Smaller fountain pen it?

[dwasson]

I have a co-worker who likes my Jr. Statesman II fountain pen, but is interested in something a little smaller, maybe say the size of a European kit. So does anyone know of a smaller fountain pen kit in a Chrome or Rhodium style kit?

Thanks

Dan

 

[jskeen]

There is a Round top Euro FP kit available from many of the venders around the net. It is not as high quality as the Jr. Gent IMHO, but it is a fp, and smaller than a Jr. Gent. There are several versions with different names. A Baron is also a little smaller than a Jr, but still a little larger than a standard euro.

 

[juteck]

Roundtop -- see this posting:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=47349

or streamline roundtop:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?p=865587


edit: Both are Berea kits - I bought directly, but these are also available from other resellers.

Both are smaller than a Jr. Gent and Baron/Navigator - the section threads feel "cheap", but I've had no problems with the satin nickel or rhodium platings on either. The streamline was originally a rollerball, but changed with a fountain pen section (that's why the different plating on the end of the section).

 

[DurocShark]

There is a Round top Euro FP kit available from many of the venders around the net. It is not as high quality as the Jr. Gent IMHO, but it is a fp, and smaller than a Jr. Gent. There are several versions with different names. A Baron is also a little smaller than a Jr, but still a little larger than a standard euro.

That euro FP kit isn't bad, but you need to buy the special step drills and such.

I've done a couple, not a lot. Replace the craptacular nib with one of the steel nibs from Lou ($6 at exoticblanks.com) and it's a nicely balanced, good looking pen.

 

[jskeen]

That euro FP kit isn't bad, but you need to buy the special step drills and such.

I've done a couple, not a lot. Replace the craptacular nib with one of the steel nibs from Lou ($6 at exoticblanks.com) and it's a nicely balanced, good looking pen.

There are several different vintages of these kits, some require step drilling, some require cutting tenons, some have metal sections, some are all plastic. You need to be very careful what you get if you order these, that's why I always recommend buying them from one of the vendors here, who have a known track record for customer service and who will (knowledgeably) answer questions about the products they are selling.

However the one thing that I believe all variations of this kit do still have, is metal to metal threads between the cap and the body. Some may be better than others, but I don't believe any are as good as the metal to nylon threads found on the baron and Gent series pens.

The actual nibs on these kits are the same chinese made, iridium tip nibs that 99% of all kits come with. They can range from very good to total crap, it's the quality control that is the problem with them. And of course, for the collector marked there is a considerable buyer prejudice against them, regardless of how wonderfully a particular example may write. More troubling, IMHO is the fact that some of these kits come with all plastic fp sections, which can fail to hold the nib securely against the feed assy, and also can break at the top of the threaded section, rendering the pen unusable.

Bottom line is to ASK specific details about the kit you are ordering, before you buy, so you know what you are getting. Just because the euro fp kit you got from supplier a had feature x, don't mean that an identical looking kit from supplier B will be identical, even if they come from the same manufacturer.

Caveat empetor!

 

[Mr Vic]

The Americana from CUSA is also a small pen. Smaller then a Sedona or Baron. However the rhodium fountains were on a great sale,,,,possibly closeout