Capless of old - CL-300

My history with Pilot Capless pens has been a very difficult love story.
I've had a Pilot Decimo for almost three years now, at first I didn't care for the M nib that came with the pen but I swapped it for an F with a fellow FPNer, by then though I was more interested  in vintage pens so I use it a lot less than I'd like.

Last week I was strolling a local flea-market, almost ready to go back home as it was cold and rainy and here it was, like waiting for me, a vintage Pilot Capless, wishes I didn't know I had went answered: Vintage and Capless!

Look at this baby! It's in a great shape besides a few light scratches that I'd expect on a nearly fifty year old pen.

It's a Pilot CL-300, which apparently was released in the early 60's and the colour scheme reflects those years (Aurora 88 anyone?).

Compared to a Decimo it's much, much lighter, the clip positioning isn't as awkward and very comfortable to write with.

Even if the Decimo is the smaller of the current line of Capless pens (or Vanishing Point in the US) it's clear to see the difference in size compared to the smaller older CL-300. 

The CL-300 came with an assembly that at a very quick glance looks similar to an ink converter, instead it's a cover that fits two small cartridges, called "double spare", that Pilot has stopped making years ago.

In more recent years Pilot has also made a converter that fits old pens like the CL-300, it's named Con-W, but it's not easily available anyway.

I could have refilled the old cartridges that came with the pen but I preferred to save them and give a try with a Sailor ink converter that I had lying around instead (learned from here).
The Sailor converter fits the size of the cartridge opening but it's too long for the pen, so I cut and filed down the turning knob so it could fit inside the cartridge sleeve, the inner piston rod though cannot be extended all the way because it would be again too long, it loses a little of ink capacity but much better than the original tiny cartridges!

pens with names

I like pens with inscriptions.
Many people don't like inscriptions but that's even better for me as I can get them cheaper!
My favourite is the Parker Vacumatic with dedication, I get a warm fuzzy feeling every time I use it and read the names and date.
I don't care much for initials though, real names are better, dedications are the best :)

(the white paint is just a coloured pencil, easily removable and acid free)

In a galaxy far far away... there was a flea-market

I started visiting flea-markets when I was a kid following my father who was always looking for second-hand tools for his job. At first markets were just tiring and boring, I couldn't find anything interesting for a little girl, until I started looking at shiny coins, pen nibs (sadly many lost now) or old books... and I was hooked!

This is the small flea-market in my town, well part of it. Every time I visit a market it's a different adventure, no matter how many times I've been there before. Sometimes I'm lucky and find many great treasures, some other times I go back home empty handed, but it's a great experience either way because I get to see many different things I never thought I'd see for real or even imagined they existed.
Last weekend I made a nice loot if I can say so myself, especially since I picked everything up for a few bucks: a flock of Pelikan pens and three brand new, yet unreleased, Moleskine Star Wars LE notebooks.

The pens were all in the same box and the first to catch my eye was the barely used (see sticker) Pelikan P470-ST or Pelikan Steno for friends. It's a pretty sturdy pen from the '80s, made to last and take much abuse, with a special flexible nib made for shorthand writing. I hated shorthand in school so I nearly didn't pick this pen!
Then in red and attractive purple a couple of simple school pens from the late '80s I think, but they sport a nice M steel nib I can always grind down and play with.
And last one of these elusive mystery pens I already found last September. Some people over at FPN said it could be a M150 version for the Japanese market that somewhat was distributed in Italy, who knows if it's true. Anyway it's in a nice shape, smoothly-working piston filler, gold plated F nib, really an amazing find for the price I paid.
The Moleskine notebooks appear from time to time in a stall at this market, usually well in advance before sold in stores. This time they had some great Star Wars LE edition :) I think these might be some kind of sales representatives sample or better test copies from the firm that makes them (remember: printed in China, assembled in Italy).
I'm glad anyway, the price was great, and even managed to haggle a little as a long-time customer.

Sadly many markets around here are closed in Summer, I shall rest and save for the next time! 

Tweeted late at night.

Zen and the Art of Fountain Pen maintenance...

Breathe, don't use strength, don't use blunt objects, wipe don't soak...

Breathe, swear.

Repeat, especially the last part.

Spring in the countryside

I had good intentions, I swear!
I started sketching but then I laid down on the warm grass...and took a nap!