As for identifying the year of your Vacumatic, there are a couple of really good Facebook groups. The best one (I think) is https://www.facebook.com/groups/fpnuts/
Especially when you take out your inkwell from the other pocket.Also, fountain pens are incredibly economical. I found a site that calculated the amount of ink in a standard Bic-style rollerball to be about .25ml. So a typical 3 oz (or 80 ml) bottle of ink holds the equivalent of 320 disposable pens. You can find the disposables on Amazon for about 50¢ each so you would be paying $160 in disposable pens (with cheap ink) to get the same amount of ink in a $12-15 bottle of quality ink. Grab a Pilot Metropolitan or Lamy Safari fountain pen for $15-20 and you're good to go. Economical, environmentally-friendly, and you can impress the shit out of people when you uncap your fountain pen
I have another one that was given to me that I may begin using. It's a waterman. I don't want to risk damaging that Parker. I know for sure it's pretty old. A friend of mine ran a jewelry shop from the 40s to the 70s and that pen was in a box from his shop. Also in the box was piles of ink refills and pencil refills that he sold at his shop. It's been in that box for at least the last 40 years.Also, fountain pens are incredibly economical. I found a site that calculated the amount of ink in a standard Bic-style rollerball to be about .25ml. So a typical 3 oz (or 80 ml) bottle of ink holds the equivalent of 320 disposable pens. You can find the disposables on Amazon for about 50¢ each so you would be paying $160 in disposable pens (with cheap ink) to get the same amount of ink in a $12-15 bottle of quality ink. Grab a Pilot Metropolitan or Lamy Safari fountain pen for $15-20 and you're good to go. Economical, environmentally-friendly, and you can impress the shit out of people when you uncap your fountain pen
I switched to a DE a few years ago and never looked back. I think it's as much about lifestyle as anything else - a good shave, a good pen, a good whiskey, a good pipe, a good cigar...
And, if you use a pre-shave oil, I'll give you my recipe so that you can have a quality oil for about $1 instead of paying AoS $30 for the same stuff.
There are some good places that will restore that Vacumatic for you so that you can use it. Although, truth be told, from the pictures it looks like it's in great condition. The nib could stand to be polished but I have some friends using pens almost a hundred years old.
Thanks! I have not used any pre shave oil yet. I did buy a dozen sticks of arko shave soap for like 10 bucks. That should be a couple years worth. I'll gladly try some home made pre shave oil tho. I am all about DIY stuff.
I plan to polish the nib a bit. My brother is a jeweler and I have access to all the equipment. I can polish almost anything to a mirror finish. I want to preserve the nib markings so I may just run it through the ultrasonic and hand polish it.
LOLOLOL
Now I need an economic argument for buying cigars.
Banks and gas stations keep me well stocked. I buy your gas, I get a free pen...
You make sure you post that reason when you figure it out - that's worth money to virtually every person on hereNow I need an economic argument for buying cigars.
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Even if you have to rip the pen from that stupid chain at the teller window!
You're the reason I have a pen jar with nice pens by my phone only I can reach, and a jar of bics at the front of my desk for clients.
