Sheaffer Legacy 1

Yes, I know. I took the easy route and used stock photos for my unbiased review of the most awesome Sheaffer Legacy 1 fountain pen. But my camera almost always disappoints me when doing close up photos. And then I find myself with lousy photos and no time to write a review.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS. If ever there was a pen that would compel me to say, "Okay, that's it I'm done. I never need to buy another fountain pen ever again." The Sheaffer Legacy is that pen . . . except for the Pilot 823 . . . and the Waterman Carene . . .and . . . well at least the Legacy is such a great pen that it was longer than usual before I got another fountain pen. (By the way, the 823 review is coming soon.)

I'll be honest, I don't care for the color gold, real or plated - in fact I really dislike it. But I had read so many good comments about PFMs and Legacys, that when I saw the price: too good to be believed at Peyton Steet Pens, I said "Gold, shmold" and ordered one. When it arrived, I still didn't care that it was gold. The 1995 NOS Legacy 1 arrived just as advertised - just as if straight from the factory - perfect.

DESIGN and CONSTRUCTION. The first thing that you notice is the impressive girth and weight of the pen. The barrel is a half inch in diameter but it feels thicker. And, from end to nib it is only 4 3/4" which I would usually disdain as too short but it doesn't feel that way at all. With the cap posted it is a full 5 7/8". The cap is wide and light weight so it stays well balanced with the cap posted. The barrel has a high gloss black lacquer (over brass?) with a deep shine.

NIB. The Legacy has an 18ct gold inlaid medium nib. Though this pen was made in 1995, the inlaid nib makes it look as if it were designed in the 1920s. The common everyday nibs that stick out of the bottom of a pen lose their appeal once you've seen an inlaid nib. Not only is the nib stunning in appearance but it writes velvet smooth with a wet, even flow. The Legacy has a reputation for being a very wet writer and this one followed suit. It is an absolute joy to write with.

FILLING SYSTEM. Sheaffer utilized the touchdown filling system in the Legacy, which creates a suction when filling the pen and provides a very satisfying woosh sound when the pen is filled. It also seems to hold a higher capacity than a converter, which is handy for such a wet writer. I've read some complain about the shape of the blind cap at the end, but it gets the job done and makes the pen look more interesting than a simple cigar shape. There are a lot of C/C fillers out that have a faux blind cap. It is great to have the real thing!

CAP and CLIP. I'm sure the cap is marvelous for those of you who like the color gold. It doesn't do much for me. The clip is the only average part of this pen. It gets the job done. However, I do appreciate how well the shape of the cap corresponds to the rest of the pen. The top of the cap tapers to a square, just as does the blind cap at the end of the barrel. The cap is light and snaps securely onto the pen. And it clearly does a good job of capping the nib, because it never dries out. I also, prefer snap on caps over screw on caps - quicker to remove, and the cap doesn't inadvertently unscrew in you breast pocket.

CONCLUSION. Apart from the average clip - but nothing wrong with it - everything about this pen is outstanding in design and performance. After using this pen, it isn't as easy too get excited about pens with standard nibs and standard filling systems.

Doodles and Icons

While it is very rewarding to spend hours drawing or painting something suitable for framing, little compares to getting so lost in the doodle zone that you lose a sense of time or troubles. You are not self aware. You are not drawing to impress or please anyone else. In fact, you are not even drawing with intent to please yourself. The drawing just emerges while you observe.

It is similar to that feeling that you get reading a great story or watching a really compelling movie: you are transported to another world.

I don't recall where this doodle began - probably with the face - that is usually where I start. The starting place is always a self-aware decision. It is sometime after that as the drawing begins to take shape that you stop trying to draw and just draw. That is why doodling is somewhat therapeutic as a way to relax.

This sort of doodling is a faint echo of an even more significant form of artwork that transcends personal therapy: iconography. For monks who paint icons, the process of painting is a form of prayer as they paint, understanding that the finished icon will be a vehicle of prayer for others. I am not trained in the method of painting icons, but the general concept is one that we can embrace. Several years ago when I was drawing portraits for a living I took this concept to heart and adapted it for my work: while I was drawing the subjects portrait, I prayed for him/her. It transformed the way I thought about the subject and the process of producing a piece of artwork. It was no longer just a creative effort or a business transaction, but took on a sacramental significance.

