Mabie Todd Swan S. F. – Super Flex (On Ebay)

Here is a gorgeous Mabie Todd Swan Self Filler (numbered 130 B.S.F.) in red mottled hard rubber. It’s about the size of a Waterman 52 1/2V. The condition on this is superb. The red mottled hard rubber has very, very little fading. The body still has the original shine. It’s matted a bit on the cap, but it still has good color. The imprints are all very crisp and looking new. The exception is the imprint of the white swan on the top of the cap which is faded a little. The gold-filled trim also looks nice overall. The lever does have some wear and scraping. The 14kt. Swan nib is a long, slender tine beauty. It writes smooth normally as an XF (0.3mm). The flow is about medium wetness. Not too wet and not too dry. The flex on this is beautifully soft and really on the border between a “super flex” and a “wet noodle.” I conservatively graded it a “super flex.” It ranges up to BB+ (1.7mm) from XF, and it has good responsiveness. This is a fantastic vintage Swan in stunning condition.

SIZE:  4 1/4″ Capped

NIB: Mabie Todd Swan, XF to BB (0.3mm-1.7mm),  SUPER FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Excellent

Restration Work:

• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned and adjusted for optimal flow
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Waterman 52V Red Ripple – Super Flex (On Ebay)

Here is a nice Waterman 52V in red ripple hard rubber. The red ripple has faded some, but not a lot. It still has pretty good color. The imprints are all present and readable. A little faded but also not a lot. The gold filled trim is also in good condition. The one blemish is on the lever where at the base there is a small scrape. The 14kt. Waterman #2 is a soft and smooth F (0.5mm). It has a springy feel to it and is a lovely writer, especially if you enjoy wet nibs. The flex comes easily on this nib and ranges up to near BBB (1.7mm). The responsiveness of the flex is average. Overall, this is a beauty of a pen in very nice condition.

SIZE:  4 3/8″ Capped (Not including Ring Top)

NIB: Waterman #2, F to BB (0.3mm-1.7mm),  SUPER FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Excellent

Restration Work:

• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• Nib and feed adjusted for optimal flow
• Trim cleaned and polished
• New sac installed
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Parker Lucky Curve Lucky Curve in “True Blue” – Super Flex – (On Ebay)

Here is a fine example of Parker Lucky Curve in the desirable “true blue” style. There is some color change as is common with these early Parker. The white on the barrel has tanned some and the blue has darkened. The color change (as is common) is less on the cap with the white being more creme and the blue a bit lighter. The black hard rubber ends have faded to a dark brown brown. The imprints are great with the original white paint still present. The gold filled trim is also in excellent condition with no brassing. A new pressure bar has been installed and the button is looking good as well. The 14kt. Parker Lucky Curve nib is a smooth writing F (0.4mm) with medium wetness, and it has some very nice flex. This “super flex” nib goes from 0.4mm to a large 1.8mm without much effort. The responsiveness is nice and crisp, and the flow keeps up easily. The true blues are not terribly easy to acquire and even more difficult to find one with a quality flex nib.

SIZE:  5 1/4″ Capped

NIB: Parker Lucky Curve 14kt., F-BBB (0.4mm-1.8mm), SUPER FLEX

FILLING: Button Filler

CONDITION: Good

Restoration Work:

• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned and adjusted for optimal flow
• New pressure bar installed
• Body and trim cleaned and polished
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Wahl Eversharp Flat Top in Coral Red – Semi Flex – (On Ebay)

Here is an unique Wahl in the Coral Red body. I’m not sure exactly what to think of this pen. It has some unique features. First, it appears to have never had a clip nor a ring top. The coral red body does have a fair amount of light scratching throughout from its year’s of use, but nothing major. The Coral Red body is really stunning color developed by Wahl. The wear takes a little bit of the loveliness off, but it still a pretty pen. There are some dings throughout the bands (both the large and the skinny bands). The lever is in good shape with little to no brassing. This Wahl has some girth to it being a bit thicker than a Waterman 52. There is also an internal nib section that screws out from the external section, which is a nice feature. The Wahl-Eversharp nib is a very wet writing M, but it is also smooth and glassy. It has some flex to it ranging up to 1.5mm, but it’s a bit too stiff to grade beyond “semi-flex.”

SIZE:  4 3/4″ Capped

NIB: Eversharp 14kt., M to BB (0.5mm-1.5mm) SEMI FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Fair

Restoration Work:

• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned
• Nib and feed adjusted for optimal flow
• New sac installed
• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Body buffed for scratches
• Body and trim cleaned and polished
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Waterman 52 – Good Flex (On Ebay)

Here is a Waterman 52 in good condition. The BCHR is still pretty dark, almost black with some fading to brown. The chasing has some wear but it also still has some texture. Imprints are excellent. The nickel filled lever is in great condition, and the “Mercantile” accommodation clip (dated April 19, 1910) is also in pretty nice condition. The cap originally did not have a clip. In fact, I believe the cap originally belonged to a Waterman 52V. Their caps are often indistinguishable, but this one appears to originally have had a ring top (that is missing). There is also a very small crack in the lip of the cap. It’s easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. The Waterman #2 14kt. nib is a surprisingly smooth writing XXF (0.25mm). The nib has a decent flex range going from 0.25mm to 1.5mm (BB). This nib really borders on the line between “super flex” and “good flex.” The ease of flex is a bit too stiff to be “super flex,” but the responsiveness is of “super flex” quality. If you are looking for a fine writing Waterman with some nice flex, this might be for you.

