jinhao. This might have moved the nib by the tiny amount needed, but put the tines out of alignment. This required some further tweaking, until the tines and the tipping were level again. Another problem then manifested itself, in that the tines rubbed and clicked against each other whenever I put pen to paper, which I hate. I managed to cure this by flossing the tines with my thinnest gauge of brass shim, checking that the tines were still level. But this may have added to what was already a generous ink flow.

Stubby broad tipping and an ebonite feed!

The writing experience of this beautifully crafted nib was initially marred by skipping and overly wet ink flow. For the first two weeks, I probably tinkered with the nib every day, trying to get it to be as good as it could possibly be. The tipping was super-smooth and gave a juicy broad down stroke and a fine cross stroke. By holding the pen vertical, a double broad effect was achievable. By turning the pen over, the tipping allowed a stubby fine line, which was useful but scratchy.

One of my many pages of writing samples.

I also changed inks every couple of days and am already on my fifth ink. I wondered whether, in view of my nib tuning efforts, I should heat-set the nib and ebonite feed. I read a few different and conflicting guides on this. Using hot water to heat the feed is safer than a flame. One account warned that hot water might discolour the ebonite. But after holding back for a few days, I could no longer resist trying the hot water technique. I unscrewed the nib housing, extracted the nib and feed carefully, checked symmetry over the feed and pushed them back in their housing. I boiled some water, poured it into an egg cup and then dipped the nib and feed in the water for 30 seconds. I then withdrew them from the water and pinched them together for 20 seconds.

The result is that all now looks good again. The nib is still super-smooth and prefers paper with a bit of texture. It skips at the beginning of words sometimes, which I think may be due to “baby’s bottom” but this is improving and should continue to do so. It still writes very wet but I am reluctant to try narrowing the tine gap in case I reintroduce the tine-clicking issue, or put a bend in the tines.

Notwithstanding these self-induced tribulations, I love using the pen. I still cannot walk past it without picking it up to write a few lines or more. The feel of this nib on paper, its bounce and the line that it produces are addictive and the pen is like nothing else in my collection.

Rather than this being a pen nib that needed taming, it may be truer to say that it was I, who should have shown a bit more patience before subjecting it to my nib-tuning experiments. But I am confident now that the pen will be great if I can allow it to settle down.

I am thrilled to own a Scribo at last and am most grateful to John Hall at Write Here for giving me so much of his time on my visit.

A view from The Burway, near Church Stretton. Some students meeting some sheep.

Finding joy in small things: the Burnham 54 fountain pen.

April 21, 2024April 21, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 8 Comments

Recently, I was thrilled to win an eBay auction for an attractive, marbled blue and grey vintage fountain pen. It was a lever filler with a 14k gold nib. The sac had been replaced and it looked to be in good condition. I had looked at the seller’s photographs again and again in the week before the auction.

When it arrived, it looked even prettier in person than in the photographs, although much smaller than I had expected. I believe it to be a Burnham 54, although there is no imprint on the barrel and I know little about this brand. There were many variants of the model 54 and numerous other clues to look for in the finial, pocket clip, branding on the clip, the number of cap rings, the inscription on the nib and the shape and markings of the lever filler.

In his book “Fountain Pens” by Peter Twydle, (2009), he includes a few paragraphs about Burnham in his chapter on manufacturers. He writes “The pen trade has recognized Burnham, perhaps unfairly, as the poor man’s Conway Stewart.” The company was started by Harry Burnham in London in the 1920’s and continued until the 1960’s. Their pens were mostly lever fillers and used similar materials to Conway Stewart, but being less prestigious and lower priced, became thought of as school pens.

Rounded finial, branded clip and two cap rings on my version.

For a detailed account of Burnham pens, there is a comprehensive study on the WES website, (the Writing Equipment Society), wesonline.co.uk from 2011 by Alan Charlton, on Burnhamography. Meanwhile, my post here is more of a “show and tell” since I know little about this pen.

Uncapped. The classic proportions mask its diminutive size.

Had I known how small the pen was by current standards, even though beautifully-proportioned, I would probably not have bid. This would have been a great shame as I have found the pen very comfortable and enjoyable to use. As I have tended to avoid pens which I thought of as too short or too slim, this was an exciting revelation with a potential to extend the already vast rabbit warren.

