Mabie Todd Swan Over/ Under Feed (Oblique Stub) – Super Flex (On Ebay)

Here is a lovely little made in New York Mabie Todd Swan in Chatelaine style. The BCHR is in good condition. There is some fading to a grayish black, but the chasing and imprints are still very crisp. The gold filled trim is in very nice condition. Some very small dings on the top of the cap but no brassing. The cap fits a bit snug, but that is the way they were supposed to be as it is a slip cap with a chain dangling from it. This Swan comes with a really unique nib. It is a very wet writing oblique stub. It might even be crisp enough to call an italic. It takes a little bit of getting used to, but it is butter smooth when you hit the sweet spot. A phenomenal writing experience. Added to that is a very nice and soft flex going from F (0.5mm) up to BBB (1.8mm). Plus, the oblique italic nib combined with the flex makes for some special abilities when use the two together. It’s a great and very unique vintage flex pen.

SIZE:  4 5/8″ Capped

NIB: Mabie Todd Swan #2, Fine Oblique Stub to BBB (0.5mm-1.8mm)  SUPER FLEX (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
• Trim buffed and polished
• Nib and feed ultrasonically cleaned and adjusted for optimal flow
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Waterman 52 Wood Grain / Red Mottled – Super Flex (On Ebay)

Here is a Waterman 52 in wood grain / red mottled hard rubber (not a red ripple like the sample states. Sorry about that). I believe this 52 is from the European market as US versions do not have nickel trim and almost always have a clip and a band on the cap. This version is equipped with a quality nickel-filled Waterman accommodation clip. The hard rubber is still looking very nice with minimal  fading. There is a faint live of fading apparent on the back where the cap was posted. Imprints are worn off, though the “52” is still readable. The accommodation clip is in excellent condition. In addition to the Waterman “Ideal” globe, it has the company “Silvrix” (a French company I believe) etched in the side. The nickel lever is also in very nice condition. The 14kt. Waterman #2 is a fantastic writer. It is soft and very smooth and wet. I could write with it all day long. The flex on this is also very nice. It doesn’t have a huge range going from XF (0.3mm) to BB (1.6mm), but it does have some excellent bounce and responsiveness. This is a much rarer version of the 52 than it’s gold trimmed siblings. Great pen.

SIZE:  5 1/2″ Capped

NIB: Waterman #2, XF to BB (0.3mm-1.6mm),  SUPER FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Excellent

Restration Work:

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

Wahl BCHR Flat Top – Super Flex – (On Ebay)

Here is a Wahl Flat Top pen with roller clip similar in size to the Waterman 52. Let’s start with the blemishes. The BCHR has faded significantly to a medium brown, and there are spots where it is darker than others. Chasing is worn pretty smooth but is still visible. The imprints on these Wahls are faint to being with, so it’s unsurprising that it is worn off. Finally there are bites marks on the end of the barrel (see pics) where the owner likely stuck the pen in his/ her mouth to free up his or her hands. There are a few more (though much less) on the top of the cap also. Now for the good stuff. The golf-filled trim looks great. One very small scuff on the clip but no brassing on the clip or band. The lever has just a small amount of brassing along some of it’s edges. The 14kt. Wahl #2 is a great vintage nib. It is a wet writing F (0.4mm) that has a pretty good flex range going up to BBB (1.7mm). Flex comes pretty easy. Responsiveness is ok but not outstanding. This pen has experienced plenty of life and still works great.

SIZE:  5 1/8″ Capped

NIB: 14kt. Wahl #2, F to BBB (0.4mm-1.4mm) SUPER FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Fair

Restoration Work:

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

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

Here is an outstanding Skyline in standard size with green body and gold-filled cap. The condition of this Skylines is superb with very little light scratching on the body. And there is very little in way of blemishes on the cap. There are a couple tiny, tiny, hard to see pin prick dinks in the cap. You can only see them by catching the light just right. There is no brassing on the cap AND no brassing on the lever (which is pretty rare). The 14kt. Eversharp banner nib is a a pure joy to use. It is a soft, wet writing F (0.4mm). Just as a normal writer, this nib shines. But added to that is the fact that it also flexes big (going to BBB+ / 1.9mm) and soft. It also has pretty good responsiveness for a Skyline nib, which tend to be a bit stiff. This is a fantastic Skyline that checks all the “desirable” boxes.

SIZE:  5 1/4″ Capped

NIB: Eversharp 14kt., F to BBB (0.4mm-1.9mm) SUPER FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Excellent

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 #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:

• Pen (barrel, section, nib, feed, & cap) thoroughly cleaned & flushed
• Pen body thoroughly polished with jewelers cloth
• Nib polished and tuned to write smoothly
• New sac installed
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

Wahl Gold Filled Ring Top – Super Flex (On Ebay)

This is a great example of the classic Wahl gold-filled ring tops. Many companies made these, but Wahl seemed to make the largest variety and some of the best quality. There is no brassing on this pen, and only one tiny pin prick ding on the lip of the cap. The initials “H.E.S.” are engraved in the side of the barrel. There is light scratching around bottom of the barrel just above the section from screwing the cap on and off. This is typical for gold filled overlay pens. No other defects to speak of. The 14kt. #2 Wahl nib is a beautiful writer. A very smooth and elegant XF (0.3mm) with good flow but is not overly wet. The flex on this nib is also very good. It’s a bit on the stiff side for a “super flex” grade, as these Wahl nibs tend to be, but it has a great range going from XF to BBB (1.7mm). On top of that it also is very responsive. It’s a great portable and durable vintage flex pen in excellent condition.

