Month: February 2023

Posted in Pens, Reviews

Sheaffer Taranis (Celtic: “Thunderer”)

Posted on by Danny Watts

What’s in a name?

The Sheaffer Taranis is named after the Celtic Storm God of Thunder, also associated with the famed “wheel in the sky.” The wheel was seen as a physical representation of the movement of celestial bodies, such as the sun and moon which fall under his domain. The sun is associated with life while the wheel mimics the motion of the sun as it crosses the sky each day.

First mentioned by the Roman poet Lucan in the 1st century AD. In 2020, Taranis was a tool onboard a French Space Agency (CNES) satellite destined to measure radiation from lighting except the launch failed.

On a different note, God of Thunder is a song written and performed by Kiss, I will spare you the details.

Back story

This is not a vintage pen. Before I started my review, I read the review of others. This pen apparently elicits some strong feelings polarizing the fountain pen community. Some complain that Sheaffer based their design on the Lamy 2000. While others said the design is boring, the pen was too heavy, the section and nib are ugly, or they hated the nontraditional nib design. For all the hostile reviews and complaints I found reviews praising the same. One reviewer compared the lines of the section/grip and nib to the styles of a 50s automobile.

The pen was designed by renowned architect Charles Debbas. The Taranis was marketed from 2012-2016. The stainless steel nib is an interesting departure from the usual Sheaffer nib design – it combines both style and functionality. The ink reservoir is a Sheaffer proprietary ink converter, made specifically for this pen. Removing the barrel to access the reservoir/converter requires 9 full turns.

The barrel and cap are made of metal, it appears to be brass, painted, and protected by a lacquer finish. Some may find it slippery, but it suits me fine. The pen is well-balanced in hand when the cap is posted. I normally don’t post the cap but enjoy the feel both with and without the cap posted. I normally don’t post caps out of fear of scratching the barrel. The ring on the section/grip is a clutch with 3 outward notches, The cap attaches using friction created by the clutch resulting in a loud click and a firmly seated cap.

The cap
The clutch
The Click

Steel nib housed in a unique patent-pending grip design that “integrates resin with the strength of metal.” Hmmm, I don’t normally press so hard that I need a grip strong enough to withstand a grip of steel. I do like the grip both in appearance and function. The way I hold pens, my fingers sit most comfortably on the grip and at the cap ring/clutch.

Reminds me of a ‘57 Chevy Belair

Let’s ink it up and see how she does. I inked up with Herbin ink. I noticed that a large droplet of ink formed at the base of the nib. I emptied the ink reservoir repeating the filling process. This time I tapped the nib on the bottle, eliminating the ink droplet.

I opened the moleskin journal and set the nib to paper. One day I’ll learn only to use the Pilot G2 with the moleskin. The Taranis has a wet nib. Instead, I whipped out a pad of paper where the Taranis performed impressively. No feathering, no blots, the nib gracefully glided across the paper.

But there is some troubling news. After one day of use, the ink fails to flow even with a nearly full converter. I’m not experiencing leakage or inky fingers, I assume the issue is a dirty nib restricting capillary action. I’m going to review the litany of possibilities and get back to you.

Vital Statistics

  • Capped length; 140mm
  • Uncapped length; 120.5mm
  • Barrel diameter; 12.5mm
  • Cap diameter; 12.5mm
  • Weight; 34g

Other Reviews

Posted in Uncategorized

Jetpack, Addition through subtraction

Posted on by Danny Watts

“Stats, Notifications, and the Reader – have a new home: the Jetpack app! These features will soon be removed from the WordPress app”

This is totally off-topic and it will not be a recurring feature, but I just wanted to vent. In case you did not read the press release, WP is splitting its blogging app into two parts: the blogging app and the et al app known as Jetpack. It sounds like this is only happening to the mobile app…. for now.

“Simply download the Jetpack app and you’ll be “auto-magically” logged in with all your content in place.”

Excuse my English but bullyshit. I made the switch on my iPad. It was a PITA, I had to delete the Jetpack app reinstall and try it again. Finally got it working after I stumbled onto an issue in my WP blog setup. I corrected that issue, and was then able to convert the blogs (yes I have 2), well sort of – I lost stuff. Better yet, in my fun sarcastic blog (it follows our Frenchie and her view of worldly things), I have all the posts but they are verboten to me. I can’t even display them. Yet, all the statistics, comments, followers, etc are there but no posts. WTH, stats but no posts! And the conversion blew away my profile picture. I know, no biggy but when you are already pissed! The only benefit I see is a trend graph of visitors over the last 7 days. I turned that off, I don’t care, I do this for fun. Maybe that is my problem, I don’t care, but clearly, I do. This isn’t fun!

