Pen choice, self rant..

[Firefyter-emt]

I don’t know about everyone else, but I am pretty disappointed in the Jr. Statesman I made about a week ago. Bear with me here, first off it's about $30.00 for the Roh. FP I bought. My first complaint is that the screw cap stinks, it loosens all the time in my pocket as well as in my hand when just holding it. One small wrong move and the pen cap feels like it's falling off. Next complaint with the kit itself is the ring that slides on the nib end of the body. Now it's a screw cap so you want to make sure the threaded portion does not move if screwed a bit too hard so you use a drop of CA. Now because of this I can not "tighten" the kit and that ring has become loose. This is a very bad place because it is right where my finger rests on it! That and the whole kit feel light and dare I say "cheap"?

Combine that with the TERIABLE instructions, epically when you factor how the kits come "put together a bit" so you don't have matching parts to the instructions.

So there, I said it... I am very disappointed in this kit. What would be a better fit for me? I might just go back to my Americana Roh. FP that "felt" a lot more expensive than the Jr. Statesman (IMHO)
It must be a FP screw cap (or a decent press fit) The Jr. Gent is out based on the same design problems. Anything Berea that fits well?
Sorry for the rant, but this is how I see it and I am sure I am not the only one. I mean if this pen sold say for a nice even $100 and the cap was always falling off and then that ring was loose right were I held it all the time I personally would never buy another kit from that person thinking that his stuff was just some highly polished cheap pens

Someone tell me that it's not all just me.


Oh and furthermore!! I put a Schmidtt ink pump and bought a bottle of Noodlers ink for this one too. Too bad I am ALWAYS wiping the nib off because the ink weeps out onto the nib.. Any ideas there??

 

[clthayer]

Put one of Anthony's nibs on it and send it to me.[]

 

[bjackman]

Originally posted by Firefyter-emt
<br />My first complaint is that the screw cap stinks, it loosens all the time in my pocket as well as in my hand when just holding it. One small wrong move and the pen cap feels like it's falling off.

This is a known, often discussed issue with any of the four lead threaded caps. Some install a small O-ring for the cap to tighten up on.

That and the whole kit feel light and dare I say "cheap"?

I would have to whole heartedly disagree on this point (agreeably disagreeing, of course. [:I] ) To most FP aficianados "light" does not equal "cheap", but rather the reverse. Many big name pen companies go to great length and expense to engineer light weight into their products. Pick up a Pelikan 250 or 400 as an example of how this is done right.(imo) Even their large 800 or 1000 are very light for their size

So there, I said it... I am very disappointed in this kit. I might just go back to my Americana Roh. FP that "felt" a lot more expensive than the Jr. Statesman (IMHO)

This is where I'll agree with you. "feel" and "balance" are very personal and individual. No one can argue with what "feels right" to YOU.

What would be a better fit for me?It must be a FP screw cap (or a decent press fit) The Jr. Gent is out based on the same design problems. Anything Berea that fits well?

I would recommend something in the El Grande family. Their three lead cap threading is one of the best out there and I've had good luck with the nib/feed combo. Probably the Churchill since you prefer more heft. it has more metal fittings and thus more "heft" than any other of the El Grandes.

Oh and furthermore!! I put a Schmidtt ink pump and bought a bottle of Noodlers ink for this one too. Too bad I am ALWAYS wiping the nib off because the ink weeps out onto the nib.. Any ideas there??

Trying as hard as I can here to say "I told you so" without saying "I told you so" [:I]
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18434&SearchTerms=creep
How about I just offer to take some almost new, ever so slightly used noodlers luxury blue off your hands for cheap?? []

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Bill, I do know that FP's tend to have some creep, but compared to the standard refills this set up is 3 times worse. I am guessing it is the ink is maybe thinner (odd as someone else said it was too thick and clogged the pens) Weight, I can agree that a light pen goes along with quaility and I do like the weight, but with the light weight it does not feel solid.

I was just looking at the Churchill last night and although I am not in love with the outside design, I really like the shape of the nib holder. Anyone want to chine in on this kit? I also saw in on photo here a 2 tone nib with a silver tip on gold. Is this the way the kit comes or did Berea change this? (or was it a replacement nib?)

I might of gone off on a rant a bit much, but I sat down last night to do paperwork and everytime I used the pen and that ring was loose and moving as I wrote it just made me mad. []

 

[bjackman]

Lee,
I've heard from several sources that noodlers inks tend to be some of the worst offenders as far as ink-creep goes. Not sure why, as you say, they usually tend to have more solids, not less. I remember reading somewhere that Nathan of noodlers had done some re-formulating to help correct this recently. It can be wierd and has several factors to do with the nib, (slickness/polish, width and finish on the edges of the slit, etc) as well as the ink used.

The churchill's grip/section is essentially the same as other EG's, with the addition of a trim ring. I really like the feel and size of the EG section, I would highly recommend it. And yes, I think it normally comes with the two tone nib. I have actually buffed off the gold plating on some chrome or platinum EG's to have a solid matching silver color.

Agreed, nothing good about a loose trim ring. [V]

 

[alamocdc]

Originally posted by Firefyter-emt
<br />Next complaint with the kit itself is the ring that slides on the nib end of the body. Now it's a screw cap so you want to make sure the threaded portion does not move if screwed a bit too hard so you use a drop of CA.

I've not had this problem and have yet to use CA to secure this fitting. With all of the Gents, Statesman and Jrs I've done, you'd have to really crank on the cap to loosen the fitting. It may be related to how you are reaming this end of the tube.

 

[gerryr]

I've made a lot of Jr. Statesman and Jr. Gents, both versions and have to disagree with every complaint you're listed. I think the Jr. Statesman is the best priced elegant kit available and I have quite a few customers who think so too. I have never had to use CA to hold any of the Jr. Statesman parts together.

I normally use a Baron FP but I also have a Churchill FP I use a few days a week. It takes me a while to get used to the feel of the nib end, but it's a well balanced pen. If you want more heft, that's probably your answer.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

One question on the Churchill. This is the larger B mandral, has any one made say corian bushings to turn on a 7mm mandral? Could anyone mic. the bushings and let me know the size. I hate to buy another new mandral and bushings just to try out the kit. I use a set of calipers to measure anyway so the bushings are not the "end all" but it would be nice to get close to the right sizes.

 

[bjackman]

why measure the bushings? Use your caliper on the actual parts to the first kit you make, and you're there!

 

[Firefyter-emt]

LOL, Yea I guess I could do that.. good grief, is it Friday yet?? []

 

[Planecrazy29]

Check Woodcraft for 7mm bushings. I have a set of 7mm El Grande bushing that I got there.

-Aaron

 

[stevers]

Hey Lee,
Wow, sorry your so dissapointed with the Statesman line. Hope you find something you like.
On a nother note, I built a pen press from an old drill press. I'll send you some pics when it's fine tuned.
Steve

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Hey Steve, long time no e-mail! The pen is growing on me, I broke down and took the ends off the body and put it in my 12" bench vice and gave her a crank. Well, that did tighten the loose ring problem.

I have been telling myself that the light feeling is a good thing and I may have convinced myself now.

I have been over on another website just for FP's and have found that Noodlers "bullet proof" inks have a "creep" problem that is not found in the others. The nice thing is that I have traded my bottle for a full bottle and 2 other bottles that have been used. This will give me a couple to test out.

So all in all I am feeling better, but I do have to take it apart and replace the body as that heavily knotted black wood cracked around a knot. But I just bought some awesome cocobolo down in the sales section that will find it's way onto a new tube soon!