[music_man]

asa-gao is pretty much all i use nowdays. ok so the shipping, but $15 a bottle? best price stateside is like $25 a bottle plus shipping. if i drive a couple hours i can go to a store where is is $38 a bottle lol. anyways, i do not feel it steps out like say "tanzanite" but it is a lot better ink overall. maybe not a fair comparison anyways, tanzinite has a lot of purple in it but it really screams. it is not in the league of iroshizuku though and quite frankly none of the us made boutique inks are imho.

 

[addylo]

I'm a recovering pen turner (it can be an addictive hobby).  Here's a few I've made.
 
Redheart (Mont Blanc style)

 
Massur Birch (Parker style)

 
Spalted Maple (cigar style)

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

I'm a recovering pen turner (it can be an addictive hobby).  Here's a few I've made.
 
Redheart (Mont Blanc style)
 
Massur Birch (Parker style)
 
Spalted Maple (cigar style)

To you make any non-kit pens? ID be interested in your work, if so.
 

 

[music_man]

cifani, isn't the homo sapiens lava? rolex made a lava band? thats cool if they did. i do not think lava is the same as rubber?

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

cifani, isn't the homo sapiens lava? rolex made a lava band? thats cool if they did. i do not think lava is the same as rubber?

Correct, the HS is lava. Those bands i were talking about were made from quote on quote "Vulcanized Rubber." The quality of Rubber B bands look very nice, and if only i had a Rolex...
 

 

[music_man]

there are many nice watches with those bands. many not too expensive either. some are also great quality. i don't know if i would personally like the looks of a rolex on a rubber band. the omega seems much more sporty than even the submariner or yacht master to me for some reason.

anyways, the hs is not at all like many of the visconti's. it is outstanding quality as far as i can tell. i have been using it again sometimes. the vacuum is actually much better than vintage ones imo. something like the van gogh or opera is not the same level as the hs. of course that is too be understood. most companies make pens in different price ranges. still, i find it sad that even a $300 pen would fall apart. rest assured with the hs though it is solid. probably glad it is one of the few visconti's i own since it is actually a very nice pen. then take like omas or montegrappa. those are all very expensive pens that often fall apart! like i said it's like italian cars. they can be half a million dollars. that does not mean they are very reliable lol. if one is par for the game than great. i like these things because i know they are not too reliable upfront so it does not sadden me when they break. they look super while they work. on the other hand, german pens seem to be rock solid in any price range. a $75 pelikan is built as well as a $15,000 one imho. likewise the starwalker is as good as a le. well the fact the hs is made from lava earns super cool points on it's own. everything else seems to be some sort of resin or metal. it feels good in the hand too.

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

there are many nice watches with those bands. many not too expensive either. some are also great quality. i don't know if i would personally like the looks of a rolex on a rubber band. the omega seems much more sporty than even the submariner or yacht master to me for some reason.
anyways, the hs is not at all like many of the visconti's. it is outstanding quality as far as i can tell. i have been using it again sometimes. the vacuum is actually much better than vintage ones imo. something like the van gogh or opera is not the same level as the hs. of course that is too be understood. most companies make pens in different price ranges. still, i find it sad that even a $300 pen would fall apart. rest assured with the hs though it is solid. probably glad it is one of the few visconti's i own since it is actually a very nice pen. then take like omas or montegrappa. those are all very expensive pens that often fall apart! like i said it's like italian cars. they can be half a million dollars. that does not mean they are very reliable lol. if one is par for the game than great. i like these things because i know they are not too reliable upfront so it does not sadden me when they break. they look super while they work. on the other hand, german pens seem to be rock solid in any price range. a $75 pelikan is built as well as a $15,000 one imho. likewise the starwalker is as good as a le. well the fact the hs is made from lava earns super cool points on it's own. everything else seems to be some sort of resin or metal. it feels good in the hand too.

Ill look into those watches. I could probably relate to you when you say the piston is better than vintage ones, because my vintage MB 242 piston is having problems and it is killing me. Like you said though about high end inks, i think i need to run it through the MB being my Waterman ink is having problems in it. Its the only ink i have, and i keep filling it without flushing which i thought was the problem. Well someone told me i need to run some ammonia through it, which i need to do, than it better work because i love this nib.
 