After flushing the pen, I filled it with Waterman Serenity Blue. It filled well. The writing experience from the 14k gold nib was a joy: silky smooth, broad, with an optimal flow and just a little bounce, that you might call semi-flex. This more than compensated for any shortness or skinniness of the pen. I cannot tell you whether the barrel and cap material is celluloid or plastic, or whether the feed is ebonite or plastic. I have avoided posting the cap and instead have grown accustomed to holding this little pen unposted.

Very clean nib, marked “Burnham 14 ct Gold.”

The screw cap comes off in just over two full rotations. The cap threads are multi-start and I found that by inserting the pen (nib up) into the cap, pocket clip up, and turning the pen one click the wrong way before tightening, the lever almost aligns with the clip.

On a recent short break in the beautiful Shropshire countryside, I took the Burnham and used it every day for some holiday journaling in a Leuchtturm A5 notebook. The nicely-tuned vintage nib, with its heart-shaped breather hole, performed as well as any other nib I have ever experienced, at any price. One fill managed more than 12 pages, before it was time to enjoy the lever-filling experience again.

Size and weight:

Capped, the pen measures about 121mm and uncapped, only 109mm. The weight is about 11.5 grams capped, comprised as to 7 grams for the pen and 4.5 grams for the cap. These figures are pretty minimal and might sound off-putting but my experience has been that what the pen lacks in size and weight is more than made up for, by its cuteness and the sensation of writing with the smooth and bouncy nib.

Trying out my new old pen. Waterman Serenity Blue; Stalogy 018 Editor’s Series 365 days notebook.

The moral of this tale is that you might surprise yourself, using a pen that goes against your usual criteria. This is good news, unless like me, you are trying (weakly) to resist more pens incoming.

Edit: Here is a photo to show the comparative size of the Burnham 54, against a Parker 51 Demi, a Parker 51 standard and a Parker 45.

Rediscovering the Parker 45 fountain pen.

April 7, 2024April 8, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 15 Comments

I think I may have mentioned that I am fond of vintage Parker pens. My admiration dates back to the late 1960’s when I collected Parker advertisements from newspapers and magazines. A Parker was also my first “grown-up” fountain pen when I went to my secondary school. It follows that this blog post might come across as slightly biased.

The Parker 45 model was part of the current range when I was at school. Buying a new one in town was a rare treat. I remember using them in lessons to write in exercise books. If you left one uncapped for too long the nib was likely to dry out, although this is true of most fountain pens.

In those days, I would have used the cheaper, steel nib versions, mostly Medium. They were also available with gold nibs. I do not recall being aware that there was such a wide choice of gold nibs to choose from for the Parker 45. The nib grade is shown by a letter on the underside of the little black nib housing. I never ventured beyond M (medium) and F (Fine). Only recently, have I discovered the X (Extra Fine) and the R (Medium Oblique). For a list of the nib codes, see the following thread on Fountain Pen Network.

I still have a couple of my Parker 45’s from the seventies – one in grey and another in brushed stainless steel. As ever I recommend Tony Fischier’s site, Parkerpens.net for an authoritative and comprehensive history of the Parker 45 range. They were produced from 1960 until 2007 and heralded the beginning of the Parker Quink cartridge system. The all-plastic version was called the Parker 45 Arrow. The version with a metal cap was the Parker 45 Classic and the brushed stainless steel version (very desirable to my 11 year-old self) was the Parker 45 Flighter.

Fast-forwarding to the present, my fountain pen journey took me down the vintage Parker rabbit hole. Last year was my year of the Parker-buying. I swooped on the inexpensive but surprisingly good Parker 17 models at pen shows and on eBay, before moving on to the Parker 61 and 51.

In the midst of this run, I happened to spot a Parker 45 Classic with a somewhat rare Medium Oblique (code “R”) nib, which proved to be delightful. Oblique nibs seem to be the most flattering for my handwriting when using a lefty-overwriter style, whereas non-oblique nibs work better for me in an underwriter style.

My last Parker pen purchase of 2023 was bought on eBay and intended as a Christmas present for someone else. It was a black model with a 14k gold Medium nib. But here’s the strange thing: after testing it the writing experience was so utterly delicious, exquisite and wonderful, that I honestly could not bring myself to part with it and had to keep this one for myself. Selfish, shameful and shocking I know, but true.

Easy to disassemble. No heat gun or shellac required.

But then, like a drug (I imagine), or at least chocolate, I craved another one. Happily at the London Spring Pen Show in March, I spotted and pounced on a lovely midnight blue model with a Fine nib. And then finally, back more recently on eBay I bought a burgundy red model with the less-common Extra Fine nib.

