Waterman #7 Red Ripple “RED” Nib – Super Flex/ Wet Noodle

Waterman #7 Red Ripple “RED” Nib – Super Flex/ Wet Noodle (See Price Here)

Here is a truly fascinating pen. One of the legendary Waterman #7 Red Ripple pens, but this has some unique features. I won’t make any ridiculous assertions that this is some super rare prototype pen. I think it’s uniqueness came about in very normal ways. First, the band has no gold filled band on the cap. This is a rather rare feature, but bandless #7s do exist. Secondly, the clip is nickel filled. I’ve never seen a nickel clip on a #7, and I can only assume that the original clip was removed and replaced with this one. There is no signs of damage to the cap, so for whatever reason the original clip was removed. Third, the band color is “Black” but the nib is “Red.” We often forget that back in the day, pen’s could be customized according to the tastes of the writer. In this case, I imagine either the original “Black” nib was damaged and replaced with a “Red,” or the owner decided he didn’t like the “Black” nib and later had it replaced with a “Red.” I have also seen “Black” bands on pens with nibs with no color code and have heard speculation that this was because Waterman was using up stock at some point. Alright enough educated guesswork. Here is what I do know. The red ripple has faded very little and still has very nice color. The “Black” cap band is also in great condition. Imprints are faded and mostly unreadable (though the “7” on the end is still good). The name “J.F. Maxwell” is inscribed on the side of the barrel. The lever is in great condition with no brassing. The lever appears to have some scuffing on the top and a tiny bit of brassing on the globe. Finally, we get to the 14kt. Waterman “RED” nib, which is really a great nib. Normally, it writes as a smooth and wet F / XF (0.35mm). It really feels more like a F to me. The flex on this pen comes very easily. It is really on the border between “super flex” and “wet noodle”. And it’s nearing the softness of a “PINK.” Basically, its about as close as you can get without it being a a for sure “wet noodle.” The range is great going up to BBB (1.8mm), and I would say that is a conservative measurement. Responsiveness is also pretty decent. It’s a Waterman #7 with some unique features and an impressive nib.

SIZE: 5 1/2″ Capped

NIB: 14kt. Waterman “RED”, XF/F to BBB (0.35mm-1.8mm), SUPER FLEX/WET NOODLE (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Excellent

Restration Work: