El Toro Fountain Pen

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hilltopper46

hilltopper46

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Jun 28, 2006
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East Troy, Wisconsin, USA.
Just this morning I completed two El Toro FP kits that I have had laying around for a few years. I bought them at the same time but they have two different nib holders. I am attaching a picture. One (shown on the bottom) has two decorative rings built into the holder. The other (shown on the top) had three trim rings in the packet with the nib holder. Two of the rings are chrome and one is a darker tint.

First, I don't like this as the ring is loose and could fall off if the customer removes the holder to change the ink cartridge.

Second, if I stack all three rings on the holder, it's difficult to screw the pen body into the cap. If I use only one ring, it threads in OK.

Thoughts? Comments?

(Sorry for the picture quality - the flash picture doesn't show the difference between the rings as well).
 

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hilltopper46 said:
Just this morning I completed two El Toro FP kits that I have had laying around for a few years. I bought them at the same time but they have two different nib holders. I am attaching a picture. One (shown on the bottom) has two decorative rings built into the holder. The other (shown on the top) had three trim rings in the packet with the nib holder. Two of the rings are chrome and one is a darker tint.

Thoughts? Comments?
Click to expand...
There was (or is) another kit very similar to the El Toro. It was the Little Havana. Not only are the trim rings different but the sections are also different. In your picture the bottom pen is the El Toro which is still sold by Exotic Blanks. But a google search, https://tinyurl.com/3cc7th8u , shows both styles (from your picture) listed as El Toro pens. Maybe the design changed or maybe one is the Little Havana. The El Toro, if I recall, was sold by Berea Hardwoods and the Little Havana was sold by Craft Supplies.

Doing a search for the Little Havana fountain pen shows pens like your bottom one identified as the Little Havana. They are very similar and are, or were, often both identified as either. Maybe someone knows the answer.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 
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Thanks for your responses. The instruction sheets (several versions, Little Havana, Arizona Silhouette and Exotic Blanks) say nothing about the trim rings on the nib holder, section, front end or whatever its proper name is. Both packets were purchased from Exotic Blanks at the same time and both kit bags are identified as El Toro.

My issue is that with all the trim rings stacked on, the nib holder threads into the body coupler with difficulty. It feels like the threads do not want to engage, and when the threads do start, it feel like it is trying to cross-thread. Leaving two of the rings off allows it to thread in the way one would expect. Perhaps this post will simply help someone else someday.
 
Berea's manufacturer did change the length of the body tube some time ago.

I did not notice the rings! Of course, they did not mention this when they shipped the new designed products

I can tell you I have tried cutting the body tube to the original length--I was able to make the pen without difficulty, but I really did not pay any attention to the rings.
 
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ed4copies said:
Berea's manufacturer did change the length of the body tube some time ago.

I did not notice the rings! Of course, they did not mention this when they shipped the new designed products

I can tell you I have tried cutting the body tube to the original length--I was able to make the pen without difficulty, but I really did not pay any attention to the rings.
Click to expand...
What are the old vs new tube lengths, Ed?
 
ed4copies said:
Berea's manufacturer did change the length of the body tube some time ago.

I did not notice the rings! Of course, they did not mention this when they shipped the new designed products

I can tell you I have tried cutting the body tube to the original length--I was able to make the pen without difficulty, but I really did not pay any attention to the rings.
Click to expand...
Berea, if I recall correctly, once had the El Presidente which looked the same as the el toro but had a longer body.
 
its_virgil said:
Berea, if I recall correctly, once had the El Presidente which looked the same as the el toro but had a longer body.
Click to expand...
If I have them documented correctly, the El Toro & Little Havana and the El Presidente, Havana, & Robusto all used the same tubes, but in opposite orientation. The El Toro & Little Havana use the short tube for the body & the long tube for the cap end whereas the El Presidente, Havana, & Robusto use the long tube for the body & the short tube for the cap.
 
Edgar said:
If I have them documented correctly, the El Toro & Little Havana and the El Presidente, Havana, & Robusto all used the same tubes, but in opposite orientation. The El Toro & Little Havana use the short tube for the body & the long tube for the cap end whereas the El Presidente, Havana, & Robusto use the long tube for the body & the short tube for the cap.
Click to expand...
I do not think they use the same tubes. Attached is a picture of the el toro, el presidente and the ball point version. I've made all versions and the cap tubes have been the same length but the body tubes duffer. I have tub sets for all three if you would like me to send lengths.
Don
20230430_125833-01.jpeg
 
Be careful of the instructions. They refer to the "short" and "long" tubes, but it seems the body tube changes in length from one design to the next. It would be better to refer to the fatter (cap) and thinner (body) tubes, since the diameter determines which tube is which.

Confusing??? Yes.
 
its_virgil said:
I do not think they use the same tubes. Attached is a picture of the el toro, el presidente and the ball point version. I've made all versions and the cap tubes have been the same length but the body tubes duffer. I have tub sets for all three if you would like me to send lengths.
Don
View attachment 361931
Click to expand...
Yes, please do.
Thanks
 
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