What is the nicest black ti fountain pen?

[redfishsc]

I have a very good friend-- and supervisor-- and customer-- that is retiring.


He adores curly walnut with black ti plating. He's ordered Lord only knows how many black ti, closed end Barons to give as gifts to special friends of his and of the company.


He already has one for himself he got a few years ago.


I would like to make him something as a gift, and I'd really like something that really shows off the black ti plating a little better than a Jr Gent or a Baron.


I'd love to do a Statesman but you really can't see the black ti much.

I've been somewhat out of the loop for the past year or two, so if there are any kits that you know of that really show off black ti, and are a good medium or large fountain pen, I'm open to suggestions.

Otherwise I'm likely to go with a Gold-ti Gent (the big Gent) or Churchill since gold ti was his second fav.

 

[Russianwolf]

The only ones that are entirely (or at least mostly) plated with Black Ti are the Baron, Gent and Jr. Retro I think. All the ones above that are Rhodium with Black Ti trim.

 

[redfishsc]

That's what I feared.

Where are you finding the black ti Jr Retro? CSUSA doesn't have them, and they appear to be discontinuing the rest of the Retros they have.


Man. A big Gent in black ti would be wonderful right now.

I may go with a Jr Gent..... it's a touch bigger than a Baron and has chrome (rhodium?) accents, a little different than what he normally sees.

 

[el_d]

I also like the look of the BlTi. And I like the look of a nice wood. so what about a Black Ti long click from Aaron? It shows off the Bl/Ti well with a large clip and the writing tip blends in nicely with the body. It will probably look really nice with a figured or curly walnut.
Its one of my favorite kits with the upgraded refill from Ed. Less than Half the price of a larger kit, easier to carry and quicker on the draw.......IMO.

 

[redfishsc]

^Needs to be a fountain pen. Clicks are cool though, but this man deserves a fountain pen :biggrin:

 

[aggromere]

it's not up to the looks fo the other kits you discussed, but I have made quite a few black chrome cigar pen kits and used them on reallyl dark Amboyna burl and Walnut burl. It looks really sharp, but I don't know what nice kits come with that. But if you find one let me know.

 

[soligen]

Something liker a zen really shows off the black TI since the whole cap is metal, but I think it is only in rollerball.

 

[Manny]

Aaron sells the blk t Stretch as a fountain. It is a Zen except it screws onto the post instead of the magnet. Zens are magnets right.

 

[Russianwolf]

Aaron sells the blk t Stretch as a fountain. It is a Zen except it screws onto the post instead of the magnet. Zens are magnets right.

at one point he also sold the retro as a Black ti fountain. if he only has it as a black ti rollerball now, order one of those and a black ti jr gent and swap the nibs.

 

[jskeen]

I like Mike's idea so far. The Jr Retro is visually different enough from a baron or Jr Gent to stand out, but uses the same size fp section, so he's familiar with it. The other advantage is that the Jr Retro has a larger finial that would show off the figure of the wood without looking unbalanced. The downside is that you can't disassemble the centerband to replace the trim ring with a wood one.

 

[Grizz]

I just did a Amalgamutt (sp?) in a Jr. Gent Black Ti, and was pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

 

[turbowagon]

Exotics now carries the Jr. Marshall in Rhodium/Black Titanium, which is similar to the retro.

You can also get them from wood safari (pics are at this link):

http://www.woodsafari.com/product.php?productid=17259&cat=0&bestseller=Y

I'm not sure if you can swap in a fountain pen section from another Jr.-style kit.

 

[PR_Princess]

WoW, Joe you don't miss much!!! :tongue:

I just pulled a Jr Gent Fountain and a Jr Marshall RB. Yep, the nibs are mechanically interchangeable.. But the nib section platings are different. The Jr. Marshall has a Rho nib section, the Jr Gent Black Ti. A better fountain parts swap might be with a Black Ti Jr. Statesman...

 

[Russianwolf]

https://www.laulauwood.net/node/104

There you go, no pic, but he does still have them it appears.

https://www.laulauwood.net/node/105

This is the rollerball which has a pic. Most of the pen is Black ti plate with the trim on the centerband and finial being rhodium.

 

[redfishsc]

The Black Ti Stretch definitely has my attention.


I have never turned one or held one, but I've made a BUNCH of Zen rollerballs, so I like the overall look.



Here's my question---- how are the threads? Are the threads on this kit reasonably smooth, or do they have a scratchy metal on metal feel like some of the lower cost (and slimmer) fountain pens?

 

[Russianwolf]

The Black Ti Stretch definitely has my attention.


I have never turned one or held one, but I've made a BUNCH of Zen rollerballs, so I like the overall look.



Here's my question---- how are the threads? Are the threads on this kit reasonably smooth, or do they have a scratchy metal on metal feel like some of the lower cost (and slimmer) fountain pens?

The Stretch is identical to the Jr. Gent/Jr. Statemen in most ways. The section from one to the other is transferable but only the stretch section will fit under the supplied metal cap. Inside the metal cap is a plastic threaded piece the same as the other Jr's. I love the longer tube length on the Stretch and use that tube more often than the stock one on other Jr's now. It adds a little extra length to the pen which makes the Jr's feel better in larger hands.

The stretch used the lower barrel bushings from the Jr Gent/Jr Statesman also.

 

[redfishsc]

Oh nice. So if I have Jr GentII bushings from CSUSA, then I don't need bushings for the Stretch? I would be making it closed end anyhow....duh... no bushings needed at all. I have a DIY brass mandrel I use for that on my Jr Gents.


So at least my brass mandrel will work with the Stretch.


I think I have a winner, I am glad I posted this. Thanks!!!!!!!!!

 

[Russianwolf]

yep, the tubes are the same except the length. Great kit IMO.

 

[redfishsc]

Nice, I'll be ordering some soon.

As a side note, I collaborated with some fellow workers and we're going to chip in and (probably) get either an Emperor or a Statesman (with black ti, obviously).

Just a matter of the vote :biggrin: they all thought he'd like the Emp, and they're willing to put their money where their mouth is when ordering the kit.


Fortunately the curly walnut grain isn't an insane pattern, it will complement the Emp very well.

 

[bitshird]

Does CSUSA have any Imperials left, they did have a few Emperors last week in blk TI but they weren't discounting them as they did the Lotus and Imperial.