What is gold-plating? Following up on last week’s question about rolled gold, gold-plating is created by electroplating another metal with gold. Gold-plated objects are usually quite attractive, but the plating can be quite thin, depending on the price, quality, etc.
This 1910 Waterman (4)12 Black Hard Rubber fountain pen has a signed “Sterling” overlay in the Art Nouveau pattern. These rare, early, electroformed silver overlay Watermans, with their recessed barrel overlays, have only before been found signed “Fine Silver” or “.999 Fine Silver,” not signed “Sterling.” I thought it may be an error, but my research clearly shows that the electroforming process can be used with both Fine Silver and Sterling Silver. Right now, this is …
I see some of your vintage pens are described using the term “rolled gold” – what is that? Rolled gold is created by a process that involves placing a base metal between two sheets of gold. That sheet must be passed through heated rollers in order for it to bond to the sheets of gold surrounding it. This means the pens that have rolled gold caps, for example, actually have gold sheet caps that have …
I have a few really large nibs – oversize-sized – but some of the little ones in the collection are truly spectacular. This Mabie Todd Swan Self-Filler 1 has a #1 nib that is soft and pleasant to write with. Bigger nibs doesn’t always mean they’re better!
My pen was working perfectly when I inked it up. Several weeks later, it’s running dry and skipping a lot – is it broken? The converter still has ink in it. Don’t worry. If you leave your pen inked for several weeks, it’s possible it’s running dry, but since there’s ink in the converter, it’s likely some ink has dried in the feed and is hampering fresh ink flow. It’s an easy fix – just …
Have you had enough of winter yet? As has been trending, kill winter with orange seems appropriate, and there is no shortage of orange inks over here. Unfortunately, most of my favorites are discontinued – Caran d’Ache Saffron and Sailor Jentle Apricot, and OMAS Orange, which is an exclusive one to get.
If you’re holding on to your pennies for something exciting, Catalog #78 will be available very soon. If you would like first dibs on available pens, subscribe here! To stay up to date on Catalogs and other pen-related news from us, please join our mailing list.
Can I use a fountain pen if I’m a left-handed writer? Absolutely. Many fountain pen users are left-handed. Depending on whether you write over or under, you may prefer an extra-fine or fine nib, which tend to have less wet flow of ink. However, there are left-handed writers who use broad nibs, too! With finer nibs, drying times of inks are usually faster, and you’ll have less smearing. Using very smooth paper can prolong your drying times, …
This 1917 Waterman 42 ½ Continental Safety ring-top vintage pen is an eyedropper-filler (easy to clean!) with an 18KT gold-filled Diamond pattern on a pinstriped background. It’s a gorgeous pen. There are two small dings in the barrel, with a discounted price to reflect this, but otherwise in near mint condition, with a form-fitted box and papers. Aside from the beautiful pen itself, the pen has an extra-fine, extra-flexible nib. Waterman made fantastic flexible nibs, so …
I write with a really heavy hand. What’s the best kind of nib for me? Unless you learn to lighten the pressure with which you write, I’d suggest steering clear of soft, flexible nibs! Try a firm nib like those found on the Parker 51 – they are better designed to handle a heavy hand.
