W/NW Show me your nice fountain pens

Great work Lukitas! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your project. Thank you for sharing.

Another reason I love this forum.... Incredibly knowledgable, talented, and interesting people.
 
lukitas said:
Bought a mini-lathe, some perspex rod, and started building.
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Which mini-lathe did you get?
I assume you went for a metal lathe to make thread cutting more reliable, correct?

The pen is gorgeous and so is your journalistic photos. Big thumbs up!
 
^^Wow, amazing project, Lukitas, and a really good-looking pen.

Pablito said:
So, for those of you who actually use these pens and carry them around, what's the trick to not losing them?
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If there's a trick I'd like to hear it too. I've had two pen casualties this summer, so far.

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Thank you all for your kind comments.

shadowfox said:
Which mini-lathe did you get?
I assume you went for a metal lathe to make thread cutting more reliable, correct?
Click to expand...

Yes, it is a metal lathe, for the thread-cutting, and because I had some training on those machines.
Mine is sold from the UK as the 'Amadeal CJ18A', but it is actually a chinese variable speed Sieg 7X14". I think the same machine is sold as the 'Big Dog' in the US. Grizzly may have the same model in their line-up.
It has a primitive gear change system for driving the leadscrew, which nominally goes up to 2,5 mm pitch. With a bit of file work, I managed to fit in the gearing for 3 mm pitch, but I only turn that by working the chuck by hand. I am afraid this gear ratio would be too hard on the machine, especially as the motor only develops decent torque at about 150 turns per minute : too fast for cutting thread.
 
lukitas said:
Thank you all for your kind comments.



Yes, it is a metal lathe, for the thread-cutting, and because I had some training on those machines.
Mine is sold from the UK as the 'Amadeal CJ18A', but it is actually a chinese variable speed Sieg 7X14". I think the same machine is sold as the 'Big Dog' in the US. Grizzly may have the same model in their line-up.
It has a primitive gear change system for driving the leadscrew, which nominally goes up to 2,5 mm pitch. With a bit of file work, I managed to fit in the gearing for 3 mm pitch, but I only turn that by working the chuck by hand. I am afraid this gear ratio would be too hard on the machine, especially as the motor only develops decent torque at about 150 turns per minute : too fast for cutting thread.
Click to expand...

Lukas, I appreciate you sharing the information. I've been eyeing one of these mini metal lathe because I often need to create a replacement cap or section for vintage pens that I'm restoring.
 
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One of my daily writer/EDC. No, this pen is definitely not for sale!
 
Finally, the pen I wanted to make in the first place, with the Brause Rose nib.

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Forgive my trembling fingers. It is an exercise,working this nib. It is made for fine spring steel, with deep cuts in the sides, allowing for an amazing sensitivity to pressure. Of course, as soon as the tines open, capillary action stops - you can see the film of ink climbing up the slit. But if you are delicate enough, you can try slightly pump the tines to call ink to the point, and most satisfying déliés come out.

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It brought me straight back to when I was six, paying great attention to every stroke, trying to keep pressure, speed and direction within tight limits. It is refreshing, to have to concentrate on the details of shaping letters.
 
I'm enjoying looking at this old thread. I used to have quite a number of old pens, but haven't used them much for a long time. Honestly, I seldom have reason to right much anymore. There is a vase on my desk with my favorites all covered in dust. I'd pulled them out a couple years ago to protect them in a potential trade that was coming up, but that never happened.

I've got a couple of old display cases too. There was a lot of interest in old pens about 20 or 25 years ago, but it seemed like it died down. I see mostly modern pens here, but I guess they are more practical. I have to admit that the pen I wrote with most was a Montblanc that later disappeared. The push-on cap was very convenient, and I really liked the fairly flexible nib.

I haven't made it through the whole thread yet, but did notice quite a bit of interest in the Parker 51 and relatives. I never really spent much time with those, but should give them a try. I think part of my problem is that I don't really understand how to tune them up, but I do have a few that work nicely.
 
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