This is when my wife tells me I’m manic and need an anger management class. I told her Mindfulness is failing me at the moment.

“Either app is available for you to use. Once you’ve decided which app is best for you, please delete the other. Managing your site across both apps is currently unsupported and may lead to issues like data conflicts.”

Great, so now I will use the Jetpack app for this blog and the WP app for the Frenchie blog, all because I cannot switch between sites anymore. Yes, there is an option to switch sites, just like the old WP beloved app but that is when the verboten thing happens. I’m sure I could post new stuff, but what about the old stuff? Why is it hidden from me? Addition through subtraction!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. I don’t have a computer. All my blogging is done on my phone or an iPad. This means I have no recourse, I’m nothing but victimized. Yes, I occasionally I will use the “work” computer to log into the WP website to edit a post with a block that is not available on the mobile app (which there are many).

I feel better now. Hopefully, your experience will not be like mine. Let me know how it goes.

Posted in Collection, Pens, Stories

Flat bottom pens make the journaling world go round

Posted on by Danny Watts

Ok, this is really about Flat-Top pens, I couldn’t pass on an opportunity for a Freddy Mercury parody.

Fountain pens come in just about any and every size and shape imaginable. I have a preference for flat-top pens including those referred to as “baseball bat” & “tube” pens. Contrary to the “Balance” style pens aka torpedo or cigar shape.

Flat-top pens are characterized as having a larger, prominent cap and a smaller body. There is a noticeable step between the cap and the pen body when the pen is capped, while the cap and the bottom end horizontally. I know “flat-top” means the top is flat, so who cares about the aft end, welp I do. Ever look at a cigar before it is smoked? Flat on one end and round on the other.

Little Flat-Top History

The Sheaffer Pen Company produced Flat-Top fountain pens from 1912 until some time after the middle of the 1930s, possibly as late as 1940. It is important to note that the name flat-top (or flat-top) is a collector-coined name for the earliest Sheaffer pens. Sheaffer never referred to them as such.

The Sheaffer Pen Company produced Flat-Top fountain pens from 1912 until some time after the middle of the 1930s, possibly as late as 1940. It is important to note that the name flat-top (or flat-top) is a collector-coined name for the earliest Sheaffer pens. Sheaffer never referred to them as such.

Aesthetics of a Flat-Top & Bottom Pen

My interest in vintage pens is well established and yes Sheaffer Balance is the progenitor of torpedo or cigar shape pens and it is vintage but no. For me, it is aesthetically pleasing to see sharp angles created by the flat ends (maybe I should have named this post “Flat Ends”?). They provide a pleasant contrast to the curved tapered body of a Balance-style pen.

When I was a young man prior to attending university I was interested in architecture. I enjoyed trips which offered an opportunity to view historic architecture. Yes, I love arches but my real enjoyment was always the angles of a structure. “Good design is about the beauty of line.” A flat-top pen is all about lines. Yes, a Balance-style pen has smooth lines but I find them boring as the pen gradually begins and fades away.

Apparently, I am not in the majority. Balance-style pens are more popular, they sell better. I came across a thread on Reddit that is interesting. The contributor preferred round-end pens because “geometrical discontinuities lead to jumps in the stress of a body [pens in our case] under load or in the event of impact [drop the pen].” Interesting rationale but these are pens, not bridges.

My Pens

As mentioned, my Flat-Top pens can be categorized into two groups; fo-real Flat-Top pens and what I’ll call hybrid Flat-Top pens. Sheaffer doesn’t have a monopoly on Flat-Top pens. I have pens manufactured by Sheaffer, Parker, Osmiroid, Esterbrook, TWSBI, Pilot and Inkograph.

My pile of Flat-Top pens, according to me

Hybrid Flat-Tops are more prevalent thus I have excluded them. Pens in this category include Mabie Todd, Gold Starry, Conway Stewart, Waterman, Geo W. Heath, Esterbrook, Worth, Hero, Kaigelu, Pilot, and Sheaffer. Can you imagine the size of that pile?

