What is Superchrome ink? Superchrome was a special ink created exclusively for the Parker 51. Parker made several claims about this ink: it dried three times faster than ordinary ink of the time (such as Waterman), it had a dye content three to ten times greater, and was said to have eleven times more resistance to fading than government standards.
A nib grade can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and to make it even more confusing, the actual writing width can vary from nib to nib. Higher end nibs are often finished by hand, and unless each is measured precisely, they will be different. They all look like mediums, roughly, but when you really start looking and writing with them, some are more wet, some are softer, some are wider, some offer more line variation. …
This beautiful 1930 Conklin Endura Desk Set in Jade is a great set. The base is a 3″ x 4″ x 3/4″ geometric shape with white and black edges and a black trumpet. The lever-filler desk pen is a matching piece, also in Jade, with a black taper. To make this set even more complete and perfect for your desk, there is a matching Conklin ”Knife” letter opener. Note the color is a little lighter than …
Why is there always ink in the cap of my pen? This can happen for a number of reasons, which generally involve ink on the nib and feed: ink left on the nib after filling, then being capped, ink left in the feed after filling (and not expelling the excess that saturated the feed), then being capped, the pen being tossed around in your bag/pocket/case and splattering ink from the nib and feed into the cap. It’s …
I get asked this question a lot: what’s the best flex nib? I can’t answer that because I haven’t used that many compared to the amount that are available. What I can say is my favorite flex nibs are found on vintage Watermans. Although some modern flex pens offer some semi-flexible nibs, and they are getting better and better, I still say, if you want a nice, soft, juicy nib, go vintage!
Although this 1970 Parker ”Big Red” Rollerball in Yellow is no longer available from Catalog #77, it is interesting to see how a vintage pen, mint in box, can still be a great gift or a perfect addition to a collection. This one was configured to use Parker Rollerball refills, was new-old-stock, and even had the original price label with the box. Refill was included, so it was ready to go. It’s a great size, …
How do I fill my eyedropper pen? The great thing about eyedropper-filled pens is they’re so simple! Uncap the pen and unscrew the section. Hold the open barrel upright to do this, of course. You can use a glass pipette if your pen was supplied with one, a plastic pipette, a syringe, or you can even pour ink in directly from a small container (if you’re careful). Fill the barrel nearly to full. Try to keep …
Caran d’Ache discontinued this stunning Saffron ink, and replaced it with their Chromatics line. I have no idea why, because this is an amazing color, named after the spice. Saffron is rich in color and doesn’t come cheap, so it’s no surprise this is such a lovely ink!
A lovely 1954 Montblanc 204 Desk Set in black – perfect for your desk, and a very classic, timeless look. The front and back are rounded; sides slant slightly inward. Base has “DUWAG” Logo (“DUWAG AG” – large German rail car company) lightly engraved between the star and the trumpet. The nib is ideal for a desk pen – a 14K ”Wing” nib in fine, which is useful for quick notes, and fast drying. Pen #19 …
I sometimes see vintage inks for sale – are these safe to put in my pens? Do they expire? Quite a few people still use vintage inks in their pens. There are antimicrobials added to inks to preserve them, such as fungicides. ”Contamination” can occur, and your ink can spoil, slime can develop in the bottle, as well as mold. If you see any such contamination, the ink needs to be disposed of …
