Business

For some unknown reasons, Parker has recently sent me a survey about writing instruments. Sure thing, these surveys have the goal of understanding what customers want and look for. Now, I wonder where the real business of fountain pens is—is it in pen collectors and heavy users who accumulate pens or is it in occasional users and in people in search of a distinguished present?

The survey started with questions on the number of writing tools over €150 purchased during the previous two years, and on their nature, fountain pen or other. Once decided fountain pens were my object of desire, the questions versed about the personal value ascribed to gold nibs and about how the pen was filled.

Most of those questions could be answered by checking fountain pen fora. But those answers reflect only the opinion of collectors and accumulators. I do not know whether big pen companies check these fora, but these surveys make me think that the business, the big money, relies in the group of occasional buyers with little or no information on pens.

The Parker IM, one of the low end pens in the Parker catalog nowadays.

Only this could explain why Parker does not manufacture any self-filing pen right now, why the gamut of their pens is so boring, or why it is so difficult to find any nib other than F and M, at least in the Spanish market

Parker IM, posted, showing the very rigid steel nib.

Of course, that is a personal opinion. It happens that I cannot help thinking of the modern Duofold as a major treason to a beautiful tradition.

(Platinum 3776 – Waterman Havana)

Bruno Taut
(In exile, December 20th, 2010)
[labels: Mercado, Parker]

Nib Questions

The Súper T ads in the 1940s and 1950s spoke of twenty different possible nibs for its pens. The Kaweco Sport in the 1930s had the option of twelve different nibs including three Kugel (sphere) points.

Súper T ad from 1948. On the left hand side it reads that there are 20 different nibs available for this pen with "everlasting guarantee". Advertisement collected by Grafopasión member Claudio.

In 1934 the Kaweco Sport could have up to twelve different nibs. Image taken from the Kaweco website (December 2010).

Those are only two examples of the wealth of nib possibilities in former times. Nowadays, the options are mostly reduced to the typical F, M and B triad, and, if anything else, some oblique nibs catering the snobbish rather than any real writing need. The main exception to this observation are the big three Japanese companies and their interesting nib catalog.

Cross nib by Sailor. My thanks to Mr. Noguchi, of the Wagner Association in Japan. Some other nibs by Sailor can be seen on the British Sailor website.

Three music nibs by two Japanese companies: Platinum on the top, and Pilot on sizes 5 and 10. Platinum's nib selection is a lot more reduced than Pilot's. Its sister company Nakaya has some additional points, including a stub.

Now I wonder what the real reasons for this were. Is it just a matter of supply and demand? Might it be a result of pens being more of a collectible object than a real writing tool?

I have no answers. I do know, however, that I find fewer and fewer interesting features in modern pens and, consequently, I turn my face to vintage pens.

(Kaweco AL-Sport – Waterman Havana)

Bruno Taut
(In exile, December 18th, 2010)
[labels: Kaweco, Japón, plumín, Súper T, fora]

German Pocket

To the regular reader of these chronicles, pocket pens are well known and need little introduction. Suffice to remember now that the first of them was launched by Pilot in 1968. But that might not be the first time the idea of a “pocket pen” came to light.

Kaweco is a German pen company in business since 1883. As early as in 1908, the model Sport was created—a dip pen of very compact dimensions: 10 cm when capped, and 14 when posted. A 1909 patent allowed the company to create a safety pen that did not leak, and in 1911 a new safety Sport was marketed.

Pilot pocket pen and Kaweco Sport in aluminum. Posted, the Pilot is 148 mm long, and the Kaweco is 130 mm. Capped, 118 mm for the Pilot; 105 for the Kaweco.

The year 1934 model was a safety pen made either in artificial horn or in ebonite in a shape very much alike to the current Kaweco Sport. Since then, the Kaweco Sport has preserved that basic style while changing the filling system -- safety, piston, and cartridge-- and the materials –ebonite, celluloid, plastic, aluminum, etc.


This Kaweco Sport model and the typical Japanese pocket pen have some similarities: both are very compact pens when closed, and they have unusually long caps. And posted, they become long enough for a pleasant grip.

Now, the construction of both pens is completely different. Might them be different interpretations of the same idea.

(Kaweco Sport with 1.1 italic nib – Diamine Evergreen)

Bruno Taut
(In exile, December 14th, 2010)
[labels: Kaweco, Japón]

Matching (IV)

The controversy is always there: Is that pen original or a copy of another? Which company did father that idea? Well, this time the story is well known and well documented.

In April 1970 Parker released the very unique T1—nib and section were made out of the same piece of titanium. It was the perfect streamlined pen. But titanium was difficult to work with and the whole production process was very expensive. The T1 was phased out in 1971, after only 104000 units produced. Few of those are said to write satisfactorily. Its rarity, nonetheless, has made this pen highly valued among collectors.

Pilot Myu-701.

