Fountain Pens with Nib Size: XF

Click the headlines for close-ups. You are going to want to see this one as closely as you can. A stunning emerald pearl celluloid still has decent clarity on this Parker Vacumatic. We believe it is called the Slender model, before they were named Debutantes. It has a crisp 1936 date code. Double jewels that are the same as the emerald pearl celluloid. We restored this vintage pen with a new diaphragm. It works well, but we had to shave a little off the aluminum lockdown filler to prevent it from getting stuck inside the pen. No cracks blemish this pen, but it does have a teeny little chip in the lip of the cap. Some signs of wear where the clip dug into the cap and light wear from use. It looks museum quality at a glance but a close inspection might keep it out of a museum. You will write a smooth extra-fine line with its still two-tone 14k gold nib. 12.1cm capped.

It is difficult, in this day and age, to imagine a time when wealthy, sophisticated young ladies were brought on to the more genteel dating scene as debutantes. Nevertheless, it wasn't that long ago. This Parker Vacumatic Debutante set was made in 1938 and intended for young women of class and culture. Fully restored with a new diaphragm the fountain pen is in good working order. There are no cracks, and its grey pearl design is lovely with nickel trim. The barrel has ambered and is difficult to see through. We think this is a replacement filler unit, as it is plastic instead of aluminum. The nib is a little tarnished, but we also think it still has a shadow of its two-tone look. You will write a nice extra-fine line with a touch of feedback. We can polish it for you, but that will guarantee it is a monotone 14k gold nib. The matching pencil still works and clicks to advance lead. 11.7cm capped.

Perfect jade-green celluloid is difficult to find. Luckily, we found it on this vibrant Wahl-Eversharp #2 fountain pen. The only flaws, aside from maybe a little light wear, are two brassing spots on the lever. The rest is c'est magnifique. Fully restored with a new ink sac, this vintage pen is ready to write. Annnnd, you will love writing with it. Super smooth is the best way to describe its extra-fine 14k gold nib. You can feel the paper under its tip, but it isn't scratchy at all. A close-to-perfect pen. 13.2cm capped.

Perfection in vintage pens is such an elusive target. This Wahl-Eversharp Gold Seal gets awfully close. Its "Brazilian Green" or "Bronze Green" finish is stunning without much, if any, discoloration. There is no brassing on the oversized fountain pen except for a tiny sliver on the edge of the lever. Fully restored, both the vintage pen and pencil work well. Under a bright light you can see some shallow scratches on the caps and barrels. You also can see some marks where the pen's cap rubs against the barrel when it closes. Very minor wear, but it didn't just roll off the assembly line. You will write a smooth extra-fine (or fine, depending on how you define extra-fine) line with its 14k gold nib that screws in and out of the pen. You will notice it is not a "Signature" nib, but it was likely a replacement nib the store that sold it used to customize the nib for the original owner. The pencil takes 1.1mm leads. Its biggest flaw is brassing on the nose cone. Pen measures 13.4cm capped.

Some pens are just difficult to define. Our Depression-era Parker looks a lot like a Parker Challenger in a demi size. However, it is the Parker Thrift Time pen. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. A little of the nickel-plated trim is worn away, and there are some bite marks on the blind cap. Yet, the marble design helps to hide the wear. You will write a nice extra-fine line with its 14k gold nib. We don't find the line to be scratchy, but it isn't buttery smooth, either. A slender pen that measures 12.2cm capped.

Carmine (red) striated Sheaffer Lifetime Balance fountain pens are on the less common side of the Sheaffer color spectrum. We restored this one with a new ink sac. The imprint lists an "875." People used to think that was a model number, but it was really the original price of the pen: $8.75, which was pretty expensive in the 1930s and '40s. Our vintage pen is crack-free but has a slightly dulled luster from use and wear. There are a couple of significant spots of brassing on the cap band. The ink-view window is darkly ambered but you can still see through it with a light. Its two-tone 14k gold nib writes an extra-fine line with some feedback. 13.8cm capped.

Dress up the counter of your small business or a desk in your guest bedroom with this Esterbrook Dipless pen. Technically, it is a dip pen that rests in an ink-filled holder. Given the inkfeed on the extra-fine steel nib, the pen "dips less" because it holds more ink on a dip than many other pens. The desk base is shipped empty. You can refill it easily buy removing the top, black pen holder from the glass well. As it is an Esterbrook, you can unscrew the slightly scratchy nib for a smoother Esterbrook or "Venus" nib. A great, and functional, conversation piece. Click the headline for close-ups.

We love this deep bronze metallic finish on this Sheaffer Prelude. Likely one of the last American-made Preludes, it remains in excellent condition, with minimal wear. A Sheaffer converter is included with this pre-owned pen. It also takes modern Sheaffer cartridges. You will write a dry, extra-fine to fine line with its two-tone steel nib. It does not appear to have been written with much. The more you write with it and "break it in" the flow should improve a bit, though it likely will always be a dry writer. 13.2cm capped.