# Advise a Newbie - Please



## THarvey (Jan 21, 2008)

What is a good Fountian Pen kit for a newbie doing his first FP?

Thanks


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## Brewmeister35 (Jan 21, 2008)

Jr Gent II from CSUSA or the Baron from arizonasilhouette would be my suggestions.  I like the Jr Gent II much more, but with the baron, the barrels are turned straight.


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## toolcrazy (Jan 21, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Brewmeister35_
> 
> Jr Gent II from CSUSA or the Baron from arizonasilhouette would be my suggestions.  I like the Jr Gent II much more, but with the baron, the barrels are turned straight.



I agree with this, also will add the Jr Statesman. I am not an expert by any means. But I have made these kits.


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## jeffj13 (Jan 22, 2008)

Personnally, I don't think it is any harder to turn a FP than any other pen.  If you can turn b2b or with a slight bow, you shouldn't have problems with any of the kits.

jeff


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## THarvey (Jan 22, 2008)

> _Originally posted by jeffj13_
> 
> Personnally, I don't think it is any harder to turn a FP than any other pen.  If you can turn b2b or with a slight bow, you shouldn't have problems with any of the kits.
> 
> jeff



I was thinking more of the difficulty with assembling the final pen.


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## mrcook4570 (Jan 22, 2008)

Assembling most fp's is easier than assembling a slimline.


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## wdcav1952 (Jan 22, 2008)

> _Originally posted by toolcrazy_
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Since it was not specifically stated, the Jr Gent II and the Jr Statesman use the same tubes and same bushings.


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## jeffj13 (Jan 22, 2008)

> _Originally posted by THarvey_
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> ...



Since there is no transmission that needs to be pressed in a certain amount to work right, I think a fountain pen is easier to assemble than most pens.

jeff


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## gerryr (Jan 23, 2008)

If you're made a rollerball, it is really no different.  Just don't get Berea's round top European or the flat top American.  They both have metal to metal threads and will un-thread themselves in your pocket.  The European is just a very poor design and the bushings don't even come close to matching the size of the parts.  Stick with the Baron or Jr. Gent/Statesman/Retro.


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## Firefyter-emt (Jan 23, 2008)

I will agree. This is my favorite kit.  The only thing you need to watch is the body bushings. The nib end is bigger than the post end, but only by a little. I like to put a bit of a buldge (very slight) towards the nib end and taper it back to thepost end.  VERY simple to make and far eaiser than the same kit roller ball version because you don't have to play with the spring...


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## JasonF (Jan 24, 2008)

Lee (or anyone else),

What is your opinion on the CSUSA Americana FP for a first FP? I like the looks of the one in your photos.


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## Firefyter-emt (Jan 24, 2008)

I dislike the kit myself after using one.  The snap cap design, at first, seemed like a good idea. However, it is plauged with loosening up and making the cap rattle and once I ruined a nib putting the cap on. Something got hung up inside and folded over the nib.

I do, however, like the Ligero very much, but they no longer sell them!  I had to beg for one to use in a CSUSA/BEREA conversion to make the Cambridge "useable" for me so I do not break the thin nib coupler.

I do like the CSUSA Jr.Gent/Jr.Statesman/Retro style and it holds up very well. I have my first retro order in the shop now and I really like the style. It's more diffrent that I though it would look. The clip is not the same Jr.Statesman one (it's smaller) and the CB flares out nice at the bottom. This style has been shipping with nice converters and very nice nibs. I have had perfect luck with the feed and the feel of these new Dayacom nibs over the IPG's

I have never turned a barron so I can not comment, but I would put them right with the CSUSA style kit.

I love the style of the Gent/Statesman, but they are too big even for me.

The El-Toro styles are nice and with the new converters Lou sells, bottled ink can be used eaisly. My only "guff" is that the cap threads on "to long".  It takes 2.5 full turns to remove the cap. However, I love this kit mainly due to the simple centerband.

The Churchill/El-Grande/Cambridge is a large dissapointment for me as with others. Berea uses a very thin plastic thread coupling pressed into a metal retainer for the nib and cap (dual threads) This design snaps off in the middle with ease. I did find that the CSUSA nib, and nib holder can be directly swapped into this kit, however CSUSA no longer sells the FP!

I did try the RT-Euro from Berea and it is junk, the cap falls off just looking at it. The PSI Americanas are much the same but a little better.

In my opinion the winner out of all the ones I have made is the Jr.Statesman and oddly in the 22k trim.  The gold seems to hold up very well and I love the look. I have both gold and black-ti and I reach for the gold much more than the black.  The fancy trim is not overdone, and even muted a bit if you go with the black Ti.
I know it's twice as much as the Americana, but take it from someone who has heavily tested them and found the flaws, the Jr. series holds up the best (Could be the Berea too, but less options) If you want to save some, I would look to the Black-Ti Jr.Gent for just a few bucks more than the Americana!

Buy a couple sets of extra tubes, and practice. If the blanks are not just right you can start over before you put the kit togather. Take your time, measure it twice, turn it once and you will have a pen that you will not be plauged with stupid problems.


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## woody0207 (Jan 25, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Firefyter-emt_
> 
> 
> I do, however, like the Ligero very much, but they no longer sell them!  I had to beg for one to use in a CSUSA/BEREA conversion to make the Cambridge "useable" for me so I do not break the thin nib coupler.



I was poking around the CSUSA website; I don't know if it is the same Ligero that Lee mentioned above, but it appears that CSUSA has a Ligero fountain on closeout. It is a nice looking FP.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/s...___Ligero_Fountain_Pen___clr_ligero_pen?Args=

If I wasn't in the dog house already with the boss, I'd probably order a few


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## wendell (Jan 25, 2008)

Here's my newbie point of view.  I am still playing around with kits trying to figure out what I like (I make pens for myself and my wife, not for sale, yet).  I've tried the CSUSA Americana FP, Jr Gent II, AS Baron, Berea Americana FP.  The Americana style kits are harder to put together than the Jr Gen and Baron kits in my opinion.  For both the Americana kit you have to cut a tenon, the length of which can effect the fit and working of the pen.  For the CSUSA Americana kit, you also have to adjust the click cap to get proper fit which can be trying.  With the Jr Gent and the Baron kit, you just turn what ever shape you like between the bushing and push the pieces on to the finished barrels.
The Baron and Jr Gent are very similar.  The Baron is slightly smaller than the JR Gent so the choice is really which size you like better.

Regards,
Wendell


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