In 1971, Pilot, in Japan, released an all steel pocket pen with a similar nib—the Pilot Myu-701. This time, the pen worked very well and remained in production for about ten years. It is arguably the most successful pocket pen, that very Japanese invention from the late sixties.

Pilot MuRex (top), and Parker 50 (bottom).

A full sized evolution of the Myu-701, by the name of MuRex (or MR) was marketed in 1977. The nib has a very different design, showing somehow a less clean profile. The section, on its side, has a rugged area to provide a better grip. A later model (1978) of the MuRex had the decorative elements in red instead of black, and some changes in the clip, while it kept nib and section untouched.

Parker 50 "Falcon" (top), and Pilot Myu with black stripes (bottom).

Parker, by chance or by plan, created in 1978 the Parker 50, nicknamed as “Falcon”. In a sense, it was a new attempt to create the T1, but in steel, following the teachings of Pilot. This model showed a big improvement over the titanium predecessor—it actually wrote and was a lot less fragile.

Parker 50 "Falcon".

There is a newcomer to this story. In 2008, Pilot decided to commemorate its 90th anniversary with by recreating the 1970’s Myu under the name of M90. Although the M90 is not an exact copy of the old Myu, it certainly preserves the streamlined spirit of the design.

Pilot Myu-701 (top), and Pilot M90 (bottom).

Writing-wise, in my personal experience, Pilot’s Myu, MuRex and M90 win hands down over the Parker 50.

My thanks to Kinno-san.

(Parker 50 “Falcon” – Pilot Iroshizuku Sho-ro)

Bruno Taut
(In exile, December 11th, 2010)
[labels: Parker, Pilot]

Simple and Clean

Some days ago I published a review on a remarkable Spanish pen—the Súper T Gester 20. After using it for a while I ran out of ink and proceeded to clean it. This was very easy despite the fact it is a piston filler. The reason, as I pointed out, was that section and barrel attach to each other by a simple thread.



What I had not foreseen was how easy disassembling the piston was. Once the section is out of the way, the piston comes out of the barrel unscrewing the knob further. And that is it!


Easy to disassemble and easy to clean. There are no internal sheaths or hidden screws. In a sense, this pen is an eyedropper with a piston, a very easy piston.


Hats off for the designer Manuel Portus Ribas.

(Kaweco Sport with 1.1 mm stub nib – Diamine Evergreen)

Bruno Taut
(Madrid, December 9th, 2010)
[labels: Súper T, soluciones técnicas]

Matching (III)

The controversy is always there: Is that pen original or a copy of another? Which company did father that idea?

The Sheaffer Balance is a well known pen from the thirties, marketed in 1929, though—about which there is a lot of information. That pen combined a number of features to make it very attractive and a success—lever filler, colorful celluloid bodies, “torpedo” shape, lifetime guarantee…

Becoming an icon it was bound to be copied and imitated. The pen I am using to write this chronicle is one of them.

It is a lever filler called Hawaiian: "Registered Practical Pen", the inscription on the barrel says. It is made in green celluloid and follows very closely the design patterns of the original Sheaffer, including the white dot sign for lifetime warranty.

The white dot!

The main difference lies on the nib. The Hawaiian uses a very rigid and apparently untipped steel nib. However, it is fairly smooth.

The inscription on the nib reads "Hawaiian / PRACTICAL / GOLDEN PEN / -<5>- / S. Y. S. Co."

I bought it through an online auction thinking it was a Sheaffer Balance. Only once I got my hands on it I discovered the fake. But the price had been cheap and I decided to restore it and now it is a decent writer.

I have no information on this manufacturer.

Hawaiian Balance in green celluloid – J. Herbin Vert Empire

Bruno Taut
Madrid, December 8th, 2010
labels: Sheaffer, Hawaiian

Matching (II)

The controversy is always there: Is that pen original or a copy of another? Which company did father that idea?

The well-known all metal Pilot pocket pens.

Among pocket pens, the all metal Pilot Myu 701 is the most widely known, and its close relative black stripped pen is one of the most desired.

The black stripped pens by the big three Japanese companies. From left to right, Pilot, Sailor and Platinum.

The jewels on the caps.

On the other hand, the big three Japanese pen companies are always paying a close attention to each other.

The three nibs. From left to right, the Sailor's in 18 K white gold, the Platinum's in golden 18 K gold, and the Pilot steel nib.

Platinum’s version of the black stripped stylus was a pen with a springy 18 K gold nib. The black plastic section and the golden colored nib take some charm away from this wonderful writer.

On its side, Sailor released an all steel pen with black stripes with a very smooth 18 K white gold nib. Again, an amazing and pleasant tool.

The Sailor pen in detail.

I cannot say which of them was the first in seeing the market.

My thanks to Kinno-san

(Hawaiian Balance in green celluloid – J. Herbin Vert Empire)

Bruno Taut
(Madrid, December 5th, 2010)
[labels: Platinum, Sailor, Pilot]