Fountain Pens with Nib Size: XF

Life's pretty tough for a pen named "Ink." Nevertheless, The Karas Kustoms Ink fountain pen is a pretty tough pen. The cap and barrel are made out of metal, and we read that the nibs are made of titanium. We aren't very familiar with these pens, so please feel free to correct us about the titanium. Aside from just a little light wear on the white clip and section, the rest of the pen looks fantastic. The blue-and-red mottled design is very modern while also harkening back to the 1920s. You will write as close to buttery smooth as an extra-fine steel nib will allow. Very impressive. Standard international converter is included. 13.7cm capped.

First-year Sheaffer TouchDown pens are difficult to find, but first-year Sheaffer Autograph TouchDowns are really rare. Made in 1949, these first-year pens had a much wider body than the 1950s' "Thin Model" pens. What makes the Autograph pen especially unique is its solid 14k gold pocket clip and solid 14k gold wide cap band. Our cap band reads "EAD to HFS." At least we think the "F" is an "F." It is a unique cursive script that we haven't seen in decades. We restored this pen with a new ink sac and O-ring. The pen has a little rust stain under the clip and normal wear from use. You will write an extra-fine line with its two-tone 14k gold nib with a little feedback. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.5cm capped.

Persian blue is one of our Sheaffer favorites. This Sheaffer Sentinel is an especially attractive vintage pen. The vacuum-fil filling system has been restored and works well. However, we are noticing an issue with it as it writes. The firm extra-fine 14k gold nib writes nicely, but it seems to deposit a little blob of ink every couple words. There is a dent on the right side of the cap, too. The rest of the pen looks fine with a little wear from use. This pen sports its White Dot on the tip of the blind cap! Really neat feature. 12.7cm capped.

It is nearly impossible to tell if the Esterbrook Transition pen is an authentic one or a repairman's marriage. We aren't sure, ourselves, but this pen does have a rarer cap with a three-banded black "jewel" on top and no "Esterbrook" written in the clip. We restored it with a new ink sac and new 1461 steel nib. Our vintage pen has some wear from use, but there are no cracks. The clip has a little jiggle, but it doesn't spin. You will write an extra-fine to fine line that is surprisingly smooth for a 1000-series nib. Mind you, that there is still a little feedback, but this isn't a bad nib by any means. 12.6cm capped.

Sheaffer Cadet? Sheaffer Admiral? We never fully grasped the naming conventions for the Sheaffer TouchDown pens before they switched to Snorkels. Yet, a rose by any other name...we can still restore. We replaced the ink sac and O-ring in this vintage pen, and now it works great. You will write a dry extra-fine line with its two-tone, 14k gold Feather Touch nib. The pen looks great on a passing glance. Yet a close inspection will show it has many scratches and a little discoloration. No cracks. No brassing. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.9cm capped.

The color match of this married Esterbrook J-model fountain pen looks better in the photo than in real life. The cap is a much deeper red than the barrel. The cap also looks pretty jankety. Nevertheless, there are no cracks and the cap is on tightly. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. We also gave it a new 1461 nib straight out of the box. You will write a firm, extra-fine line with a little feedback. Definitely not a museum piece, but a nice enough daily driver. 12.6cm capped.

We love finding Parker Vacumatics that are still in close-to-new condition. This vintage pen still has a light-yellow barrel clarity! It is no longer that green-yellow from right off the line, but it is still pretty good. No cracks, minimal--if any--brassing. We restored this pen with a new diaphragm. The biggest "flaw" is that its pocket clip spins, even though it is securely on the pen. The blue diamond was Parker's indicator that this pen was guaranteed for the life of its first owner. You will write an extra-fine line with its 14k gold nib. There is a little feedback, but this is a pretty good XF writer. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.8cm 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.