You can just make out the “X” for Extra Fine on the nib housing.

And so in the last seven months, my little Parker 45 family grew from two to six pens. My four recent buys all having 14 gold nibs, have all been superb and yet each cost between around £20 to £25 only.

The four on the right have 14k gold nibs in Oblique medium, Medium, Fine and Extra fine, respectively.

“What is so good about them?” you might ask. Here are a few answers:

Comfortable to hold (not too short, long, heavy or light; not having any step or cap threads);
Well balanced whether used unposted or posted. The lightweight cap posts very deeply and does not throw the balance off;
Convenience of accepting cartridges or a converter;
Great-looking pen (subjective and in the eye of the beholder, I know);
Best of all, having a screw-in nib housing. The nib, feed and housing can be removed easily for cleaning or nib adjustment; this is where the 45 scores over the 17, 51 or 61.
Can be found at pen shows or on eBay for a very modest outlay – similar to the cost of a Lamy Safari or Cross Bailey Light, both of which would have steel nibs.

The rather rare “X” (Extra Fine”) nib in 14k gold.

In summary, it comes down to good design. I read on Tony Fischier’s site (linked earlier) that the Parker 45 was designed by Don Doman who also designed the Parker 61 and Parker 75 amongst others.

Are there are any negatives? Yes, the type of plastic material used for the Parker 45 is softer and inferior to the material of the Parker 51. It would show bite-marks, rather like a chewed cap of a Bic Crystal biro.

Size and Weight: The length capped is around 136mm or uncapped, 127mm. The length posted is 145mm. The all-plastic version weighs around 17 grams, or 12 grams uncapped, whilst the Flighter is only slightly heavier at around 20 grams.

For anyone who has any liking for fountain pens, let alone an obsession, vintage Parkers can save you money, so long as you do not buy too many of them. Which is why (as politicians annoyingly say), I have garnered a reputation in my pen club as the vintage Parker influencer.

Parker 45 with the Filofax A5 Lockwood zip in Garnet.

Off-topic: a look at a Bulova model 96A189 automatic watch.

March 17, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 16 Comments

On 9 January 2024, I wrote about my brief ownership of a Lorus automatic watch. The episode concluded with me taking it back to the shop, which was rather a down-beat ending.

But in case I misled anyone into thinking that I was left sad and watch-less, here is What Happened Next.

I do not buy a new automatic watch very often: aside from the Lorus, I had not done so since 1999. After the Lorus episode, I next took a renewed interest in the Seiko ranges of automatics, the “5” series and the Prospex. To do so is to dive down another enjoyable rabbit hole. For instance, I read that Queen’s Brian May had bought a Seiko 5 diving watch in Tokyo which he had worn since the 1970’s and that Seiko made a special Brian May limited edition in his honour.

It was informative to browse the line-up of Seiko watches in my usual haunts. But it was while looking casually around H Samuel’s Oxford Street branch in mid-January (intending to look at their Seikos) that a Bulova caught my eye. I was attracted by the uncluttered dial, the absence of numerals and the absence of any day and date complication. The face has a round hole at the 7 o’clock position to show the balance wheel in action. The watch was not actually running at that stage and my initial reaction was that I would have preferred it without this porthole, which I later learned was called the “open heart” feature, (as opposed to a skeleton dial which shows the whole movement at the expense of making it difficult to see the hands and read the time).

I liked everything else about the watch including its dark blue dial, silver-tone indices and supple steel bracelet. Unlike the Lorus, this movement allows manual as well as automatic winding and also allows hacking: the pausing of the second hand by pulling out the crown, in order to set it precisely.

As well as it being the most appealing in the display, it was also 50% off the list price. I asked to have a look at it. The helpful assistant commented that the colour suited me, although I was wearing a navy blue shirt, jacket and carrying a navy blue shoulder bag! I certainly did like the colour of the dial and had never had a watch with a dial other than white or black. She adjusted the bracelet, removing two links from each side, which still left it comfortably loose but secure. I was a happy and lucky man.

It also has an exhibition back and this, together with the open heart dial (a term I do not like very much) means that you can actually hold the watch and see through it. The movement includes a rotor which, I was surprised to see, is a D outline but open in the middle. Is this to save weight? If so this seems to rather defeat the object. Perhaps it is to allow a better view of the inner workings. In any event, the rotor is very sensitive and works perfectly. The watch also has some modest water-resistance although not a screw-down crown and so I would not wear it in the water.

Exhibition back and Miyota 21 Jewel movement.