Why own something that reminds me of a banana (shape not color), a torpedo, or cigarish when you could have these beauties? As is evident, my idea of a Flat-Top pen is broad. These pens have soooo much more personality and appeal – to me.

Oh, and BTW, I own Balance-style pens; however, I do not own a Sheaffer Balance pen.

COPYRIGHT © 2021-2023 DANNY WATTS and CHRONICLES OF A FOUTAIN PEN.
Posted in Collection, Pens, Stories

Pen Organization in a Digital World

Posted on by Danny Watts

I bet you thought this was going to be a different topic. I keep track of my pens, nibs, and ink usage using software called Airtable. This is the first of three posts discussing how I use Airtable to manage my collection of pens, inks, etc. I don’t have a large collection of pens or inks but I enjoy the organization, plus it will be helpful with insurance claims if the house burns to the ground.

The most common use software is Fountain Pen Companion. So what is Airtable, welp it is an easy way to create your own organizational databases (for dummies, like me). I can create my own base, or copy preconfigured examples. Each base has tables that contain fields.

I know sounds geeky and complicated, but it’s really not and you can decide what fields (information) are essential. The hardest part is deciding what to include. The good news is that you can add a new field or change an existing one even after records (pen information) are added.

And did I mention it is FREE. It is well established I am a sucker for FREE. Granted FREE means only 1,200 records and 2GB of space. I’m pretty sure that if I have 1,200 pens plus ink I will be divorced and probably homeless.

Overview

*** Click any picture to display a better-quality enlargement.***

I have created 8 tables (Pens, Mfr, Nibs, Project, Vendors, Supplies, Inked Up, Inks) with Pens as the main table. Some of the fields on this main table are linked to the Mfr, Nibs, and Project tables.

Main Pen Detailed View

I have created a View to group the pens by the manufacturer. The first column is the key, which is the pen name or model. I added a picture of the pen because I sometimes forget what the pen looks like (duh). I added a field linked to the Mfr table, description, and other information. I purchase vintage pens primarily, thus I added a Rating field, which is the topic that started me down this rabbit hole. I can delete or change any column at any time except the Key column.

Manufacturers

The Mfr table is very basic, as pens are assigned they appear automagically in the Pen column. I can click the pen and the complete record of that pen is displayed. I can also change that record if desired.

Nibs

The Nibs table is primarily home to Esterbrook nibs since I have so many. I also include a damaged column as many of the vintage pens arrive with a nib that is in need of TLC.

The columns of every table are assigned a basis or field type. Airtable support provides examples explaining the options and functionality of most field types, including videos. In this example, I choose the option limiting the available options to a predefined list. The list is modifiable at any time.

I have saved the best for last. Airtable provides dozens of fully configured Bases to explore and copy as your own. And they are FREE! They do all the hard work, you delete the records, change descriptions of columns, table, lists, and you are done.

Predefined Base Template Categories

Next, I will discuss my interest in rating my pens (the actual reason we started down this rabbit hole).

Reference Material

COPYRIGHT © 2021-2023 DANNY WATTS and CHRONICLES OF A FOUTAIN PEN.

Posted in Pens, Reviews

A 1950s Esterbrook Deluxe LK Model

Posted on by Danny Watts

I just realized this is my first post about a pen (excluding Fountain Pen Mystery Theatre) since late November. What a loser….anyway.

Company Back Story

In 1858, entrepreneur Richard Esterbrook established the “Esterbrook Pen Company” in Camden, NJ, which would soon become one of the world’s biggest and most beloved pen makers. The company produced dip pens before concentrating on fountain pens. At its height, Esterbrook was the largest pen manufacturer in the United States, employing 600 workers, and producing 216,000,000 pens a year.

Esterbrook manufactured two “Deluxe” models. The SM model was introduced in 1949, followed by the LK model in 1955. All Deluxe pens featured a metal cap. The SMs were available originally with a friction fit cap, with later models adopting a screw cap. The SM model featured double jeweled ends like the Model J.

The later LK’s model introduced a variety of changes. Only screw top caps were available and the double jeweled ends were replaced with stepped ends similar to the end caps seen on a 1941 Parker 51.

Other reviewers have mentioned the plastic used in the LK seems to be a little softer than the plastic used in the SM model. This softness lends to the LK model susceptible to scratches resulting from the posting of the cap and general use. I have not inspected an SM model so I cannot say for sure.

My Pen

My pen is Emerald Green, with minor scratches on the barrel, but none on the cap. There is a mark on the barrel possibly caused by posting the cap. The lever and pen clip are stainless steel. The filler lever is the “spoon” style. Levers on the Deluxe changed along with the J series from the “fishtail” or “spade” shaped lever replaced by the “spoon” shaped lever around 1952.

Other than the obvious (it’s a good-looking pen) it came sporting a medium 2312 Italic nib. As I am a big fan of Relief or oblique-style nibs, how could I turn this down?

The restoration was simple, I replaced the ink sac, and cleaned the pen with a Sunshine Cloth.

The cap is detailed with horizontal rings beginning above a cap ring and continuing to the stepped end cap. The cap threads in the barrel are part of a metal ring – I am glad it was not plastic. Operating the cap on/off requires 1 full turn, which is nice.

Esterbrook Deluxe LK

Honestly, I am not thrilled with the section. I prefer the section found on the SM model. The section on the LK is devoid of character and there isn’t even a flair around the end by the nib.

How does it write you ask, welp I’m glad you asked.

The 2312 nib is very similar to the Pilot CM nib – neither has a traditional writing surface (see below). This nib is not a smooth writer. Like the CM, it is a matter of finding the correct angle for the nib in relationship to the paper. This nib is used and may need some smoothing.

I do like the abundance of line variance this steel nib provides. In all likelihood, I will swap out this nib for a 2314 Relief or a 9312 (but I need to find one first).

Pilot M vs 2312 Italic M

The pen has been in service now for a couple weeks. I’ve come to notice an issue, the pen leaks – not a lot just enough to have a case of inky fingers. Not in the traditional sense, I am finding ink around the section by the nib. I am watching for a pattern. Trying to discern if the leak is from the screw on nib, if the ink sac is not true, or if is it caused when the cap is not tightly secured.

Vital Statistics

  • Capped Length: 130mm
  • Uncapped Length: 115mm
  • Barrel Diameter: 10.5mm
  • Cap Diameter: 12mm
  • Weighs in at, 18g

Reference Material

COPYRIGHT © 2021-2023 DANNY WATTS and CHRONICLES OF A FOUTAIN PEN.
Posted in Collection, Stories

A Journal of Pens, For Pens, About Pens

Posted on by Danny Watts

I never intended to write this post. I started writing a different but ancillary post; however, as I got into the details I felt there was a back story to be told first. As I began work on the back story, it became evident that the back story had a back story. Yes, I got to chasing that rabbit and down the hole… where is Alice when you need her? An example of my suffering from BSO syndrome (Bright Shiny Object). Anyway….

“And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you’re going to fall
Tell ’em a hookah-smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Call Alice
When she was just small“

—Grace Slick

Let’s begin with a question, do you keep track of your pens? You know, like in a list, or a catalog? Maybe you are using Excel, journals, index cards, or the ever favorite – nothing at all? Thus starts the first of 4 posts about my struggles with pen collection management.

At one point I considered keeping a journal, one with letter indexes – there are plenty available on Amazon. But no. Instead, I opted for a simple journal. Borrowing from bullet-journal discipline, I created an index so I knew what pens I had and the page detailing each. As pens were sold I simply crossed that pen off the index.

The journal came with some benefits, it allowed me to use my pens, plus I could be creative. It also came with the advantage of I could add information as needed, make use of various colors, and maybe add some doodles.

Journals by their nature are flexible, easy to use and enjoyable as long as you don’t take them too seriously. In this case, the page is clearly titled identifying the pen. I’ve added statistics, who I bought the pen from, when, and how much. A section detailing repairs, servicing, and general observations seemed like a good idea. Each page does not need to contain the same data.

I originally, set aside 15 pages for each of the popular pen manufacturers. Deciding this was dumb, I switched things up, adding the index. The index eliminates the need to dedicate a specific number of pages to the letter “P.” Simply find the pen in the index, get the page number, and ta-dah.

Alternatively, I’ve also tried using a journal based on my modified version of the Cornell Note-Taking methodology. The left side or column is usually dedicated to cues, keywords, or comments, instead, I listed the pen and manufacturer. The note section (the right column) associated with that pen contains a paragraph or two detailing the pen.

Since that journal did not contain an index it was difficult to find a specific pen, that solution was short-lived. Yup, long gone into the recycling bin it went. I found the picture above to help illustrate the principle. Do you keep track of your pens, and ink options, if so what means do you manage them?