Block Head

This is a concept drawing for a tactile sculpture that was designed for children.

Each mouth is a cavity, which contains objects that can be felt, such as marbles, feathers, water, et cetera.

Waterman Carene

INTRODUCTION. Some time ago, I saw a Waterman Carene for the first time and instantly fell in love with the design. It reminds me of art deco design and I love the inlaid nib. However, I wrote it off because the price was out of my budget. Well that was until I saw Pam's price at Oscar Braun. Suddenly it was in a range that I could justify, along with an Urban Expert! I went from zero Waterman pens to two, overnight. Pam's prices and service are unbeatable.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS. I like the Urban Expert. It is a nice pen. But the Carene is outstanding: I love everything about this pen. The size, design, weight, nib and build quality are superb. And of course the bottom line: it is pure joy to write with.

FILLING SYSTEM. The only thing that is simply normal about the pen is that it is a cartridge-converter fill.

Nothing wrong with that but not as much fun as a piston fill or vac fill. Honestly, all the other components on this pen are so pleasant, you can easily forget about a mundane fill. That being said, the Waterman converter is better than most with a nice snug fit and sturdy build. In fact, every aspect of the pen reveals build quality.

BUILD & QUALITY. The body is a luxurious black enamel over brass barrel, with metal fittings and smooth chrome appointments. Where the pen body screws on to the nib housing, Waterman set in two O-rings for a tight seal. If the converter leaked or came loose (which it wouldn't if properly installed) ink would not be able to escape until the barrel was unscrewed. The threading and fittings look like those on a piece of high grade equipment. Exquisite quality.

CAP & CLIP. The cap snaps firmly and securely in place over the nib and rests easily on the barrel when posted, but it doesn't snap. Due to the length and weight of the cap it stays in place without any problem. The pen is long enough to use comfortably without the cap posted. The clip is long and sleek and holds the pen securely without ripping your shirt pocket. (I have another pen that shreds the fibers of my pocket every time I remove the pen). Since the cap snaps securely, has a firm clip and the pen is long, it doesn't fall out of the cap like some screw caps do. (I've found my Pelikans and Truewriters to have unscrewed themselves and oozing ink into my pocket, more than once.)

DIMENSIONS. The size, for my taste, is perfect. The pen is long, weighty but not heavy and has a comfortable diameter. Length with cap is 5 3/4". Without cap it is 5 3/8". Posted 5 7/8". Diameter 1/2".

NIB. The best part is the inlaid nib: 18 kt gold and butter smooth. It writes first time and every time without hesitation. Mine is a medium nib and writes a true wet medium line. I am currently using J Herbin Pearle Noire.

Note: the photos are not mine.

Taccia Portugese

1. First Impressions

My first impression was surprise. I'd never seen a Taccia pen before - never heard of them and then my wife who never tries to surprise me with a fountain pen picks out this one for my 50th birthday. She knows I love simple black and silver pens and chose a pen that I love. Thanks babe!

2. Appearance and Design

I love the simple design. Very classy. I don't know why but I especially like the black dot on the top of the cap surrounded by chrome with the name "Taccia Portugese" etched in a circle: nice detail. Unlike the very poorly designed cap button on the Taccia Momenta, which carries an ugly TC logo in the middle. Also, the unusual placement of the threading at the base of the finger flare just above the nib is an interesting feature.

3. Weight and Dimensions

The size threw me off at first. It has a comfortable girth but it is very short without the cap. Fortunately the cap post fairly securely and is very well balanced. The pen is very light and comfortable to write with over extended periods. [Sorry, I'd like to list dimensions but the ruler's not handy]

4. Nib Performance

Excellent. Possibly the best steel nib I have ever written with. Mine is a medium but writes on the narrow side of medium and kind of wet. This nib has never dried out, never skipped, never needed rinsing. It writes instantly every single time. Plus the nib has a slight italic character to it - kind of flat on the tip - and so it writes with some character. I use J. Herbin's Cacao du Bresil.