Swiss chronometer accuracy is no longer of such importance to me as when I was twenty, or even forty and buying a Rolex. Nevertheless I was curious to check the Bulova’s time-keeping. Over the first seven days it gained about 12 seconds a day. I then tested it over the next seven days too and got the same result. However, trying this again more recently, the deviation had lessened and it was gaining just 7 seconds a day. I hope that it remains there and does not continue to slow much further, but will check it now and again.

I also tested the power reserve – the amount of time for which the watch keeps running when not worn. I ensured that it was fully wound and then set it down. It managed a very respectable 44 hours.

I have had this watch for over two months now. I still get a little thrill every time I see it on my wrist. As well as enjoying the sight of the second hand scurrying around the dial, I soon came to enjoy seeing the intricate movement through the porthole, which is much better when the watch is running.

I had thought that I might rotate the Bulova with the other watches in my modest collection. In practice though, I have worn it every day since I bought it except for the weekend when I checked the power reserve. And this is perhaps the best testament of my high opinion.

The London Spring Pen Show 2024: my haul.

March 9, 2024March 9, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 14 Comments

Well, what a great day that was! I felt like there was nowhere I would rather be, and nothing that I would rather spend my money on: the London Spring Pen Show at Novotel, Hammersmith, on Sunday 3rd March 2024.

This time, my wife Ling accompanied me. She enjoyed meeting all my pen club friends and a big group of us had arranged to meet for a lunch break at nearby Latymers. Almost everyone to whom I introduced her, joked that I was a bad influence in my penabling, particularly with regard to vintage Parkers! I do tend to gush about Parkers but I make the case that buying these actually saves you money, compared to the cost of a modern equivalent gold nibbed fountain pen. Oh well, more for me then.

Ling came to support me and meet my friends.

This post will list my purchases at the show, rather than naming all the wonderful stall-holders and fellow enthusiasts in the pen community who were there in force. It was good to see so many familiar faces and I am grateful to all the organisers and dealers for making the day so successful and enjoyable. We tend to forget all the work that goes on behind the scenes before and after the show: the preparation, the travelling, the setting up, and then the packing up and more travelling. Several folks such as Sarj Minhas had literally only just returned from the California pen show the night before

So, what did I buy this time? Despite not hunting for anything in particular and trying feebly to stop accumulating, I did not expect to go home empty handed. Here I will try to justify, to myself at least, some of my purchases.

Parker 45, blue with chrome trim, 14k gold nib, Fine.

First up was this Parker, which I spotted on the table of Janse van vuuren (Justin). It was in its original box with filling instructions and guarantee dated 21 April 1976, original press-bar converter, and two blue cartridges still taped under the pen tray with some very yellowed Sellotape. I used these pens throughout my secondary school years although mostly they were the steel nib versions. Last winter I bought a very similar one to this, but in black with chrome trim and with a Medium gold nib which is an absolute joy to use and cost only £20.00. Coincidentally, this gorgeous dark blue one was also just £20.00 and being in such good condition and with a Fine nib, was an easy decision for me.

Aside from the style and comfort of these pens, one of their best features is the ease of cleaning and maintenance. For those not familiar, you unscrew the little nib-housing to remove it from the section. Then, being very careful not to bend or break the long feed or lose the nib, you slide the housing backwards off the feed. The nib can then be lifted off the feed, and cleaned or adjusted. When putting it back, it slots into place over the feed and does not move, so you know you have the correct position. That evening, I took the nib apart and gave everything a very satisfying wash, before filling with Waterman Serenity Blue. It writes like a dream.

Nib unit disassembled. Note the “F” for Fine on the housing.

Parker 51 vacumatic.

I am happier when I can see the price of a pen, without having to ask. Some dealers have pen trays grouped by price, “everything £40.00” which is where I found my next purchase in a tray of Parker 51s. All but this navy blue and gold-capped one were aerometrics. I spotted the tell-tale blind cap of the vacumatic and had a closer look. On removing the cap, I found the section covered in wet ink. This did not put me off but just added to the attraction and my desire to take the pen home and clean it. The pens in this tray were all tested and so I did not worry that it might leak. The condition of the nib and the barrel all looked very good and the plunger button responded nicely. The rolled-gold and striped cap had brassing at the rim, which I did not mind. I am not sure whether the cap is the original one for this pen.

At home I took great pleasure in flushing the pen and cleaning out the inside of the cap. I considered leaving the pen to stand in some water overnight but was too impatient to ink it and so decided that I would only soak it if it needed.

