What's your daily driver? (Pen or Pencil)

I remembered that I had my Bride's Uncle Bill's Eversharp fountain pen. It looks to be in fair shape, but I bet it hasn't been inked in 40 years or more. Is it expensive to get a vintage fountain pen working, and is there a particular pen restorer that you'd recommend?

I'd appreciate any comments you have on it. You won't hurt my feelings if you tell me it's nothing special. It is priceless to me because it belonged to a family member.

Thanks all. This has been a very interesting thread.

 

According to thewritepen's service page, about $15 plus shipping. With an eversharp, it needs to be opened, a new sac, nib and feed flushed, new talc, and new shellac. Nothing extreme.

 

Thank you! I will check this out.

I compared the pen to some I found on-line, and it appears to be an Eversharp Symphony, which was manufactured in the early 1950's. If anyone has more reliable or accurate information, could you please let me know?

 

The folks over at the Fountain Pen Network would be the best ones to ask. I think I need to pull out my stash, lay out a half a dozen pens, and send them to Danny Fudge at once, and get it over and done with. I have the stuff to resac my eversharps, but I don't even want to consider playing with the Sheaffers.

Here's a breakdown on the symphony -
http://www.richardspens.com/ref/profiles/symphony.htm

 

Here's Richard Binder's recommendation for services, from someone he's trained. More expensive than above, but still not terrible if you're going to get one pen done.

http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/restorations.html

 

Thanks again for all the help. I just emailed Danny and sent him a couple of photos of my pen. I plan it to send it to him in the next few days.

 

Charlie that should be pretty simple to get going again. At quick glance the worst it could need would be a new sack and a good flushing out of dried ink. Assuming the feed and everything else are intact it's really a repair you could do it home assuming the right tools and parts. Not complicated at all.

Edit.... In other words don't let anyone charge you an arm and a leg to fix it.

 

If you haven't done it, just the heating to get the pen apart can warp it. As this is apparently from a cherished relative, it'd be better to let someone else do the work

 

Oh absolutely. Although I've been lucky with the few pens of my own that I have repaired I have never had to heat any of them.

 

It loosens the shellac that holds the section into the body. If you had degraded shellac, good for you. I have some that I haven't gotten around to repairing. I'm going to have to order some new shellac - or just buy a HUGE can from the hardware store.

 

Restore it. It's not about cost. It's about how cool that pen is and where you got it.

 

Thank you, Rich. I traded emails with Danny Fudge, and it will be inexpensive for him to get it going. I don't have the tools and parts, anyway. I'll probably go ahead and send it in. I will let you know how it turns out.

Since I'm a lefty, I also found some ink that might work for me: https://www.gouletpens.com/noodlers-qternity-3oz-bottled-fountain-pen-ink/p/N19070

It will be fun to finally try out a fountain pen, particularly since I have one from my Bride's dear Uncle Bill. We became very good friends in the years before he passed. His wife gave me part of his library (he was a Bible scholar), his fountain pen (which I had buried in my desk), his slide rule, and a 1961 Bulova dress watch (which happens to be my birth year).

Have a good day, my friend.

 

Great! We'll expect pictures and handwriting samples when you get it back. Oh and just remember.... very little pressure when writing with a fountain pen. It's not needed first of all and secondly, you don't want to warp the nib. (Tho some of the old nibs flex a little naturally on their own and that's a good thing.)

 

I'm going to get a "special edition" pen for my 50th birthday ... more news soon!

--
Pitralon forever - Real pens have a nib - If it doesn't tick, it's not a watch.

 

Those Eversharp nibs from that period are fantastic BUT also fairly thin. The temptation to flex that sucker should be resisted.

Today pen is a Danitrio Takumi.

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My Eversharp Symphony is on the way to Randy Fudge for a restoration. I can't wait to get it back.

After doing some research, I also decided to purchase a TWSBI Diamond 580AL with a fine nib. This pen gets good reviews, has aluminum internals, has a large ink capacity, and can be easily disassembled. Silicone piston grease and a pen wrench are also included with it. It was a pretty good value, and I really like the rose color. Most reviewers recommended writing with it uncapped. Otherwise, it is top heavy.



I never thought I'd run across pen enablers on a shaving forum. You guys are sneaky and rotten to the core.

 

Since I'm a lefty, I also picked up some Noodler's Bernanke Black fountain pen ink. It's supposed to be fast drying. I mostly write overhanded (and can write under handed with focus), so I don't think I'll have a big problem smearing the ink.

There sure are some beautiful inks available...I'd love to eventually try some of the different reds and blues provided I don't have a problem with ink smearing. Boy, this could be another rabbit hole.

 

We're happy that you appreciate us.

 

Danny Fudge.

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That's a nice looking pen. I should probably grease the converter gasket I have for another pen - one leaks a bit.

As for being rotten, I consider myself just a softy...