Next, I will discuss my digital solution transformation (back story #2).

COPYRIGHT © 2021-2023 DANNY WATTS and CHRONICLES OF A FOUTAIN PEN.
Posted in Pens, Reviews, Stories

It’s a new month, what’s in your pen cup?

Posted on by Danny Watts

I start the month rotating in a 1941 Parker vertically striped Duofold (button-filled model). She may be pretty but the filler is not working correctly preventing the ink sac from filling properly.

I rotated her out and decided to keep the Wing Sung 601 hooded demonstrator (a blatant Parker 51 knockoff) in the rotation.

The usual suspects have changed. I rotated out the Pilot Prera with the CM nib in favor of a Prera with a medium nib. The Wing Sung 601 is getting a workout and the Kaweco Student is still in rotation. All demonstrators this month.

For February I dug up a pen that hasn’t been in rotation since 2007. I pulled out a blue Waterman Philéas. For those not familiar, the pen is named after the Jules Verne character Phileas Fogg (Around the World in 80 Days)

A quick search of eBay for this pen, imagine the shock and horror when I saw the asking prices. Time for the reunion.

Did you miss any of the past month’s blog posts? Welp, here is your chance to catch up…

  • It’s a new month, what’s in your pen cup? Let’s see how I started January with a review of December. It’s a new month and time to shelve your current choice of pens in favor of new pens or those that may be long forgotten and feeling neglected. Also, let’s review how did the pens from last month fared? Also included is a recap of the month’s postings, Pen news, attempted murder by ink, and Jolabokaflod.
  • The (Wish) List 2023 A wish list can be for anything, from a birthday to a future home or (of course) a pen collection. As I stumble across pens that catch my eye but are not something I’m looking for, I add them to Evernote for reference in the future. Instead of a New Year’s resolution, I present my pen wish list….
  • Original Ink Cartridge… Created by a Pencil Co. The Waterman C/F was the pen that introduced modern plastic ink cartridges in 1953. But, did you know that ink cartridges were introduced 60 years prior by a pencil company?
  • #ThrowbackThursday From time to time when I’m feeling uninspired (or lazy) I will dig up a blast from yesteryear. In this flashback, I’m highlighting a Keystone pen I purchased.
  • A Christmas Miracle, nah just Dumb Luck Christmas Miracle, maybe it is just dumb luck. I stumbled upon a 70-year-old Conway Stewart pen and Pencil set in superb condition just in time for me to buy, and for my wife to gift to me.
  • Year of the Rabbit (how about the pen) So starts the year of the Rabbit. I thought I’d highlight the Chinese-sourced pens I own.
  • Majorelle Blue (Ink) by Any Other Name Have you ever seen the color of houses in Marrakech? It resonates with me. I searched for a pen ink by the name “Moroccan Blue,” “Marrakech Blue,” or “Majorelle Blue” to no avail. Then I stumbled upon a post on FPN of a blue ink so intense as to glaze upon it “hurt” the eyes of the reader. Wanta know what I found?

In the News

Again, absolutely nothing exciting happened in the world of pens last month. Then I found this heartwarming story… “Little Afghan girl in Kabul selling pens to support her family. “If I bought them all would you be happy?” She smiled and said yes,” When a woman asks how much the pen costs, the little seller says 20 cents. She inquires if she may purchase all of the pens. The vendor agrees, and the woman pays her. “You paid me too much,” the girl complains. The woman then hands her a few more currency notes, then the little girl’s face brightens.

Sherlock Holmes Amongst Books to Enter Public Domain in 2023 “The long-running contested copyright dispute over Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales of a whipsmart detective — which has even ensnared Enola Holmes — will finally come to an end as the 1927 copyrights expiring Jan. 1 include Conan Doyle’s last Sherlock Holmes work.” Certain works by Ernest Hemingway, Louis Armstrong, and Laurel and Hardy can also legally be shared, performed, or sampled without permission or cost.

In case you are not familiar, today starts InCoWriMo. What’s that you ask? It is International Correspondence Writing Month. There is also a National version but why keep it to ourselves. So pull out your fancy stationery and fountain pens (don’t forget ink!) and write to someone whether they are near or far.

COPYRIGHT © 2021-2023 DANNY WATTS and CHRONICLES OF A FOUTAIN PEN.