Again, the pen filled and worked well. This one writes a little dry but I did not want to rush into any adjustments, given that the pen dates from the 1940’s and is around 80 years’ old. I used it for a few days, as it was. This weekend I have flushed it again and let it stand in water for 24 hours. I am hopeful that this might improve the ink flow but if not, I can ease the tines apart just a fraction. I am thrilled to have my first Parker vac, and at just £40.00.

As I write this, the Vac is having a long soak.

Parker 51 Aerometric, forest green.

Readers may remember that I passed up a beautiful, mint condition Parker 51 in forest green, at the pen show last year. This time I spotted another one, again in great condition but at a much more affordable price at the tables of Jeremy Collingridge (from whom I bought a lovely Parker 61 Heirloom last time). I was invited to try the Parker 51 but despite several dips, it refused to write. With permission, I even tried filling the pen but still it would not write. Nevertheless, I was not put off but was only drawn to the pen all the more. I suspected that there was nothing wrong but that it just needed a thorough clean. This proved to be correct. It is a stunner and I love the green!

Sailor Profit fude nib pen.

This was an impulse buy from Pure Pens’ table. Having enjoyed the Duke 551 Confucius fude nib pen bought earlier this year I was interested to try this much smaller and lighter pen. It came boxed with two Sailor cartridges, at £22.00. The fude nib is marked only with the anchor logo and the initials MF.

The pen actually performs extremely well and as I hoped, can write with a variety of line widths, depending upon how you hold it.

Aside from these four pens, my other purchases were:

Two packs of Aurora cartridges, from Kirit Dal and daughter; (as anyone who has tried will know, these cartridges are very difficult to find in the UK);
A 12-pack box of Pilot Namiki blue black cartridges, from Amaya Cerdeirina of Penfriend. These are for my Pilot Custom Heritage 912;
Another bottle of Diamine’s Conway Stewart Tavy, blue black ink. I buy one almost every year;
A handy little x5 loupe;
A Jowo fit nib, feed and housing with rose gold coloured coating, from John Twiss.

Sometimes, after buying several pens in a day, I ration myself to trying one new pen per day. But not this time. Within a few hours, all four new arrivals were cleaned and inked and being introduced to my Stalogy notebook. All in all, it was a very successful day. My total spend at the show was just over £200.00 and for that, I have lots of lovely new toys to play with and no buyer’s remorse whatsoever.

My day’s shopping plus some gifted ink samples.

The new nib unit in my Wancher Crystal fountain pen.

Some overdue love for the Parker 75 Laque fountain pen.

February 18, 2024February 18, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 15 Comments

I have had this pen since 27 December 1986, bought at WHSmiths, Uxbridge. I know this because I still have the box with the Access card sales voucher, with the guarantee and care guide, folded up beneath the pen tray. So, that’s 37 years.

I wish I could say that during that time, the pen has been a constant companion, always to hand, faithful and dependable, travelling with me everywhere. But that would not be true. Certainly, that was the aim, but for some reason things did not work out and I never gelled with the pen.

As I still have my old diaries, I dug out my old 1986 volume to see whether I had written anything about the purchase. Sure enough, there was a line near the top of the page (after a reminder to watch the movie “Splash” at 8.30pm), which reads “See about Parker 75 Lacque (sic) £60!?” So, I was aware of the pen and its price and planned to give it another look. Perhaps I had seen it, possibly marked down in the post-Christmas sales.

My diary entry went on to say “I went to Uxbridge with Hilly (my sister) & bought the Parker 75 Laque fountain pen. Also got us an A4 size diary each and went in M&S & got some pre-faded jeans for £14.99! Pyjamas in Burtons where they were playing “If she knows what she wants” (Bangles).* My pen was an example of reality not matching up to the dream…grips in the wrong place & writes a little dry. Watched Splash with mum & felt a bit sad.”

Not much of a honeymoon period for the Parker then. I was already disappointed with it, the day I bought it. This sounds to me like an early case of buyer’s remorse.

The pen cost me £60.00. This was quite a lot of money for me at the time, when I might have been accustomed to buying steel-nibbed Sheaffer No Nonsense pens for about one tenth of that amount. Indeed, a quick calculation in my diary recorded the meagre total of my savings at that time. Expectations for the pen costing 2.3% of my net worth, would have been high.

I see that I took an almost immediate dislike to the facets on the grip section (but not quite quick enough to stop me buying it). The pen was also quite small and slender, compared to what I had been used to.