SIZE:  5 3/8″ Capped

NIB: 14kt. Waterman #2, XXF to BB (0.25mm-1.5mm),  GOOD FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Good

Restration Work:

• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned
• Nib and feed adjusted for optimal flow
• New sac installed
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Parker Lucky Curve Ring Top – Super Flex  – (On Ebay)

Here is a Lucky Curve pen from Paker in BCHR that is in really nice condition. The BCHR is still quite black with just a little fading. There are a couple of small spots, almost like where some drops of water sat, that is a bit more faded. The nickel covered clip is in nice condition with no brassing. The chasing and imprints are still really nice and crisp. Even the “23 1/2” on the end of the blind cap is readable. There are a couple of rather minor scratches on the top of the cap (see pic) but nothing elsewhere. The 14kt. Lucky Curve nib is a beauty. It has the long, elegant tines and some really nice flex. The nib has a huge range going from F/M (0.5mm) to large 2.0mm. It is just a bit too stiff to be called a “wet noodle,” but it is getting there. The flex is plenty wet. Responsiveness is good. A bit above average I would say. Normally, the pen writes as a wet F/M, though due to wetness it feels more like a medium. It is smooth but does have just a hint of feedback. This is a great Lucky Curve. It’s not easy to find them with this kind of nib and in this good of condition.

SIZE:  5 1/4″ Capped

NIB: Parker Lucky Curve, F/M-BBB (0.5mm-2.0mm), SUPER FLEX

FILLING: Button Filler

CONDITION: Excellent

Restoration Work:

• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned and adjusted for optimal flow
• New pressure bar installed
• Trim cleaned and polished
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Waterma 0552 – Good Flex   (On Ebay)

Here is a pretty 0552 1/2 V. The “05” in the numbering indicates a gold filled overlay, and this has a lovely gold filled filigree overlay. The hard rubber underneath the overlay is still quite black, as is the section, with very little fading. There is little to no brassing that I could find. Unfortunately, there was a very small crack in the threads. It is not easy to see. I have bonded the section to the threads for stability, and it will be fine. The bond can be loosened in the future for sac repair if necessary with some applied heat by a trained restorer. The word (or initials?) “on” is engraved on the barrel. It’s an unusual but classy engraving. The Waterman #2 14kt. nib is a wet writing XF that is nice and smooth. It has some good flex ranging from XF to BB (1.5mm). The ease of flex is right on the border between “good” and “super” flex. The responsiveness is average. Apart from the one flaw it is a stunning little pen.

SIZE:  3 1/2″ Capped

NIB: Waterman #2, XF to BB (0.3mm-1.5mm)  GOOD FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Good

Restration Work:

• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned and adjusted for optimal flow
• Pen body polished
• New sac installed
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Mabie Todd Swan 300 – Wet Noodle (See Price Here)

A nice made in England Swan eyedropper in good condition. The BCHR on this pen has faded very little as it still remains quite black. The original chasing on these pens was pretty subtle and it has mostly faded smooth. Side imprints and cap imprints are good and crisp, though the one near the end of barrel is a bit faded. There are a few very tiny dings in the bands but no brassing that I could see. The 14kt. #3 Swan nib is a wet writing F that has that elegant, soft, vintage feel to it. It also has soft, wet noodle flex. It isn’t quite paintbrush soft, but it is very soft and ranges up to 1.8mm (BBB)! It is also pretty responsive. A lot of fun to use both for flex writing or just adding some nice character to normal writing.

SIZE:  5 1/4″ Capped

NIB: Mabie Todd Swan, F to BBB (0.4mm-1.8mm),  WET NOODLE (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Eyedropper

CONDITION: Excellent

Restration Work:

• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned and adjusted for optimal flow
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Waterman 12 with Star Nib (Rare) – Wet Noodle  (See Price Here)

This Waterman 12 came originally clipless and without chasing. The pen looks to have been left in the son at some point as the black hard rubber has faded unevenly. On one side it is a dark brown. On the other a bit littler medium brown. Imprints are still good and readable, and there is the more uncommon imprint on the cap. But the beauty of this pen is the nib. This 12 sports the hard to come by “star” nib, which is one of the early versions of Waterman nibs. This 14kt #2 nib is an ultra fine (0.2mm) nib that is perfect calligraphic writing. It is a soft nib, though not quite paintbrush, that is also superbly responsive. It is reminiscent of a dip nib. If you are looking for a soft nib capable of hairlines and great responsive action for art or calligraphy, this is it. Plus, it is a highly collectible star nib.

SIZE:  5 1/4″ Capped

NIB: Waterman #2 Star, XXF to BB (0.2mm-1.4mm),  WET NOODLE (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Eyedropper

CONDITION: Good

Restration Work:

• Pen (barrel, section, nib, feed, & cap) thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• Bands cleaned and polished
• Inside of barrel thoroughly cleaned.
• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned and adjusted for optimal flow
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Wahl-Eversharp Skyline – Super Flex – (On Ebay)

This Skyline come in nave with the green and navy pinstripe cap. The trim on this pen is in good condition with little to no signs of plate loss. The name “Max W. Reedy” is imprinted on the cap. There does appear that the pen was exposed to a little heat at some point. There are two small spots on the edge of the section near the nib where it seems a little a piece of ash or something fell. Otherwise, it looks to be in pretty decent condition. The 14kt. Eversharp nib is a nice writing XF. Unlike many Skylines it isn’t super wet but does have a good flow. I’ve graded the flex as a “super flex” which may be a bit generous. It’s a bit stiff for super flex, but it does have a nice responsiveness and great flow making nice flex writing pretty easy.

SIZE:  5 1/4″ Capped

NIB: Eversharp 14kt., XF to BB (0.3mm-1.6mm) SUPER FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Good

Restoration Work:

• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned
• Nib and feed adjusted for optimal flow
• New sac installed
• Pen thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Body buffed for scratches
• Body and trim cleaned and polished
• Test driven for a week to insure quality