 

[castlevania32]

i'm trading a custom 823 B clear 14k against a M nib if someone is interested

 

[music_man]

do not run amonia through it! well it is fine but plan on having the seals relubricated which may very well be the problem anyways. always flush until it runs clear with cool water only. if you do that waterman ink should be fine in an mb. it may be too late now. a mb is not like a pelikan that you can take apart yourself. you have to send it for service. if you do run amonia absolutely do not get it on the exterior of the pen! it will still need to be relubricated then. mb is a top notch pen i just personally find most of them kind of plain looking.

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

do not run amonia through it! well it is fine but plan on having the seals relubricated which may very well be the problem anyways. always flush until it runs clear with cool water only. if you do that waterman ink should be fine in an mb. it may be too late now. a mb is not like a pelikan that you can take apart yourself. you have to send it for service. if you do run amonia absolutely do not get it on the exterior of the pen! it will still need to be relubricated then. mb is a top notch pen i just personally find most of them kind of plain looking.

Is it something you'd be interested in?
 

 

 
 
 

 

[music_man]

nah. i must have 5 of those around here somewhere. anyways it is only worth like $150 i think. i just like really decorated modern pens. like "designed" resin or maki-e. afaik mb has yet to make something that is "really out there". i guess it is not their brand style.
plus i have never actually purchased a vintage pen. either i am so old it was new when i got it(lol) or some one gave it to me. for the very reasons you are unhappy with it. decent modern pens including mb if kept up just seem to work much better than vintage ones imho. it is like a vintage fiat or ferrari. be prepared for issues. pelikan in the upper range(600 or above) seems to be tops. you might not use it for a year with ink in it and it works fine then! mb cannot even do that. if you like fancy looking pens i would look into pelikan or krone. you can get a magnificent one under a grand usd. i hate to give away my age but in grammar school fountain pens was all they had and pencils were lead! now, knowing that i can for sure tell you anything made after 1995 just works much better with almost no maintenance. if it is a top brand like mb,pelikan or namiki. for modern pens i stick japanese or german. i will get a nice omas or montegrappa but i would not count on it if i needed to.

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

nah. i must have 5 of those around here somewhere. anyways it is only worth like $150 i think. i just like really decorated modern pens. like "designed" resin or maki-e. afaik mb has yet to make something that is "really out there". i guess it is not their brand style.
plus i have never actually purchased a vintage pen. either i am so old it was new when i got it(lol) or some one gave it to me. for the very reasons you are unhappy with it. decent modern pens including mb if kept up just seem to work much better than vintage ones imho. it is like a vintage fiat or ferrari. be prepared for issues. pelikan in the upper range(600 or above) seems to be tops. you might not use it for a year with ink in it and it works fine then! mb cannot even do that. if you like fancy looking pens i would look into pelikan or krone. you can get a magnificent one under a grand usd. i hate to give away my age but in grammar school fountain pens was all they had and pencils were lead! now, knowing that i can for sure tell you anything made after 1995 just works much better with almost no maintenance. if it is a top brand like mb,pelikan or namiki. for modern pens i stick japanese or german. i will get a nice omas or montegrappa but i would not count on it if i needed to.

Ohh, ya im actually interested in selling the MB and my Pelikan because they are just shiz IMO. I think i need the reliability of a Parker 51, which i have, just more beautiful. I need to get a upper Pelikan like the new 101N which ive heard is really nice.
 

 

[music_man]

well, my modern parkers are great. the old ones were probably the better vintage pens and the conklin nozac i have too. i don't know the 101n. last time i bought a pelikan anything above "600" or "le" or "se" were their high end pens. they have been my best pens next to the emperors. the thing with the emperor is it is a pain to fill and one is paying an aweful lot for looks. the mechanism probably doesn't cost that much. so for new piston fillers i go with pelikan or krone now. really for a new pen expect to pay at least $400usd for something quality. buying vintage is buying someone elses problems most of the time.

 

[Greg_R]

Is it OK to discuss mechanical pencils or lead holders in this thread?  My job is pencil-centric and I really like using the Tech-matic and Caran D'ache fixpencil lead holders.  Does anyone know of a wider body lead holder that keeps the all metal construction?

 

[JadeEast]

I've only had Staedler Mars and Koh I noor 2mm lead holders, but I've seen some vintage 2mm all metal ones. Can't recommend any one in particular, but I like the sharpener I've got.