It’s worth reminding ourselves that this was before the age of the internet, websites, YouTube reviews, nib-meisters and the interconnected global fountain pen community. This was 10 years before I possessed a PC. I was on my own, unless I wrote a letter to Parker (which I did once, to ask about an image used in one of their advertisements).

As I did not enjoy using the pen very much, it stayed in its box, largely untouched for the next 37 years.

Thinking back, I do not remember even being aware of the pen’s special and possibly unique feature for that time, namely that the nib and feed could be turned a few degrees to the left or to the right in the section, to alter the alignment of the facets in relation to the nib. Supposedly this was to help people, such as myself, who liked to rotate their pen (in my case, to the right) but then found that the symmetrical facets were no longer equidistant from the centre of the nib: you were left with thumb and finger resting on an uncomfortable sharp ridge.

Perhaps this innovation would have helped me. I simply cannot recall now whether I had tried experimenting with this facility and still not liked the pen, or whether I was completely unaware of the feature. I need to look back for any more references in my diaries.

On the rare occasions when I did get the pen out again, I noticed a little corrosion on the gold plated ring at the end of the section (called a “rust ring”). This did not help endear the pen to me.

It was only last year, when a friend wrote to me and mentioned the Parker 75 and its adjustable nib feature, that I remembered that I had one and got it out to try turning the nib. It is very easy. No tools are required. You just grip the nib and feed and twist them left or right, as desired.

The only other pen I know of now that had this feature, is a child’s beginner pen, the Stabilo EASYbirdy (not to be confused with the EASYbuddy which does not have this ability).

Last year was a year in which my enthusiasm for vintage Parker fountain pens flourished, helped by eBay and pen shows. I collected a number of Parker 17, 45 and 61 models as well as a Parker 51, all of which I enjoyed very much. I am glad to have a Parker 75 in this line-up.

One thing I have learned in recent years, is how to make some basic adjustments to a fountain pen nib, to make it write wetter or smoother, using a loupe, some brass shims, some micromesh pads and a bit of courage and/or recklessness. A few weeks ago, I got out my Parker 75 again. I spent a few minutes examining the nib and then eased the tines apart just a little, until a gap could be seen all the way to the tip. Then, checking that the tines were still aligned I tried writing with the pen once again. A few minutes’ effort had made a huge improvement. I found a suitable converter, filled the pen with Waterman Serenity Blue and have been enjoying it ever since. The medium nib now writes with a smooth, easy flow and has just a little softness too.

Better late than never. I no longer regret buying the pen, but only that I did not have the knowledge to tinker with the nib all those years ago. The main thing is that we are getting along again now. Feel free to reflect upon the lessons of this post, when you next hear Billy Joel singing “Turn the Lights Back On.”

*”If She Knew What She Wants” song, by The Bangles.

Inky pursuits: January 2024 round-up.

February 3, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 3 Comments

Inky pursuits is my series of occasional posts, gathering together some of my recent pen-related shenanigans which might not otherwise be blog-worthy stories on their own.

Duke 551 Confucius update.

This was my only new fountain pen acquisition in an otherwise dry January. I am enjoying it immensely although it takes a bit of getting used to. The size and weight are like nothing else in my pen cup. I love the look and feel of the natural bamboo wood of its barrel. I read in the Amazon description that this is Golden Silk Bamboo, whereas the Duke 552 is said to use Golden Stripe Bamboo which looks darker and more exotic.

I need to correct one statement made in my recent early thoughts post on the 551, where I said “It is not a zoom nib and there is not an easy way to get a medium width line between these two extremes.” With a little experimenting, I found that by lowering the angle at which I hold the pen it is actually very simple to get progressively broader lines, until you end up with the entire flat part of the nib on the paper, giving a line about 4mm thick. It can fill a row, in my Stalogy 4mm grid paper journal. Also, the twin slits/three tines nib ensures that the flow keeps up with demand: even when repeatedly laying down lines of the maximum width.

A sample of line widths from this fude nib.

Montegrappa Blue Black ink.

The pen drew much interest when I brought it along to our January pen club meet. I was asked about the ink in it, Montegrappa Blue Black. I had bought a bottle in Selfridges in 2018, when buying my Montegrappa Fortuna:(that was a good day!). I had not used the ink much, feeling that the colour was a bit light, and preferring my Diamine Tavy blue black. Now, six years on, I find myself liking the Montegrappa ink more and am glad to have kept it. Unfortunately, it appears no longer available as I have not been able to find any online. However there will no doubt be many close equivalents from other brands.