5. Filling System

Only draw back: the barrel is too short for a long converter. So you are stuck using the short Monteverde plunger style converter or cartridges. I use the short converter and runs out of ink fast. I am thinking this might be a good candidate for an eyedropper conversion.

6. Cost and Value

It was a gift so I'm not sure about the cost. I suspect around $70. And at that it writes better than any other pen I have in that range. The closest competitor might be a Lamy Studio but the Taccia Portugese writes even smoother than the Lamy - compared both out of the box with no adjustment.

7. Clip. This pen has got a great clip. It is springy and has a ball on the underside rather than that folded sheet metal design that many pens have, so it doesn't tear up your shirt pocket when you take it in and out. Also, the cap and clip design don't create an unintended vent that causes the nib to dry out.

8. Conclusion - Final Score

It is a 10. I love this pen but it probably wouldn't be good for someone with big hands. I have medium sized hands and I find it would be more comfortable if the barrel was longer, but that's partly because I don't prefer to post the cap. I'm guessing the Portugese Imperial would be perfect for man hands.

Epilogue

I loved the Taccia Portugese so much that I recently purchased a Taccia Momenta. It is also a well made pen and writes well. it is considerably longer and a some heavier than the Portugese, but frankly the design is too busy for me. I liked it in the photos but not so much in person. So, the Momenta is up for sale on eBay.

Cross Apogee

INTRO. I am really reluctant to post anything at the Pub unless I can include photos and spend a couple of hours writing. As you can see that isn't working too well, since my posts are too few and far between. However, when I received this Cross Apogee from my daughter and son-in-law I knew it was time to get back on track and write about this outstanding pen.

APPEARANCE. This Apogee is the "Frosty Steel" finish and it glistens - catching and reflecting blue light at multiple tiny points across the barrel of the pen. I know we get pens primarily to write with but this one is pleasant just to look at. At first I thought the nib looked a bit small for the size of the pen but have since come to see it as corresponding well to the tapered opposite end. It is a very handsome pen.

NIB. My previous experience with Cross is that they are wet and wide writers. So, I ordered an XF nib expecting it to write like a fine nib, and I was not surprised. The nib is 18kt gold but still stiff. Not as stiff as an ATX steel nib but stiffer than you might think for an 18kt nib. Apart from that, it is an exceptionally smooth and consistent writer. So far, I am using Cross Blue ink, which I really like. With the XF nib, it is perfect for my very thin Clairefontaine paper: no bleed through. It writes on first contact every time - no flow issues whatsoever.

WEIGHT. On the top heavy side with the cap posted. But I prefer writing with the cap off, so that is not an issue for me. Without the cap it is a comfortable weight (sorry - no grams) - though heavier than a resin pen.

CLIP. The clip is really unusual. It is spring loaded and the end has to be depressed before you can put it in your breast pocket. It is a very stiff spring and requires quite a lot of pressure but it can be accomplished with one hand.

INK SUPPLY. This is strange: Cross does not supply converters with their fountain pens. You have to order it separately. Fortunately, I was aware of that and so I ordered it along with the pen. The converter is a well made screw-in converter. I like the fact that it screws in rather than the push-in style of most other converters. It is very secure.

CONCLUSION. I love this pen - can't put it down. It is so pleasant to write with. My only criticisms are that an 18kt nib ought to have more flex to it, and Cross ought to include the converter with the pen, like every other pen maker does. Cross seems to be kind of out of touch with their customer base. You can tell also by the way they write their pen descriptions. Whoever writes that stuff, obviously has know idea what pen enthusiasts care about. They write about the pens as though they are fashion statements rather than marvelous writing instruments - but I'm a guy and that's the way I think. Or, maybe they aren't that interested in pen enthusiasts. As the oldest pen manufacturer in the world, you would think they would have inky fingers - if you know what I mean. Not that it matters much how they advertise, the Apogee is a very fine pen!

UPDATE. Since writing this review, Cross recently redesigned their website, which finally includes pen specs and lists the "optional converter". Their website went from adequate to excellent.

Mr Zzyzx Presents: Zingot

My recent sleepless night allowed me to finally complete the illustration of "Zingot", an annoying character from my unfinished novel.

You can read about him in an excerpt from the novel posted previously in this blog: click on the "Chimera Crusade" label.