SIZE:  3 5/8″ Capped

NIB:  14kt. Wahl #2, XF to BBB (0.3mm-1.7mm) SUPER FLEX (See “Grading Flex Nibs” for How I Grade)

FILLING: Lever

CONDITION: Excellent

Restration Work:

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

Waterman 52 1/2V  – Super Flex  (On Ebay)

Here is a Waterman 52 1/2 V (Vest pen). This incarnation of the 52 1/2 V does not come with the more typical ring top but with a clip. The BCHR on this pen has faded to a dark blackish brown. The chasing on the body has faded almost smooth though it is still visible. Imprints are also worn but mostly readable. The “52 1/2 V” on the end of the barrel is good and crisp. The lip of the cap that extended below the large cap band has been removed. It’s a clean cut, so I assume that was intentional at some point, but the fade marks on the body indicate that the removal was after some fading had occurred. The gold filled trim is in excellent condition. Both lever and clip look superb with very little if any brassing. The cap band is also with brassing, but it does have some light surface scratching typical of such bands. The 14kt. Waterman #2 is a lovely nib. Normally, it writes a hairline XXF that is pretty smooth for how fine it is. Great for small, precise writing. The nib has a flex range up to BB (1.6mm). The flex isn’t huge. In face, I think it looks best when swells are around 1.2mm-1.3mm, but it doesn’t need to be huge because the nib is so fine and very responsive. Ease of flex is decent. But it’s really the responsiveness and fineness of this nib that makes it a “super flex.”

SIZE:  4 1/2″ Capped

NIB: 14kt. Waterman #2, XXF to BB (0.2mm-1.6mm)  SUPER 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
• New sac installed
• Test driven for a week to insure quality

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

This is a standard size Wahl-Eversharp Skyline in burgundy body and gold-filled cap. The body of this pen is in nice condition with only very light signs of use. The gold-filled trim is in good condition as well as both the lever and clip are completely without plate loss. The cap also has no plate loss, but there are a few dings. Inside Skyline caps is a light, thin ebonite liner that is bonded to the metal exterior. Part of that internal lining is missing, but the cap threads perfectly. The only way you would know this is if you look inside the cap. The 14kt. Eversharp nib is a beautiful writing wet F (0.4mm). Eversharp is known for making some really lovely writings nibs, and this one is no exception. The flex on this nib ranges from F to BBB (0.4mm to 1.7mm). That’s a good range, but the flex is a bit too stiff for me to grade it “super flex.” Still it has some good flex on a great nib.

SIZE:  5 1/4″ Capped

NIB: Eversharp 14kt., F to BBB (0.4mm-1.7mm) 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

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

Here is the much rarer Waterman Olive Ripple hard rubber on a model 52V (which happens to be my favorite Waterman model). The color of the ripple is quite good with only minimal color alteration. It does not look at all faded. The imprints are worn a bit but mostly readable. There is a very small (2.5mm) scratch right next to the side barrel imprint. There is a little brassing on the top edge of cap band, and a little more on the ball of the clip, but the brassing is not very obvious and the trim still has that silky gold look. The globe on the lever is worn and only partially readable, and there is some brassing on the globe edges. The 14kt. Waterman #2 on this pen is a beauty. If you like soft writing nibs, this is for you. Normal writing is soft, rather wet, and buttery smooth F (0.4mm). The flex on this nib is also soft ranging from F (0.4mm) to BBB (1.9mm). Responsiveness is good as well. This is a fantastic, rare pen.

SIZE:  4 1/2″ Capped

NIB: 14kt. Waterman #2, F to BBB (0.4mm-1.9mm), SUPER 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

Waterman Lady Patricia Ink Vue – Super Flex  (On Ebay)

Here is a 1930s Waterman Lady Patricia with an Ink Vue filling system. The pen has a gray/ green and pearl marble body with a patterned, amber, semi-translucent ink chamber. Part of the pattern and color of the ink chamber has been altered by use and time, but it is still a striking pen in appearance. The ink vue is Waterman’s answer to the Vacumatic. To fill the pen, pull the half lever out, depress the lever, wait a second, and repeat 10 or so times similar to a Vacumatic. Ink is drawn into the ink chamber. I like this system, and the threaded section makes cleaning the out the ink much easier. The grey/ pearl cap and body are in good condition. The chrome trim is also in very nice condition with little wear, which is difficult to come by in this era of pen. The 14kt. Waterman #2 nib is a wet writing XF that really feels like a F due to its wetness. Flex comes easily and has a nice range going from XF (0.3mm to 1.7mm). It also has a nice responsiveness to it. It’s a great pen.

SIZE:  4 1/4″ Capped

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

FILLING: Ink Vue Lever

CONDITION: Good

Restration Work:

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