The London Fountaineers pen club.

As mentioned, we had a monthly meet up recently. As always, I got to try lots of different pens and inks. Looking back at my notebook, one of the stand-out pens for me was a Pilot Custom 743 with a number 15 size “SU” (stub) nib, in 14k gold. It was Bryan’s pen and was inked with Yama-budo (I think: I didn’t write that down) and felt absolutely lovely, being very narrow for a stub, and highly enjoyable for ordinary writing.

Having said that, I am still very pleased with my new Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with its number 10 size Waverly nib. As a reliable pen, with a fine nib, loaded with a blue black ink (Pilot) with some water-resistance and a nib that copes with all types of paper and writing styles, it is a very useful tool.

One of my pen club friends, a former calligrapher, gave me a huge stash of William Mitchell dip nibs, all left-foot obliques but in a variety of widths. There must have been over a hundred of them. She also gave me a couple of mapping pens – very fine dip pens, with the nib fixed in a plastic housing which can be removed from the holder and put back the opposite way around, for ease of carrying. I had never seen one before. They will be great to include with a travel kit. I am most grateful!

One of the ladies, Kim, brought along an old Parker 45 that she had been given, that was hard-starting and blobbing. I disassembled the nib and feed and was able to replace them in better alignment, which I hope was all it needed. The pen filled ok, with her Waterman Mysterious blue. I was able to give her the good news that her nib, which she had thought was steel, was actually 14k gold and that the “X” on the underside of the housing signified “extra fine”.

Inkcoming.

Whilst in Central London to accompany my wife on some errands recently, we made a short detour to the lovely Choosing Keeping, where I bought two bottles of Pilot Iroshizuku ink, in syo-ro and asa-gao, both of which had been on my radar for some time. I also picked up a couple of boxes of Kaweco cartridges (Ruby Red and Smokey Grey), this being one of the few places in know of in London where you can buy such things. Ruby Red lives permanently in my Online Campus Fluffy Cat pen.

Mark Twain goes Titanium.

In March 2023 at the London spring pen show, I bought a Conklin Mark Twain Crescent Filler, in black with rose gold fittings and a black-coated nib. Unfortunately the nib proved rather too wet for my liking and I did not succeed in adjusting it much. At a recent pen show, I had bought a Titanium nib set in an ebonite housing and feed. The housing was not compatible with the Conklin unfortunately and I could not find any other pen that it would fit and so it sat idle.

That is, until last week. I decided (just around midnight when I should be going to bed) that I could extract the Titanium nib from its housing and swap it into the Conklin. Removing the two nibs to carry out the transplant, proved harder than I had expected as they were both VERY tight in their housings. I had to resort to gripping the housings with pliers (copiously wrapped in kitchen towel) and at last they came out.

I was able to use this Titanium nib, but not the feed and housing.

I was rewarded with a much improved writing experience with the Conklin. I filled it with Parker Quink Black. I am using it as my journaling pen for February. The only slight issue is that the shoulders of the nib just touch the sides when I screw the cap on. However this is only slight and the nib seems un-affected. I could try bending the shoulders in but fear that it would risk distorting the tines or ruining the nib’s symmetry and so I will leave it alone.

All in all, the year finds me with a deep sense of gratitude, for the joy of this hobby and the friendships that it brings. Recently, I cleaned two large batches of pens and reduced my currently inked number to twelve. Right now, I want for nothing more in my pen collection and so a dry February looks on the cards. I cannot make any promises when the pen show comes to town in March, but it is good to keep an open mind.

Early thoughts on the Duke 551 Confucius bamboo fude nib pen.

January 21, 2024January 21, 2024 ~ rupertarzeian ~ 11 Comments

As early thoughts go, today’s are even earlier than usual as this lovely pen has been with me for barely 24 hours. However, my first impressions are very favourable: the quality and finish and the sheer fun that you can have with it, exceeded my expectations.

Duke 551 Confucius, bamboo fude nib pen.

This model has been around for several years now and I am informed by artist Terry Christopherson (Instagram @theTravelSketcher) and of peninkandpaint.com that it is big in the urban sketching community. I was already familiar with another model that I reviewed previously called the Duke 552, also featuring a natural bamboo barrel. I had imagined that the 551 would be similar, but with a fude nib and a more decorated cap. It turns out that they are quite a bit different.

Although the 551 is similar in length and has a similar look of bamboo barrel, black cap with silvertone furniture, it is girthier, heavier, has a much bigger nib and a section which is longer and made of metal. The differences are apparent when the two models are seen side by side.

Duke 551 fude (right) with Duke 552 (left)

However, the main difference and reason to buy the 551, is for its amazing, steel fude nib. The nib looks quite alarming at first to anyone not expecting it. The tip is angled upwards, at about 45 degrees and presents a flat surface approximately 4mm long, to the paper.

The three tine, steel fude nib with fitted ink reservoir for when dipping.

What I had not fully appreciated before the pen arrived, were two other special features of this fude nib, namely that it has two slits for improved ink delivery and an ink reservoir on top of the nib, so that when used as a dip pen, it needs dipping far less frequently. There are some Chinese characters on the nib, which my wife translated as “special calligraphy nib.”

Smooth nib with three tines, like some music nibs.

As well as its dip pen suitability, it is also a cartridge-converter filler and is supplied with a push-in converter. This contains a small coil of metal to serve as an ink agitator, which can be useful. However I saw in a YouTube video review by @chrisrap52 that this little spring does make it harder to flush the converter thoroughly when changing ink colours and he prefers to remove the spring, by unscrewing the metal collar of the converter.

The cap features an engraving of Chinese philosopher Confucius on one side and more Chinese text on the other side. My wife translated this, approximately, as “A kind person loves everybody” which is part of a Chinese saying which continues “and everbody loves him.” There is a nicely decorated finial, a very stiff and strong pocket clip culminating in the Duke crown emblem and decorated metal rings at both top and bottom of the cap.

The cap unscrews in just over one full turn. When screwed on, it meets a rubber O ring, giving a reassuring tightness to the cap. It also makes for a good seal and, from other reviews I have read on Amazon’s site, the nib does not suffer from drying out although I have not had my pen long enough to put this to the test.

I very much like the natural bamboo of the barrel. I think the inside of the barrel may be lined in metal here, and it feels heavier than the Golden Stripe Bamboo barrel of my Duke 552 (23.5 grams as opposed to 16.5 grams).

I do not generally get on with shiny chrome sections, as they can be slippery to hold. However this one is of a substantial size. It tapers slightly towards the nib where there is some engraved ornamentation and then a step up at the end, to stop your fingers sliding onto the nib.

From my initial trials with this pen, I have not found the section to cause difficulty in holding the pen securely. I can keep my thumb on the bamboo barrel for better control. However, I am finding that where the pen rests on my middle finger, the step does feel a little uncomfortable and so it is necessary to draw your finger back from it slightly.

So how does it write? I was very excited to find out. After flushing the nib and feed and the converter, I filled the pen with Noodlers Black, a water resistant ink that would allow me to paint over the ink, once dry, with watercolours without the ink smudging.

The nib is very smooth, as I have read in other reviews. The twin slits, like a music nib, provide a more generous flow of ink to the nib, which is needed when making side strokes with that long fude nib. It covers large areas at a single stroke. It would be great as a redacting pen, for hiding confidential text from a document before disclosure.

The fude nib is designed for calligraphy, allowing for fine lines to be drawn with the tip or very broad strokes with the flat part. It is not a “zoom” nib and there is not an easy way to get a medium width line between these two extremes.

In the right hands, the pen would be great for sketching, as the line width extreme variation, and ease of blocking in areas of colour, are a real benefit. Mine are not the right hands to demonstrate this properly but I enjoyed trying.

My man bag: Duke 551 fude, Noodlers Black ink and watercolours.

As for normal writing with this pen, it is possible but in order to get a fine line, the pen needs to be held upright at a steep angle, as you would for a ball pen. If the pen is allowed to lay back towards a more typical fountain pen angle, the line will be much broader and, with a 4mm line, you would need to write very large letters to avoid all the loops being filled.

It is very early days but already I am enjoying my experiments with the fude nib. It will get through a converter of ink quicker than most pens, particular if used for drawing and blocking in large areas. Before refilling it, I am keen to test out its built-in nib reservoir in dip mode.

Duke 551 Specifications:

Length capped: 147mm
Length uncapped: 132mm (I am very happy with this)
Length posted: 182mm
Weight (total) 64 grams (compared to 40 grams for the Duke 552)
Weight uncapped: 37.5g
Weight, cap only: 26.5 grams

Well, so much for my New Year pen-buying abstinence once again. I made it all the way to 18 January 2024 this time. But then this pen is quite an exceptional piece of kit and I am unrepentant.

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